Evening Star Newspaper, February 26, 1928, Page 57

BUSTAX DECISION OF INTEREST HERE Supreme Court Ruling Held of’i Local Importance: Other Issues Cleared. ‘ Three decisions of interest to the automobile and bus owners of the coun- try were rendered on Monday of this weck by the United States Supreme | Court. The first and probably the most | important of local application to Wash- | ington. it is pointed out by Thomas J. | Keefe general manager of the Ameri. can Motorists’ Association, is the hold- | mg of the Supreme Court that a State | may fax. on a mileage basis, busses | usad in the interstate traffic. | The case arises in Connecticut, which fmposed a tax of one cent a mile for | each mile traversed on motor vchicles usad in interstate bus transportation the tax being part of the State’s high way maintenance fund. The Connect cut bus corporation contested the valid- | ity of the tax on the ground that it is a tax on interstate commerce between Connecticut. Massachusetts and. Rhode Island, and that the State cannot thus tax interstate commerce. this being | delegated to the Federal Government. | The Supreme Court held that the tax IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE POINT OF VIEW.—By J. T. BERRYMAN THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C. FEBRUARY 26, 1928—PART 4. | in the current issue of Nation's Traffic. |a national magazine, published in St. NATIONAL TRAFFIC SESSION PLANNED Conference to Be Held in St. Louis in May to Study Safety Problems. A national conference on street and | highway trafic, which officials from | every city and State are expected to | attend, will be held in St. Louls, Mo, | May 16, according to an announcement | Louis. Citing figures issued by the National | Safety Council, the magazine points out | | that the estimated toll of fatalites as | the result of automobile accidents | reached approximately 24,000 in 1927 | and it s predicted that the total deatns | | from automoiviles next year will Dbe 25.000. i How to check the menace of motor | vehicle traffic will be the main topic | of discussion at the conference. Other important _subjects proposed for the | sessions are uniformity of traffic regu- | 1ations, signals and signs and the ad | visability of combining the varlous or- | ganizations conducting traffic resvurch‘ with representation in one cantral body. |Auto Growls Due To Wear and Lack Of Proper Oilingi Automobile noises are usually de- scribed as a knock, a grinding or seratching sound, a hiss, a_ rattle or a growl or hum They all have their causes, but can generally be traced as follows: Grinding or scratching 15 lkely to be due to a dirty or chipped ball or roller bearing, to lack of lubri- catfon of a bearing. to a loose or bent part rubbing against another or to the speedometer gears. Growls or hums usualy come from some of the gears. due to wear in them, or the bearings of their shafts, due to their having been improperly set or to lack of grease in their maintenance. 'AMERICA IS LISTED MAP-READING NATION Mo’orists Who Fost Up Easily Lo- cate Historic and Scenic Points Included on Tours. America is rapidly becoming a “map reading” nation, and there is an un- precedented demand for up-to-date maps on which the readers can follow the trail of explorers in the search 'WEST UNITED STATES FIELD FOR MOTORING Federal Aid Built Highways Open- ing Up Areas of Rare Scenic Beauty. | ‘The opening of the scenic and sparsely inhabited regions of the West- ern United States is being made possi- ble for the first time in history by the construction of Federal ald interstats highways, the American Road Build- ers’ Assoclation declared recently. These highways are essential to the establizu | ment of highway communication with | the real West, it was stated. | “An immediate revision of the Fed- eral ald road law iz needed to accele- rate road construction in these re- glons,” the association declared. “Ar present the public land States are re- quired to pay a portion of the cost of | all Federal aid roads constructed with- in their borders In many cases th: lands through which the roads mus: pass are not taxable by the State and are virtuallv uninhabited. and in such it is only iair that the entire cost | We installed 'l this machine for it the roads constructed in such areas oe borne entirely by the Government. songress s urged to immediately re- vise this legislation to permit construc- tion by its Bureau of Public en- tirely at Government expense. “An example of the scenic region: which may be opened by the construc- tion ot Federal aid roads may be found in the famous Rainbow Natural Bridge section of Utah. Few white peoplc have been able to penetrate this beau- tiful region because of inadequate high- way communication. This communica- tion may be established by the Nationa! Government without excessive cost thus making accessible to tourists one of the most beautiful scenic regions in ihe world. “It is not generally known that tou 15t travel from the East to the rea; scenic Southwest s almost 1mpossiu:- {t may be made possible. however, b a moderate increased expenditure Federal funds in sections which as cssentially Federal lands.” World's Motor Registration. The world registration of - moto. vehicles in use at the present tim¢ <hows a total of 28,900,000. of which 80 per cent, or 23,125,000, are regis- tered in the United States. accordinz to figures compiled by the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce. RECLINING PRICES and Time Per Set Auburn . ...$8.75 60 Min. Buick ..... 9.00 60 " Cadillac ...10.50 60 Chevrolet ... 4.80 15 Dodge ..... 7.80 30 Unity Is Favored. |for the uncharted and unknown and The magazine indicates t there | find the location of ev-nts of world {are several such organizations in the | interest. | field and the activities of each overlap | Th-~ is constitutional and does not consti- - i tute an unreasonable regulation on in- e 7 I P 3 / | terstate commerce. due primarily to the | =] =% i fact that the tax imposed is for main- tenance of the State highwavs. which your Safety Amcrican Automobile Associa- |tion. in citing this currcnt tendency. are used by the interstate busses “The decision 1s of local importance.’ Mr. Keefe stated. “bacause it makes pos- sible the taxing in this manner of all intersiate busses which are operated m | and out of Washington by the 26 local bus companies. Both Virginia and Maryland. if they so desire. can under the terms of the decision require bus companies running into Washington from these States to pay a mileage tax, which might curtail bus opera- tions in and out of the District. the astociation points out. The second decisicn deals with the rizht of a Commercial Credit Corpora- tion lolding commercial paper on an automobile which is seized by the pro- hibition enforcement agents for illegal use in the transportation of liguor. The Jower court and the Court of Appeals of Washington State held that the government has a right to seize and sell such automobiles. thus destroving lien which the company sold it The scizure was made under saction | 3450 of the Revised Statutes which. in substance, provides that seized vehicles used in connection with the illegal transportation of liguor on which the tax has not been paid may be libeled | and sold by the government irrespective of the lien held by the company or | asent which originally sold the car The Supreme Court reversed both deci- sions of the State courts and held that the credit corporation’s rights under their lien migcht not be thus destroved “The decision 1s a just one which the credit corporations and automobile dealers are entitled to as a matter of protection for the liens.” Mr. Keefe de- clared. A third decision, of interest to taxi- eab and railroad companies, was ren- dered. holding in effect that a railroad company owning terminal facilities may lease its facilities exclusively to a taxicab company and exclude other companies from soliciting fares at the railroad’s terminal —— Mudguards for Trucks. A law making it compulsory for trucks having a capacity of two tons or more to be equipped with mudguards has just been passed in France. the Tnited States Department of Com- merce is advised. | merchandise on ten JOHNSON ROAD BILL HELD VITAL NEED (Continued from_Sixth Page.) prices to people who sheuld have had it for nothing. It was a sale of merchan- dise. and 1t is not customary to uell cars’ then cxtend time of payment 62 ye longer. Payment Due on Maturity. When the bonds mature the debt should be paid. If ionger time is re- quired. the interest might be reduced to current rates and amortization ar- ranged in annual payments over a five or ten vear period. If the Browns bil passcs and this item is handled in this way, we will got this money: if it is left as it is, included in the billions of war loans. we will probably lose it. The bill, therefore. will be a diplomatic method | of rescuing something from the wreck- age of th> World War. By passing this bill the United States will demonstrate that circumstances cannot thwart its will. R willed to make certain use of its property. but cir- cumstances prevented. Since the prop- crty could not be devoted to this pur- . the United States can carry out its original intention by devoting to the purpose the proceeds of the sale of the property. This. then, is an effort to retrieve a miscarriage of plans due to which we are far behind in transportation facil- ities and to make up for lost time by utilizing a situation where we can save millions that otherwise will go glimmer- ing. Entirely apart from any of the above considerations. however. and even at the cost of increased taxation. this Con- gress should take steps to build roads faster. Why? waste. To reduce the cost of the delivery of mail. ‘To provide for the national segurity. To stop the appalling wheel time and | To facilitate intercourse. which makes for unders ding and preserves Na- tional unity The Federal Government is not bear- ing its share of highway costs. It is using 1.465.274 miles of roads for the delivery of mail. Federal business. It is wearing out these roads and leaving the entire cost of keeping them in condi- tion to be borne by the States and counties. The mail delivery by high- way is increasing rapidly. the motor bus taking the business from the railwav. and it would scem that there should be | at least an ecqual increase in Federa road appropriations. Yet the mileage of post roads has increased on rural routes 10 per cent and on star routes 25 per cent in the last seven years. while the | Federal road appropriations have runk from $100,000.000 in 1921 to 000,900 in 1 Is this the way to take care of expanding business? There is a speciai reason for this leg- islation as it affects the West. Almost one-half the area of the National do- main lies in the Rocky Mountain region In this section vast areas remain in thy hands of the Federal Government-—Na- tional forests. parks. Indian reserva- tions and unrescrved and unappropri- ated public lands— not subject to colo- nization and not within the taxing power of the States or counties Thus the States derive no revenue from such lands. For example, in Arizona over 60 per cent of the State area is Feder- ally controlled. The State must build the highways. yet can tmpose taxes for the purpose on less than 40 per cent of its area. The passage of this bill will go far toward relieving the difficulties of this situation. Favorable action on this measure will affect the character ot the National Capttal for all time to come. Congress created a National Capital Park and Planning Commission and empowered it | to make a master plan for the Greater | Washington The greatest experts of | the country in city planning are on this commission They are fully equal to the task. Yet what is the plan worth ! without the money to put it Fato effect? | Within a few vears the platting of sub- | urbs will extend over all of two and |do their part, over part of two other countles in Mary- land and Virginia. and the layout of | these plattings. the streets, parks. play- grounds and boulevards will soon be de- termined. Maryland and Virginia will but they cannot and! should not be called upon to bear the | entire cost of the parks and boulevards | that will be an integral part of the City | of Washington. At present not a dollar | has been appropriated for this pur- pose—so the lines of transit that wi'l soon be fixed for centuries to come are | being determined. with no funds in | ight, except funds derived from county nd State taxation. Is this the way | build a fitting_Capital for the riche Nation in the World? | Sum Allotted to Boulevards. | The bill will provide $20.350.000 for boulevards within the regional area of Washington. and it is just as impor- tant for the dignity and grandeur ol Washington to expend at least this much in the regional area in Maryvland and Virginia in the next few years, as it is to clear away the ugly structures rom the triangle between the Avenue and the Mall. Sclf-interest is not self. ishi and self-interest and pride ir own country would lead an Ameri- to want some boulevards arouna Washington. approaching. if not rival- ing thos> which now adorn Paris They are better off as to Capital adornments than we are. so when they talk can- cellation. there are a lot of us here that talk boulevards. After all, it is a matter of psvchology The United States is not “busted.” Wc can afford things We can afford such costly things as were on exhibit at the Automobile Show. we can also afford the kind of a track that will no: ruin the paint and upholstery and rack the intricate parts and injure the health and lessen the pleasure of the passen- gers. What is necded is to think good times, talk good times, and build roads, build th>m now. right now. while we arc here to enjoy them: build more roads and yet more roads and wider and bet- ter roads, With United States psychology right the Browne bill will pass and a lon2 step will be taken for “A Paved United States in Our Day.” THE the others to a great extent. It frequently happens that measures | recommended or adopted by one group | fail to take into consideration all the ! elements that are a part of the traffic problem.” states the magazine. “Unity of purpose is desirable in all | things and more especially in move- ments for traflic control. regulation and | safety. There is a sad lack of hezemony between the various groups now str ing for uniformity in traffic. Likewis there is a loos» co-ordination betwoe the official. the engineer, the safety worker, the legislator and the city planner, The result in many instances is inertia. Committee to Meet. “Twenty prominent traflic authori- ties will meet in St. Louis. May 14-16, as the committee of awards In the traflic contest being conducted by this publication. Many of them are leaders in their respective fields and all are interested Mn the solution of traflic perplexitics along the lines of uniform- ity. It is seldom that such an array of expert talent as will meet in St Louss is gathered together at one time The opportunity to meet those authori- ties and discuss with them every phase of the situation will b* a rare one a it is very likely that out of the delibcra- tions something tangible will emcrge. The conference should be attended by every one who can possibly do so. Cities should make it a point to send their representatives to the sessions.” The contest referred to is b2ing con- ductod by Nation's Traific to determine the best means of solving the traffic perplexities that harass every com- munity Fifteen cash awards totaling ' $10,000 and ranging ‘rom $100 to $2.500 will be made by the magazine for the bost ideas submitted Informa- tion on the contest. which closes April 30. may be obtained from the magazin:. ‘Among the officials expected to at- tend the conference are chiefs of police, police officers in charge of traffic divi- sions. mayors. city managers. safety council workers, automobile club offi- cials. educators, planning enginer! traffic_engineers. park and playground officials, county and State highway ofti- clals and representatives ol civic of- ganizations. Pive hundred thousand pasengers ar- rive in New York by automobile daily. NEW MARMO now says that it is due in a large measure to the excellence of the modorn road map and its part in edveaiing the public to the valuc of this form of showing routes and leccations in a praphic manner. Says the American Automobile Association: “Whether Lindbergh wings his way southward. or the explorer carefully picks his way through the ice fields of the frigid north. there is a growina desire to follow the route on a map | This is strikingly shown in the manner in which newspapers fre turnng 19 the use of maps showing the location of im- portant national and world events. “In the Mississippi flood arca, in New England. at the time of the tran: Atlantic flights, as well as those acros the Pacific. maps vere successfully used to ~ive the country en id-a of the dam- aged territories and routes “Thc motorists in turning to the nse of route maps instead of picking his way by road signs. ‘became convinerd of the value of locating historic and scenic points in advance of trips. and this aroused a desire to use maps in %onnccuon with the happenings of the ay.” j‘r Now ls.— fl:efi'i'ime—! to Get Your Car Refinished ' Il Central Auto Work: 149.51 Eye Street N.W Washington, D. C. 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