Salt Lake Telegram | 1922-05-15 | Page 6 | Change Needed

Change Needed EVERY fair minded citizen of Utah is bound to agree with City Judge Ben Johnson in his criticism of the Utah state law covering the transfer of automobiles. This law was passed for the evident purpose of suppressing thefts of motorcars, the theory being that a strict system of registration would prevent thieves from disposing dis-posing of stolen cars. This is a worthy spirit and is to be encouraged. It so happens, however, that the law, as written, imposes a hardship on the honest citizen, In that it requires a new license on every transfer. " Under the law a man who sells an automobile on which the year's license has been paid, can neither transfer the license or claim a rebate for himself. If he buys a new car, after disposing of the old one, he must pay the full charge in acquiring a new license. This savors too much of an official and legalized legal-ized holdup. It is a double assessment to which the state should not stoop. If there can be no transfer of the license, the next legislature should at least make it possible for a man to get a rebate on the unused portion of his license. No automobile owner should be required to pay two years' license in one. Likewise, no car should be subject to more than one state license In the same year. A JL