Undoing Dyer

Leonidas Carstarphen Dyer, Congressman from Missouri, forced through Congress in 1920 a law known as the National Motor Vehicle Act. He was proud of his legislative handiwork, was glad to have people call it the Dyer Act. Its purpose was to break up interstate traffic in stolen automobiles. Violators could be jailed for five years, fined $5,000. Enforcement proved difficult. Soon one-third of all Department of Justice secret operatives were doing nothing but chasing car thieves. In 1929 the U. S. convicted 2,123 Dyer Act violators, sent 1,515 to penitentiaries.

Last week Congressman Dyer surrendered all pride in his law. He considered it a failure. He did what few legislators ever do--offered a bill (H.R. 10423) to repeal his earlier handiwork. His reason: U. S. Judges under the Dyer Act are obliged to jail young boys for joyriding in borrowed cars across State lines while big commercially successful car thieves are escaping from U. S. enforcement agents.*

*In Chicago last week Albert Hoffman, bond salesman of Davenport, Iowa, was convicted in Federal court of violating the Dyer Act. Judge Woodward, believing Hoffman no criminal, gave him probation instead of jail, with the following provisions: 1) Remain within 50 miles of Davenport; 2) Hold his job: 3) Sell his car and buy no new one; 4) Not pleasure ride; 5) Not drink liquor; 6) Not gamble; 7) Report to Judge Woodward each & every theatre, restaurant and building he enters on trips (only one per month) to visit his Chicago relatives.

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