Evening Star Newspaper, August 14, 1927, Page 59

MOTORING BY WILLIA Many concrete examples of found on our concrete highways. 'OW the automobile salesmen are to organize. Plans for a national association are under way and first steps have been taken in the establishment of work- ing headquarters in Washington. The field and the nced for such an organization are so apparent that one wonders why action is so belated. A pooling of the interests and ideas of the men who sell motor cars as a fivelihood seems so logical that it is hard to believe that it already has not been done. But, nevertheless, a survey shows the field is virgin. And a brighter, greener, more allur- ing field of organization has not appeared on the horizon in many, many moons. or years, men in the street have whispered and talked openly about the things “wrong” with the “auto business.” Long ago. the brains of the industry remedied the once glaring errors of manufacturers in their relations with the dealers. And, vear by year. the plane of dealership has been raised until today, motor car dealers are generally viewed as a set of intelligent, substantial, high- type business men who deal with their customers with strict regard for the ethics of reputable trading. The garage, tire, accessory and “ultimate consumer” fields have been bettered through organization. All but the car salesmen, in whose ranks there are numerous improvements that well could be made.« These are obvious to their employers and cus- tomers alike. An organization, pro- viding an interchange of ideas, sales conventions, solutions to _difficult selling problems, a creed designed to increase respect for the profession and, most important of all, uplifting inspiration, would close the last gap in_the motor line. The sponsors of the National Automotive Salesmens’ Association jeserve encouragement, and doubtless the manufacturers and dealers will be first to give it, since a higher type and more stable brand of salesmen- ship, in the final analysis, would serve them well. i ok Automatic signal lights, capable of moving enormous volumns of traffic with speed and safety, have been coming in for some relatively severe criticism during the last few months from motorists, and, more_rarely, from some traffic engineer. Defend- ers of the signal lights, answering this criticism, do not claim they pro- vide a panacea for all traffic_acci- dents and delays, but maintain stanchly that it is not the use of the lights so much as the misuse of them that provides the basis of cur- rent complaint. . The automatic traffic light, adopted at first by large cities, quickly caught the imagination of small communities with metropolitan ideas, and signal lights began to appear at thousands of intersections where traffic condi- M ULLMAN. careless pedestrianism are to be factors s not received the oppro- brium which is his due save from the individual who has been his victim. One finds considerable difficulty in regarding dispassionately the de- moralizing influence upon city motor- ing of the continued maraudings of drivers who deliberately set out upon a campaign of parking-place stealing. To the non-motorist and to those who have not felt the heavy hand of this clique—although there must be but few of the latter—the whole thing might seem of but little conse- quence and that the less said about it the better. ® However, such is not the case. Nothing disgusts a motorist with motoring more quickly than the un- fair tactics of those who so little re- gard the rights of others that they have no compunction whatsoever in sneaking into the parking space for which the party of the first part may have waited and mancuvered for, ap- parently ad infinitum. It is things of this nature which do more to sour a person on the gentle and pleasur- able art of motoring than an in- opportune mechanical breakdown. Such things grate sharply on the nerves, and even in the most mild- mannered of folk they rouse a temp- tation toward physical combat. It probably is impossible to appeal to the better natures of such motor- ists, but an appeal based on the rea- soning that the biter yet will be se- verely bitten with the same kind of teeth he has been utilizing may cause him to ponder his petty, yet terribly exasperating, misdemeanors. * Kk ¥ % “Yes, this' car is very fast—and safe, too. For instance, we made Baltimore yesterday in an hour.” How often has one ‘heard this fa- miliar refrain, this one and its scores of variations? But does it mean anything? Very little. Why? Because no two per- sons figure the distance from here to Baltimore, or between any other two points, in exactly the same way. Did the man quoted above go from his home in Mount Pleasant to his friend’s home near Druid Hill Park in an hour or did he go from the Dis- trict line to_the Baltimore city line in_that time? ‘When the average motorist goes from Washington to Baltimore in an hour and a quarter, which must be considered good time, where is it from and to where? So the next time that motorist’ with a good car and an overly am- bitious but not especially scrupulous speedometer mentions that he made it from here to the Monumental City in 49% minutes, it might be well to ask him about his points of contact in each community. That may shed some light on the subject. * k% ok Some of the ways of testing auto- mobiles on proving grounds are im- tions did not fully warrant their use. As a result, a cumulative impression grew up that the lights were good only for delaying traffic. In addi- tion, some cities placed lights at in- tersections in residential sections where they were not necessary, ex-' cept possibly during rush hours. Furthermore, in various large cen- ters the signal lights have been the subjec of much experimentation. The synchronized system would be tried for awhile. Thed the block system would be applied. The mo- torist was kept busy trving to keep up with the lights. There still is a need for uniformity in the use of the lights in different cities, even advo- cates of such a traffic control meth- od maintain. % It is such varied uses of the lights that are held to be abuses which do not reflect upon the potential merit of the system itself. Perhaps it is true that many small cities could abandon their signal lights and that they could be cut out in some residential sections of the larger cities, but where would New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and other cities” traffic be without the red and green beacons? ok Washington offers to its motorists | an exceptional number of splendid motor jaunts about the city—more delightful ones, in fact, than almost any other community in the country. One can make the ride fit time, in- clination, mood and hour of the day. For instance, Rock Creek Park of- jers an endless number of beautiful rides along its heavily shaded roads. There it always is_cool, always is charming, always is soothing and comforting. Rock Creek Park’s high- ways and byways give to the motor- ist something for his every mood. Truly, it is the brightest gem in Washington's diadem of natural beauty. Then one has the Speedway. It too, has its charms and attractions, whether in the cool of the evening or the bright sunlight of Summer morning or afternoon. It is a rela- tively brief turn about the Potomac’s edge, yet it is refreshing whenever taken and quite a relief from the busy streets from which it is not far distant. Massachusetts avenue extended and out Wisconsin offers to the motorist who wants to confine his ramblings to a brief period of time smooth-as- glass boulevards, pleasant breezes and changing topography—hills and straightaways. There are many other such little tours about the city—around the Capitol, out Connccticut avenue, through Maryland avenue northea out to the District line through F teenth and H streets. in and about Soldiers’ Home and scores of others, Each of them can be made to fit a mood and the exigencies of time; cach of them beckons to the Wash- ington motorist again and again. One never tires of traveling the streets and boulevards of the Na- tional Capital except, of course, when they need paving very badly and the authorities scem to be at- tending ‘to that matter quite cffec- jvely at the present time. arting one's own self-conducted ! tour about the city is a never-ending source of delight, a pastime which grows more pleasurable with the ex-| ercise of it. W o% ok K The parking hog, a species of mo- torist to be found in and about \Washington, as in other cities, has come in for his share of verbal--and now and then more severe—chastise- pressive because of their great sim- plicity. For instance, in order to as- certain whether dust would have any unfavorable effect upon a new type of engine, a car chrrying this engine was made to run behind another ma~ chine for an entire day over a fairly dusty road. In another case it was desired to operate the engine at top speed, but conditions were such that it was not possible to run the car with safety at the rate at which the engine was capable of conveying it. This prob- lem was a simple one for the engi- | neers. They merely changed the| gear. reduction in the rear axle, with the result that the engine had to re- volve a great deal faster for any given car speed. <At a speed of the car corresponding to from 50 to & miles an hour, it was possible to op- erate the engine at its very peak speed. * ok ok ok The handling of traffic at Fifteenth street and New York avenue, while not perfect, remains an outstanding example of the increasing efficiency of Washington’s traffic squad. There is no need to emphasize the difficulty of conditions at that intersection, Every motorist and every pedestrian knows that it perhaps the worst one in the entire city. Therefore, the | smoothness with which traffic is be- ing dispatched through it and the minimum number of accidents there is a very real and definite credit to the men at that post. And it should be added one notes considerable im- provement throughout Washington as a whole in the manner in which the vehicular stream is being han- dled. At length this phase of the traffic situation is giving justification for genuine satisfaction. i Some wonderful strides are being made in silencing new motors. One of them is so quiet at 35 to 40 miles an hour that it is possible to hear the valve mechanism of the vacuum tank operating. This seems inconceivable, but it is an actual fact that in one of the new models just put on the market the noise from the vacuum tank is so pronounced and frequent enough to attract notice from the prospective purchaser. Some prospects have complained and do not seem to be satisfied when they are told that the cause of the noise is so trivial as to mean nothing at all. When engineers are trying to take the clicks out of vacuum tanks, we are reaching a state of perfection. Perhaps by 1928 they'll be looking | for the noises in the needle valve of the carburetor. L B One of the most interesting inci- dents of present manufacturing trends is the appearance on the streets within the last few weeks of a certain popular car bearing exactly the same color scheme that was utilized in 1924, just three years ago. When that color first was revealed on this car, it was hailed as one of the most unusual and distinctive fin- ishes for an automobile. Effort was made to improve upon this finish, with the result that the cars took on a variety of hpes, some attractive and some unattractive. That the manufacturer should go back to a color scheme used three years ago is pretty good proof that sometimes de- signers come close to perfection with- out realizing it. T Motorists on tour may gain the impression that the caution signs along the highway were placed by an overly cautious highway department. THE SUNDAY STAR. WASHINGTON, ¥Greensburg | | O Mt Pleasant $ Connellsville ing the westward journey in the early through the northernmost regions of M there would be mountain crossing at Greensburg to Washington NEW U. 5. HIGHWAY PLANS EFFECTIVE Roads Are Now Constructed in Conformity With Traffic Needs. That a new conception of the rela- tionship between highways and motor vehicles has come about, due to the great expansion of the motor car, is pointed out by Prof* Thomas R. Agg of Towa State College, in the August issue of the Journal of the Society of Automotive Engineers. For a long time, according to the writer, highway officials insisted that the motor vehicle adapt itself to the highway, rather than the latter adapting itself to the motor vehicle. This insistence now has given way and every well-organized highway de- partment is attempting to adapt the highways and roads to the traffic passing over them. Construction and maintenance programs are based upon the fundamental principle of accom- modating the present and future users of the highways, the writer states. New Highway Conception. “This new conception of the func- tion of our highway systems,” he asserts, “has made it imperative that highway engineers obtain a clear understanding of the interrelation of the highway and the vehicle that uses it, of what the vehicle does to the road and what the road does to the vehicle.” Some of the things the vehicle does to the road, according to Prof. Agg, are: Thé tires wear away the road surface, the wheel loads distort the road surface, and the wheels subject it to impacts of varying magnitude. Some of the things the road sur- face does to the vehicle are: It of- fers a resistance to the movement of the vehicle, wears away the tire tread rubber, imparts reaction impacts to the vehicle, the highway grade may slipperiness frequently and dust and of the ve- consumption, contributes to acciden mud cause deterioration hicle. “These interrelations between the vehicle and the road,” continues Prof. Agg. “are the factors that afford a starting point in the design of a high way, but the design that is dictated by the theoretical considerations in- volved must often be modified to meet such practical considerations as avail- able funds, topography, cost of right- of-way, and especially the lethargy of public officials toward that which .is or abstruse. The cost of any type of road is really the aggregate of the expendi- ture required to build that tvpe of surface and keep it in a condition of maximum serviceability over an in- definite term of years. perpetually if so desired. This cost includes original cost and_interest thereon, mainte- nance and interest thereon and depre- tion, each of which factors must include a proper part of the cost of operation of the highway system, or overhead. Lower Type Cheaper. “It seems that in general the lower- type roads are actually cheaper than the higher types for any traffic den- sity under which the road could be maintained in good condition. The justification for road , improvement must, therefore, he on some basis other than that of conserving road funds. “It is helieved to be possible to show that under certain conditions road im- provement »s in transportation ; that is, it creates wealth. If road project produces ss of it cost, the neces: matter how good busine The wealth produced by road improvement may be direct, in the form of lowered transportation costs, or indirect as the result of im- proved social and educational condi- tions. ssibilities for lowering the cost ot highway ,transportation are of two kinds. One is by road improvement, whereby the cost of vehicle operation is reduced to the economic minimum, in so far as those costs are influenced by the highway. This is the task of the highway engineer. The other is by improvements in the vehicle, whereby its life is lengthened and the operating costs are as low as possi- ble. Hence the future trend of high- way transportation depends largely upon these two great bodies of techni- cal experts " Food Item Important in Lamps. Experienced campers .l motor tourists constantly are searching for ‘food in the most compact forms. They r.ali” - that space is at a premium and the less room their food stores take the more comfortable will be the trip. ment. But the driver who steals a parking space from his fellow niotor- ist. who rightfully is entitled to it by virtue of any one of several obvious They should not feel this way abopt those warnings urging “steep hill. go into low gear.” There are no more important caution signs. Sclen has been active in developing forms of food which are amazingly compact, and a good and varied sup- plv 0 such foods may be secured at any large grocery store. The trip is a three-day one, and for tha affect the time of travel and the fuel | | Altoona ¥ § « Mundys@rs. & Holli R 0 \) Y & SN & & N MoroR Tours Washington over the “""l'")u'fsb}',:, lplnuresque route indicated by the heavy line is 145 miles. From Hai 22 les. ¥ 800 MILES OF NEW HIGHWAY LURE TOURIST TO OLD MEXICO Little Known Areas Made Accessible to Experienced Motorist Who Seeksto Brave Waste Lands. ‘With the charting of nearly 800 miles of new road below the Mexican border int» Lower California, this little known but historically famous land is now ac- cessible to venturesome motorists. Although “Baja California” is the mother of the State of California, and the mission fathers ventured into its fastness a century before Father Juni- pero Serra founded the first mission near San Diego, it has been almost a closed book for three centuries. The reason for the failure to pene- trate the central part of the peninsula in years gone by is the barren charac- ter of the land, the lack of water and the gigantic cacti, sometimes reaching the height of 70 feet. This “no man’s land” has made the lower end of the peninsula inaccessible except by boat. ‘Experience Is Needed. ’ The new road has been charted by the Automobile Club of Southern Cali- fornia and maps are being prepared for the guidance of motorists. The trip, however, is not one for amateurs, only experienced drivers in good cars will be able to negotiate suc- cessfully the 350 miles across the cen- tral portions of the peninsula where there is practically no human habita- tion and only wild life to be found. Provisions, oil and gas must be car- ried in addition to camping equip- ment. There is no telephone or telegraph line across this waste, but game SAYS AUTO TRADE | Point Emphasized by J. H. Hunt in Address Before Indiana Automobile Engineers. Men trained to think and trained to analyze problems and conditions are needed by the automotive industry. This point was emphasized by J. H. Hunt for the Chevrolet Motor Co. in an address before the Indiana section of the Society of Automotive Engi- neers at Purdue University on the relationship of the automotive indus- try to the university. Mr. Hunt, who is president of the soclety, asserted that “How a man thinks is of greater importance than what he thinks about.” “It is very difficult,” he continued, “to change a man’s way of thinking after the years/he has spent in col- lege. They must be trained to be students in such an industry as the automotive industry, as it is neces- sary for men working in this field to adapt themselves to changed situa- tions." To be successful in the industry the young men must be teachers as well as students. Mr. Hunt referred to a survey made recently by the American Management Assoclation of the dis- position of executives’ time, which showed that 90 per cent of the time of an executive is spent in educating the men under him. . The factd that are wanted, he said, are fundamentals. It is vastly more fmportant that boys leaving a univer- sity shall know the fundamental facts of physics and chemistry than the * | latest methods used in'some engineer- ing laboratories to solve a specific iproblem. Many young men after leav- ing college begin collecting data, but, unfortunately, do not know enough about what they are seeking to accom- plish, They would be better off if they took fewer data and analyzed these so that they could carry the main fundamental relations entirey in their heads. This would be more useful to them than an encyclopedia full of tests of every automotive en- gine, produced in America. Todine Is Essential. Todine and absorbent cotton are two essentlals of the medicine kit of the camper. Iodine is one of the most efficient safeguards against in- fection and will do much toward starting a scratch or wound on the road to _healing. "~ GENERATOR TROUBLE WE REPAIR ALL MAKES CREEL BROS. 1811-17 14th St. N.W. Potomac 473 Representing 48 Leading Mfrs. of Auto Electrical Equipment . and Motor Parts A\ Williams by sz‘ bUrg \\\\* WaterStreet Mo S IICreck 5 Y LA S PR RN o R &, \\‘\\ D. C., AUGUST 14, 1927—PART 3.’ '7. WASHINGT & Good roads and splendid mountain scenery in western Pennsylvania and northern Maryland are combined in this t reason it is suggested that it be made contra-clockwise, foln risburg, and then swinging westward over the William Penn highway across the Allefihany Mountains. art of the day and crossing the mountains wi aryland again may be covered 5o as to cross the mountains during the forepart of the the end of the first day’s journey and again at the close of the saeom:rr'ln of the trip. burg to grounds, and to the nature lover, stu- dent or scientist, the trip is rich in reward. Territories of Mexico. Lower California is one of the two It is directly south of California, and it is said the reason it was attached té Mexico by a thin strip of northern boundary is due to a_mistake of an early day sur- Nature isolated the peninsula from Mexico, and in turn separated the northern end from the southern ‘‘no-man’s The clvilization in the south- ern end harks back to the traditions and customs of old Spain, while in the northern end American civilization has permeated and American customs territories of Mexico. veyor. end by a wide strip of land.” are being adopted by the people. Comipletion of the road down the peninsula is really a colossal enter- prise on the part of the Lower Call- fornia government, as the entire pop- believed. however, that the new road building by hundreds of miles is a 1t is believer. however, that the new road marks the beginning of development of agriculture, mining, fisheries and oil in addition to being the opening tremendous burden per capita. wedge for the ever-increasing tourist travel. Detailed information on the Lower California peninsula is available for tourists in the touring bureau of tle Automobile Club of Southern Cali- fornia. PLANNING TO RENAME NEEDS THINKING MEN| OLD-TIME HIGHWAYS U. S. to Number Roads in and Near the Capit(al, Oblitering For- mer Designations. Romance linked with bygone days is to be shorn from the modern high- ways in and near the National Capital. Roads formerly designated for their connection to be given the numbered designa- tions of the United States highway system. . The main road from Washington to Baltimore, long known as the Bal- timore Boulevard, will become United States highway No. 1. The Belalr road, connecting Baltimore with Phil- adelphia, likewise will merge its iden- tity with United States highway No. 1. The old_Williamsport pike, crossing Maryland from Pennsylvania to West Virginia, will be known as United States highway No. 11. Announcement is made by the Mary- land State Roads Commission that 4,000 uniform markers shortly will be placed on the six United States high- ways within the State. Black and white shield-type markers will be erccted at 500 important intersections, while 2,600 others will carry legends suitable for the guidance of motorists. Each shield will be erected on a steel standard. Five hundred of the inter- section markers are to be illuminated. o Beware of Road Endings. Watch the end of each concrete stretch of road. Sometimes they drop off into the roughest sort of paying that is actually dangerous at high speed. Many a tourist who is running along a concrete road at 40 miles an hour suddenly reaches a type of roadway which he would not ordina- rily traverse at more than 25. Cut down on the speed until you see what sort of turn the road is taking. —_— e 'Road etiquette and careful driving demand that motorists stopping at Intersections place their cars so that they will not interfere with pedes- trians. OFFICIAL’S CAR For Sale A Studebaker Commander Victoria, Hopi tan with vermil- lion trimmings. Driven very little; always kept in excellent condition. Sold with new car guarantee. Attractive price. Can be financed. Call McElroy Potomac 5718 Jjith historic events or for their peculidr usefulness shortly are week’s tour compiled for Star readers. from Washington northward to Gettysburg and Har- 'his route affords the motorist the opporsunity of start- ile he is still fresh and free from fatigue. The third leg of the journey day. If made in reverse direction, The distance to Harrisburg from Greensburg it is 190 miles, and from AUTO SALESMEN'S GROUP 15 FORMED National Association Opens Offices at 1108 Sixteenth Street. Another organization has been add- ed to the list of groups working for the betterment of the motor industry with the formation in Washington of the National Automotive Salesman's Association. Headquarters have been located at 1108 Sixteenth street, with P. E. Banfield, executive secretary, in charge of the offices. The .Natipnal Automotive Sales- men’s Association is the outgrowth of an idea which had its inception among a group of local salesmen, who, themselves feeling the need for an or- ganization to bring about mutual co- operation, have launched the ambi- tious undertaking on a Nation-wide scale. Among those affiliated in an official capacity with the newly formed organization are L. L. Britt, ' Mott Motor Co.; Clark Allison, Stanley H. Horner, and Phil Reilly, Foss-Hughes Co. ‘Will- Seek Co-operation. According to Mr. Banfield, the N: tional Automotive Salesmen’s Associa- tion will attempt to provide for its fleld what the other well known au- tomotive organizations have done for their particular and especial divi- sions. He named the National Auto- mobile Chamber of Commerce, the Natlonal Automobile Dealers’ Associa- tion, the American Automobile Asso- ciation, the Automotive Equipment Association and the Society of Auto- motive Englneers as examples. Present plans of the sponsors of the National Automotive Salesmen’s Association call for the development of an organization on a countrywide scale, which will have for its funda- mental purpose the bringing about of a practical spirit of co-operation be- tween workers in this field, the inter- change of ideas and methods which may prove mutually beneficial and the setting up of an agency whereby the automotive salesmen of the United States may become articulate as a group. Union in One Sense. Emphasis, however, is laid upon the fact that the organization is not a union in the generally accepted sense of the word, although it is a union in that it seeks to join in close bonds of mutual understanding men engaged in_one field of endeavor. 1t is pointed out that there long has been a great need for an organization of this character, and the feeling among these who are pushing the idea is that it will meet with a hearty re- sponse among the serious-minded men in the fleld. Since Washington was the birth- place of the thought, and since it has been given a practical demonstration here through informal forum lunch- eons, at which mutual problems have been discussed, the National Capital has been selected as permanent head- quarters for the organization. Check-up When You Break Camp. When breaking camp make sure that all belongings have been packed. A cimple way of checking up is to to number each pack of equipment, such as bedding, 1; food, 2; tent, 3, and so on. Before leaving count over num- ber of packs. Change today! It is good for the transmission and rear axles. You will notice the difference and prefer it to all others. Just say “EBONITE” Be Sure You Get It. 20 Cents a Shot ONE_FILLING WITH ERONITE WILL LAST 2,500 MILES From the Checkerboard pump only, and In five-pound cans. At All Good Dealers’ Managers of Eastern BY WILLIAM ULLMAN Whether motordom Is to witness truly representative stock car races, or whether the attempt to revive this variety of automobile competition will continue apathetically, is nearing a settlement. Promoters of a large Eastern race track are challenging the manufac- tures who have kept aloof from events so far. Officials of this speedway plan o hold a racing program on Labor Day and, it s authoritatively promised, any desirable car not en- tered by a factory will be purchased outright by the speedway company and placed in the line-up. Regardless of whether manufac- turers like it or not, whether they en- ter their cars or decline to participate, there will be assembled in compe- tition a group of automobiles pep- resentative of stock sizes, prices and power. Fours, sixes and eights are being listed from avhich to select the entries for three races designed to show an American public what the cars they drive will do when leaving the same starting line with the op- portunity of being driven “wide open.” Thus far there has been mno open break between the manufacturers and the speedways. The makers have been asked to compete and in most instan- ces they merely have neglected to ac- cept the invitation. Now the matter is progressing toward a swift crisis. The makers are being asked to par- ticipate, but in all but few instances will decline to enter. Then they are to see their own cars placed in the races, not under factory supervision but un- der other auspices. Expect to Force Hands. Certain makes may show poorly de- spite their sound construction and generally satisfactory performance. In such cases the definite displeasure of powers in the industry is certain to be visited upon promoters of such a contest, since the manufacturer views stock car races as being no longer productive of useful information and race tracks continue to be commer- cialized sport emporiums conducted for profit. The motive prompting this policy of forcing the hands of the manu- facturer is the belief that the man whé drives a certain car would like to see it matched with others whose speed and endurance he has question- ed but never has had the opportunity to test effectively. Promoters of the forthcoming events believe that the public wants stock car racing and wants it invested with as great diversity as possible. They view the public demand also as calling for a spectacle which is not confined to one or two makes of stock car but for one which includes perhaps a score of name plates whose excellence in various classes of price and structural fineness is acknowl- edged. If diversity is there, they con- tend, public interest will foilow. The recent renewal of stock 'car competitions began with high hopes for the revival of this branch of the automobile racing sport. Hope for Competition Wanes. ““Now,” said motorists to themselves, “we shall see what these cars can do when they are matched against one another in the open and where speed will be limited only by the endurance of the cars themselves.” But followers of stock racing for- tunes soon became less hopeful. They soon saw there was less future to the revival than they had expected. But why? Was there no public interest in the possible achievements of the everyday product of automobile gen- ius? Or was it the manufacturer who was the stumbling block to the de- velopment of something which had a sporting side as well as a practical value of showing just- what various cars can do? To the close observer who follows carefully the ebb and flow of automo- tive progress, several important fac- tors must be taken into account in evaluating the trend of events since stock cars again were placed on au- tomobile race tracks to regale the throng that thirsts for speed. First of all, it must be remembered that stock car racing of the present day is vastly different from that of two decades ago. Then the track was the laboratory of the industry. From the races came much needed knowl- edge of tire endurance, carburetion, lubrication and other important me- chanical functions, It was something upon which the manufacturer was greatly dependent for technical in- formation predicated on practice. Situation Changed Today. Today the situation s changed con- siderably. There has been a great deal learned about cars. They have been subjected to innumerable tests which have proved more than a few hours of competitive running could do. What tires can stand, for instance, has been shown at treble the speed which was attainable by stock cars in the old days of racing passenger auto- ‘mobiles. Now the manufacturer has his own proving grounds, and right here it may be said that this constitutes an important factor in the maker’s spirit of aloofness which has characterized his attitude toward reviving stock car contests. Today he builds his own race track, where all sorts of tests may be made under the observation | of experts in whom he reposes con- fidence. These testing tracks repre- sent large investments made in the interest of constructing dependable machines. There it is that the manu- facturer holds his own private en- 5 'PROMOTERS PLAN STOCK CAR RACES DESPITE MANUFACTURERS Track Preparing to Hold Representative Contests Without Co-operation of Makers. durance runs. Nor do these have to be confined to his own cars. He may go out and buy for testing purposes any other make of car as any individ- ual would. This is in fact a common practice whence factory experts de- rive much instruction and many ideas for improvement to their own line. The result is that the manufacturer no. longer needs to look to stock car racing for testing the endurance of automobiles, for he holds them every day. The only difference is that the public is excluded from the one while it may sit appraisingly by at the open competitive events and watch the fun. But where does the industry enter into the picture? The present-day manufacturer’s answer is, “Nowhere." The view of the factory is that the stock car race of today is a highly commercialized proposition showing a profit for private promoters. He be- ieves he should not be expected to enter into it as a matter of course, but only if so inclined, and thus far few have viewed the stock car con- test as anything that would hold much benefit for the maker. Promoters’ Profits Opposed. If stock car racing is to be main- tained as a sporting venture which will return its coin of tribute to the promoters of the various race tracks, then, says the manufacturer, it ceases to be a fit laboratory, if a laboratory at all, whence he can expect the prac- tical data which should issuie there- from. Another objection may be credited to the manufacturing side of the dis- cussion. Automobile racing in any form engenders a love of speed. It is a case of faster cars and drivers capable of resting a heavy foot on the accelerator to permit the machine to demonstrate its virtual limit of speed. Mankind " ever loves to be on the move. Anclent races migrated from place to place. It is in the human blood, it seems, to seek a change of scene and to love motion, thrills, ex- citement. It requires little impetus, therefore, to develop the thirst for speed. Rather does the student of safety lools for ways to control the rapid pace wMch comes to man by nature and to direct it Into sane and safer channels. To build cars that today will do 35 miles an hour with ease; a few years later to make possible 45 miles an hour with perhaps even greater mechanical verve and comfort for the’ driver; and finally, to show in stock car races that the passenger automobile of 'today can be driven 85 or 90 miles an hour when timed accurately, says the manu- facturer, is to place in the hands of the irresponsible mortal a means not only of self destruction but of general consternation and hazard for his fel- low users of the highways. ‘What car owner, it is pointed out, at some time does not take his ma- chine out and endeavor to find its top speed? It is a practice of even the more conservative type. The less balanced driver, however, does not rest after finding the upper strata of speed. He does not let the speed- ometer needle fall back to a mere 35 or 40 and remain there. Once he has tasted speed, the speed-crazed individ- ual seeks it more and more. His car does 60 miles an hour with ease, so he does 60 forthwith and forever more, whenever he can get away with the infraction of the law. Speed Capabiflties Not Stressed. Shall these persons be encouraged, or shall speed and endurance be built into a car and the matter permitted to rest there? Give the car owner the best in the way of power and flexi- bility for the money he wishes to spend, says the manufacturer, but do not talk too much about speed. Vir- tually every car on thé market today, it is asserted, is capable of breaking any and all speed limits. Why, there- fore, make them capable of doubling or trebling the figure fixed as the maxi- mum by traffic codes? A comparatively few cars now are sold on their speed qualifications. There was a time not so long ago when it was quite the vogue to em- phasize speed. Then came an era of moderation and, despite the fact that speed potentialities are increasing, the general tendency in the industry is to build in the speed and say little or nothing about it. There are several makes of cars in whose behalf vociferous claims are made as to their pace setting quali- ties. But they show their ability on the speedometer and continue to be passed on the open road by other cars whose makers offer no special claim in behalf of their rate of travel. The latter type of manufacturer simply sets out to build a good car, a durable car, perhaps an expensive one. He endows it with speed as a natural corollary of his endeavors to give it the utmost stamina. ‘Why, then, asks the manufacturer, should the factory be expected to demonstrate publicly, for the benefit of the track promoter and only in- cidentally for the gratification of a certain portion of the public, a trait of the automobile which better would be spoken of with less emphasis and attention? ‘What is to be the outcome, the near future will reveal. It is not so wide of the mark, however, to assume that the bogey of having the other fellow's car pass his own is assuming less menacing proportions for the manu- facturer who sees his duty as one to soclety as well as to the purchasers of his product. (Copsright. 1927, COMING BACK We figure this x;vay: The man who gets a better Used Car than he believed it possible to get, is coming back some day for a new Dodge Brothers Car. SEMMES MOTOR COMPANY RAPHAEL SEMMES, President 8 Dupont Circle. 613 G St. N.-W. 1424 Florida Ave. N.E. 2819 M St. NW. Main 6660—Night Phone, Main 1943 Edward B. Semmes, Inc. Alexandr: a. Associate Dealer H. C. Fleming Motor Co. Hyattsville, Md. A USED CAR IS ONLY AS DEPENDABLS AS THE DEALER WHO SELWLS T Pe