Evening Star Newspaper, January 27, 1929, Page 102

v 12 AUTOISTS GROWING STYLE-CONSCIOUS Trait Plays Vital Role in Form Body and Colors of _Models. The United States has grown style- conscious—a factor that Is playing a tremendously vital role in dictating the form, cowt and beauty of the modern automobile as well as even the prosaic merchandise—and the develop- ment of art in the automotive indust which recently has begun in a big way will play an increasingly important part in the future, according to C. T. Churchill, general sales manager of the Buick Motor Co, “In all our necessities of life, utili- tarian value has come first, to be fol- lowed later by style and beauty value,” he says, and continues: “Naturally, this growin ness Is based on the wid: ead pros- perity of the country, which enables the peopie to satisfy their tastes for beauty as well as comfort. As a result, style and beauty in automobile bodies and interiors are developing into a real and distinct art. " is not alone peculiar to the automobile industry, because it is ap- parent in_many other lines of com- modities, but naturally becomes more pronounced in those commodities which represent & large individual inv ment. There are {ew individual pur- chases in life, outside of a home, that represent a larger intial expenditure than a motor . In such large pur- chases it 1s obvious that tastes are most critical. Should Possess Beauty. *Another important factor is the gen- erally growing recognition that there should be no distinction of art—as be- tween something apart and sacred and the expression of art in our industrial life, Art and beauty spring from the life of the people of any period; it is the expression of the fabric of their social and industrial life, and certainly should form part of their everyday life. There is no reason why even the most utilitarian article should not at the same time possess beauty of line and color and adornment. “This trend of art and beauty in the motor car industry does not signify that there will be catering to individual tastes. This is impossible in a large production industry if costs are to be kept down. The style design of a good car can stand upon its merit and prove itself. “Siyles change slowly and style ap- peal will be built up slowly. It has taken years to bring cars to the me- chanical excellence they possess today, and it will take time for the various large c nies to evolve styles that will be dstinctive and fundamental. These fundamental designs will evolve ; for the various companies as the me- chanical features of the cars have Sl conscious- d. “Naturally body style is a potent fac- tor in car sales and will be the stimu- lan' that will help in the evolution of finer and more artistic lines, Yet it is a sales stimulant that must be handled carefully, lest it defeat its very purpose. European Influence. “It strikes me that European body design will have a marked influence on the design of our cars. The rich European background of art and cul- ture has given them a knowledge, taste and desire for the beautiful which can enable us to enrich our products. Nat- urally whatever we adopt will have to be translated into terms indigenous to our country and our needs. Mechani- cally, for our needs at least, I doubt whether there is much that we can borrow from our European cousins. “During the last five years we have made marked improvements in the beauty of lines of our cars and interior equipment. In fact, we made a greater development in body design in these years than in the previous 10 years. And undoubtedly we will make greater strides in the next five years than in other five years since the begin- ning of the industry. “Coincident with this development, and, in fact, an integral part of it, will be the more artistic use of coloring: We have come to learn a number of things about the optical illusions that various colors afford—the impressions that they give—of bulk, of height or ' lowness, of fleetness and speed. We are giving more thought to the blend- ing of colors to produce a more sym- metrical effect. “Of course, all this discussion of art and beauty in motor ear bodies pre- supposes a continued refinement in me- chanical design. Nor will a beautiful body sell a car alone. Car perform- ance and ear reputation over a period of years will still continue to represent the basic reason for the widespread preference for the cars that are noted for endurance and excellence of me- chanical design. But these things be- ing equal as between two different makes of cars, the body style will un- doubtedly tip the sale in that direc- tion.” DRAGGING B! AKES_TEST GIVEN TO AID AUTOISTS Simple Formulae Enumerated to Hold Up Efficiency of Car and Detect Faults in Mechanism. A simple test by which any motorist can readily ascertain whether his brakes are dragging, a condition that seriously affects car performance and operating economy, is as follow To test for dragging brakes, attain 2 speed of 30 miles an hour cn a smooth and level road, then shift to neutral and let the car co: ‘When the speed- ometer shows 2! an hour, begin timing the decel If your car is rolling 5 miles an hour or faster e end of 6 conds, have the inspected. t the effect of the wind, the driver should make the test in both 15 over the same level streteh, time taken to hour to 5 e should be whether that ex- r, If the pidly and the then there s 100 much “xsistance some- where, and the er the owner has it corrected the better. Most motorists do not realize the ex- tent to which dragging brakes will af- fect the acceleration and hill-climbing abilities of an automobile,. They im- pose just so much extra load on the engire, and this naturally reduces the car's performance ability and increases its gasoline consumption. Save 10 Years by Bond Issue. When Towa adopted the $100,000,000 bond e program at tke November ection. motorists of that State were stved 10 years of travel over incom- y highways. Road au- es point out that this plan will allow completion of the present system within six years. In addition, Iowa mo- ts will save from one to two and enths cents a mile in car operation costs on the improved highways, ac- cording to tests established Towa State College, Without -any - in e rag on the running slows down too re most | ACHIEVEMENTS Notable Trend Seen in In- crease of Nation’s Safety- Mindedness, He Says. mined Effort to Halt Taxa- tion of Autoists. BY THOMAS | President American A | The word achievement was written in | boid letters in the history of motordom | |in 1928, and I am confident that the | vear will stand out, not only for the | | accomplishments, but aiso as indicative | of a most promising future. | President-elect Hoover says “The aver- Age American has attained a mobility |that was before unknown.” Therefore, it has been the constant aim of organ- |ized motordom to encourage the use of |the automobile and to protect the in- terest of the car owner. | In attempting an estimate of what | has been accomplished, let us outline | briefly the vital flelds in which motor- dom registered progress: First, while the question of automo- bile accidents continues a very serious national problem, there is no doubt that in 1928 the Nation as a whole be- came more safely-minded. This was | |indicated in the elimination of grade | fety movements and public | t in the protection of human life. | Uniform Law Trend. Second, there was a decided trend toward uniformity in State motor ve- hicle codes and municipal traffic ordi- nances, and agencies of Government showed a desire to eliminate the multi- plicity of unwise regulations. ‘Third, there was a determined Na- tion-wide effort to head off the ever- present tendency to increase the tax burden of the motorist, a burden which has already assumed unfair proportions. Final elimination of the wartime excise tax on passenger cars was a decided ac- complishment in this direction. Fourth, the forces advocating com= pulsory automobile lability insurance | were completely routed. At the same time the pioneer effort of Massachusctts to sponsor this law collapsed and the A. A A came forward with a proposed safety-responsibility law designed to| eliminate the reckless driver and to pro- mote financial responsibility. Fifth, increased use of the motor | car for pleasure continued and the | services offered the Nation's motor cara- van were such as to cause this travel to reflect in the prosperity in every section of the country. Sixth, reelizi~g the important of co- oried effort in the solution of com- mon problems and that organized mo- | tordom' has demonstrated its sworth, there was a decided trend toward or- ganization by the motorists to provide unity in service and protection. Fight Unwise Legislation. Seventh, the fight against unwise Jaws affecting the motorists was con- tinued, and it can be safely said that there was not any legislation passed that would impede the progress of mo- tordom. Eighth, better and wider roads be- came the war-cry of America, and in State bond issues, as well as the demand for continuation and even enlargement of the Federal aid program, there was every sign-that the great masses will assure Sentiment for needed highway construction. Ninth, there was every evidence of Public condemnation of the reckless and the intoxicated driver, and the courts adopted the policy of meting out heavy penalties against these menaces to motoring progress. Moreover, the auto- mobl'le thief came in for severe punish- ment, Tenth, although the “gyp” operators of fake, privately owned motoring or- ganizations continue to flourish in some sections, there have been severe losses in their ranks and many are now helping to build roads to be used by the class of people they would cheat. Eleventh, there were clear indications that the fee-grabbing justice of the peace and his “roadside court” is pass- ing from the picture. The body-blow dealt them in 1927 by the United States Supreme Court when it declared the fee-grabbing system unconstitutional had the effect of almost completely routing them during the past year and to give hope for the ation of the remaining few. War on Signs. Twelfth, the movement to rid the roads of unsightly rubbish, “snipe” ad- vertising signs and signs that endanger travel by imitating warning and direc- tion signs went forward apace, although much remains to be done. The benefits that the motorists have derived and will continue to derive from better touring conditions and service; from united action in efforts to relieve themselves of - disabilities: from stem- ming the tide of wholesale legislative enactments; from expanding road pro- grams; from more vigorous prosecution of the small minority of car owners— often car thieves—constituting the reck- less and intoxicated drivers; from put- ting “gyp” operators out of business and from keeping the highways free from useless and meaningless signs that are | confusing, are so striking that they do i not require discugsion. It can and should | be said, however, that in all these fields organized motordom, as represented by the 1,065 motot clubs affiliated with the American Automobile Association, has kept faithful watch throughout 1928, At the same time it will be well to survey briefly what has been accom- plished in the major fields of safety, uniform motor vehicle codes and traffic | regulations, taxation and compulsory automobile insurance. Although the statistics continue to show a toll of fatalities and accidents which we cannot but regard as alarm- ing. it is nevertheless a fact that the Nation is today more safety-minded than it ever has been. This is one of the most hopeful signs for ultimate so- lution of the problem of safety on the streets and highways. Clvic and busi- ness groups are standing solidly with A A. motor clubs in an attempt to solve the problem and bring about desired results. We must concede, how- ever, that only a beginning has been made. Safety Campaign, The year also witnessed an inten- sive campaign of education through the safety department of the A. A. A, It | has Jong been realized that education is the key to the door and milllons of school children have been reached through safety lessons and posters. Progress was also registered in the work of the Hoover conference on street and highway safety, as well as Organization Made Deter-| THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C. JANUARY' 27, 1929—PART 8. IN MOTORDOM TRACED BY A.AA. PRESIDENT | THOMAS P. HENRY. to purchasers of new cars can well be called a signal victory. The other big tax fight of the year centered around the efforts to prevent the Legislatures increasing the rate of the ]gnsflllner tax. Without l‘l\edotemné vigilance of organized motordole,. i can be said the rates woulde=some Car owners have submitted in good faith to the principle of a gasoline tax and they have évery right in the world to demand that ihe revenue be applied equitably and with due regard to the road needs of the State. Restriction of the use of special motor vehicle taxes to road purposes has become an ace cepted part of motordom’s creed. Of all the battles of the year the one centered around compulsory auto- mobile liability insurance was out- standing. The collapse of the pioneer effort in Massachusetts, with the sub- sequent troubles which motordom had contended would result, has successfully stopped many State proposals for this means of curbing the reckless driver, Into the breech the American Automo- bile Association has thrown its pro- posed safety-responsibility law. It has been widely received as a solution to the problem and represents many months of study on the part of a special A. A, A. committee of 17. The press of the Nation has received the proposal with favor, and it will be ready for affiliated motor clubs in time for them to discuss it with legislators when the State Legislatures convene early in 1929. Through this law it is hoped to force the reckless driver off the high- ways and to promote payment of judg- ments for personal injury and prop- erty damage on account of accidents. Adequate drivers’ license laws in all States is the basis for the proposal. Continued Good Roads. Highway construction continued throughout the twelve months on a sound and economical basis. Congress provided appropriations to continue Federal aid on an undiminished scale, and this work was supplemented by State and local funds. Highway bond issues totaling $240,- 000,000 were passed in four States, It is & tribute to the forces of motordom that in every instance, with the ex- ception of one, the attitude of the voters was in strict accord with that of affilated motor clubs in the States where the bond issues were' up. ‘There is one problem, however, which continues as a challenge to motordom. That is the need for grade-crossing elimination. Two events stood out dur- ing the year as giving hope for ulti- mate victory in this fight. First, the decision of the United States Supreme Court, upholding the right of a State to require railroads to eliminate grade crossings. Second, the stand of the Interstate Commerce Commission in no longer requiring railroads to place au- tomatic train controls on their lines, but instead directing the attention of the carriers to the need for abolishing the grade-crossing evil. All in all, 1928 was a year of motor- ing progress in almost every field, and certainly one that should stand out as a period of encouragement in fighting the future battles of America’s largest gns‘! of citizens—the car owners of the ation. AUTO BAGGAGE CAR SERVICE A SUGCESS Southern Pacific Co. Establishes Line Over Snow-Covered Sierra Summit for Motorists. Automobile baggage car service over the snow-covered Sierra summit be- tween Sacramento and Reno is now being given daily by the Southern Pa- cific Company to mect the demands of motorists. A tri-weekly schedule for the “snow- shed ferry” over the mountain snow drifts was announced by the company on December 26. Immediate popularity of the service called for daily operation of the car. The charge for checking motor cars as baggage between Sacramento and Reno is approximately 10 cents a mile. And by availing themselves of the serv- ice, motorists have found a safe way over the Sierra Nevada Mountains in snow time. The automobile baggage car will be operated for the remainder of the Winter. Motorists may now drive to the rail- way station in Sacramento or Reno, obtain a baggage check for their ma- chines at low cost, board the train and cross the mountains without trouble, The special baggage car has end doors and automobiles are driven aboard by means of an Inclined run- way. There is no inconvenience at- tendant upon loading or unloading cars, el Rome Founded Rent-a-Car Idea. The rent-a-car system, an innovation of the past few years in the minds of many people, is in reality an idea con- ceived centuries ago in Rome, Some 2,000 years ago, according to Ifstory, a group of enterprising Romans developed the idea of hiring out mule-drawn cars called cisiums, catering to those whose means precluded their owning a private vehicl ‘Won't You Follow The Automotive Engineer’'s Advice? 8 Out of Ten Advise The Use of EBONITE in that of the conference on municipal traffic ordinances and regulations. Or- ganized motordom has consistently played an important part in promoting these two safety programs, which are the result of painstaking effort on the part of motoring leaders and traffic experts. ‘The highway code has been embodied into the laws of many States, while municipa] authorities see in the model traffic ordinance a way out of | the dilemma created by a multiplicity of unwise regulations. The year has demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt that education, | regulations based on scientific rules and enforcement of wisely made laws loom as the only hope for solving the traffic problem. Great strides have been made mn this direction. In the field of motor vehicle taxation, the outstanding accomplishment was You will find Ebonite the correct gear lubrication, for the Transmis« sion and “rear axles” gears. ‘This is why such propore tion of Automotive neers ad- vise its use, Among several hundreds of Auto. motive Engineers recently intere viewed on this important question, seven out of ten condemned the continued use of greases, and com- pounds, because they channel, and do not lubricate these important gears,, EBONITE (Combination of Pure Oil) the final regral of the hangover war excise tax of 3 per cent on passenger cars, Motordom dcomuceng; fought this unfair tax and its elimination and resultant -saving ‘of 1$60,000,000 +a yest 20 Cents a Shot At Pilling Stations and Garages. ‘BAYERSON OIL WORKS “Colusabia 528 SPARK PLUGS ADD 10 AUTO ADVANCE Champion President Also Cites Influence on Air- plane Motors. In these days of high compression fuels and cngines, automobile perform- ance is a far cry from automobile per- formance of even a few years ago. ‘What is true of automobiles is equally true of motorboats and airplanes. On water and in the air, as on land, racent mofths have witnessed remarkable ad- vances. ‘The faster pick-up, sustained speed and generally enhanced pleasure of mo- toring, together with the new aviation and speedboat records established in 1928, have been largely due to improved spark plugs, according to R. A. Strana- han, president of the Champion Spark Plug Co. “Spark plug development,” he points out, “has kept pace with engine evolution in every division of automotive science. “Our company has given to the auto- motive industry not only everything we have learned from almost countless laboratory tests, but vital information instances assume unfeir proportions. | and experience derived from hundreds | turns anothe THIS MAKE WILL PROVE PLEASING of victories on the speedway, in the air and on water, and from our own pre- cision manufacturing process,” says Mr, Stranahan. Many Improvements. Champion developments, which have blazed the way_ for engineers to design more efficient, higher speed and longer lived engines, included in 1928 impor- tant improvements to the spark plug as it has been manufactured in the past. ‘The Champlon sillimanite core has been improved in both processing and design during the year, increasing me- chanical strength and heat conductivity to a marked degree as well as ability to stand high temperatures and shoek. Over-all Height « » DODGE SENIOR SPORT COUPE. Advancements have been made in the production of the special analysis elec- trodes, increasing their resistance to pit- ting and burning and insuring & per- manently fixed spark-gap with better performance in starting, idling, speed and torque. ; A new type of copper gasket seal for two-piece construction remains abso- lutely gas tight under the migh higher compression of today’s engines, A specially developed new glaze as- sures freedom from carbon and ofl de- posits, resulting in a full capacity spark. The firing chamber in each type of Champion spark plug has been reds- signed o give much wider range from the standpoint of both heat and fouling This improvement practically eliminates fouling troubles during Winter months :nd pre-ignition in hotter tempera- ures. By an important development in the Champion laboratories, Champion Aero ‘Type spark plugs are now so construct- ed that they cannot be broken in such & way as to interfere with engine opers ation. TFailuré to fire has thus been made practically impossible, obviating one of the major perils of aviation. This advancement has been accompanied by An increase in the inherent strength of the Aero spark plug which ene ables it to withstand tremendous tem- peratures and pressures, atill further Body by Pieveo-Arrow = and Pierve-Arrow in eoery pove A STRAIGHT EIGHT 125 Horsepower Engine + 85 Miles per Hour » 133-inch and 143-inch Wheel Bases + $9)4-inch Rear Tread » 72-inch Ample Head-room Wide Doors Pierce-Arrow Coachwork ¢ Non-shatterable Glass » Fender or Bracket Headlamps optional without extra charge. Pierce-Acrow mechanical detail embroces every devies of proved charecser Umown 10 the engineering of fine motor cors and inaugurates A NEW STR Arrivingat the psychological moment —whenamodernly beautiful creation was really needed in the fine car field —the new straight eight by Pierce- Arrow scores a triumph even greater, if possible, than that of its most illus- trious predecessors. Pierce-Arrow believes that bulk and conflicting lines have too long prevailed among fine motor cars — that size no longer serves as an ex- PIER 2775 to 38200 at Buffalo 133-inch Wheel-base Club Brougham. . . S-passenger . . . with Trunk . Sport Roadster . . . 2-passenger . + - Rumble-seat . Coupe. . . 2-passenger . .. Rumble-seat . . . Sport Phacton . . . 4-passenger . . . with Trunk . Sedan... S-passenger . . . Club Sedan . . . S-passenger Sedan. .. 7-passenger . . . with Trunk o Eaclosed-drive Limowsine .. . 7-passeager o page in fine c: IGHT EIGHT cuse for the ungraceful, the unwieldy. The contention is borne out con- vincingly by the new straight eight —an ultra-modern creation which delightfully departs from all stodgy tradition. Not a smaller car, this latest Pierce- Arrow, but one that has vigor, grace, spirit] A beautiful silhouette against themostdistinguished of backgrounds, the first automobile of a new finecar eral Convertible Coupe .. . 2-passenger . .. Rumble-seat Sedan ... 7-passenger . . Enclosed-drive Limousine All-weather Towa Car . . . All-weather Brougham . . o PrenchBrougham . . . « « « o &« . . 3750 . 3978 34250 $57%0 87500 $3200 Other special body-trpes avaslable The parcham of & cor from income has besn wiade on ab togetber attractive procedwre by the Pieves-Arrew Finans Corporation. The average allowence on a goed und v woelly mere thas couwrs the imitia) Pieree-drrow payomns R % - fi:{ummmmmum “But for the constant advance in spark plug efficiency the formance oF today's gasoline e ":" tra: possible M nahan sald in & recent address. “The old type of plug would function only a short time in the engine of this era. “Conversely. it is only through the persistent. Champion policy of keeping Always in advance of engineering prac- tice that many Eresem. day automotive features as possible. Engines like those now in use would be simply impracti- cable without spark plugs adapted to cope with their greatly increased stresses and temperatures. “In the development of the spark plug a combination of advan enabled Champion to keep in the lead of progressive advancements, No# only are our laboratorias equipped with the most modern and complete devices for attaining accuracy in production and staffed with the most expert engineers, but sillimanite, the perfect spark pl insulator, is an exclusive possession ‘: our company. It was first produced synthetically in our laboratories. Next our scientists searched the globe untt they found the raw material ‘which Champion sillimanite is produced un- der sclentific industrial treatment #m the Detroit plants of our company. “Deéspite these almost revolutionary improvements it is still recommended that new spark plugs be installed in automobile engines after every 10,000 miles of driving. Doing so maintains the high level of performance built not only into the engine but into new spark Plun. Our tests eontinue to show that t is & dollar and cents saving to motar CAr owners, in reduced consumption of gasoline and oil to replace old spark plugs with new at the conclusion of such distances.” A distinguished fea- ture of the Automobile Show at the Washing. ton Auditorium is the new straight eight ex. hibit by Pierce-Arrow.