Evening Star Newspaper, May 12, 1929, Page 54

6 SEESMOTORTRAVEL AUSTRALIA'S NEED Auto Manufacturer Suggests Vehicular Transportation to Solve Economic Problems. “Australia today faces certain eco- mnomic problems, rather serious in them- selves, which can be solved in part by | the intelligent use of motor vehicular transportation,” sald L. M. Rumely, | vice president and general manager of | one of the large American automobile | export companles, upon his arrival here | today from an extended visit to that | country where he visited General Mo- | tors operations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane. Adelaide and Perth. “Australians themselves admit that an error was made when railways were | built to distant points while land closer to markets and already provided with raflway transportation had been only partly developed,” said Mr. Rumely. “Today in Australia there are farmers settled in remote places. Excessive dis- tances result in high transportation | costs and make dear to the farmer the things which he is obliged to buy. Fruit growers are so far from their market that they have little profit left are aware that all land provided with means of transport should | be made fully productive before further isolated communities are established. The high cost of living in Australia is due principally to the high cost of dis- tribution and that in turn is explained by long distances. But today Austral- ians are being told that the motor car and truck can provide the transport to enable the land 60 miles east or west of a railway to be made productive and the land nearest the market shouid produce the goods which cannot meet With high transport costs. Australia’s Area Cited. “Australia is such a great distance from the United States that we forget that it is a country whose greatest length is 2,400 miles, its greatest width 1,900 miles, with an area of 2,946,700 square miles—slightly less than that of the United States—and a population of 6,200,000. It is a country whose de- velopment has proceeded from harbor settlements, through pastoral settle- ments on the fringe of the comtinent and later on mineral discoveries, gold particularly, and the pursuit of agricul- ture has resulted in a large increase of population, followed by the develop- ment of secondary industries. “As the British Economic Mission, nominated by the government of Great Britain at the request of the common- wealth of Australia, pointed out, ‘ade- quate and cheap transport is of para- mount importance to Australia’s welfare and future development. So fully was this recognized in the past that when the necessary capital could not be at- tracted for her rallways they were pro- vided by the government, and during the post-war period the experiment of running her own ships was also entered upon as a state undertaking, in the hope of giving better services to Aus- tralia at lower freights.’ “To realize the extent of Australia’s problem of transport it is only neces- sary to remember that she ships from overseas between 5,000,000 and 6,000,000 tons of cargo each year and sends away a similar amount; that her interstate shipping amounts to more than 6,000.- 000 tons annually; that she has 25,000 miles of government railways and 3,143 miles of privately owned railways, 80,000 miles of properly made roads, and that the total length of surveyed roads in Australia probably exceeds 400,000 miles. There are 600,000 motor vehicles registered, or nearly one to every 11 inhabitants. Roads Rapidly Developed. “Australia is proceeding rapidly in the development of its roads. It is tax- ing motor vehicles reasonably and using the funds so obtained exclusively for Excess Honking Leads to Arrest Of Paris Drivers By the Associated Press. PARIS.—The impatient motorist who insists upon “honking” his horn in a traffic jam is in line for arrest by Paris police. The motorist who fails to use his horn when it should be used as a warning to pedestrians is in for a similar_experience. Three hundred and fifty-four motorists were ar- rested in Paris within a month on charges_of lack of use, or excessive use of horns. Paris police records show that an average of 125 motorists are arrested every day in the French metropoiis. Inadequate lights brought arrests to 748 within a month, while speeding was considered sufficient cause to arrest only 74. “THUNB TOURISTS” MEET OPPOSITION Writer Says Hitch - Hikers Should Be Discouraged by Motorists of Nation. In that period of American history when a good cigar might have been pur- chased for a nickel, the Nation's penny- wise tourists, “migratory workers,” or call them what you will, were content with the “rods” or “side-door Pullman” for transportation. So writes Edmund Ruffin in the May Wheel, an automotive publication. Mr. Ruffin continues: Nowadays, many of them have left the railroads and have hied themselves to the hard roads. Paraphrasing Shake- speare, we find they have learned that wishes are automobiles, and that beg- gars may ride. Today they call themselves “hitch- hikers,” with accent on the “hitch.” They are known also as “thumb tour- ists,” because they stand on the road- side and indicate with their thumbs the direction of thelr “tour.” Robbery Is Often Motive. ‘Too often is the car owner moved by the pathetic expression and footsore poise of a youth or man by the road- side. Too often has the ostensible “col- lege boy homeward bound for the holi- days” thanked his benefactor by pro- ducing a gun, relieving him of his money and automobile and uncere- monicusly ejecting him to the pave- ment many miles from his home. 44 But this is only one of the evils of the picking-up” pragtice. Suppose a car owner takes in juSt an ordinary vagrant who has no criminal intentions. How many motorists know that under those conditions the law in every State in the Union regards the relationship be- tween the pair as that of host and guest? Should the “guest” become in- Jured while riding with his “host” the latter, if negligent in even the slightest degree, may be liable to the “guest” for any damages. Motor clubs throughout the country have for many years sought to instill in, their members’ minds the folly of giving heed to the beggar by the roadside. They have given warnings by word of ml;uth Across Lhda Coumrs of lhell(' tour- bureaus and on s of their official publications, 5o Minnesota Law Bans Practice. The Minnesota Legislature has lent its aid to this fight to protect motorists from their own magnanimity. The Gopher State solons recently d what is known as the “hitch-hiker” law, which provides that “no person shall stand in the traveled portion of a roadway for the purpose of, or while the building of new roads and the main- tenance and improvement of existing ones. “In its report the recent British Eco- nomic Mission said: “‘Motor transport, even at the stage of its present development, has become the ordinary means of carrying passen- gers over short distances and carrying goods for distances up to 40 or 50 miles where there are well constructed roads. It is also, by means of the lighter trolley, taking the place of horse-drawn traffic, and appears to be especially suitable as a feeder for the railways. Future extension of motor transport appears to be almost unlim- ited, and we commend the action of the Development and Migration Commis- sion in setting up a committee to de- cide upon the most appropriate types of motor vehicles for Australia and the possibility of the utilization of some other motive power than petrol.’ “But Australia is aware of her trans- portation difficulties and is rapidly mak- ing use of motor cars and trucks and is building roads to solve these prob- Lively Competition Seen. “American manufacturers of auto- mobiles, trucks and busses offer to each other competition more severe than that offered by English manufacturers, al- though of late small horsepower cars which can be operated economically, have proved quite popular. These cars do not provide the degree of comfort that American manufacturers consider essential but the economic advantages of such baby cars expected in the way of low maintenance cost, low tire and petrol consumption, in the opinion of the purchaser compensate for this dis- advantage. “I return home feeling quite opti- mistic over the outlook in Australia. Australians, much like the English, have a faculty for seeing situations through to successful conclusions. They have difficulties but also a well justi- fied confidence in their capacity to solve those problems. “Australia is bound to go further. The quality of its people is a guarantee of that. Mistakes have been made in the past, but Australians recognize and ad- mit their errors and proceed to profit from them and to rectify them. I have great confidence in the future of Australia.” VEHICLES IN BALTIMORE KILL 50 IN FOUR MONTHS Record of 1929 Thus Far Shows De- cline of Only One Compared With Period in 1928. Bpecial Dispatch to The Sta BALTIMORE, Msay 11.—The total number of persons killed in Baltimore by vehicles during the first four months of 1929 shows a decrease of only one over the same period last year, accord- ing to figures of the police department. The statistics show 50 were killed this year so far and 51 last year. Of these casualties 40 were caused by autos and motor cycles, 4 by street cars, 5 by railroad trains and 1 by a bicycle, The number of injured this year, however, shows an increase over 1928. During the first four months of 1929 the injuries from all kinds of vehicles amounted to 1,472, as compared with 1,348 last year. English Dirt Tracks. Dirt track racing, as conducted over the American horse trotting tracks, is coming into favor in England. One of the older English motoring clubs plans to run a series of such events as are common to American trotting courses, but is preparing to start the program with motor cycle events. T Motor vehicle taxes in 1928 amounted to $808,000,000, soliciting a ride from the driver of any vehicle, other than a common carrier.” Violation of this act is a misdemeanor, which in Minnesota carries a penalty of imprisonment not exceeding three months or a fine not exceeding $100. New Jersey has a similar law. The Wyoming Legislature is also con- sidering a law aimed at this practice. The measure, now pending, states in part that “it shall be unlawful for any person while upon any public highway, or the right-of-way of any public high- way, to endeavor by words, gestures or in any other way to beg, invite or secure transportation in any motor vehicle not engaged in passenger cal for hire.” The “teeth’ in this bill provide for im- prisonment in the county jail for not more than 60 days, or a fine of not more than $100, or both. Cause Many Accidents. ‘The peculiar part of this generosity on the part of car owners is that many of them when on foot will ignore the harmless and possibly deserving pan- handler, but when purring over the con- crete highway at, say, 40 miles an hour they will “fall” for the other form of “mooching” which is all too frequently fraught with peril. Numerous highway accidents may be traced directly to the tactics of many of the ride beggars. Often, to make this “solicitation” most "effective, he stands in the path of the approaching car intending to leap aside if the cer does not stop. If the motorist becomes dis- traught by such maneuvers, a serious accident may result. If he applies his brakes suddenly for fear of striking the “moocher” he is certain to cause con- fusion in following traffic. If he. turns aside suddenly he is quite apt to become /involved with oncoming traffic, from which his attention has been distracted. Lastly, the mendicant, himself, is in considerable danger of being struck. Discourage him and play safe. FIGHT COMPULSORY AUTO INSURANGCE Companies in Maryland Said to Oppose Law, Fearing State ‘Will Take Over Business. Spectal Dispatch to The Star. BALTIMORE, May 11.—Fear that the State will eventually take over all automobile insurance is causing op- position on the part of insurance com- panies of Maryland to compulsory automobile insurance law, according to an official of the Automobile Club of Maryland. “Approximately one-third of the automobiles in Maryland are owned by persons irresponsible financially,” he declared, “and at least half of the drivers who figure in accidents are unable to pay for personal injury and damage to property inflicted by them. “It is difficult to obtain the exact figures in connection with automobile accidents, but statistics show there are a shocking number of cases in which complainants are unable to get a penny for even serious injuries. “About one-third of Maryland's auto- mobiles are insured, one-third are owned by persons responsible financial- ly and the remaining third are owned by persons irresponsible financially. “It is the financially irresponsible driver who is the reckless driver. He does not have to worry about the cost of an accident. Usually he has a very small equity in his machine and can get used cars from $25 up. “Congestion of the streets and the number of automobiles are increasing rapidly. In the hands of an irrespon- sible driver the automobile is, as never before, a menace to the public safety. The public safety demands that meas- ures be taken to provide for mututal protection.” THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MAY 12, 1929—-PART 4° DOWN THE ROAD—Embarrassing Moments of a Motorist —BY FRANK BECK MEETING THE SAME COP ON WHOM YOU HAD WORKED THE " SPEEDING FOR A TRAIN” ALIBI EARLER IN THE DAY. TCopyrieht 1920 by Prank H. Beck, Trade Mark, Reg U S Pas OF) “PROBE” BUREAU AIDS D. C. TRAFFIC Investigations Are Conducted Into Reported Violations of Codes and Permits. One branch of the Police Department that functions daily, does a great deal of constructive work, which the gen- eral public never hears anything about, is the Bureau of Investigations in the Traffic Bureau. This bureau was in- stituted by the present assistant super- intendent of the Traffic Bureau, E. W. Brown, when he was made an inspec- tor in 1926 and placed in charge of the Traffic Bureau. The first officer assigned to that work was Pvt., now Sergt. Mil- ton D. Smith. Later Sergt. L. T. Kelly was placed in charge. During his ab- sence from the city on military leave for the last three months Sergt. Smith has been assigned by Assistant Supt. Bro:‘n to take care of this important work. ‘This bureau is really a one-man de- partment, although at times when work becomes extra heavy an additional pri- vate is assigned to assist in the inves- tigations. The precincts take care of all accidents that happen in their re- spective districts, and all complaints’ of the usual nature that occur in a pre- cinct are or should be reported to the precinct, but many cases are brought directly to the Traffic Bureau. These, with many written complaints as to se- rious violations of the regulations, as well as investigations as to placing of signs, one-way streets, parking restrice tions in outlying sections and many other matters that affect the motorist and pedéstrian, are investigated. In many instances, some of these cases take a long time and mean that several per- sons have to be interviewed. In one case of a request to make a certain street a one-way thoroughfare, which was in the form of a petition, 85 per- sons were seen personally and inter- viewed before a report was made. One typical month of this bureau showed that there had been referred for investigation 108 cases, and during that same period investigation was made and reports submitted in 83 of these, leaving only 23 not completed. Among the matters this bureau handles is the investigation into the character and habits of all persons who have had permits revoked or suspended; each per- son who makes a request that their per- mit be restored to them must make an application in writing to the director of traffic, who requests that the Traffic Bureau make an investigation. These cases call for special investigation and careful check on all letters of reference and take considerable time, and it is in the interests of the safety of the travel- ing public that these investigations are made by some one trained in this work who knows the habits and characteris- tics of drivers. FRENCH AUTO TO HAVE NEW AUTOMATIC CLUTCH Device Said to Nearly Eliminate Gear Shifting and to Have Other Advantages. By the Associated Press. PARIS.—An automatic clutch that all but eliminates gear shifting and is credited with many other advantages is to be put on the six horsepower car of one of the leading French manu- facturers. Centrifugal motion causes two seg- ments to expand in a drum, much like a brake drum, which is attached to the flywheel. Contact is made gradually at slow motor speed, giving a smooth start on high gear to the light car. Whenever the throttle is closed or for any other reason, such as momentum going downhill, the car runs faster than the motor, the clutch is released. Added Prizes for Indianapolis. ‘Two piston ring manufacturers long interested in racing have posted $500 to be awarded the winner of the In- dianapolis “500,” and $250 to go to the winner of each championship race during 1929. [ Be Wisel! Don't leave your car on the street for the weather to ruin. Let us store it at our special Summer rates of Straight Storage $10 Mo. $15 Mo. Called for and Delivered Sheridan Garage 2516 Que St. N.W. Potomac 4375 Patrolman Will Be Used by Bus Line To Expedite Travel Motorists whose hearts miss a | beat when they see in the rear- | vision mirror a uniformed figure on a motor cycle will heave a sigh of relief this Summer when they dis- cover the blue-clad cyclist may not be a minion of the law but a patrol- man for a system of intercity bus lines. According to officials of a’ bus whose coaches daily travel 10 miles of main highway establishing the patrol pedite the transit of pa DERBY ATIRACTS Y MOTRSTS 1 Good Roads to Louisville Now Where Formerly Were Muddy Routes. By the Associated Press. LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Smooth high- Derby will be run May 18, are in carriage and horseback when the city first became famous for | events. The thousands of horse lovers ex- | pected to motor to Churchill Downs for | Derby day will find four hard-surfaced | motor highways, with good connections |in every direction, where the earlier | travelers found mud roads which were little more than irails. When Louisville became a racing center a century ago the surrounding many persons came to see the races. with paved and hard-surfaced roads ex- ways leading to Louisville, where the| fifty-fourth renewal of the Kentucky | marked contrast to those traveled by | its racing country was almost a wilderness, yet | Today the country is criss-crossed | GERMANSSTUDY 1.5 CARPROBLENS Gasoline Tax and Other Levies Affecting Motor Travel Get Attention. The American gasoline tax, other tax levies affecting motor transportation, methods of highway financing, and the relation of rail and motor transporta- tion are bein; fully studied by rep- res 5 of the German government, automobile industry and man allied interests, who of the United States. The Automobile Associa- tion, placed the facilities of A. A. A. motor clubs m all parts of the country at the disposal of the German delegation, points out that the experi- ences of this country in the taxation field will in all probability 'sad to a new tax structure affecting the automo bile and highways in Germa ested in the gasoline taxation as a means of highway financ- ing,” says the national motoring body, “the members of the delegation have been greatly surprised at the almost universal tendency to periodically in- crease this tax. In view of the steady rise in this form of taxation, some | members have been keenly interested | in where will it end. When will legis- lators see that the limit has almost been reached? This is the question asked by many. “At the same time, noting the tre- mendous quantity of gasoline sold wit] | out the payment of tax, supposedly fe other use than for the automobile, members of th: Tman party are in- | teresting them: in the question of whether payment of the gas tax is be- | ing evaded and whether or not the in- creases will tend to make for more and more evasion by users in the latt category.” The A. A. A, another problem be- ing carefully studied is the tendency ir this country to devote portions of th: gasoline tax to schools and other gov- mental activities, instead of using the entire fund for roadbuilding, fo: which the tax was primarily intended. ‘The American Automobile Association is co-operating with the National Autc- y other G are now on a rated by the Art Center in 1927 upon the initiative of Mrs. John D. Rocke- feller, jr.. is producing notable results in all parts of the count: Unsightly stands are being torn down and more artistic ones are being erected. The Automobile Association estimates tending from Chicago, Indianapolis, St.| mobile Chamber of Commerce, state Louis, Cincinnati, Cleveland and other | 2nd local highway officials and_oth: cities in surrounding States; from where | Units, in order that the visitors mar thousands will come to see the cream | Study every phase of the problems in of the Nation's thoroughbreds race in | Which they are interested. the_historic event. | e R A that 56,000 oadside stands did @ §260.~ | o> S, Highway No. 31, extending from Regional Race Offices. 000,000 business last year in catering gan“couthward through Louisville and| Arthur H. Means, for 10 years inden to tourists. The number of hot dogs Bimingham , Ala., is the principal| fied with A. A. A. racing, has been transferred Tegional supervisor in consumed is estimated at 880,000.000. | Northand South artery of travel. s res It connects with two of the principal | charge of all racing activities in the East and West highways across ihe|New England States, New York State country—No. 40, at Indianapolis, and | and Northern New Jersey. A second Along with the budding of trees and | No. 50, at Seymour, Ind., between here | regional office has been established in spring blossoms, dirt track racing on |and Indianapolis. Philadelphia which will co-ordinate all the horse tracks and dirt momrdmmesi No. 50 also is connected to Louisville | A. A. A. racing activity in Eastern Penn- tegularly takes its place. More than|by highway No. 150. Highways Nos. 60 | sylvania and Southern New Jersey. The 150 date reservations have been made |and 68 connect, respectively, with other | latter office will be in charge of Joe by the contest board in charge of sanc- | highways to the East and Southeast of | Dawson, winner of the Indianapoli: tioned racing. here. 1#500” in 1912 ALL-TIME RECORD SEEN. |“DOGS” AND ART UNITE FTaE IN ROADSIDE STANDS | |Auto Leaders Agree Production Mark Is in Making. | Automobile leaders are agreed that | something entirely unlooked for would | have to develop if the industry is to be denied an all-time record for one-year production. New Buildings Are Replacing Un- cightly Ones That Dot Nation's Highways. | | By the Associated Press. A record production in passenger cars| King “Hot Dog” who holds sway and trucks will be reflected in numer- | along the Nation’s arterial highways, is our other records in correlated indus- | Gevoting some of his leisure time and tries. Not the least of these will be the | Wealtll to art and beauty. tire and rubber industry. Last year,| New roadside stands, combining with a total of 4,630,000 passenger cars | beauty with utility, are replacing the and trucks produced in the United | unsightly ones of the past. . States, it is estimated tire production| The American Automobile Associa- approximated 75,000,000 units. tion reports that the campaign inaugu- Dirt Track Season ‘Opens. CHRYSLER /75" ROADSTER (with rumble seat), $1555, £. 0. b. factory B% you say Chrysler you say Pe;][ormzmce A plain and inescapable fact in motoring today is that there is a real difference between Chrysler performance and all other performance. /@‘% P Only Chrysler offers this combination of features 6-cylinder high-compression en- gine of Chrysler “‘Silver-Dome”’ principle . . 7-bearing counter- weighted crankshaft . . Crank- shaft impulse neutralizer . . Iso- therm Invar Strut pistons with tongue and grooverings . . Rubber engine mountings. . Manifold heat control . . Electric gasoline gauge on dash . . Pivotal steering . . . . Spring-ends anchored in blocks of live rubber, instead of metal shackles . . Chrysler-type weather- proof internal expanding 4-wheel hydraulic brakes . . Hydraulic shock absorbers . . Mohair or broadcloth upholstery optional, without extra cost. finements and new simplicities, growing out of end- less research and a fixed habit of advanced thinking. _Furthermore, Chrysler durability and long life have been demonstrated in the hands of hundreds of thousands of owners through millions of miles of economical operation. Chrysler began, five years ago, with smoothness, speed and acceleration which at one single stroke obsoleted all previous conceptions of what motor car performance ought to be. Since then, competition’s best efforts havc :chieved merely an approximation of the result sffered by the first Chrysler. Chrysler engineering has gone steadily forward. improving and refining and bettering, so that Chrysler performance—whether ““75” or “65”— today out-Chryslers even Chrysler. All phases of Chrysler designing and engineer- ing are carried out with absolute precision and balance—with the inclusion of new ideas, new re- And all this performance, long life and econ- omy of upkeep, together with Chrysler’s individual beauty and style, are available in Chrysler <75 and ““65”" at prices far lower than those of other cars which seek to compete with Chrysler. CHRYSLER ‘65" CHRYSLER 75" Business Coupe . $1040 Royal Sedan . . $1535 2-Door Sedan . . 1065 Coupe(withrumbleseat)1535 4-Door Sedan . . 1165 Roadster ( it )1555 (Three other body stylesto$1145) (Fiwe other body styles to $1795) All prices f. 0. b. factory. Chrysler dealers extend convenient time payments., CHRYSLER 273 CHRYSLER M OTORS PRODUCT Executive Offices and Service H. f B. LEARY’ JR., & BROS. Used Car Salesrooms 1612.22 You Street N.W. 1321-23 Fourteenth Street N.W. DISTRIBUTORS Salesrooms—1612.22 You St. N.W.—Connecticut Ave. and Que St. N.-W. and 10th and H Sts. N.E. Skinker Motor Co., 1216 20th St. N.W. Frank H. Rowe, 3309 M St. N.\W. Benjamin April, 10th and K Sts. N. Chevy Chase Motors, 6701 Wisc. Ave. N.W. Fort Strong Motor Service, Clarendon, Va. OTHER DEALERS .. Alexandria, Va. Méunt Rainier: Md. - Brown Motor Company dy’ Buelng:. rown s Md. Cashelt Motor Compan Rockville, Md. v v Qranse. ¥ Baker Motor Company erick: Boswell Motor Company, 2 are. 0.