Evening Star Newspaper, July 6, 1930, Page 45

In the Motor World BY G. ADAMS HOWARD. UTSIDE of the stock mar- ket and perhaps airplanes, there are some things that go down for a good pur- pose. Besides the purchase price of commodities, there is the traffic mortality rate, the lowering of which even Congress would give unanimous approval to, and with- out amendments. Although the fatality list ap- pears ts be mounting throughout the Nation, it is otherwise in the City of Washington. The decrease here in deaths occurring in motor accidents is an actuality, despite the fact that in the last year the registration of motor vehicles in the National Capital creased 20 per cent. For the first half of the year ending June 30 only 31 deaths were attributed to motorized means of transportation, as against 49 during the same period of the preceding year. The six months’ comparison shows a fall- ing off of 18, a goodly difference. Figures by Months. The figures by the month are as_foilows: January, 1930, three deaths; January, 1929, seven deaths. Feb- ruary, 1930, four deaths; Febru- ary, 1929, two deaths. March, 30, four deaths; March, 1929, ten deaths. April, 1930, three] deaths; April, 1929, ten deaths. May, 1930, ten deaths; May, 1929, nine deaths. June, 1930, seven | deaths, and June, 1929, eleven | deaths. N | The Bureau of the Census of | the Department of Commerce has ' Just released its report for the 52| weeks’ period ending the middle of the last month. The report covers 78 of the larger cities and discloses the comparison for the 52 weeks ending June 14, 1930, and the 52 weeks ending June 15, 1929. Like most comparisons, the differences which follow are| odious. The first figures are for the fatalities ending this year, and the second ones for the pre- | ceding year. The deaths occurred within the city limits. Akron, 67, 5 Albany, 17, 15; Atlanta, 79, 58; Baltimore, 125, 131; Birmingham, 52, 30; Boston, 112, 109; Bridgeport, 25, 27; Buf- falo, 152, 132; Cambridge, 18, 15; Camden, 27, 42; Canton, 30, 33; Chicago, 772, 776; Cincinnati, 125, 124; Cleveland, 285, 244; Colum- bus, 90, 63; Dallas, 57, 50; Dayton, 42, 31; Denver, 52, 46; Des Moines, 24, 23; Detrolt, 365, 318; Duluth, 24, 15; El Paso, 28, 24; Erie, 41, 36; Fall River, 11, 14; Flint, 32, 1 Fort Worth, 33, 38; Grand Rapids, 29, 14; Houston, 68, 64; Indian- apolis, 97, 63: Jersey City, 58, 54; Kansas City, Kan, 7, 5; Kansas| City, Mo, 76, 67; Knoxville, 18, 17; Los Angeles, 346, 295; Louis- ville, 51, 65; Lowell, 14, 9; Lynn, 13, 11; Memphis, 43, 34; Milwau- kee, 101, 110; Minneapolis, 86, 8 Nashville, 35, 17; New Bedford, 6, 7; New Haven, 30, 23; New Or- leans, 94, 99; New York, 1338, 1,108; Newark, 129, 86; Oakland, 77, 60; Oklahoma City, 50, 21; Omaha, 73, 42; Paterson, 26, 39; Philadelphia, 397, 385; Pittsburgh, 140, 127; Portland, Oreg., 47, 52; Providence, 40, 46; Richmond, 31, 35; Rochester, 49, 42; St. Louis, 137, 181; St. Paul, 54, 44; Salt Lake City, 40, 39; San Antonio, 49, 48; San Diego, 45, 57; San Fran- cisco, 113, 103; Schenectady, 13, 13; Seattle, 84, 69; Somerville, 15, 14; Spokane, 14, 15; Springfield, Mass., 14, 17; Syracuse, 31, 37; Takoma, 14, 26; Toledo, T4, 5I Trenton, 14, 20; Ukica, 16, 19; Washington, D. C., 64, 80; Water- bury, 16, 18: Wilmington, 28, 34; Worcester, 20, 27; Yonkers, 15, 18; ‘Youngstown, 59, 50. Record Is Discouraging. The total number of fatalities in the 78 cities for the 52 weeks ending June 14, 1930, was 7,183, and 6,537 for the same period the year preceding. Such a record is far from com- forting, as the report shows only a few cities besides the National Capital have lower figures. Acceptance of the principle of uniformity will go a long way toward reducing the toll of deaths, injuries and traffic accidents was the general opinion expressed at the recent conference on street and highway safety held in Wash- ington. ‘The conference in discussing uniform enforcement said: “State laws should prescribe a uniform system of enforcement to be applied in part by State ad- ministrative machinery and the State courts and in part by the local authorities. The necessary special traffic control and traffic patrol police should be provided, and the regular police should co- operate in traffic enforcement. “Provision should be made for prompt and thorough collection of evidence and investigation of accidents; for the proper prepara- tion of traffic cases for trial, for special traffic courts or special traffic sessions of general courts, and for traffic violation bureaus with a schedule of penalties for disposing of minor infractions, so as to give the courts more time to deal adequately with more se- rious cases. Uniform Records Advised. “There should be uniform per- manent records of all convictions of traffic violations and traffic accidents, of suspensions and revocations of operators’ licenses MOTOR DON’ DON'T NEGLECT s THE STEERING /27 » o has in- TOO MANY DRIVERS FAIL TO APPRECIATE THE NECESSITY OF SOUND STEERING MECHANISM IT 1S WISE TO HAVE IT CHECKED OVER CAREFULLY EACH TIME YOUR CAR GOES 70 THE SHOP and refusals to grant licenses, and the exchange of detailed informa- tion between jurisdictions as to suspensions and revocations of licenses and convictions for seri- ous traffic offenses. “Neither the traffic officers nor the court judges should receive any fees from the money col- lected from traffic convictions.” While it was admitted that the great majority of drivers of motor vehicles—in some cities as high as 80 per cent—are never involved in serious traffic offenses, yet the need of education among those who are charged with offenses, and of instilling public respect in general for traffic laws and regu- lations, was pointed out by the conference. “The courts, the prosecuting attorneys and the police, through vigorous enforcement and even- handed treatment of offenders, should instill in the public respect for the traffic laws and regula- tions. Public Support Needed. “Public opinion in support of enforcement should be organized through a representative citizens’ committee in each locality, form- ing part of an organized effort of all elements in the community in- terested in street and highway accident reduction.” Since a large percentage of all traffic accidents »nd fatalities take place at hig:way intersec- tions and raillway grade crossings, the conference laid down special recommendations concerning the enforcement of laws and regula- tions at these points. “As grade crossings and high- way intersections account for such a large percentage of traffic acci- dents, special attention of the police to enforcement of the laws and regulations at such points is warranted, and where police au- thorities do not now exist to do this, the requirements of safety indicate the importance of the provision therefor. “The same consideration indi- cates that, in examinations for licensing of operators and chauf- feurs, test should be made of the working knowledge of applicants as to the rules and regulations governing traffic at grade cross- ings and highway intersections. “Police having general author- ity over street and highway traffic should recognize that the function of railroad crossing watchmen is limited to stopping traffic on the approach of trains, and that in other respects the compliance of the highway users with the traffic laws and regula- tions at grade crossings, as well as at highway intersections and elsewhere, is under supervision of such general traffic police.” It was pointed out by the con- | ference that adoption by all of the States of the uniform code and model ordinance provisions relating to rights and duties of pedestrians, and enforcement and education along the same line, would unquestionably contribute to a reduction of accidents and injuries among people on foot as well as occupants of motor ve- hicles. UNINSPECTED CARS TO BE UNLICENSED 1931 Tags to Be Refused in Mary- land Unless Car Passes Com- missioners’ Officers. Special Dispatch to The Btar. BALTIMORE, July 5.—Motor cars which are not inspected this year by representatives of the motor vehicle commissioner’s office will be refused 1931 lcenses, and opportunity will be given to check up on all cars before the licenses are delivered, Commissioner E. Austin Baughman announced this week. * In this connection Mr. Baughman also announced that this year's save- a-life campaign will be held during a three-week period in October, the time to be fixed so that the Maryland cam- paign will be conducted simultaneously with the one in the District of Co- lumbia. During the campaign of last year, which was conducted during the “first three weeks of June, several hundred cars classed by the inspectors as “‘junk” or hazards to others on the State high- ways were forced out of service by the revocation of licenses. The automobiles which have been in constant use for years and have out- lived their safety devices are those which the department is particularly interested in forcing from the roads, where they serve as a danger to other cars and their passengers. As in the past years of save-a-life campaigns, inspection stations will be ogened in garages in all sections of the State, where motorists are required to have their cars thoroughly tested and passed upon by the inspectors be- fore the drivers can operate upon the highways. This inspection is compul- sory, and if not complied with the de- partment is empowered to arrest the drivers and hold the cars until tested and passed after the three-week period of official inspection will have been completed. g GRADE DEATHS DROP 2,485 in 1929 Reduction From Fig- ures of Preceding Year. Fatalities due to accidents at high- way grade amnk;fu totaled 2,485 in 1929, a reduction 3.2 per cent under according to a re- y the Committee on Prevention of Highway Grade Crossing Accidents to the tenth annual conven- tion of the Safety Section, American Railway Association, which convened on Tuesday, July 1, in Denver, Colo. ‘Why the rotary turn is d to be required. conte Why in a long line of slow]. mm«dnmmmeno:grm% mmpln‘m the first car that is holding Some traffic policemen, Why & car on the same road during the same temperature of weather, carry- g the same load, and driven at the same rate of speed, averages 11 miles on a gallon of gasoline on one day and 19 miles on another. Why some drivers get mad when you want to pass them. Why some people get police court summonses !orflMth‘h torn up and others do not. it THE SUNDAY . STAR, WASHINGTON l ANOTHER P € IVEY 6 SECTION OF CANADA MAPPED FOR SUMMER AUTOIST: BLOCKED TRAFFIC PROBLEM SOLVED Michigan County Authorities Decide Broad Highways Will Avert Perils in Motoring. ‘There are two schools of thought on traffic congestion. One believes that traffic congestion and attendant motor problems will always be with us. The other, led by Wayne County, Mich, be- lieves that pleasant city motoring is assured in the future, This latter group offers as proof the broad streets, wide roads and elevated street and road in- tersections found in increasing quanti- ties in the Detroit area. Reduced to comprehensive figures, there are in the two superhighway dis- tricts in the Detroit region 93 miles af double pavements, some of them with a combined width of 88 feet. Before this year is ended 49 miles more will be in service—a total of 142 miles of comfortable and safe motoring. ‘Within Wayne County alone, in which is Detroit, 25¢ miles of roads of a greater width than 20 feet are making it easier for motorists to get about, even on week ends and holidays. In Wayne County wide-road building is a con- tinuing process. On the average more than a mile of wider right of way is being acquired every single week. ‘The Detroit group of counties—Wayne, Oakland and Macomb—realized long ago traffic fundamentals which are just oceurring to other communities. Per- haps they were somewhat influenced by the location there of the motor industry. Nevertheless, Edward N. Hines, chai man of the two superhighway commi sions, and a few other men were largely responsible, for they hammered away at the idea that the motoring problem can- not solve itself, that communities which would have safety and comfort must do something about it. Through careful planning, early ac- quisition of wide rights of way and systematic construction the Detroit re- glon has made itself the best equipped motoring area in the world. This was done without excessive costs to tax- payers and motorists, for through judi- clous financing and expending the De- troit metropolitan region has probably spent little if any more g:r capita on highway facilities than other communi- tles—but Detroit has gotten more for its money. ASKS REGIONAL PLANS T0 STOP CONGESTION Widening Committee Adds Equi- table Financing of Improvements to Convention Suggestions. Adequate regional plans for munic- ipalities and = equitable methods of financing needed improvements are the first steps in eliminating the national loss 0:‘0:2,000.000,000 due traffic , declared in a tentative report sul mitted to the twenty-eighth annual convention of the American Automo- bile Association, Asheville, N. C. The preliminary findings of the com- mittee represent months of study by a group of experts, headed by Charles M. Hayes, president of the Chicago Motor Club, as chairman, in an effort to strike at the root of the Nation’s largest item of waste. The national motoring body has already taken steps to put the com- mittee's Jjust concluded at|to PEDESTRIAN CONSIDERED IN NEW JERSEY’S RECENT SIDEWALK BILL Provision for Construction Along Highways Has Been Made by Only Two Other States. Act No. 74, New Jersey Laws of 1930, is its commonplace name, but it car- ries with it somethng of significance to every person in this country who ‘walks. The gist of the law is that New Jer- | sey’s State high commission may build sidewalks along State highways. This is the first noteworthy recognition given | in recent years to that part of society known as the pedestrian, that person who is continually being killed and maimed along public thoroughfares. Two other States, Delaware and West Virginia, have made such provisions, according to a recently conducted sur- vey to which 36 States replied. Only about a third of the States have pro- visions for permitting towns and coun- ties to build country walkways even at their own expense. It is quite apparent that on the whole there is a tendency to overlook that people are still required to walk along the public highway. But consid- erable walking is still being done; Dela- ware reports that in the period from 1924 to 1929, 83 pedestrian accidents occurred in the State. This is 36 per AUTO PRODUCTION SHOWS SLIGHT DROP| Decline in Passenger Cars Expect- ed to Increase With Factories Closing Down. At the end of June passenger car production continued to follow the trend that has been evident during the past four weeks, with only a moderate de- cline being recorded as compared with the previous three weeks, according to B. H. Cram, president of Cram's Auto- motive Reports, Inc. That this decline will become more pronounced immediately after the be- ginning of July is a certainty, as many of the large factories are preparing to suspend manufacturing operations. While the June total output will be shown to have held up well, a marked drop is foreseen during the next 30 days, with operations probably reaching their lowest level since the first of the year. The retail market for passenger cars is still somewhat of an uncertainty, although all indications point to a con- tinuance of an excess of sales over pro- duction. ‘Truck uction, particularly on the part of the independent manufacturers in the heavier duty classes, is being fairly well maintained, while the chief recessions are being noted in the light delivery division. ~As in the other branches of the industry total truck output will be considerably reduced during July as a result of generally curtailed operations. Truck sales to date have held up particularly well, and have shown less fi'lfl-ltlon th?{l\nlhlve passenger cars. However, preliminary returns indicate that in this branch of the industry, the May volume will show a drop of approximately 10 per cent as compared with April. This may be regarded as a more or less normal seasonal course, and deliveries from this time forward can hardly be expected reach the peak that was established in the Spring. AUTOMOTIVE BRIEFS ‘Thornton J. Camfield announces the removal of his garage and ir busi- ness from 1625 L street northwest to new quarters at 617 New York avenue northwest. Camfield was formerly serv- ice managger of the B. C. R. Motor Co. jpal | 8nd has been in the automobile business to|In plan for necks.” MOTOR OlL_ - BEST OIL IN AUTOCRAT is an all- Pennsylvania oil, skillfully refined by an organization of many years’ experience —whose first thought is to make AUTOCRAT the very best that a motor oil can possibly be. Today’s faster motors, and higher heats, demand the protection and e that only an oil of exceptional quality can give kL for years. ‘Total United States e: $5,000,- 000,000; automobile e: more than 10 per cent—exceeding $500,000,000. Nothing is more important than ‘lhnrnugh lubrication. AUTOCRAT—THE OIL THAT I8 DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHERS Beware of Substitutes Try Autocrat the next time you need oil, and judge its es for yourself. At the Better Dealers cent of accidents of all types in Dela- ware outside of Wilmington. A glance of highways leading into towns and cities, or highways passing rural schools, will reveal that walking is not a lost art. In fact, it is very much of an art for where no walking provisions have been made pedestrians | are forced to walk along the pavement's edge, or on the abutting shoulder, with the expectation of jumping into ditches and brambles most any moment. Edward N. Hines, well known road leader of the Detroit area, recently de- clared, “I am a firm believer that pe- destrian walks along heavily traveled | roads are absolutely necessary, and | while the time may not be ripe for| carrying this out on a major scale, the time is surely coming when all such roads will be supplemented by walk- ways.” New Jersey has given impetus to a movement, which, in view of pedestrian accident figures, should rouse latent sympathy throughout the country for pedestrians—a group of which we are all members. | 1930—PART FOUR. MILES OF GOOD ROADS OFFERED BY CANADA Maps May Be Obtained From Do- minion Government With- out Charge. Canada, with its 50,000 miles of paved or surfaced motor roads free from congested traffic, with recreational attractions within reasonable distance of the chief centers of population, of- fers all that could be desired by the visiting tourist in the way of comfort and convenience. The map illustrated on this page is a small scale reproduction of one of four sheets of a sectional road map se- ries indicating main connecting high- ways between the United States and Canada that is issued by the depart- ment of the interior at Ottawa. The Canadian government will supply cop- ies of the map on a large scale and with full detail free of charge. Inter- esting booklets are also obtainable, cit- ing the motoring, camping, fishing and other recreational facilities of the country as a whole. Likewise specific data concerning any particular prov- ince or district may be obtained, if desired. Applications should be addressed to the Natural Resources Intelligence Service of the Department of the Inte- rior at Ottawa, Canada. s| (WORLD RUBBER ACREAGE NOW . 7,000,000 ACRES, CHEMISTS HEAR Only Comparatively Small Portion Is Productive, Holt of Commerce Bureau Reports to American Society. The total acreage now planted to rubber throughout the world is a) proximately 7,000,000 acres, E. G. Holt of the United States Bureau of For- eign and Domestic Commerce says in & report to the American Chemical Society. “If this area,” Mr. Holt points out, “were stretched in even band around the earth’s surface at the Equa- tor, it would be nearly half a mile wide. This figure perhaps emphasizes too much the size of the planted area. “In order to bring the industry back into a compact unit it might be said that the total world production of rub- ber last year, 860,000 tons, if made into a single rubber ball, would be less than 600 feet through the middle. “But it is more impressive to say that during last year less than 70 per cent of the planted area was old enough to be tapped, and that if the same average production per acre should ob- tain six years hence as in 1929, the production of the present planted area, if it were all tapped, would amount to well over 1,200,000 tons in 1935. The average per acre yield of plantations in every country has been increasing in recent years. U. 8. Use Gains. “Consumption of rubber in the United States increased from about 375,000 tons in 1927 to 440,000 tons in 1928 and to 470,000 in 1929. World consumption increased from less than 600,000 tons in 1927 to about 790,000 tons in 1929. “A cross section of American opinion as obtained from trade contacts re- veals the general belief that 1930 pro- duction capacity of plantations will be higher than in 1929. But present lower prices may cause some ineficient pro- ducers to go out of business or some voluntary restriction scheme may be organized and carried out which might cause some decline in the year's output. “An increase in foreign rubber con- sumption over 1929 is perhaps to be anticipated. United Sates consumption for the first half of this year is certain to fall considerably behind the first half of 1929, but the last half of the year, it is hoped, will show & reverse situation. “The world has been passing through a six-year period of enforced scarcity of rubber. During this period every effort was made to adjust consumption to restricted production by increasing the use of rubber substitutes, by stimu- lating production of wild rubber and marginal producers of rubber, by hold- ing up the development of new uses of rubber, by keeping tire sizes as small as comported with safety in automo- bile operation, by working on low stocks of rubber, ete. Adjusting to Surplus. “At the present time and during the past year the world has been trying to adjust itself to a surplus of rubber. Re- claimed rubber has to a slight extent been replaced by crude rubber in rubber compounds. Present prices are effec- tually limiting the output of wild rubber. “Manufacturers of automobiles are now demanding larger tires that will give the utmost in passenger comfort and durability. Low prices for rubber favor the development of new uses, and we can depend on inventive genius to make these more important as time passes. “Low prices also encourage the carry- ing of larger stocks of rubber and also of finished goods by both the manufac- turers and dealers, and the attainment of reasonable stability of prices might still further encourage this tendency. Rubber is & young industry, and its | plication in building and engineering | Fes Bave ‘as et been e efi’exag:a, g’riedx;e are great possibilities in elds. “The futire holds only glowing pros- | pects for a product which can be made |into the lightest known solid or into a substance nimost as heavy as steel; 8 product that can be made soft and spongy or hard and brittle; a product at once elastic and fesistant to abrasion; one which is sound-deadening, insulat- ing and waterproof, and which may be- fore many years not be considered low priced when selling at present levels.” Government systems of reporting rub« ber consumption and stocks should be established, Mr. Holt declares. Thers is no information on rubber stocks to- day in Hamburg, Germany, though this is the most important center on the continent for trading in actual rubber. | There is very little information of an |official nature concerning the acreage planted in Indo-China, Sarawak, Brit- ish North Borneo, Siam and native dis- tricts of the Dutch East Indies. Statistics Needed. “It would be a great improvement if there were regular monthly statistics of a reliable nature covering consumption and stocks of rubber held by manufac« turers in such important rubber manue facturing countries as England, Prance and Germany,” Mr. Holt adds. “It is also possible that more reliable information could be secured regardinj stocks of rubber in New York than is al present available. The lack of a cen- tral warehouse system for storing rub- ber in New York makes it necessary tha statistics be secured from the individual dealers, commission agents and banks, and the statistics are at present nof satisfactory in some respects.” Upholstery Care Asked. Give the upholstery of your sutomo- bile the same attention you give to that of your living room furniture, suggests service officials. When possible, give i% frequent cleanings with s vacuum cleaner, or use a whisk broom for this purpose, they say, if you desire to re- tain the rich finish durtng the life of e car. Deserving of Praise The autor.obile mechanic who returns your car without stains on the uphol- stery and the steering wheel free from a coat of grease. ‘The driver who does not increase his speed when you attempt to pass. The traffic policeman who reprimands you with a smile. ‘The traffic light signal that changes to “Go” as you approach. ‘The judge who takes your personal bond for a minor nfl'mu.y ‘The driver who gives you the pr indication of making a turn A:;w: Pplenty of time. Radiator Service We Repair All Mal Creel Brothers 1811 14th St. NW. Decatur 4220 AN EIGHT that far outstrips PRICE COMPETITION BEYONDlflqladon,lgoode@fieylindamM has certain advamtages over a good motor of fewer cylinders. The De Soto Straight Eight was designed for motorists who prefer eight-cylinder performance to any other kind, but who refuse to pay the prices ‘965 AND UP—?. O.B. FACTORY v WORLD’S LOWEST-PRICED WITH THESE FEATURES heretofore asked for good eights. It stands com- parison with any of them in flexibility, smoothmess and agility of performance. It is appealingly smart in appearance; staunch in construction; rich in stamina. You feel the quality of the car in the way it Unisteel® Construction of Chassis and Body Down-Draft Carburetion Mechsnical Foel Pomp—Air Cleaner Hydraulic Brakes Hydraulic Shock Absorbers Rubber-Cushioned Spring Shackles Manifold Heat Control Dash Temperature Indicator ®The Unisteel type of comstruction eliminates body sills and all other wooden parts. The body is bolted €C H R Y S L E R DISTRICT MOTOR COMPANY (INCORPORATED) 1337 14th St. N.W. Potomac Leonardtown, Md. Frederick, Md. NOW % 1000 Hyattsville, Md. ONE OF THE SOLD RY DY SOTO 10 M 6 T 0 R S b rides; in the way it handles; in the way it responds. Chrysler emgineering genius and Chrysler manufase- turing efficiency have made ft the lowest-priced eight ever built to such fine quality standards. oTo STRAIGHT ss++ EIGHT P R 060 D U C T NATIONAL AUTO SALES CO. O. R. Blanton, Prop. 33 New York Ave. N.E. Metropolitan 9225 Garner Motor Co. Roney Motor Co. Macks Service L. W. White W. E. Moncure Moreland Motor Co. Norbeck, Md. 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