Evening Star Newspaper, March 13, 1932, Page 50

In the Motor World BY G. ADAMS HOWARD. UST as comment over Spring cleaning for automobiles and warm day motor tours seemed propitious along eomes real Winter weather with freezing temperatures to drive all such thoughts out of one’s mind. Anti-freeze for radiators and skid chains appear to be more appro- priate suggestions. However, the calendar Spring is about a week away, and soon enoug® the climate will become moderate to stay. Cold waves will be forgotten and April show- ers will be the order of the day. A. A. A. Credit. Tt appears at the present time that n’:gny of the discriminatory tax burdens against the automo- tive industry and its customers will be abandoned for the pres- ent, at least. Credit for this is due largely to the efforts of the American Automobile Associa- tiolr:’. a coast-to-coast broadcast conducted recently under the auspices of the American Auto- mobile Association, representa- tive men and women from every section of the country served def- inite notice on officialdom every- where that recurring tax raids on the motorists must cease. All told, 15 speakers partici- | pated in the protest, including a salesman, & rancher, a farmer, a mechanic, an editor, 2 physician, two educators, a woman driver, a State road official and a tour- e 8 osium was con- g&huflvery&g facilities of the ational Broadcasting Co. with gfln Francisco, Chicago, Washing- ton and New %fzrk as the key the rally. po‘l‘z'l"th‘eigmtest, representing the viewpoint of the average car own- er, was speclally addressed to the Congress of the United States be- eause of the Nation-wide appre- hension that special Federal mo- tor taxes may be super-imposed on the structure of topheavy, dis- criminatory and outrageous levies now enforced by the State and municipalities,” Thomas P. Henry of Detroit, Mich, who made the closing argument for the motor- ists, id. iational, State and local offi- cials,” declared Mr. Henry, no:v have before them what amounts to a complete summarization of the rising indignation of the mass of car owners against being made the scapegoats of political greed and governmental extravagance. Serious Handicaps Seen. is protest clearly proves th:{hunf motor taxes are prov- ing a serious handicap to the farmer who depends on the mo- tor vehicle to market his prod- uets; that they are adding to the cost of education; that they are increasing the cost of sickness: that they are compelling viu} sacrifices in household budgets; that they are adding to the cost of selling; that they are affect- g e . they “tend 1o man; e nnis o u::lvel. and m-: of the Governmen! i‘fgy the field would intensify racketeering in gasoline taxes and jeopardize hundreds of millions of d:{rus of road bonds issued by States. m‘e'wm an increase in Federal taxation now in the offing, our people are most anxious that Congress should demonstrate its will and its ability to trim ex- ditures, which have increased y leaps and bounds from year to year, even in the face of a huge cut in the Nation’s income. “TIhe American people, with their usual patriotism in the face of an emergency, will respond to the appeal to bear higher taxes. But unless Congress does its part and cuts expenses, and thereby sets a much-needed example to State and local governments everywhere, there be a day of reckoning—and it is not far away! "gur latures have broken faith with the motorists. Many of them have lcn?ped an im- *portant principle. refer to the rinciple that special motor {ehicle taxes are justified only for road use. Our lawmakers raised the gasoline tax rate until tax evasion has become a Nation-wide racket. A special Federal gaso- line tax would put the seal of na- tional approval on a vicious prac- tice. “We must get back to a sound foundation. We must see to it that only the State can levy spe- cial motor taxes. We must in- sist that these taxes be used only for road purposes and not a cent for general tribute. We must have a guarantee that the rate of these taxes bears a fair ratio to road benefits, not to motorists alone, but to other elements and inter- ests as well. Otherwise, the en- tire motor tax structure will as- suredly break down.” List of Speakers. ‘The speakers in the A. A. A. protest, in the order of their talks, were: Ernest N. Smith, executive vice president of the American Automobile Association; E. F. Jones of San Francisco, Calif., a salesman; John Leonard of Cupertino, Calif., a rancher; James A. Gorman of San Fra | cisco, a motor touring enthusiast; Dr. E. B. McDaniel of Portland, | Oreg.; Sidney D. Waldon of De- | troit, Mich., chairman of the A. A. A. National Taxation Commit- tee; Maj. Roy F. Britton, presi- dent of the Automobile Club of Missouri; J. B. McManus, a school superintemgent of La Salle Coun- ty, Il1.; Samuel 8. Lewis, secretary of highways for Pennsylvania; John A. Park, publisher of the Raleigh, N. C., Times; Helen Springman, & school teacher of Lorton, Va; Fred Brenckman, ‘Washington representative of the National Grange; Edward 5 Dunn, a shop foreman of Walling- ford, Conn.; Katherine Sullivan of Trenton, N. J,, and Thomas P. Henry, president of the A. A. A, Gas Bootlegging. ‘Without the fifes and drums or the blatancy that goes with lig- uor boot! g, another form of bnouesgn( as eaten its way into the wmt That is of gasoline which, the most conservative es- tors, steals $40,000,000 yearly from way funds, enough to present low of | heavy toll 2,000 miles of concrete highway. That bootlegging of gasoline has existed for some little time has been known, but not until uite recently was it discovered that it has become so widespread that about one-fifteenth of all gasoline used in automobiles is sold in such a way that the pre- scribed gasoline taxes are not paid to the States. Several States, when they be- come aware that many an unsus- pecting motorist’s dollar was mak- ing “successful” business men out of crooks, launched campaigns that have a two-fold purpose; the placement of bootleggers behind the bars and of gasoline tax money in the proper receptacle, the State treasury. Foreign Service Stations. The extent to which the mod- ern automobile service and filling station, equipped with the latest American service anllances. has widened its domicile from Main street in America to the far cor- ners of the world, is shown in a world survey of foreign automo- tive equipment markets, just con- cluded by the Automotive Divi- sion, Department of Commerce. Information for this study, re- ceived from 114 different coun- tries, reveals that in some of the most remote parts of the world, whose inhabitants a few years ago viewed with alarm their first sight of an automobile, are now found facilities to provide service for the growing number of those inhabitants who have been con- verted to the use of the motor vehicle. The modern ?sollne pump, the valve grinder, the grease gun and their mechanical associates have become familiar sights in many distant lands and are entitled to rectognitmn as world travelers of note. The American motorist can usually find a service station around almost any corner to pro- vide relief for his motoring dis- tress. Until fairly recently, how- ever, the purchaser of a car or truck in many parts of the world was less fortunate. Even today— when more than nine million au- tomobiles are in use abroad— service facilities are inadequate in many foreign spots, but the extent to which this imperative need has been remedied recently is lmazlnt In the shadow of the Himalayas and the Andes, in tropical Tahiti, Samoa or Bali, in barren Iceland, in the heart of Africa, on the des- ert of Australia have been erected stations to repair, equip and serv- ice the automobiles which operate in those regions where service has an almost incalculable value, To sell a car to a Chinese trader, an Indian taxi driver in Fiji or an inhabitant of Ushaia, the world’s Southernmost town, it is neces- sary to provide assurance that facllities are available to service those vehicles. In each of those places, and hun#ireds of others equally far from America’s “mo- tb:r l'ovu,’:’t'e duervlce u;tst!onu gave en erected, gasoline pumps have been I::m;a.llzds and a promise of service has become an_essential motor-selling point and an im- portant source of revenue. Recently a branch of a great American corporation has com- gte'.ed the construction of a num- r of the most modern service stations in numerous foreign countries, where they will edu- cate native automobilists in the proper care of the motor vehicle. is journey of the service sta- tlon to the far corners of the world has a practical dollar and cents value to American business. During the years of rapid growth of our automotive export trade there has been an increasing sale abroad'of American equipment to replace worn-out parts and serv- ice automobiles, e erection of service stations in India or Africa and other parts of the world has meant a growing demand for that equipment and more business for American manufacturers, The automotive division’s world sur- vey describes the increasing rec- ognition in foreign countries of the need of more and better sery- ice facilities and of the fact that these facilities help create the demand for more automobiles. Tt also shows how extensive will be the future foreign demand for automotive equipment and sug- gests the promising opportunities for extending our trade in this foreign field of activity. Greatest Engine Foe. Improper lubrication is the greatest foe of the automobile engine, and is responsible for an overwhelmingly large part of en- gine ills. Charles w. McKinley, research engineer, declared at o meeting of service men here. ‘It we take two cars of the same make, lubricate one of them according to the recommenda- tions in the instruction manual and neglect to properly lubricate the other, the properly lubricated car will be in service long after the other car is worn out” he sald. “The properly lubricated car will operate with' a minimum repair and replacement cost, while the other car will take a in bearings, piston rings and other vital parts. “Failure to properly grease a car and the use of contaminated |oil can be blamed as the two greatest evils affecting car wear, Recognition of these two facts will make the maintenance dollar go much farther. “Contaminated oil will eause five times more wear on various engine parts than when clean ofl is used. “To avold contamination the oll filter cartridge should be changed according recom- mendations in the car instruction manual, usually after every 8,000 to 10,000 miles of operation. “The oil should be changed as recommended by the car manu- facturer, and drained while the engine is hot, as heated ofl is more fluid.” A Good Husband. If & man would be a good hus- band he must see that the car his wife drives is kept in perfect mechanical condition. Otherwise, according to W. T. Palmer, an official of a company makin, brake lining, he is deliberately ex- posing her and her friends and children to deadly dangers which she has no way of avolding and may not even realise, “Women make skiliful drivers, 1ways find out the wheelbase of a visitors car, before urgingd them to use your darade. COLOMBIA OFFERS MOTORISTS TREAT Cauca Valley Highway One of Wonders of Pan-Amer- ican Road. In motoring southward through the famous Cauca Valley in Western Co- lombia one enjoys a series of magnifi- cent views and becomes a pioneer traveler on a completed section of the great Pan-American thway. ) Starting from Cali, Colombia's me- tropolis of the West (population of 123,000), the car rolls along the new sand-clay highway with ease and speed. On the west the coast range mountains rise to picturesque heights and domi- nate the valley for many miles. Con- siderable coal is being mined today on the slopes of these mountains. Looking toward the east one sees grazing herds of cattle, many of them sleek and ap- parently ready for the buyer who comes along occasionally and makes pur- chases for the Cali market. Here and there stands the cottage of a small farmer; at other places rise large houses and clumps of trees that grace the estates of wealthier “hacendados.” we travel southward the northward- flowing River Cauca is seen. It is an important trade artery, and active with its flat-bottom boats. Far to the east rise the majestic Tange of mountains known as Cordillera Central, whose peaks seemingly pierce the skies. in, we come in contact with the iway that leads southward to Popayan. Oc- casionally, an airplane speeds above us on its north or south run. 8o in pass- ing through the valley one notes four means of transit: river, railroad, high- way and airway. v’fe stop to talk with the friendly Colombians, and to their questions of whither are we bound, we reply, “On to Ecuador!” “No, sefior, no hay camino_para sutomoviles (there is no automobile road.”) The farther we went, the truer we found the advice. After spending the night at Jamundi, We_pr train next morning to Popayan, 50 miles farther south, the present terminus of the Pacific Railway of Colombia. The continuation of the Cauca Valley Highway is now in progress, and per- haps within & year or two the Co- lombian road tap that of Ecuador, which was recently completed to Rumi- chaca on the Colombia-Ecuador boundary. PHONOGRAPHS AND AUTOS New Developments Prove Their Re- lationships. ‘What have phonographs to do with sutomobiles? One answer is that the newest model electric phonographs are being equipped with a “gear shift,” a device that r - mits running the turn-table at 33 r.p.m or 78 r.p.m. to accommodate either the new electrical transcriptions or the old, shorter-playing records. In addi- tion to this similarity in speed control, the new type phonographs are sald to be slated for combination with de luxe car radios of the near future, so that when radio transmission is not good the motorist still will be able to enjoy good entertainment while motorin even if they do have a tendency to drive too fast,” says Mr. Palm- er, who has made a two-year study of the automobile accident situation. “A man’s muscles, how- ever, are stronger than those of a woman and generally his knowledge of the operating parts of a car is greater. As a rule women place utmost confidenge in the cars they drive. When they put pressure on the brake pedal, for example, they expect the car to stop quickly and effi- clently. If the brakes are worn or out of adjustment they do not produce this result or they re- quire a strength of pressure of which the average woman is not capable. If this happens in a traffic emergency, there is likely to be a deadly smash-up, for which the wife may be blamed, but for which the fault lies en- tirely with the absent husband. “Those parts of the car which woman drivers are entitled to have kept in perfect condition for the safety of themselves, their Euuenxen and other drivers are rakes, headlamps, steering gears, windshield wipers, tires and wheels. It costs practically noth- ing to have these parts inspected regularly by service station ex- perts and but little to have neces- sary adjustments and replace- ments made. Neglect produces ‘big repairs, big expenses and bj m’.‘ Oml ltccldent, cal neglect, may cost r"uz husband his be- e of O love and a AUTOMOBILE AGAIN MENACED BY CONFLAGRATION HAZARD More Volatile Fuel, Higimer Operating Tempcratures and Speecl Add to Dangers of Fire. _ Once again motordom is hearing the cry, “Fireman, save my car!” Auto- moblles are facing a number of new fire hazards which are taking thou- sands of motorists by surprise, accord- ing to those who are responding to the daily alarms with extinguishing equipment and insurance funds. Larger, hotter engines are one rea- son. More volatile gas in greater &uumy is another. Higher speed a ird. It is not generally realized what a hazard the increased electrical wiring of the modern car presents. Public’s Apathy. Aggravating the situation is the pub- lic's apathy to the car fire hazard and | the almost complete lack of knowledge |of fire control. The car makers have done much to prevent fire, but in the face of greatly increased hazards and the public’s belief the danger does not exist to any marked degree there Is little opportunity for natural progress in successfully comba this problem. Surprisingly few moto: even take As | the precaution to carry s fire extin- guisher, Speed 1s one of the most serious of the new fire hnm'x.l ‘When a racing car catches fire, a Sudden, spectacular blaze invariably results. The pilot is lucky is he gets out of the driving com- partment allve. Today’s motorist does not realize what a draft is created even at normal road speeds nor how quickly this air current will fan a small blazc into serious portions. ‘The fact that the driver is protected with considerable insulation between the driving compartment and the en- gine may save his life should fire occur at higher speed, but serious and per- haps irreparable damage may be done to the whole car in a very few min- utes. Even destruction of the wiring of & modern multi-cylinder engine is an expensive proposition. Invariably a fire under the hood calls for refinishing the car. Backfiring Evils. Backfiring is still a serious matter. It is_even more hazardous during today's cranking because any excess fuel from nvtrrhnEfinl is certain to provide a com- Lstible mixture under the hood. In on. “cent case an inexperienced driver choied so much that the intake silencer filled up with gas. A backfire ignited the vapor of this and wrecked the car. Little choking is required to start a car with downdraft carburetion, but the human element ignores this fact and courts trouble, With the fuel pump and the filter in general use there are some new oppor- tunities for leakage. While it is true that the vacuum tank was equally likely to offer the leakage hazard, the situa- tion was not so serious when that t of fuel feed was universally used cause gasoline was not nearly so vola- tile as it is today. This is clearly dem- onstrated by the fact that whereas the vacuum tank often became quite hot without causing the fuel to give any trouble, today's fuel system has to be urheooled in order to prevent vapor loc] Batteries are becoming more power- ful in order to meet the demands for quick starting of multi-cylinder, high- gsompression motors. There also numerous new wiring leads. Some of the cars have increased the generator output. In one case this has reached the point where it has been necessary to air-cool the generator itself. The electrical system, therefore, bears close watching. External Damages. External damage to the electrical :;:um is not uncommon today. Under hood temperatures have been boost- ed considerably and the limit is no- where in sight. Cases have been found where ignition has charred sim- ply through engine heat. One popular make of car, in a recent model, required Ignition wiring change about every 7,000 miles. The fire equipment companies have tried 1o interest the public in being pre- pared for the new emergencies by of- lr;rlnl ;xunmhhen in ‘mv dress and much more cdfilct orm. has been slow. still thinks he can get by with the idea his automobile isn't going to be the one that catches fire. He does not seem to be able to picture the rapidity at which a fire would spread under the hood when the car is traveling a mile & min- ute or more. New Extinguishers. The time is coming when it will be necessary to carry under the hood a type of extinguisher that will automat- Ically release a flame-killing gas if the environment around the motor reaches too high a point. There will also be an automatic shut-off to close the ra- hood ventilators will close automatic- ally, just as they open by means of a thermostat on one of the newest cars. Because modern muffiers permit freer escape of the exhaust gases there is greal rn;i:fuolflnwhmluvm(flu motor ng while gas is being added to the rear tank. Static electricity still Is a constant risk in the tank-filling t The o dange: ble!u ahead the ere’s & T form of fire and flame. Don't fan it with indifference, (Copyright, 1932, the Russell Servige.) Devastating Effect Aside from the provision of jobs, road building should continue at its present pace for the important reason that the existing investment in high- tion must be protected. 8o declared Frederic E. Everett, presi- dent of the American Association of State Highway Officlals, in discussing :g;? State and Federal programs for ‘Mass production has necessarily been adopted in road bullding” said Mr. Everett, “wherein first-stage improve- ment has been fllnn Vvast mileages, As rapidly as possible such temporary im- provements have been elevated to high type construction and in the meantime the roads have been giving & fair de- fim service to the forever increasing affic. “Any curtailment of construction would have a devastating effect on the mileage of roads now ready for & better type improvement. When we see cars rolling smoothly over even h road surfaces we are likely to minimize their destructive effects. But & road carry- ing only 300 cars a day bears & pound- ing burden of from 600 to 1,000 tons. Gravel is whirled to the four winds. Low surfaces crumble under heavy traffic. A delay of a single year would cost Government and motorists amazing sums in high road and car upkeep costs. AUTOMOTIVE BRIEFS Announcement is made of the ap- pointment of the Oliver Chevrolet Co., Inc, as Chevrolet dealers in nearby William G. Oliver, dent of the new company was for a associal with the lébnromo;mw office in Balti- Bone more and is well known in Washington, 700 Wikcomin sve, Beimeots, v 6700 avenue, Bethesds, Md. Curtailment of Constryction, It Is Believed, Would Have ways and the methods of transporta- | ROAD BUILDING MUST CONTINUE TO PROTECT EXISTING HIGHWAYS on Present Routes. “To illustrate the problem, glance at what needs to be done on the Federal Ald road system. Of the 193,000 miles | of highways on the system, 109,000 have been benefited by Federal expenditures. Of these 109000 miles a very large part is still in need of an edequate type of surface to meet the traffic re- TRIPLES 1931 OUTPUT Russia Oalls for Large Auto Pro- duction This Year. ‘That part of the Soviet 5-Year Plan diator front and check the draft. The [ Comm: INCREASED AUTO TRADE REVEALED Figures for January and Feh- ruary Show Improve- ment. Special Dispatch to The Star. DETROIT, Mich, March 12.—Ex- icy that 1932 may prove a better | pectan year for the automobile trade than 1931 has been built \a.lfi by January and Feb- ruary merchandising results. Taking the highly competitive Detroit area as an éxample, figures for January and Fel testify to gains in sales for 13 makes of passenger cars. Detroit's Response. The volume, which may be con- sidered Detroit's response to intensive selling effort foll the automobile show period, represent a turnover of 3,996 cars during the 60-day period, as compered with 3,679 in Janu- ary and February a year ago. The to- are exclusive of Ford, which has been completing its changeover to new models. mfi’m‘u“d“fn for the two m&:m are varying am ne tollowing Takes, isted phavetl y: Cadillac, Chevrolet, , De Soto raham, Hudson, Hupp, Lincoln, Plymouth, Reo and ‘That February alone contributed sub- stantially to the bulge above last year is shown the total for that month, which was 2,350 for all makes excepting Ford, against 2,254 in the same month of 1931, Under prevailing conditions the showing is regarded as a& demonstra- tion that there is an ever-present de- mand for new cars and that improved, restyled models stimulate it. Canada Organized. Canada has organized its own Auto- mobile Chamber of Commerce, repre- senting the manufact interests of the Dominion. Toronto, officially desig- nated as the city where the Canadian national show is to be held annually, staged its mass presen of new models this week. In connection with it Alfred Reeves, general manager of the National Automobile Chamber of erce, representing United States makers, talked before a House banquet at which heads of the Canadian in- dustry were assembled. Mr. Reeves described the role that Canada has played in the development of the automobile. He predic A 427 K > >4 >4 >4 *- o >3 * & * - 23 * * » e e * » oe * o o4 - > * * WEAVER Machine ME. 8208 TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENT NEED AN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Executive Committee of the National Con- ference on Street and Highway Safcty Issues Statement. Opportunities for the employment of many workers on needed traffic im- provements are pointed out by the Executive Committee of the National Conference on Street and Highway periences of the past two years. in practically every community of the country, the committee states, work of this kind can be done profitably as a means of reducing the heavy lcsses oc- casioned by traffic accidents and con- gestion. The improvements can be made, in many instances, without ex- tended planning and study and with relatively small expense. Many com- munities already have adopted such %w has shown, the committee adds, that driving safety is seriously menced by obstructions to view at high- way intersections, the lack of suitable guard rails or fencing at dangerous embankments, roadside ditches and soft narrow shoulders, narrow bridges and oulvert tops. The removal of these and other dangers will aid materially, in checking the rising toll of deaths and injuries. The statement continues: View Obstructions. Among the effective traffic improve- ment measures that may readily be undertaken In most communities is the ings and on the inside of highway curves. This would eliminate at once what are now in many instances serious hazards to the traveling public. These obstructions include low hanging limbs, brush, shrubbery, steep banks, fences, billboards ard small buildings. Decided improvements if not entire correction of visibility conditions at many points could be made at the relatively small cost of the labor necessary to bring it about. ‘The installation, repair and replace- ment, when necessary, of suitable guard rails or fencing at dangerous embank- ments, ditches, or curves, and patting or otherwise treating them to make them plainly visible at night or in fog, when failure to note the hazards safe- guarded by them would be specially dis- astrous, is exceedingly important. The work involved is chiefly manual labor. Campaigns have been directed in many sections for correction of danger- ous roadside ditches and soft narrow shoulders. In regard to such improve- ments, Mr. chief of the Pederal Bureau of Public Roads, recently said: “The bureau will approve the reopen- ing of projects to place large sized drain pipe in roadside ditches which are eroding, the trenches to be back- filled with porous materials and the ditches obliterated to the extent possible, and other betterments which are advisable construction and which improve the safety of the roads.” Road laborers may thus be employed on work which should lessen the the Dominion is destined to figure more prominently in future expansion of the industry through increased roduction of raw materials, as well as the manufac- ture of completed vehicles. He added that Canada should share with the United States the task of teaching other nations the benefits of highway transportation. Of the general trade situation, Mr. Reeves stated that there has been an demand for new cars, with | sales certain to become more active in the coming weeks. “There will be an added impetus,” he sald, “when Mr. Ford announces his final program.” 8ir Dennistoun Burney, British engi- neer, wgo has been driving his radically d -drop” streamlined car through the East and Middle West to allow American designers to see it, placed it in the Toronto show, where it was a center of interest. Speaking from his initial experience in g:vm. on the highways of America, Sir Dennistoun was impressed with the high average speed possible and the ab- sence of cops.” It seems re- markable to him that during one day's run which his car made an average of 57 miles an hour running time could be maintained. From this he is certain that cruising 5] on American roads are bound to rise and in consequence the question of wind resistance will become of inftreas- ing importance. Sir Dennistoun belleves that the re- quirements are different for cars used in towns, with their congestion and of light control as distinct from long-distance touring. “I imagine,” he said, «that the prob- lem of the future is to combine the necessary qualities for both sets of con- ditions into one vehicle, as it would be a poor engineering answer to say that one must have two different cars. “I expect to see the cars get slightly longer, to give the necsessary space for comfort and to assist in obtaining a good aerodynamic shape.” Copyright, 1932 by the North Amerk (OO rla G paser Alliance, ‘Tag,) ATeriean Safety in a statement based upon ex- | removal of obstructions to view at high- | way intersections, railway grade cross- | Thomas H. MacDonald, | ‘numbfl' of overturned cars as well as the number of persons killed and injured while making necessary road- side emergency repairs. Bridge Improvements. Narrow bridges and culvert tops close to the edge of highways have been responsible, in many parts of the country, for serious traffic sccidents and fatalities. Widening these highway bridges over small rivers, creeks and culverts, and removing the dangerous abutments from the roadside would | give useful employment to skilled as | well as unskilled laborers and would materially add to the safety of the highway user. In Ohio a State-wide program involving rebabilitation of 295 bridges at a cost of $3000,000 is re- ported in progr 5 workmen being employment relief committees, In certain sections of the country at this time of year snow removal is a problem of no small magnitude. The | erection and maintenance of snow | fences on State and country high ways, | together with other efficient snow | ighting measures which keeps thess | highways as well as city streets open for traffic during the months of heavy snowfall. has been found to be a paying proposition. In most of the smaller citles and in substantial part in the larger ones snow removal calls for | men with picks and shovels. Except |in_sections of continuous heavy snow- fall this work is irregular but gives | short time employment when suffering is most acute. Construction and Repalr. ! Road construction programs ecan be carried on the year round in some sec- | tions of the country where climatic conditions permit. Construction of new roads, not only main trunk routes but secondary feeder roads, during the usual off season, makes these new traffic | channels available sooner and affords opportunity for work to many who | might otherwise be idle during the off | season period. Improvement of exist- ing roads in special places may like- wise be undertaken with similar re- sulting advantages to the community, both those employed in the work and those enjoying better transportation facilities as a result of their labors. Most of the projects proposed thus far relate to conditions outside of cities and towns. There are, however, a con- siderable number of traffic improvement features to which cities and towns may advantageously devote their attention. The following measures may be under- taken with relatively small expense, and, in addition to providing needed jobl‘?or otherwise unemployed citizens, they make for better traffic conditions and add to the safety of all users of the city’s streets: A ready measure for traffic relief at intersections and very much needed in many cities and towns is the sett back of curbs. The simple exfedlznt of lengthening curb radii makes it possible for vehicles to negotiate turns more easily and safely, thus making for greater safety and lessening congestion. Danger Points. There are places of special hazard in nearly every city and town known to the residents of the immediate vicinity, but unfamiliar to those in other sec- tions. These special hazards, such as blind corners, steep inclines with sharp curves, embankments at the end of dead-end streets, unfenced abandoned quarries and other hazards not mani- fest to the casual observer should be marked with suitable warning signs bearing brief yet clear and unmistak- able legend. The National Conference on Street and Highway Safety has a standard “Manual on Street Traffic Signs, Sig- nals and Markings” which is available on request to interested officials of cit- ies and towns or any one else interested in this subject. All communities with antiquated traffic signs should replace them with standard signs as rapidly as possible. In those cities having stand- ard signs there is opportunity for se- curing greater benefits from an Fepainting. of " exiting sigoa Hkemine ng of ex signs ik would be beneficial. Many cities and towns have estab- lished pedestrian safety islands, paint- ed or otherwise ly marked cross- walks, provided pedestrian subways at Pl vy vehicular traffic, espe- cially for school children; removed street obstructions, and have taken other steps which have pald big returns in propor- g:m to the modest sums spent upon em. Authorized Service Harrison Radiators CREEL BROTHERS 1811 14th St. N.W. Decatur 4220 SERVICE CO. COURTESY, a sense of RESPONSIBILITY and a GENUINE DESIRE TO PLEASE YOU are the features of our Service. We value your GOOD WILL above all else. business depends upon YOUR ENTIRE SATISFACTION. any relining job, we IT BACK TO US. If any trouble develops on want to know it; BRING WINTER SPECIALS 4-Wheel Brakes FORD, MODEL A CHEVROLET (any passenger car or light delivery). PONTIAC, 1928 . Nash (Light 6) Oldsmobile Pee: Reo Studebaker Dict. 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