Automotive news. [volume], March 30, 1940, Page 4, Image 4

About Automotive news. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1938-current

Image provided by: Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library

                
4
faun dmU In IV3S a* 4 Ulomo lira Oatly Slew*
The JSetcupaper of the Iruluntry
PvbllafcMd E»»r j Monday at
, DETROIT, C. 8. A.
Cable Address —AI'DANK. Detroit
»781 East Jefferson Are. Telephone Kltiroy 7070
Wsshlnxtoo -Chandler BUU. Cblcato- 807 N. Michigan Are.
Murray HIU-E-0104 - National 4803 Franklin 280*
n>l . a . . _George M. Slocum. Publisher
Chris Sinsabaugh, Editor B. B. Crighton Business Man#eer
William C. Call ah an, Managing Editor Willard 8. Cotton. Western^Manager
Weed Fi MOClßte Edltor Edward Kruspak. Eastern Manager
Jark Weed, Service Editor Colin M. Selph. Central States Manager
. RESIDENT CORRESPONDENTS
Chicago— M «| Adame; Atlanta-J If. Reed; Minn.apol.t-A. O. Patterson: Kansas City—ll II
Janie?,; Lor Ange e»—Slim Barnard; Dsllat—J. A. Webb; Bo.ton—Jim Sulllsan; Seattla—li M
EWj*? • rr « nc J‘e<>— '-eon J. Plnkson and A 1 Waddell; Waihington—William Ullman; New Yorh
. San Antonio—H. C. Retier; Hartford. Conn.—Charlea Barr; South Bend—C. N.
Akron k, M L ° U w V !-* —/ |.‘ V i' Buffalo—Cleorge E. Tolea; Syracuse—J. Burr Bell: Canton
onneß; Harrisburg. Pa.—lieorge E. Shelley; Toronto—Warren Hasting*; Montreal-
Boy Carmichael; Vancouver. B. C.-K. H. Eullerton; St. Louis-S.m X Hurat; Denver-lra K
Alrimnd«*r: Birmingham. Ala.—George H. Watson; New Orleans—Fred t'uinhu*
SU Edmn P n h E £. R . U ' YEARS *6, Including annual Almanac
E< l; tio “v for Un ‘ted States and Canada, also Mexico. Cuba and Panama
Q°i h c» r c « un^ B - one year $6.00. Single copies 10c. Advertising Rates:
See Standard Rate and Data, or write for rate card. No Free List!
Entered as matter Post Office. Detroit, under Act of March 3. 1879
Copyright 1910 Slocum Publishing Co. Printed in U S.A.
Member of Audit Bureau of Circulation*.
One sacred pledge we make our friends here and
D jrl,«vLiVl noW • Thitt l ,ubliration > Ood willing and so long as
if ** o* our charge, will never champion the cause
A for the best interests of the automotive industry as
L W wjr a whole. Nor toill its columns be used to spread
£ W Hi n/ E gossip or inflame prejudice. It will confine itself to
R in. 11 R ie upbuilding of the industry it is pledged to serve
w ■■■■■■■ wholly through the dissemination of NEWS which
NEWS timel y• authentic and of value. (AN 6-10-1933).
DETROIT, MARCH 30, 1940
Sealed Heams in Hay State
REGISTRAR of Motor Vehicles Frank A. Goodwin, in the
sovereign state of Massachusetts, has refused approval
to the new Sealed-Beam headlamps which were almost uni
versally adopted by the industry this year as a safety
measure. It is our understanding that the denial of ap
proval will not hamper the sale of automobiles so equipped
within the state. On the other hand, the registrar has de
clared that the lamps will not be given approval until their
illumination has been reduced to the equivalent of 50,000
candlepower.
The complaint against the new lamps is that they are too
glaring when placed in competition with the older style lamp
which, after normal deterioration, is reduced in illuminating
value to an average of 25,000 candlepower. This probably is
true to some extent and, unfortunately, it is impracticable to
strengthen the older lights by the installation of Sealed
Beam units. We cannot see, however, what can be gained
aside from delaying progress by ordering that the candle
power of the newer lamps be reduced.
When these units were first announced last fall, this dis
parity between the old and the new was recognized. At that
time it was pointed out that the difference between the two
would be rapidly diminished as more and more new cars
equipped with Sealed Beam came on the market. That this is
true is shown by the fact that in Massachusetts already
more than 50,000 cars with new lamps are on the road out
of a total of 700,000. It is likely that these newer cars will
constitute a much higher percentage of all cars on the road
after dark. ,
Eminent safety authorities have approved the added
safety provided by these brighter lights. We feel that
Massachusetts should exercise extreme care not to ban some
thing for temporary gain that may lose us a boon in the near
future. To step headlamp power up piecemeal will only pro
long the time required to reach a point nearer perfection,
and, at the same time, extend the period of inequality of
lamps farther. Under proper control we do not feel that
Sealed Beam units add any additional hazard. We would
recommend that efforts be confined along the lines of ob
taining proper control.
Blessed Be the Boils
rnHERE is an old superstition that the common skin tumor,
1 known as a boil, has a purifying effect upon the blood of
its possessor or victim., Be that as it may, we sincerely hope
that the recent eruption in our industry caused by the Pat
man bill will have a clarifying effect upon the thinking of
those who would improve conditions in the industry.
Because dealers have voted so overwhelmingly against the
Patman bill and any form of government regulation, the
conclusion should not be drawn that they are content with
conditions that now exist. Rather it is an expression on the
part of most dealers that our troubles can best be solved
within the family circle. We sincerely hope that a definite
effort to solve these problems in this way will be made at
once. If it isn’t, some impatient group may call cops again.
And the next time it may be more difficult to convince them
that it was a false alarm.
* * *
A BREAKDOWN of industrial, business and civic activi
ties in the Detroit area in 1939 has recently been re
leased by the Detroit Board of Trade. Each item listed is
followed by a “plus” sign with the single exception of ‘'birth
rate” which is down. Baby-kissing congressmen please note.
Automotive news, march 30,1940
”—a woed Ut
edgewise”
By GEORGE ML SLOCUM
TIME Captain Eddie Ricken-
MARCHES backer, Hying ace of
ON! the last war and now
president of Eastern
Airlines was in town to address a
noonday chib this week. Later I sat
in with a group of his old associates
and was interested to find that he
not only confirmed, but enlarged on
the proposition I made in only la>t
week’s column that aviation was
still in its infancy. He pointed out
that the airports which have been
developed in the last five years to
supplant the earlier “cow-pastures”'
were already becoming obsolete
and that once again the limitation
on the size of these flying pas
senger ships was being set by the
landing fields they have to use. I
reminded Bill Stout who built the
first all-metal plane for Ford that
at least 15 years ago he had said in
my presence, “We are still flying in
canoes!” One need no longer be
called a Jules Verne to predict that
flying boats, perhaps even land
planes, with a capacity of several
hundred passengers, are now with
in sight.
* ♦ *
Within the past week the major
airlines were able to hang up a
safety record unparalleled in
transportation history. In a full
year of scheduled operations not a
single accident had resulted in a
fatality to passenger, member of
crew, or anyone else. It was only
a few years ago that the Pullman
Company was boasting of a like
record and our friends were so
berly pointing to we who used the
air services as fools-who-ought-to
have-their-heads-examined!
* * *
If you wonder why I harp on
aviation within the narrow’ con
fines of this single weekly column
in an automotive publication, let
me explain that I am one of those
who firmly believe that the motor
car manufacturers and the auto
mobile dealers of today will within
the next few years take over the
building and sales (and servicing
for that matter) of the tens of
thousands of private planes which
the present-day generation will be
flying. * * *
I am hopeful that our industry
will keep its eyes wide open to the
possibilities and I am frankly fear
ful, that unless we do, it will slip
away from us. What has hap
pened in building and selling
planes to date has, in my opinion,
nothing whatsoever to do with
what will happen when there is a
real buying demand for private
planes. I am sure there is not an
automobile manufacturer or dealer
w’ho could not gear himself to
making and selling these vehicles
of the air, exactly as he has those
of the highw’ay. I do not look for
the private plane to be a competi
tor of the four-wheel vehicle but
rather I believe this industry will
give a new impetus to American
industry which will result in the
employment of tens of thousands
of men. These men in turn will be
dependent upon the automobile for
getting to their places of employ
ment.
* * *
Today we are witnessing a great
impetus to the new industry in the
present government training of
college boys and girls to fly. I am
informed that there are already
20,000 enrolled for this training in
schools and colleges from coast to
coast and that some 6,000 have al
ready been graduated for solo fly
ing. Chances are 10 to 1 if you
have a son (over 7) he’s talking
about flying and hopes some day to
own a plane! Am I right? So if,
as I hope, you have a son and if, as
I anticipate, he wants to fly, re
member back when you first told
your proud parents you wanted to
get into the “automobile game.’’ I
suspect they were no more enthu
siastic about its possibilities than
are you over aviation today. Time,
does indeed, march on!--G.M.S.
Extra copies of thin edition of
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS may he
had (while they last) at each
postpaid. Writ* 1 for special prices
in quantities.
.
The Hurned Child Dreads the Fire
In This Corner—
‘Don’t Go Too Far . . .
The views expressed in this column are those of our readers.
Anonymous contributions will not be accepted but confidence will
be observed upon request.
Closed Territories
Have been reading a lot about
you and your paper fighting to get
a closed contract for us dealers.
Before you go too far, don’t you
think it would be a good idea to
find out how many dealers want
it?
Here is the way I look at it. In
Toledo, for instance, they have two
Buick dealers for over 300,000
people, but what about the dealer
in the small town, say Bowling
Green, O. ? He has only 5,000
people. Is it fair for one dealer to
have 150,000 people to sell to and
the other 5,000?
If they are going to close up
territories, let them give us small
dealers a county or so many town
ships, so that we can make a living.
Don’t you think that would be
more fair?
We all know’ that the trouble is
too many dealers, but that is some
thing that we cannot correct. For
instance in Wood County, 0.,
our biggest city is Bowling Green,
of about 5,000 population. There
are either nine or ten Chevrolet and
Plymouth dealers in the county.
I have it pretty straight, that
if any dealer wanted to fight it
that there are state laws in Ohio,
under which a manufacturer *:ould
not close up territories.
I think you have a swell paper.
Keep it up.--Carl H. Greiner,
Greiner Motor Sales, Pemberville, O.
Floor I* lan nin g
With all the publicity and the
discussions entered into regarding
the problems and evils of the re
tail automobile business, I would
like to say just a few words to
your fine little paper regarding
said business before legislation is
put through, giving the control of
this business to government.
Why is floor planning of auto
mobiles so easy? Why do com
panies encourage this scheme of
financing dealer's stock to the hilt .
Eliminate this easy money, attract
private capital again to the busi-
ness, attract men of character and
business ability and I believe our
automobile factor-dealer problems
will be solved to a great extent.
Let's separate the chuff from
the wheat and dealers will sur
vive, salesmen will earn a living
as w’ell as the mechanics connected
w’ith the business. —Thomas J. Hart
Thomas J. Hart Co., Detroit.
Increase
Sales of both new and used cars
in the city of Louisville has beer
very good and above last years
level.
Used car stocks ure not higher
than other years at this time.-
J. R. Weir, president, W’eir Motors
Co., Inc., Ixmisville.
Toming Events |
APRIL
4- s— Davenport, la. (Blackhawk ho
tel). Annual lowa Automobile
Dealers Assn, conclave.
8- Cincinnati. American Chemlc*)
Society meeting.
10-12— Milwaukee (Schroeder Hotel)
International Acetylene Assn, an
nual conclave.
27-29—S poka ne. Washington Motor
Transportation Assn, annual meet
ing.
MAY
16- —White Sulphur Springs, W.
(Greenbrier). National Battery
Manufacturers Assn, spring
meeting.
18-26 — Tulsa, Okla. International
troleum Exposition and Congre*
JUNE
9- —White Sulphur Springs, W. M
SAE Summer meeting (Greenbrier
Hotel).
17- Pittsburgh (Wm, Penn Hotel)
Pennsylvania Automotive Assn.
nual conclave.
24-28— Atlantic City, N. J. (Chalfonte
Haddon Hall). American Society
for Testing Materials, 43rd annu»*
meeting.
OCTOBER
12-19 New York (Grand Central P* l
ace). National Automobile Sho*
DECEMBER
9-11 —Chicago <Nav> Pier) Automotive
Service Industries Show.