The Washington times. [volume], January 18, 1919, FINAL EDITION, Page 7, Image 7

About The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939

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AUTQMOBILE
SECTION
Good Roads Essential to Future of Auto Industry
AUTO NEWS AND
. COMMENTS
GOOD ROADS UP
TO GOVERNMENT
$
With long trains of army truck*
? nd an ever-increasing flow of com
mercial automobiles attesting the im
portant part which the motor truck
played in beating Germany, is it not
time for the National Government to
take more decided steps than it lias
to encourage improvement of the
highways?
With railroad facilities, particularly
The Time*
Auto Emergency Service
IS AT torn DISPOSAL
If you are in need of a haul
home, gasolene or help of
any kind
Call Main 5-2-6-0
(fit this nemo in j*mr note book?
Ask for auto emergency?state
your troubles and give the phone
number you are using rfnd vou
will be immediately connected
with the nearest reliable service
station to your location.
THERE IS no CHARGE FOR
THIS SERVICE
?
f
in the war-industrial zone in which
Philadelphia is located, inadequate as
they, were to meet the demands of
both war and civilian commerce, the
part which the motor truck must play
in keeping: the essential industries
going cannot be overestimated.
N'o one who has watched a motor
truck lunging slowly an{l fearfully
along a billowy or gutted road can
doubt that poor roads may impair the
efficiency o^ the truck 50 per cent or
more.
If U has been considered worth
while to declare the manufacture of
trucks for military and vital civilian
needs an essential, it would be foolish
not to carry the effort to its logical
conclusion. The waste of truck effi
ciency through poor roads is little
short of tragic.
Here and there, where Government
traffic is particularly heavy, there is
to be noted a more or leys gratifying
improvement of road conditions. But
the improvement is not general. It
should be.
The tax on individual communities
for keeping their sections of the high
ways in good shape would be com
paratively light, and certainly there
is enough patriotism in every com
munity in this country to make the
necessary sacrifice and effort it the
seriousness of the situation were
properly laid before them, backed by
tactful Government encouragement.
In addition, highway repair wferk
should be strictly maintained as an
essential, and the full facilities of the
Government's labor control should be
constantly available to the executives
in charge of such wo k.
1620-26 M St. N. W. Franklin 3860
District of Columbia Distributers.
U. S. OWES AUTO
MEN 5300,000,000
Grave conditjons in the automobile^
industry of the country are declared
to evist in many reports reaching
Washington in letters to me.nbers of
Congress and throngh statements
made to Senators and House mem- j
bers by manufacturers themselves or
persons cognizant of the facts.
Michigan, as the head and center!
of the automobile industry, is the
State from which the most serious
complaints are proceeding. It is
roughly estimated that Michigan au
tomobile manufacturers have $300.- i
000,000 tied up in >var contracts with |
the Government on which they can
not at present realize.
True Klaevrhrrr.
What is true as to Michigan is true
of various other localities, and what
applies to the automobile industry I
there appllcsT to a considerable extent'
to plants of many kinds which under- I
took to make war material. i
In large part, the difficulty arises
from the fact that about 7,000 con
tracts for war materials were^ made
informally, and under a ruling of the
Comptroller- of the Treasury these
are not binding. They will have. to
be legalized by Congress before the
contracting concerns can realize on
them. However, the informal con
tracts* are not the only source of dif
ficulty. Complaints are reaching here
in large numbers of the slowness of
the War Department in making pay
ments under contracts the validity of
which is recognized.
SI.600,000.000 Involved.
Taking the country as a whole, th<!
amount involved in the informal war
contracts is estimated at $1,600,000,000,
although differing estimatea are
placed on the total. The House has
passed a bill to legalize tnformrl war
contracts. The bill is hanging Are in
the Senate because of differences of
opinion as to just how the details
should be adjusted. The informal con
tracts were in many instances simply
telephone orders to concerns from
army officers or officials or other
Government officials to manufactur
ers to go ahead. Had the armistice
not come, there would have been no
difficufty about them.
Members of the Michigan delega
tion in Congress said today their
State had been among the hardest
hit. They said the automobile con
cerns had been seriously affected,
though they were not the only ones.
Plants of different kinds in the State
are engaged in making war material.
Now. when these plants want to con
vert their operations back to meet
peace conditions, they find they Imve
a lot of capital tied up in war con
tracts out of which, for the present,
I they can't get a cent.
Threatened With Ilaln.
The rerult is that some are even
threatened with having to close down
land let their organizations go to
i pieces. Many of the plants have in
I vested heavily in iron, steel, and other
1 manufacturing supplied to meet war
' contracts.
| With similar complaints coming
: from most of the leading manufactur
| ing States, Congress is under great
i pressure to legalize the informal war
! contracts and the War Department ij
under like pressure to cut red tape.
I To a less extent the Navy Depart
ment is alfected.
Senato/ Townscnd of Michigan to
day declared that the delays In dis
posing of contracts and in making
payments in pursuance of contracts
were hitting his State hard. ?
"The automobile industry of my
State is seriously affected." said Sen
I ator Townsend. "But other plants
| which are engaged in making war
J material are feeling it too. I have
I no accurate totals, bot 1 believe it
: safe to say several hundred million
dollars is involved. Right at the time
[ when plants want to go back to nian
I ufacturing to meet peace demands.
' they find themselves hampered by
the# fact they cannot get what is
coming to them on their war con
tracts.
"The effects are what might be '.x
pected. I am flooded with complaints
about the situation, but it seems al
most impossible to remedy it immedi
ately."
Senator Townsend is hopeful that
the bill legalising informal contracts
will soon pass, though he points out
that this will not entirely avail unlest
administrative action is hastened.
I
The resignation of George E. Han
dles as director of the maintenance
division. Motor Transport Corps, has
been accepted by the Government, ana
Mr. Randies returns to * Cleveland,
Ohio, and resumes his activities in
the business world as vice* president
and generaj manager of the Foote
Burt Company, makers of special au
tomobile machinery.
For a period of sixteen months, Mr.
Randies has rendered extremely val
uable services to the Government;
and the signing of the armistice
enables the relinquishment of his
duties here.
TC BURN LOW QUA
W
FUELS
From Washington Star
January 12, 1919
POOR GRADE "GAS"
II
.^"Necessity is the
MntliAi* nf
Mother of Invention"
Dealers Admit Sales of In
ferior Quality, But Have j
No Other. ?
*
ONE SUGGESTS REMEDY
Every day sine? the extreme eo!4
weather set in one has heard in
numerable complaints from automo
bile owners and drivers aaralnst the
inferior quality of aasollne that is
sold by many dealers in this city,
and If. according to those in a posi
tion to know, the main cause for go
many cars, Irrespective of make,
beinr stalled, towed or deserted en
tirely is due to the poor arade of
gasoline being used, then it is un
questionably time for the proper au
thorities to take the matter in hand
and remedy the evil.
While the country was at war mo
torists were only too glad to conform
to every edict issued by the govern
ment that had to do with the quan
tity and quality of aasoline to he
used, but now that hostiNties have
ceased and the embargo on Rasolln*
lifted, it is not unreasonable to expect
standard quality, especially when they
are paying as hiah, if not hiaher.
prices for It now than they did when
the country was in the throes of con
servation.
No Excuse for Lean Mixture.
*
Granted that the oversea^ demand
for gasoline is still enormous, and
that the gauge ?e? for testing the
specific gravity ot the fuel has been
lowered by the bureau of standards
from 72 of two years a*o to 47 to
day, there Is still no excuse for the
miserably lean mixture that is being
shoved on the publlo by the manu
facturers at present.
Many of the dealers, when Inter
viewed on the subject, freely admit
ted that the grade of gasoline belnc
?old by them today is of poor quality,
but they would Invariably auk: "What
can be done about it?"
TRUCKS
THEY
BURN
LOW GRADE
FUELS
Do you realize what that means to the truck buyer. \\;ith the price or gasoline
going up and the quality going down ?
Giant Trucks attain full power on low gravity gasoline or mixtures of kerosene
or distillate with gasoline. Giant owners can reduce fuel costs as much as 50 per
cent.
Giant Trucks have Timken Worm-drive, Continental motor?highest stand
ardization throughout. Built in 1. 116,2 and 3j/2 ton models. Here is a real vol
ume builder.
CONFIDENCE IN GIANT TRUCKS
AND THE SERVICE BEHIND THEM
In claiming for GIANT TRUCKS noth
ing less than that they are thr equal of any
truck made (in the same class i. and in claim
ing for our SERVICE that it is superior to
that which any truck distributer has thus far
offered?our salesmen have been requested
when calling upon you to solicit your CON
FIDENCE in GIANT TRUCKS and the
SERVICE behind them.
After we have gained your CONFI
DENCE we will seil yon a GIANT TRUCK
and the treatment that goes with it?and
never will you be allowed to feel that your
CONFIDENCE has been misplaced.
A poor truck with j^ood service will out
last the best truck with poor service ?
We offer you a mighty good truck with
the best of service.
Ask for our list nf truck users who
fought GIAN I T RUCKS becausa of their
CONFIDENCE in us.
Exclusive Agents for D. C., Maryland and Virginia
FORST BROS., Inc.
General Offices and Salesrooms,
1315 NEW YORK AVENUE NORTHWEST
Phone Franklin 6231
This column ia devoted to the interest of
the autoiat. All questions aa to care anu
upkeep, engine troubles, toura. etc., will be
cheerfully and fully anawered by an expart.
Questions must r?-*ch this office not lit se
than Thursday to Insure issue in currant
week. Address all communications car>
Automobile Editor Washington Times, giv
ing initials of inquirer for tndex purposes
If your car Is in trouble on the road and
you need a tow or assistance, avail yourself
of The Tlmea Auto Emergency Servlc*, it
is yours for the asking. See notice ??fc
this page. |
That advanced rates on motor-car
theft insurance may be expected is a
possibility gleaned from the following
excerpt from the Spectator, a publica
tion which covers'the insurance field:
Recommendations for the revis
ion of methods of underwriting
the theft hazard in automobile iri
surance arc contained in the report
of a subcommittee of the National
Automobile Underwriters' confer
ence, which will have the atten
tion of the local conferences be
fore the anntfal meeting of the
executive committee of the na
tional conference. Wjiile the re
port of the subcommittee is only
tentative and is submitted for the
consideration of the local confer
ences, it is probable that the
recommendations contained there
in will be adopted by the national
conference. It is generally con
ceded that the only way in which
the companies can hope to make
any money from the insurance of
the theft hazard Ls by calling
upon the insured to pay a part
of the loss or to charge a rate for
complete coverage that is com
mensurate with the risk as evi
denced by the experience ot the
past year. ?
This is a message not only to the
man who realizes the proportions to
which automobile theft is growing
but especially to the man who sits
back in his sedan and imagines be
cause his car has never been stolen
or because he lives in a small town
that his* purse will not be affected
by yie long lists of purlpined. ma
chines.
It is a message to every motorist to
keep his eye on the courts!?American
Mcvtorist.
An automobile selling policy that Is
without a superior for candor and
straightforwardness is typified by the
sales slogan, "Ride in it?Drive it."
whicn many will recognize as being
used by those who sell Liberty motor
cars.
W. 12. Biggers, for more than four
vears advertising manager of the
Hyatt Roller Bearing Company, and
now advertising manager of the mo
tor equipment division, united motors
section, General Motors Corporation,!
which includes the advertising man-1
agersbip of the Hyatt Roller Bearing
Company, the Klaxon Company, the |
(axon Steel Products Company, and
.he Harrison Radiator Corporation, is
ieaving February t to accept the po
iition of assistant to the president
>f the Owosso Manufacturing Com
?auy, at Owosso, Mich.
Over 500 tickets have been sold 1
for the Victory Dinner of the So
ciety of Automotive Engineers to be I
'riven at the Hotel Astor, New York, |
in February 6. It is expected that i
he number of S. A. E. members in I
attendance. together with their
?juests, will amount to -,00ft.
A new and bigger demand for mo
tor ears is prophesied for the United
states as the returning legions from
'he fighting front again take theiV
;>!ai.c in the industrial and social ]
life of the nation.
This prophecy is made bv the local
>ort dealer, and it is based, not on
the wonderful exploits of automo
tive vehicles in the war zone, but on
he change in habits of the person
nel of the armies as a result of
lieir military experiences.
"The habit of punctuality and of
jetting to a given place in the short
?^t time and with the most economy,"
ays the dealer, "is one that will be
irmly stamped upon the character of
he returned soldiers. War is based
ipon timeliness of movement; upon
peed and accuracy in carrying out
iny plan of action, and the boys who
ome back are going to apply this to
heir daily business and social life."
Queries and Anawera
( nnilvird hy A. I . Warnlek,
.National Aulo < ollegr.
Spark Plug- What i" the trouble
vhen I leave my car, whi-'h ha? been
unnins r^rfectly, then go to start it
md cannot set any spark at the
>lugs?
Answer?Look at t!.e hreaker
?oints in break box mechanism and
ce that no dirt has bridged the points
ind that points are opening and dos
ng properly.
Yiy simply running the blade of a
-?mall penknife through you can often
remedy such a trouble. However, this
is not always the cause, but most
frequently. ?
BUYING AUTOS IS
strictly business
"1 have recently been asked a num
ber of times my opinion as to the
New Year bu.vlng tendencies in local
^utnmobiie circles," says W. I.. Kissel,
secretary and treasurer of the Kissel
Motor Car Company, "The war proved
:he utility of this twentieth eenturv
. arrler Its ability to meet emergency
tests in war :imo will give It the
right of wtty in pca<ce time.
"This proven efficiency arid economy
lias made the puieh.ise of automobiles
a strictly business proposition, just as
the purchase of any other time or
lsborsaving utility. The purchaser
Is buying transportation- so many
rrtlea of economical, reliable, and
comfortable travel :i commodity he
in list havfl In order to krep up with
the present times."
A. A. A. COMPILES
REPORT OE ROADS
The American Automobile Associa
tion has compiled a report of road
conditions on the leading highways
leading from Washington to other
Eastern and Southern cities. The re
port follows:
WASHINGTON TO NEW YORK. 240
miles?The present route is via Bal
tomore, Belair, Conowingo. Rising
Sun. Oxford, Pa.. Kennett Square.
Hamorton. Menden Hall. Wilmington
over the main pike through Chester |
and Darby into Philadelphia via Six*
ty-flrst and right over Chestnut. Con
tinue out North Broad to the Circle
then over the Lincoln Highway to
Trenton, turning right on Broad
street, then left over Greenwood ave-l
nue to Mercervllle, then right via
Robbinsvllle. Hightatown, Cranbury.!
New Drunswick to Metucben. making]
detour to the right via P'.rth Amboy:
then through Elizabeth ever the .Lin
coln way across the Forty-second
street ferry into New Tork clty^ This
route includes all fine bitullthie ma
cadam or concr?te. In branching off
from Hsmorton vig Wilmington and
Chester into Philadelphia, the motor- I
ist avoids the very bad detour near J
Concordvllle. where road construction
is in progress. Use A. A. A. strip
maps, which give complete details.
WASHINGTON TO PITTSBURGH.
250 miles?Go via Rockvllle, Fred
j erick, Hagerstown, where go west
I from the Square to North Jonathan,
start then right to West Chusch vti
Cearfoss and Greencastle t? Chambers
burg: then westward over the Lincoln
Highway, which Is marked with red.
white, and blue bands on poles
through Bedford and Greensburg t?
Pittsburgh. There are many mour
tains to be crossed between Cham
bersburg and Greensburg, Pa., be
the road is the very finest bitulitbv
macadam, and during the winte
months snow plows will be constant
ly used #in an effort to keep the
route open. The best plan is for tn<
motorist to make Bedford the first
day. 155 miles, and then cover the re
mainder on the second, as the entire
run through to Pittsburgh is too
great a distance for driving constant
ly in a single day.
WASHINGTON TO MT. VERNON,
16 miles-?The new concrete boulevard
from Alexandria to the turn-off Into
Mt. Vernon is now open and in first
class condition. The best route is
via. the Highway bridge, turning
right at the Southern end over Mili
tary road past Hume School, making
turn to the right Just before reach
ing the circular springhouse which
stands in the center of the road. Thij
route brings one into Alexandria via
the railroad station, turning sharp
left to Alfred street, where turn
right and continue across Hunting
Creek bridge to a point five miles
beyond, where a sign indicates "two
miles to Mt. Vernon." Usually the
trip can be made in forty minutes.
WASHINGTON TO RICHMOND, 133
miles?Follow the Mt. Vernon route
through Alexandria, but IntlMl *f
making the turn-off into Mt. Vernon,
continue straight ahead via Accotlak.
O'coqunn. Dumfrlea. Krederlckaburg,
Spot t sylvan la. Chllesburg.^ and Ash
land to Richmond. On account af a
few very poor dirt aectlons on thla;
route, motorlsta should not attempt,
the same unless weather coadltioas
are entirely favorable. If the saason
has been very dry or if the grqtmd
is well frozen, the clay spots can be
negotiated with careful driving. Par
sons contemplating making the trip
should call at A. A. A. headquarters
in the Rlgga building, and secure
detailed atrip maps and up-to-the
minute information.
HENDEE CO. TO GET
EX ARMY MEN JOBS
' 1 - *
? ? ?? ? ? -
RecoghisLng that there sre thou
sands of men who have become motor
cycle experts through service In the
army, and that many of tbeae men
will be open to opportunities to be
! come repair men. salesmen, -demon
strators, and 'selling representatives
soon as they are discharged, the
Hcndee Manufacturing Company,
manufacturers of Indian motorcycles,
has established a soldiers' service de
partment, designed to aid theae men
In getting positions upon their return
to civilian life.
All soldiers returning to civilian
life minus a job but with army mo
torcycle experience are urged to com
municate with the soldlera' service
denartment, Hendee Manufacturing
Company. Immediately. Every effort
will be made by the factory to place
DO YOUR BIT TO
< GET GOOD MM
mmm?'% * *"
"If every motor car ovitrtad proe
pect would do hla little mite i?vir|
wood roads. the baaatu to himoelf
and to the country at Urge would
to (root at to practically prohibit an
estimate of thatfl." says a local deafer
In Dort motor cara. # .
"I am acre," he roes on. "we ail
want |*6d road a, but a food maay
don't eeem to reallae that to rot any
Improvement Uk? this neceaai t a tea
action by the Individual cltisoa. Cltl
>Hn? seem too busy to devote time to
iheoe thlnra. and yet a few momeatd
by a large number would do mora'
than ceaaeleaa effort by a minority.
"City motorists especially should ,
take thia to heart. For city motor*
lata not only like to uee the hirhwajra
(or their own touriag. bat they pay
the food bllla that are caused ta part
by lack of rood roads oa which to
truck la the foodatuffs from the
forma"
I all applicants in tbe niche in the mo
torcycle field they seem beet fitted to
take up. Applicants should give full
particulars la their first letter about
themselves, what breach of tbe mo*
torcycle buslaeaa they are I at created
la. whether as i op0J1 wiaa. aalaamap
lor aa a dealer, wbero they have boea
atationed. and what form of aaotorr
cycle work they hare boea dotac Is
the service.
Addraoa allcommuaicatioaa: Headeo
Man u fact urine Company. Soldier*
Service Department. Springfield. Maafi
Mr. Autoist:
Know Your Own Car
Save annoyance, delay and dollars on your
emergency repairs.' y
A Special Owner*'-Course
of IS Lessons
will qualify you efficiently
Evening Classes for the Busy Man
National Auto College
Phone North 1819 9th A O STS. N. W.
V
8
o
n
Dodge Brothers
BUSINESS CAR
A business car built with the same
conscientious thoroughness that char
acterizes all of Dodge Brothers* products.
It will do what it is intended to do in
an efficient and economical manner*
/
It vrlll pay you to llilt tis ud rimaiar thl?
/9r
The haulage cost ie unusually lww.
? A
SEMMES MOTOR COMPANY
613 G St. N. W. Mab^ 9790