Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-04
AMERICA AND FRANCE
MERITS OF AUTOMOBILE CON-
sTRUcTIoN IN EACH.
Steady Advance on Part Of Manufac-
turers In This country--one
Deficiency Noted.

To follow the leaders OF the procession 10
not the accustomed role of the American
manufacturer, and the secondary place &C.
cupied by the automobile construction In
dustry In this country In comparison with
France has been q matter Of some sur
prise to those familiar with the circum-
stances. Motor ear experts and devotees
among the French have themselves ex
pressed no little wonder at the failure of
the car makers of this country to be al
least even with the foremost in the produc-
ton of the most speedy and elegant ma
chimes. For some years the Yankee manu-
facturer has felt and recognized the re-
preach, which has had its wholesome ef-
feet A steady advance has been recorded
until machines are now being turned out
which In every respect rival the best pro
duced In the leading foreign factories. In
testimony of this is the frank admission of
a prominent Paris automobile expert, who
declares that the American manufacturers
have made wonderful progress in the past
few years in the construction of high-grade
automobiles. He goes even farther ana
predicts that It will not be many years be-
fore American machines are found taking
first place on the great highways of Europe.
lightweight Vehicles.
1t is recognized that the American fac
tories have been producing as fine light
weight automobiles as were made anywhere
else In the world. The fame Of the Ameri-
can "runabout" has spread far and wide.
Its capacity for speed and its durability
have won for 1t a remarkable popularity.
It was in the production of the larger
and more elaborate cars that the manufac-
turers In this country were behind their for
eign competitors
There are good reasons to be offered in
explanation of the former deficiency In
the first place, the foreign makers got the
start on their American brethren. and in the
second place, automobiing has received
more encouragement IN many foreign
countries than it has here. This is espe-
cially true of France. From one end to the
other that country is literally covered with
magnificent roads, where it Is a pleasure
and often profit to speed the big machines.
So 1t Is natural in France to have great
road races, which have done much in the
way of educating designers as to what ma
terials are best suited for hard wear and
what types of machine are best fitted for
great and sustained, trials of speed. In this
respect they enjoy natural advantage
over the American designers and makers.
Prospects of Home Factories.
The extension of the good roads move
ment in America holds bright promise for
the home manufacturer of the automobile.
1t goes without saying that without fairly
ROOQ rOdQS the motor car INDUSTRY Will De
but imperfectly developed There are now
several fine highways between the large
cities of this country, where the automobile
is in constant and increasing use for long
distance travel.
The merit of simplicity is freely ascribed
to the engines used in the American cars as
compared with the engines of foreign-made
automobiles. In point of actual capacity
for service these less elaborate mechanisns,
1t is claimed, give just as good results as
those of a more complicated pattern. They
will stand months of use and hundreds of
miles Of travel.
But however much the industry may de-
velop in this country, there are those who
believe that a certain class of Americans
who pride themselves upon having the very
best and the most finished product viii al
ways insist upon importing machines con-
structed by the French manufacturer. To
offset this there is consolation in the fact
that already the American-made motors are
being used by many notable people abroad.
The King of Spain speeds in an American
automobile, and SO does Nine. Sarah Bern
hardt.