The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-02
CHAUFFEUR PROBLEM SERIOUS
MANAGEMENT or DRIVERS A
DIFFICULT TASK.
Former President Morris OF Automobile
Club Of America Suggests That Com
mittee Made ID Of In owner. Garage
man and Chauffeur Draw IN n Code

man ana tnauneur Draw I'd a C0uo
Ayear or so ago, at the time when 30 many
coachmen and footmen became pupils
at some OF the various automobile schools
that sprang up in such great numbers,
there were many who predicted that the
entry of this GLASS of men into the ranks
of drivers would do much to settle the chauf-
feur question, which may Do true enough in
a few isolated casos. For the great ma
jority Of automobile owpers, who have
neither the time, skill nor inclination to
drive their own machines, the chauffeur
question still looms large, md many an
exasperated man Of means would pay
handsomely for a final solution of this
problem. Dave Hennen Morris, who ~
Gently retired from the presidency Of the
Aut mobile Club OF America, made the
following remarks anent the chauffeur ques-
ton as a part Of his annual report:
-In the management Of the now garage
your committee will find many difficult
problems to solve. To insure success our
members must cooperate fully and faith
fully. One problem is the management OF
the chauffeur. There is a type Of chauffeur
who has hitherto demanded commissions
for storing, supplies and repairs. The club
will give him none: In retaliation he may
undertake to discredit the club and its
garage. The garage committee in self
protection will make strict rules and will
rigidly enforce them. Members must back
up their committee and assume that any
statement made by a chauffeur to the dis
credit Of the garage management Is made
for a purpose and with a bias. Unless MEM
bers do this the garage cannot possibly
.,oO.al and ua ahalI ~ M xyax, .-u---
the present deplorable conditions existing
throughout the city.
Il advise that the garage committee be
endowed with plenary powers. not the
least Of which shall be authority TO exclude
from the building any chauffeur whom it
believes TO be undesirable. At ines, a
ruling OF the committees may work a hard
ship TO an individual member, neverthe-
less drastic and arbitrary measures may
trust all members will cheerfully abide
by the rules and regulations deemed neces-
sary by the board and committee. II must
be remembered that the garage depart
ment Of the club is not a social, but a BUSH
meas matter, and that with half a mil
lion dollars invested for garage purposes,
with interest, tax, and insurance charges
OF almost $50, 700 a year, a serious RESPONSE
bility. rests with the board Of governors
and the garage committee. 1t is as neces-
sary for our members as for their chauf-
feurs to realize the position of the board
in this matter. and l know that if the former
will lend a hand, we shall give to our men,
beers not only the finest equipped. but also
the best managed garage in America.
let us here add that advice has been
sought by the committee from several of
the most prominent and successful owners
ana managers OF garages in the city, and
they have unreservedly emphasized the
necessity and wisdom for strict rules and
their rigid enforcement. These gentlemen
attribute many Of the shortcomings of the
garages at the present time TO the fact
that owners do not cooperate with garage
managers, but without investigation accept
every statement of their chauffeurs. These