Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-27
MAY NOT REPEAT
PARIS AUTO SALON
MANY FIRMS AGREE NOT TO
EXHIBIT
Success of Project Dependent Upon
Action Taken by British Firms
Regarding Biennial Ex-
hibitons

A definite form has been given to
the anti-show movement, and at the
present moment fourteen automobile
firms and two tire constructors have
signed an agreement by which they
guarantee to take no part in any exha-
bition in the city OF Paris or surround
ing neighborhood before May, 1917. An
infringement of this rule will entail a
penalty of $4,000, to be divided equaily
among the firms remaining true to the
agreement. The step was decided upon
at a secret meeting held in Paris dur
ing the Salon, those signing the agree
ment being Bollee, Brasier, Charron'
Bayard- Clement, Darracq, Delauhay-
Belleville, Dietrich, Gladiator, Gobron-
Brillie Mercedes, Panhard-LeVassop,
Peugeot company and Freres, Renault
Freres, and the two tire companies
Michelin and Continental.
With this document in hand, depu-
tation from the sixteen firms is about
to wait on M. Gustave RiYes ana urge
on him not to organize a show in 1913,
and in future to leave a space of not
| less than two years between, all PARISH
an automobile exhibits. If the authorl-
ties refuse to accede to the request, u
will be the duty of the deputatlon 20
| inform them that these sixteen hrins,
representing the cream of the French
automobile industry, will refuse to take
any part in the Salon. Everything IS
perfectly conceived for putting an END
to the annual. costly Paris exhibition,
all details regarding penalties ana inc
method of exacting them being worked
out in the signed agreement The BODY
is sufficiently imposing, too, for the only
| large French constructor refusing 70
| sign the document Is De Dion Bouloh.
A loophole, however, has been pro-
vided, and a loophole of such diinen-
sions that the whole group can walk
through without any difficulty. A
clause hidden away in the agreement
stipulates that the document SHAH NOT
be binding If, after negotiations ii IS
| found that the English constructors
will not agree to abandon their show
every other year. Further, 1t only re-
| quires a vote of three quarters of those
having signed the agreement to annui
! the entire movement. The Brlt1sher
has no objection whatever to the
F'renchman signing his abdication, and
will doubtless have ready sympathy
when the deputation brings forth its
| objections against costly demonstra-
tions. But 20 ask John Bull to sign
away q show that costs little and
| brings much business that is but seven
i hours journey from Paris and that is
! being promoted annually with the idea
| of transplanting the automobile mar
1 ket from Paris to London-to put such
! a proposition does not bespeak much
! sagacity on the part of the Frenchmen.
The only conclusion is that as soon as
! it is realized by the French constructor
that England has no intention of going
| into the bankruptcy court to please
! even the cream of the French auto
mobile trade. it will be necessary to
! burn the mysterious papers on nom
participation and forget that it was
ever proposed to impose a fine on the
firm seeking to increase it's business by
means of public shows.
| 1t is easy to understand that the
whole movement has thrown the auto
mobile world into commotion. and ac-
cessory men, small car builders and
cycle dealers are anxious about the
future. The cycle men have already
put it on record that if the official
show is not held they will organize one
| of their own: the accessory men are
favorable to an annual exhibition, and
now the voiturette constructors, who
really form a class by themselves, have
decided to call a meeting TO consider
the question.