New-York tribune., 1908-07-12
WHY AUTO BREAK CAME
CLUB EXPLAINS ACTION.
Need for international Race the
Chief Reason.
photograph by ~. Lasarnick.)

CRieT fe0SOn.
The executive committee of the Automobile Club
of America made formal statement yesterday of
the for the organization OF the Grand Prize
race TO be at Savannah, Ga, on November
rs, which would not have been organized had the
American Automobile Association made the rules
for the Vanderbilt Cup accord with the inter
nationally accepted conditions. The statement fol-
lows:
The delegates of the leading automobile clubs
of the world. constituting the International Asso-
citation of Recognized Automobile Clubs, meet In
congress each year to discuss automobile questions
and to decide based upon the accumulated ex-
perience Of the nations. upon the most practical
formula which racing cars for international
contests shall be built. BY agreement between the
automobile clubs of the world, all international
races under the formula adopted. In this
congress America has always been, and will con-
tlnue to be- represented by the Automobile Club
OF America.
the congress at Deppe on July s, 1908 at which
meeting. through Judge f. H. Gary. president OF
the Automobile Club Of America, President hoose-
welt sent his greeting to the International Auto
mobile Congress. At this meeting an unsuccessful
effort was made by the American Automobile AS
soeiation for recognition This action of the inter-
national congress was taken with fun ana COM
plete understanding of the situation N America
and continues in the Automobile Club OF America
for all time the control Of international autorno-
bile contests in America
aaThe Automobile Club of America was the hrst
ou+orooh;1e club formed America in 1899 and OIL
ciaI recognition Of the club promptly received
from all the national automobile CLUBS IN buroPe.
To the early efforts of the Automobile tIup OF
America the American motorist to-day is largely IN
5et+a5 for the rights which he enjoys on the
public highways. in the parks and on the ferrles'
and from the date of it's organization the AUTO
mobile Club of America has organized frequent con-
reliability and endurance for the purpose OF
dez-eIouine IN America
Early in 1901 the Automobile Club Of America
formulated a set of racing rules ana assisted IN
various WAYS the furtherance Of competition
throughout the country, issuing sanctions there
under for various local race meetings 1t was
under these rules that the first strashtaway con-
test In America took place on the Coney island
boulevard in November. 1901, when Henri Fournier.
IN q Nors car covered mile in 81 40 seconds
worlds record ar that time
From the date Of the foundations Of the Auto
Mobile rlnb Of America up the beginning Of
1912 various clubs had formed in some of the
larger cities OF the United States, and for the pur-
nose of bringing such clubs into closer union, on
1s.r,b 4 1909 general convention was held in
Chicago delegates from nine clubs attending. Inc
a.,,I, of this convention the formation of the
American Automobile Association. which was 10
Ia 2 federation of clubs, with a central oody OF
directors to afford a bond of union between the
cIuhs to develop the interests of the sport through
81, .be country at large and TO give each club
share in this development
TO this body the Automobile Club OF America
oeded the control Of local racing so that it might
he carried out under uniform rules in all of the
states but it never relinquished its position as
+bs recognized club of America and the American
Automobile Association has always since It's TOT
nation had it's foreign representation through the
automobile clubs Of America
"a agreeshlv with this agreement, the Automoble
Glib ~ America conveyed to the American Auto
mobile Association the rule adopted at the Osteno
conference of the International Association Of Rec
oon,zed Automobile Clubs in July, 1907. that all
racinp cars for 1905 should be built the formula
or | 100 kilos e. 424 pounds) maximum weight ana
755 rnillimetres Isl inchesD maximum bore. ior d
fo,r-cvnder motor, or its equivalent whatever
number Of cylinders and the receipt or this letlef
was acknowledged by its secretary:
Further in Aprii 1907. the American Automobile
Association appointed a special committee 70 IN
,es,,gate the Ostend formula. To this special COM
rnittee the Automobile Club Of America exhinlteo
the proceedings of the Ostend congress. hloriieu
such committee that, as ne1nper OF 'iie Hte
national association representing America, the
Automobile Club Of America was bound oy such
aeois,on and that fnasmuch as the American AUTO
| mobile Association and the Vanderbilt CUP COM
mission had their foreign representation ulIoush
the Automobile Club Of America. they also were
bound by IT.
,>,o tr-tber evidence is needed as to such repre-
,s+,o, than the refusal Of the foreign clubs at
.,, rosatinp Of July g. 1905 Deppe, to recognize
a.. o,v manner the American Automobile Associa-
80, exoent through the Automobile Cluo OF amer
a.. and the further fact that foreign entries TOT
,ha Vanderbilt Cup race IN past years nave peoii
81 ,b,oupb the Automobile Club Of America
.1rnon the report of such special commlttee' now
.o +bs American Automobile Association sa" III
"a elect that it not bound by the osteno ue. %
| -, ana prornulgated rules for the Nanaerpi'
- 90 for 1903 directly at variance with tlat oe
,tor The nrotests OF the autonopiie clupS oA
/ 1ro,os and England against such rules as peihs
=, s,-oo,ord with the Ostend agreement. were Sent
- tha Automobile Club OF America and TRANSMITTED
! - -. .bs chairman of the Vanderbilt Cup COM
I mission
.s-ha s,,hse1r,ent action of the American Autoiho
| IT, Assocsation Notwithstanding they hao iuii
/ ,,ou1adgs of the Ostend formula. az lhdicHlou
/ above in ignoring the protests ana deniaiui'is
go, ali the foreign clubs recognition for theiii
| a1yas could have had but one outcome-the oe-
cision of the Dieppe congress TO recognise o..''
| the Automobile Club OF America as fespohSip'0 A
tho control of international contests in America
."Tbe failure of the Vanderbilt cup cofnmisSloii
10 amend the rules for the vanderbilt cup race io
| 1905 so as 90 bring them into accord with tne Iue
Of the international association talthoush they h
ample oppportunity TO do so) and thereby iscitauo
the entry Of a large number of foreign cars al
ready built on the international formula ana maKe
the Vanderbilt race truly international In char
| acter left no other course open for the Automo-
bile Club Of America. which believed that Amer
| race than to organize on the international
! alike. The donor of the Vanderbilt Cup himself