The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-05-16
LOCAL MOTORISTS
WILL FIGHT A.A.A.
Enthusiasts Have Decided Not
TO Pay Fees for Hold
ing Events
Dealers Association and Motor
Club May Clash Over
Differences
By r. R. L'HOMMEDIEU

The automobile game has reached 2
stage in san Francisco which calls for
Immediate action by all those who
have the interest of the sport at
heart. Tie san Francisco motor club
has thrown down the gauntlet TO the
American automobile association and
refused 10 pay = sanction fee to that
body Tor The holding Of events which,
en- the opinion Of the officers and the
members OF the club. were held for the
Announcements Of the sport at an eX-
penSe where there was no money COM
ing in.
In this the san Francisco club was
hacked up by the Sonora county auto
mobile association when il lately held
the road race and other events. Be
fore these events We're held L. p. Lowe,
president of the California State auto
mobile association. tried TO get these
organizations TO pay the fee demanded
by the national organization. Then,
after the last road race was held Lowe
sent out word that the drivers in the
road race would be considered as out
laws.
II has come to pretty pass when
the automobilists Of California can not
hold an automobile event for their own
pleasure and TO help the game without
having 10 pay from 500 to $500 to a
lot of men in the east who have taken
upon themselves 10 be national or
ganization. demanding tribute from all
those who care to haze fun with their
automobiles These fees go east to pay
salaries Of men who in days gone by
practiced the same manipulation with
<he old Lea que OF American Wheelmen.
They We're the ones that skinned all
the cream Off the milk and when they
had run the wheeling game into the
ground they turned their attention to
the automobile game, which was then
just starting. Ii is strange to see Lowe,
the head of a state organization fight
ing TO have the local enthusiasts pay
out good money 10 be sent east TO help
support this select group of manipu-
lators. Lowe is al the head Of an or
Esnization which is supposed TO be for
the benefit of the local automobilists.
hat he is trying 10 insist on the paying
OF the fees.
Another angle 10 the situation came
Up yesterday. Mox Rosenfeld, presf-
dent of the Automobile dealers asso-
citation. said that the association would
take out a sanction with the A. A A
for the - hour race on the 30th of the
month. This seems strange. inasmuch
A. most OF the members of the dealers
association are members of the Motor
club. But some reason for the action
Of Resented may be seen in the fact
that, as he explains it. he may want
10 go east TO take part in an event,
and he would not care to be barred. tt
IS seen by this that Rosenfeld is not
considering the reputation of the local
automobilists in deciding TO fight the
A. A. A, but is looking after his own
position.
William r. Johnston. secretary of the
san Francisco motor club, is out after
the automobile dealers TO stand back
or his club, which has given some of
the best events ever held in Califor-
MIA H. o. Harrison, who has come to
san Francisco TO make it his headquar-
9ers. from which point he will distrib-
ute the Peerless cars. in speaking Of
the present conditions in san Fran
cisco said: The game is new 10 me
here and ] hope there VIII be some
thing doing. Down in Los Angeles.
where I have been, the dealers worked
together and we had some fine old
times I hope the same conditions exist
here. If not ] know I have some friends
sn the game here and we win get to-
z-ether and do something for the trade
and the game. Believe me, I mean
what I say