Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-31
TALKS OF PLIGHT
OF INDEPENDENTS
EASTERN WRITER DISCUSSES
MOTOR SITUATION
MANY LEFT OUT IN COLD THINK
THEY ARE BETRAYED
Ford Company Is Believed to Be
Planning for a Hard Fight
Against the selden
Patent

The New York Evening Globe, which
is considered one of the greatest au-
thorities in the country ON automo-
biles and with department edited
bv one OF the most thorough and prac-
tical automobile editors, has this to
say in regard to the abandonment of
the American Automobile Manufac-
turers' association outside the licensed
dealers:
THE Independent auto manufac-
turers-at least some of the leading
ones-some time ago decided that it
was better to pay a royalty to the
Selden patent claimants than to fight
ii, or to have the public understand
that there might be trouble if they
bought an unlicensed car NcEerthe-
less, there was great surprise when
it was announced just before the New
York show that some of the leading
independents had been invited 10 ac-
cept seats in the Selden band wagon
and had accepted the proffer quickly
The question then arose, How about
the rest that have subscribed to the
independent movement, with the un-
derstanding that by SO doing they were
to receive some kind of protection
against the Selden wolfe 1t had been
pointed out to them that the massng
of the Independent sheep would be a
sort of protection; but they never
thought they would be led up to the
den of the wolf and there deserted
after the stronger of the sheep had got
over the fence and away from danger.
1T was clearly announced few
days ago that the Independent move
ment had collapsed simply through
mem bership limitation, and that those
who had joined the movement had done
so with the understanding that their
membership would be limited to five
years.
1T had been rumored for a long
time that the Association of Licensed
Automobile Manufacturers would even
tually secure the manager of the a.
Nj. c. Nj. A., as well as the leading
members of that body, as subscribers
to the Selden patent. This statement
was denied by the manager, who in
timated that he might go into another
line of business in case of the indie
pendent movement collapsed After
period of delibefation and undoubted-
" severe struggle with conscience the
question, Can | desert my flock and
go over to the enemy?' was decided in
favor of capitulation and salary not
by any means slender.
THE Globe, some time ago, in an
possibility of disruption oil
the Independent organization, intimat-
ed that, no matter how the thing went,
Alfred p. Reeves would land on his
feet, and this prophecy seems to have
been fulfilled. 1t is said that he draws
the largest salary of any man con-
nected in an official capacity with the
automobile manufacturing government.
Mr.. Reeves is an able young man.
He took hold of the independent move
ment after it had been more or less
welded into shape by Rodger b. Me
Mullin. and with tremendous energy
and press support built up an organi-
zation that had the Association of Ii
censed Automobile Manufacturers
guessing. This opposition was undoubt-
edly the cause of the Irritation entered
into between the leading officials of
the American Motor Car Manufactur-
ers. which resulted in a more or less
complete alliance recently.
Gobbed by the Enemy
"The leaders of the Independent
movement now figure as licensed au-
tomobile makers, and their manager