New-York tribune., 1911-09-10

reckless disregard for their liyes-sns :
lives OF others-coupled with a co,e1.S
as profound as their Ignorance. ~
watch the big drivers for a while ana -
cIude that all II takes Is nerve o.
They have nerve to spare The poss,bas.N
that motor racing also requires al Ie.~t
minimum quota Of brains never occur. !,
them.
never speak Of these enthusiasts atm.
out thinking OF a poor fellow named ",
Crane. who was BILLED in Kansas CITY.
few months ago He had the most nIrr
table confidence | ever beheld in my bs
He raced hundred times and never v1.
q rHce. One morning while he was nr.,
Using out at Elm Ridge. his car turr.,
turtle. When told that he had only a.
minutes TO live he raised himself On =.
elbow, and, summoning all the br.an
that was left in his body. exclaimed x,,.
q conviction az impressive az II vas uu.
ble.
Tell them that the greatest racer 4
them all is dead" They were the l.s
words he spoke.
Crane expiated bis mistaken conad.n,.
with his own life; many equally devo,s
optimists unfortunately have expiated q
with the lives OF others. Inexperieocs
belongs no more on racing track than 4
train or on the bridge Of transcontin.s.
tai liner. II fills every foot of the tr.et
with the most ominous possibilities VIII
ten or twelve cars massed together on
turn. a mistake by any one driver aay
mean the lives OF 4 dozen others
Like the other evidences OF Official an,
public indifference, IL has aided in brinal
ing about the end Of motor racing Tn
good drivers are unwilling 10 take ,s
chances. The indianapolis svsepstaks
was Harroun's last race. Fatalities an
becoming too frequent. Harroun is going
into the engineering business. where he
can make money with less danger O,hs
good drivers are retiring
What is the exact future OF the racing
game if 1t is 10 continue at all? don,
know. ] believe that in a few years The
men responsible for track deaths will b
prosecuted for manslaughter. and when.
ever that becomes effective speedway
and dirt tracks will have 10 go What
ever future there is apparently lies IN th'
board track. Although man" meets hzy
been held on the one mile circular boar
track built by Jack Prince. the oldtim'
cyclist in Los Angeles, there has not bes
a single accident, and many worlds rec
ords have been made, too. IL IL the onl
sign OF hope. There is an absolute ant.
racing bill pending in the Texas Legislstur
now, and | would not be surprised 70 50
Illinois come through with another thi
fall
The fault is in one place IL lies wit
the sanction granting association. A
automobile touring organization in n
United States has large work cut out fc
IT and is carrying on that work in a mar
ner which calls for praise. II was poss
bile for the big national organization
keep racing on high level; instead
has allowed IL to descend into a sort {
sacrifcial orgy, an open market for live
For the sake Of frequent sanction fee
and exorbitant salaries for officials.
has allowed any one and every one I
use its name, until IL has become hops
lessly cheapened. The officials fees slon
IL used nationally. would have been sun
cient 10 repair a good many bad track
and thus save many good lives
The dignity Of motor racing + cOn
II has been permitted TO degenerate :
the rank OF prizefghting, without An
Of pugilsm's redeeming virtues. IN ma
ceased TO he racing. and las become mer'
Is a morbid and unelevatng spcctad
II is run for money alone It's profit, A.
blood money" Barney" Odicid. in Popl
lar Mechanics.