New-York tribune., 1911-12-08
HALPN TO MANAGE TEAM AUTO ENGINEERS HOME
Return from a Visit of Inspection
to Other Countries.
LONG TRIP A BIG SUCCESS
C. F. Clarkson Says American
Cars Are in Growing
Demand Abroad.

The majority OF the sixty American au-
, tomobile engineers who took part IN the
first official European visit Of the Society
of Automobile Engineers arrived i'm TINS
city yesterday on the steamship Olympic.
The party consisted of the designing ana
producing engineers we'll as manufact-
urers representing most Of the leading au-
tomol lie factories and of several industries
allied with motor car production in the
United States.
one OF the ideas of the trip was that these
men should see at first hand the condi-
tions Of the manufacture. maintenance and
use Of European pleasure and commercial
motor cars. They inspected practically All
of the BIG automobile factories in England.
and the plants OF the most important firms
In France. Dividing into groups, visits were
also made by them TO leading firms CON
cerned in motor car production in Germany.
Italy and Belgium.
When questioned. G. T. CIarkson general
manager Of the American society, stated
that the trip was a distinct success from
several points of view. In addition TO the
general benefit always derived from jour
neys into foreign lands. it desulted i'm much
lilNlf lIllUdIe acquaintance NtlNftU Tue
always busy members of the society. and i'm
the Inauguration of actual afFilistion be-
tween American and European automobile
engineers. The remarkable extent to which
American engineers have co-operated with
each other for the advancement Of the
arts and sciences connected with automo-
bile production is a matter of history.
Without fear of contradiction. II can now
be asserted that this trait always continu-
ingly surprising to the average observer,
will become operative as a word-w fac
tor far as automobile production Is con-
cerned.
The American engineers We're most hos
pitaby and warmly welcomed by his Eng
lish brother and by his Continental cousin;
joint professional deliberation and inspec-
tion Of actual working conditions in Eu-
rope were enjoyed. and as soon as practical
bic the (British) Institution of Automo-
bile Engineers viii send a delegation Of its
members to America TO meet in technical
discussion with the Society of Automobile
Engineers and to view the methods and
workings OF American motor car factories
When pressed for a general statement as
TO the comparative merit of European and
2UtIlCdn dutOllODllt ucSlSl ana tOlSlIut-
ton. Mr.. Clarkson said that there was
much TO be learned both at home and
abroad. but that on the whole considering
extended efficient use Of full automatic
machine tools, quantity Of production, mod
ern factory methods and design 10 meet
severe road conditions unknown in Europe
the American automobile engineer can
show greater development and more eff
cient means TO the desired end Of highly
practical mechanical road locomotion. He
added:
Almost any general statement I'm this
connection is likely to be misleading Eco
nomic conditions, such as the cost Of labor,
differ, OF course, here and abroad. Good
materials and good workmanship are pretty
much the same the world over. In prop
erly built cars there may be little differ
ence in material and I'm workmanship on
vital parts. Abroad the lower cost of labor
permits OF more manual operation in the
manufacture and finish Of parts. FIRE.
quently the advantage Of this as an ulti-
mate manufacturing proposition is more
apparent than real 1t may result in prop
er machine tool operations never coming
TO light on in the making OF unnecessary
finish by hand labor. OF course. there are
extremes Of efficient machine tool opera
ton ana hand labor These extremes de-
zine limited. non-competitive fields
1t is hard, In some cases seemingly i'm
possible, for European automobile engi-
neers to comprehend the extent of Ameri-
can automobile production so far as the
number OF machines a single factory will
turn out in a year is concerned.
THAT the scheduled annual series OF an
American factory exceeds the total annual
output of any European country is beyond
the understanding Of many Europeans. In
accordance with the ideas of one English
speaker, cars turned out In such quantity
must be glorified perambulators. The Eng
lish technical press. however has lately
been commenting upon the fact that these
same perambulators not only run but con-
tnue TO run.
America. not Europe has developed the
low priced automobile, which certainly
meets an insistent demand no less than any
other. Low priced cars of American origin
are to-day being sold in Europe in quantity,
and are there doing satisfactory, efficient
service, and will, as well as other Ameri-
can cars Of all prices. he sold in Europe in
increasing quantity.
"As a result Of the wonders OF American
design and manufacture American motor
cars will sell the world over on their merits
mechanically; sometimes wholly or partly
specially designed to meet conditions or
ideas peculiar to different nations. This
means that the American cars must, as
they DO compete successfully with the
world for combined running qualities, ac-
cessibility, reliability efficiency and wear
In automobile construction the tendency
IS all toward increased serviceablity and
economy of running. Better material and
more efficient working parts are needed.
Standardization Of many parts and fittings
not entering into originality of design IL
means Of attaining these ends. as produc-
ton in vast quantities would be facilitated,
and therefore cheapened, as well as the up
grade movement in automobile building be
favored Such standardization. domestic
and international, Is a rock bottom policy of
the Society of Automobile Engineers.
JEANNETTE KNOCKS OUT SMITH
Joe Jeanette. the negro boxer, knocked