Omaha daily bee., 1911-02-19
AUTOMOBILE is A GIVILIZER
Observer in Outlook Separates it from
Pals-BlOoded JuKuries.
GETS CLOSE 10 AMERICAN MASSES
Nation May safely Count All work
Hours sPeat IN Industry ne slont
Prsduetive Invertment EVER
FoFced Upon ne.

Hours spent IN Industry na Most
Prsauctive invertment EVER
FoFced Upon ne.
Five hundred terse sentences blufny cap
toned az The Motor Craze" IN a recent
number Of The Outlook give the views Of
Edward s. Martin. sociologist as 10
whether Americans are spending more
money for automobiles than they ought
TO- A. this question is far from being a
burning or even smouldering one. since
no one really belives that any possible pur-
chaser Of on automobile can be induced 10
place himself under guardianship with re-
gard to his personal expenditure mr..
Martin persists deity IN turning to one
side and presents instead a bright-coiored
picture Of the automobile in American
civilization" dressed up as a running com
parison between moneys worth and auto
mobiles. Has money ever done A.. much
for America as automobiles are doing ?
And. n not why whimper at seeing some
Of II converted into the more useful form 2
Only those purveyors OF bonds. diamonds,
grand opera. ostrich plumes oriental rugs
and other pale-blooded Injuries. who would
have liked TO see that self-same money
pass by way OF their bills receivable
have reason for Erunting. and their
patriotic emotions are balanced nicely. In
the economies OF national happiness. by
the satisfaction afforded builders OF ma
chine tools. builders OF good roads and OF
coy country and suburban homes And
the large army Of mechanics and com
lmercial workers who draw their pay al
reoty from the automobile and its equip
ment are nearer to our life purposes than
sharp Investment brokers or importers OF
inert foreign products. The automobile
~ the foremost machine tool in ordinary
human life. naturally clashes q little At
first with rule of-thumb living OF the old
sort
Circulation Remains same.
The distinction between money ana
wealth. or expenditure and waste. IL not
always kept sharp in The outiook's faciIs
and tripping commentary on the situation
but tho logic Of the author does not suffer
vitality from the lapses. II q million auto
mobiles were made every year In America.
the amount Of money in circulation and
seeking employment might remain the
same, though forced to circulate q little
faster. The question IL only IL automobiles
can be made without reducing the produc-
ton Of other useful commodities which are
distinctly needed. DO they reduce or in
crease the production OF wealth. Is the
capital available for productive investment
at the end Of the year and after consunip-
ton has been taken care, Of greater or
smaller, BY reason OF the automobile?
II the automobile savea AZ much time for
lie user, OF users. in the course OF its al
legged average lifetime Of four years. As II
takes to produce accounting In work hours
per man--aii the pleasure Il affords and
much Of its indirect utility would seem 70
be TO the good" The time Of an automo.
bile owner Il usually productive. The ray
for his energies comes out OF production
somewhere. IL is in fact immateriai.
economically, whether the automobIIe saves
him working time or adds to his working
energies.
There should be as many good ana USE
fui commodities for consumption BY the
public and as much capital Tor investment
in new OF increased production Of these
commodities, after the money has been
spent for automobiles as before. Money Il
Indeed never spent, but always ready and
anxious 20 tackle fresh task
other Luxuries Crowded. out.
The Outlook takes stiii broader ground.
Mr.. Martin says; What we want in this
world IL life. What gives the most life
Tor the money IL the best bargain" And
again; Usually every new luxury that We
add 70 our apparatus Of life Increases the
burdens that bend our backs. but this new
luxury that goes by gasoline seems ais
posed 70 make q place for itself By crowd
ing some Of the other iuxuriea Off That
shows spirit TO our mind Il shows SELF
supporting utility. Marble statues never
crowded any other current commodity off
the market.
There IL particular pleasure in quoting
one more passage. IN which the author
barely touches upon the deepest OF All the
benefits civilization owes to the auto
mobile. Automobiles get a good deal
nearer to the masses OF the American pao-
pie than steam engines ever did. Most OF
the growing boys seem to know more or
less about them and how they goa great
deal more, indeed. than average American
boys have ever taken the trouble TO know
about q horse" Yes. automobiles move
while the steam engines are mostly pump
ms away IN one place And there IL such a.
great deal TO be known about automobiles
as against so much 70 be guessed At about
the horse II every one OF the 1,ooaOoO Az
tomoblles used in America teaches five
American boys something about mechanics
and engineering, something about aIertness
and reasoned self-reliance ana something
about knowing rather than guessing-aH Of
which the schools had failed to teach them.
or they would not be 80 eager Tor the learn
ing o. iit--ths nation may safely count ali
the work hours spent IN the automobile
industry as the most productive investment
that has ever been forced upon II through
the inexorabie logic Of events.