Omaha daily bee., 1911-12-18
AUTOMOBILE RACING WANING
Loss Of Life and Other Things Will
Put Speed in Discard.
USEFULNESS OF RACE IS PAST
THAT Public e. No Longer Interested
Co Any Real Extent IL Evident
Rt Recent. Running of the
Vanderbilt.

NEW YORE, Dec. 11v-Waning public
Interest, the uselessness OF demonstrating
how fast cars can travel and the needless
waste Of human life are fast putting
automobile racing in the discard. For
three years attendance at the big races
has steadily decreased. The recent run
ming Of the Vanderbilt cup race at
Savannah, despite the fact that phenom-
email speed was attained by the cars.
was not an unqualified success. and to
day Alfred Reeves. former member Of
the Vanderbilt cup commission and the
racing board OF the American Automo-
bile association. predicted that about one
more running will end that classic.
1T Is not 10 be denied" said Mt
Reeves, that the Vanderbilt trophy did
a lot for tho automobile industry. II
has accomplished all that william X.
Vanderbilt set out 10 do when he offered
the trophy. proving that America can
produce the best cars and nerviest drivers
OF the world. When the running OF this
race began the foreign drivers, notably
those OF France, were leading the earth
In speed. For tho last four years Amer.
can cars and American drivers have been
In 'front.' and It was Just this that Mr..
Vanderbilt wanted to prove. This ac-
complished. tho usefulness OF the race is
past, and am convinced that there
will not be more than one more running
Of it--although l know OF no official at
tempt to end It.
Manufacturers Realise u.
THE Vanderbilt will not be the only
race TO go, however. for all speed con
tests are now seen to be useless BY the
,aa,
When BENJAMIN BrIscoe, president OF the
United states Motor Car company, re-
tired from racing a year ago no was
condemned by many manufacturers. yet
since that time many OF these have come
to his way of thinking When companies
like tho Benz, Losier. Alec and Locomoblle
all OF which have been contenders In
the Vanderbilt and other big races--get
sick OF the game there must be some
thing wrong with II. No one thinks OF
races between locomotives. Races he
tween automobiles are just as illogical.
for We all know now that you can manu-
fRcture automobiles that will no as faet
as any one can drive them. Furthermore
tho buyers OF automOblles-to whom
races we're supposed to appeal--are not
looking for speed What they want IL
reliability, and Il is a fact that 70 per
cent OF all cars sold are OF moderate
speed. Accordingly, unlike speed con
tests. reliability runs are here, to stay.
Five years ago practically every auto
mobile manufacturer raced. Through II
there was great deal 10 be learned and
there was real need OF giving cars abnor-
mai tests. Automobiles have now reached
such high state OF perfection, however.
that the need OF these tests does not
exist
That the public Is no longer Interested
to any great extent was evident at the
recent running OF the Vanderbilt, a fact
that was largely instrumental in the
abandonment OF the race by Savannah.
There has also been steadily decreasing
attendance at all the meets for three
years, with the sole exception OF races
at indianapolis last year, when there was
interest In the 5OO-mile race solely because
or the big prize at stake-S25 900.
Another big factor In the determination
OF 30 many manufacturers to retire from
racing Is the needless waste of human
life In the development OF almost every
item OF human progress there has been a
necessary list OF deaths This has 20 o
certain extent justified deaths in avla-
! ton, but deaths from automobile racing
are not necessary, and the sport has we'll
been termed 'barbRric'
THE time has come for the automobile
industry to stop panderlng TO cheap mo-
toriety and transforming. II Is time
Tor the industry to take the place In dig
nifty along with the other great industries
OF the eountry--with which Il truly ranks.
In Its solving OF the transportation prob
lem Il deserves to be considered along
with the food, steel and clothing indus
tries, and racing can never help Il do
this"