Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-12-16
ROADS
BETTER THAN OURS
Trade Conditions in America
Lead, However, and Roads
Will Be Improved.

After a Two months sojourn in Europe,
during which he visited England, Scotland,
France and Germany, c. j. Butler, vice
president of the United States Tire Com
pany, is back in Detroit, feeling pretty
well satisfied with automobile trade condi-
lions as they exist in this country,
Mr.. Buffers trip was ostenslbly, Tor
pleasure and recreation, yet he took oc-
casion while travelling to famlliarize him
self with the motor car Industry ABROAD.
Through q process OF comparison between
the best Europe Is able to produce IN the
way of motor cars, tires and other aces
sories and the highest standards prevailing
in this country, he came home convinced
that American manufacturers have cause
to feel proud of their accomplishments.
But said Mr.. Butler in commenting
on his trip, I'll have to admit that they
have it on US In the matter OF roads, we
toured something like 1880 miles and IN
all that distance | don't recall a single
stretch of road that could be called bad.
In fact their highways were q revelation
s to me ebo aith t 2 b ! naa q 99ard over a great
For a long time | have been greatly
interested in the good roads movement,
particularly in the State of Michigan, so
naturally the universal excellence OF the
highways over there appealed to me very
strongly.
''Of course the old countries have had
hundreds of years the start of us In road
building, so comparison of American and
European highways does not reflect n
great discredlt upon US. Furthermore, the
popularity OF motoring in this country Is
bound to bring about uniformly improved
road conditions in time. This is the only
way to make the United States a tour
ing field compared with Europe. 1t Is a
proposition that is worth pegging away al
with unceasing persistency.
European rubber manufacturers do
things in a very thorough manner, but
fail TO see wherein their methods excel
ours in any important particular. In the
matter of equipment our factories rank
with theirs in every way, and in many
instances we employ machinery to great
advantage over their hand labor, and our
output is many times greater than they
can lay claim to.
80 far as pneumatic tires are con-
eerned they certainly do not build them
any better in Europe than we do In
America. ! am sure II you would run
European tires over the roads in this
country they would not show anywhere
near the mileage our tires yield. In variety
of styles of fastening We are ahead OF
Europe. They use for the most part
clinched tires. The reason for this l was
not able to discover.
There is only a limited market in Eu-
ropean countries for small, priced
cars. This is due to the fact that they
have no prosperous middle-class as we
have in this country. Practically all ot
the cars In use are of the large touring
type, although several manufacturers havt
begun making and marketing small cars
/ doubt, however, whether there ever will,
be a big demand for them.
'All things considered, | came home
thoroughly convinced that American
manufacturers have very little to learr
from the producers of Burope.'