Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-04-13
DEFENDS AUTOMOBmE RACING.
George N. Dickson Answers Attacks
on BENJAMIN BriscOe-TWO Giants
Of Motor Car Industry Clash on
Prominent Issues.

Millions of people last season wit
messed the automobile races held in
various sections of the country. Thou
sands of devotees of the motor car
are dyed-in-the-wool followers of this,
the greatest of modern sports, so when
| one of the leading automobile manu-
facturers publicly attacked racing and
suggested that the American Automo-
bile association wash its hands Of its
control, the country naturally looks to
some able champion of the cause to
make reply. George M. Dickson, gen
eral manager of the company that
builds the National 40 car, is in a po-
sition to answer Benjamin Brisco, who
makes the attacks. Dickson's COM
pany last season was a prominent
contender in races of all sorts, hav-
ing won "a first places, captured the
worlds stock championship, the
worlds road race championship, the
worlds fastest stock straight away
mile record, etc. Briscoe urges that
the A. A. A. should let go its control
Of automobile racing, and casts insin-
uations upon this sport, belittling its
importance.
Dickson replies: 1.-THE A. A. A. is
an amateur sport governing body. The
Manufacturers Contest association
an organization composed of the man
ufacturers themselves, makes the rules
that govern races, and then places
these regulations in the hands of this
unbiased sport governing body. the
A. A. A., for enforcement.
"By this method automobile racing
is kept clean, honest, and the public
is assured of true sportsmanlike con-
troll of the events. If the A. A. A.
should surrender its control 1t would
then leave racing at the mercy of the
car builders. | shudder to think what
might then happen; wildcat races,
manufacturers hippOdromes, and, in
fact, commercial exhibitions purely,
and not genuine sporting events.
I'm short, Mr.. Briscoe's recommen-
dation seems to me to be the best way
Of robbing racing of its merit and de-
stroying the public's confidence in the
sport.
81 do not agree with Mr.. Briscoe
about the value of races. This value,
both to the builder and buyer, cannot
be estimated. The race tracks are the
laboratories where our own cars have
for years been put through the white
heat of analytical tests; where svery
ounce Of power and every fiber of
strength has received abnormal, brutal
tests. Racing has aided us in design
ing and building our cars, in assuring
quality. The public can Judge value
by watching our car perform in the
open against competition, and If our
car goes 300 miles at terrific speed,
not only wins, but comes through
without weakness shown, then | be-
lieve this is one of the most honest
means Of modern business of allowing
the public to judge our product. Ev-
cry time we race we risk, to an extent,
our reputation. can see, however,
why some builders shrink from risk
ing their reputation in such battles.
A 300-mile race at terrific speed will
tell more on car than three years
of ordinary service will in the hands
of private owners.
"Just to show how sincere we are
with our National stock car, we invite
the A. A. A. to schedule a race of cars
the same as our customers buy, Let
the A, A. A. drop in on any one of our