New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-25
REPORTS TO AUTO CLUB
A. C. A. Committee Divided on
Matters in Dispute.
TWO OPPOSE PROXY VOTING
M Definite Recommendations by
Majority on Subjects of
Greatest Interest.

Members OF the Automobile Club of Amer
lcs received yesterday copies OF the report
,neds by the committee appointed some
nAeks sgo to investigate the internal af-
,o,rs of the club and other matters that
bsd threatened to disrupt the big motor
examination. The report is not unanimous.
,uo Of the seven members of the committee
nresentlng a minority report. covering
rroxy voting and the method of charging
off expenses against the various depart
mtnts Of the organization.
There are no striking statements in the
majority report, which takes up the mat
tars at issue without definite decisions or
recommendations. The minority members,
m the other hand, point out with emphasis
the features to which they object. and it IS
mt improbable that their opposition on the
po,nts mentioned will have the effect of
,eispg objections to the recommendations
of their fellow members. If. however. the
majority report is accepted by the club
members at a special meeting which has
been set for May l, the annual election will
occur on May Q. The meeting Of next
wednesday will be awaited, therefore. with
q great deal or interest.
Proxy voting when the votes are obtained
ev solicitation was the subject on which
the division Of opinion occurred early in
the year. The majority report. which Is
sgned by Henry ". Taft. Samuel T. Peters,
Theodore y. Vail. August Belmont, Charles
II. Allen, Henry Sanderson and Lewis Cass
Ledyard, reaches the general conclusion
that II is "inexpedient that any general and
pernaanent rule should be adopted by the
club which shall restrict the exercise Of g.
proner discretion by the board of gov
.ruo+s in the matter Of the solicitation of
probes"
The minority objects that this is no answer
10 the contention of the insurgents ana
that the whole matter should be submitted
TO a vote Of the club, because, although the
proper discretion" of the board Of gov
ernors is all right, there Is nothing TO say
what is improper discretion"
The solicitation Of proxies by the board
Of governors of a club IS most unusual
proceeding. which has nothing to recon-
mend IT," says the minority report, signed
BY Robert Lee Mcrrell and Alfred Ely. 1T
has always been considered unfair in a
club. II leads often 10 a wild and unseemly
scramble for proxies. 1t tends always 10
create and accentuate unnecessary contro-
VERSES and strong i'll feeling both among
members and with the board, from an eX-
ample OF which the club Is now suffering
acutely."
As to the business operations Of the cluo.
the insurgents thought II should be def
nitely stated Just what expenses were TO Dc
charged TO the garage, the shop and the
suprly store. so that il might be seen
which departments were making money
and where the money paid in for dues was
spent to make up a deficit, If this actually
we're the case.
For instance, the club accountants who
we're at work making a report Tor ten
months up TO December 81, 1911, gave
figures that seemed 10 show profit OF
t5 200 from the business departments. The
Insurgents objected that their proportion
Of the general expenses Of $4,000 had not
been charged against these departments.
THE members have requested and have a
right 10 know whether, after charging
against these departments their proportion
Of the general charges and expenses there
remains from the business operations
prof. or a deficit" says the minority re-
port
The majority report states that the books
have not been kept in a way to anord the
information, although perhaps they could
he IN the future. However, the general Idea
is that there is nothing in particular to be
gained b. giving the information. The
minority Ietorts that 1t isn't a question OF
what is to be gained. but what ought 10
be told when the members ask 1t.
Three facts stand out In the report OF
the accountants who advised the commit
tee" says the minority report.
81. That the purely business departments
Of the club occupy S6.S per cent OF the club
building.
2. That the proportion of taxes. interest
ss1a,rs and insurance actually paid for the
ten months on the Sc per cent occupied
solely by the business department is ap-
proximately $54,5s2, yet no deduction OF this
rent has been made from the $4,000 net
earnings during the same period, all or
which we're, prior TO tho appointment OF
this committee, enormously reported 10 the
club by its then accountants as 'prohts'
thus seriously misleading both governors
and members
"5. That no part of the general ana
Office expenses. which this committee unan-
imously reports should be apporuoned IN
the future. has been deducted from the
above $500, and that II a proper proper
ton OF these, with the above rent charge
were deducted from the so-called depart
ment profits, the latter would be dissolved
into deficit which must be made good
from the dues Of members, But upon
al these the majority report Of the commit
tee Is silent"
II Is TO be noted that in the revised con-
stitutiOn there is preserved the language
generally 10 maintain a social club de-
voted 20 automobilism' as one of the Cd
leets Of the club The insurgent element
rad been fearful OF the too great inroads
Of eommercialism. which would have made
the institution business organization, run
BY self-perpetuating executive commit
Tee as they phrased It.