New-York tribune., 1912-02-13
AUTO WAR WAKES WARM
osolyIars Say Life of Club De-
uends on Proposed Action.
STATE THEIR SIDE OF CASE
,..rygents Also Issue a Broad
side Urging Members
to Arms.

IA bylaws, were furnlsheu yesterday Win
..o,. ammunition in statements from both
"a. The regulars so called, fired their
-. Gun by addressing the following letter
10 all members;
.1t having been stated that only four
,,.rs of the board Of governors OF the
,,,omobile Club of America favored the
.s,n,,on of the proposed revision of the
,,,.us and constitution. We. the under
.,,r,d ten governors. desire to say that We
h.i,eve the adoption Of the proposed re-
,ss,on Is necessary to the welfare, If not
~. life Of the club, and We therefore urge
,.,,, IN sign the inclosed proxy"
s,oned by Ebert II. Gary, Dave II. Nor
=: Henry Evans, Henry r. Taylor, Fred
.r,,k D. Underwood, J. ]. Riker, Edward
sn.arsOn, Dudley Olcott, ID, oliver G. Jen-
rirrs and Henry Sanderson.
I'VE, the undersigned members, ask all
-,srobers TO vote in favor of the proposed
,svsIon and sign the inclosed proxy.-Ed-
90, 6 Marston. James N. Wallace. William
pisrson Hamilton, Francis l.. Hine, Percy
D Pyne. George Blumenthal, Ogden Mills.
Henry X. Pomeroy, William c. Reick, Jo-
ssnh n. Choate. George @. McMurtry, Alvin
NJ Krech. Lewis Cass bedyard, ,. L.
,srboonmaker, J. p. Morgan, jr."
IN this was added a statement drawn
nm after a meeting OF the governors, which
follows:
Al meeting of all bat three OF the
governors of the Automobile CLUB OF amer
ica now In this country, at which the re-
Guest submitted by certain members III
their petition for a special meeting was IN.
formally discussed, II was UNANIMOUSLY It ieit
that members who signed the peutl9n must
be acting under some misapprehenSioh
Since its inception the Automobile Club
OF America owes a great deal OF lls SUI
cess 10 the various business enterprises
which II has carried on. In getting up the
annual shows il netted about SlVOU, ana
in developing the garage, machlhe sHop
and supply department the cluo mas a.!
yays made and is still making Pront;
They all believe that the Wonoerlui
growth in membership. in popularity ana
Importance OF the club to-day IS Que Ialse-
iy to the successful conduct OF these
special features, carried on particularly for
the accommodation and convenience Oh
These views are emphasized by the ease
with which the governors were aole'
through the immediate response or mem
bers in subscribing 10 finance the neces-
sary second and third mortgage ponos LOT
the completion OF the annex ano tme e,,1ad al
0uisition by the club OF properties Naiueu
in the vicinity Of $2,OOOoO. o.ta,
To be more specihc-the very nndhCidl
statement, TO which attention is called py
those signing this request, SHOWS that IN
the operation Of the garage, machine sh0p
and supply store there was gross pront
for the current ten months OF the IsCat
year Of S95 $50 o.. 1t should De noteu tHaC
- hau NJ hppn
deduction Of certain items OF general eA-
pense. whi,h are impossible Of apporuon-
Inent: but even could this be done, the net
results OF the operation Of these depart
ments would show a substantial proht to
the club They feel that the elimination OF
any Of these features would tend 10 lulpdIL
the efficiency and usefulness OF the cluD 10
members and greatly detract from us pres
with regard TO the proposed bylaw pro-
yIdng for voting by proxy, TO when oDJeC-
ton also has been made II was 1he hs;r,e, una,1t,
nous sentiment Of those at the meeting
that this change in the bylaws was oe-
Slrable in order that the vast responsiDin-
Ties now assumed by the board OF governors
In the normal transaction of routine ousl-
ness should be shared by the members OI
the club In the conduct of this business
those Of the members unable TO De present
at meetings In person snGp1 fSeiT Opinions
and the best interests OF the cluo Saie-
guarded from the possibility OF attack Oy
few.
The board is very anxious for the men,
bers to have full and complete inforrna-
ton concerning all the affairs OF the cluo
and the reasons for the proposed changes
in the bylaws. To this end there mas peeh
sent to each active member the proposed
revision Of the constitution and bylaws, TO-
gether with the constitution and bylaws
now in force, printed In parallel columns
An important change in the proposed by
laws and constitution In the board OF gov
ernors consists in enlarging the board
This provision, taken in conjunction with
the proxy voting, will have the effect or
enabling members TO exercise the fran
chise in person or by mail and the infu-
ence Of the club membership as whole
will thus be increased.
Another effect of this will be to pre-
clude the possibility in the future Of the
election Of officers not representative Of the
membership at large, for the reason that
undeC the new bylaws the governors must
choose the officers from among their own
number This IS I'm accord with the GUS
tom which obtains in practically all OF the
large clubs in New York City.
The insurgents. so called. hurled broad
so 10 members in the following statement,
C',.sibuted and mailed yesterday:
To the members OF the Automobile Club
Of America The undersigned have been
requested by a large number of members
10 issue 10 you the following statement. we
urge YOU 10 read and consider IL carefully
On February the call OF the president Of
the CLUB was received for a special meet.
.he oi the club on FEBRUARY 49, at p. M.
tor the sole purpose Of voting upon a pro-
posed radical revision OF the constitution
ana bylaws proposed by a majority Of the
OCard OF governors, upon its own initiative.
AZ the same time was received the re-
Vtest Ol the president and two other gov
ernors as an official committee Of the board,
lor your proxies to be voted for such re-
Vision NO reason was given for such rad!-
NsI changes. nor any explanation of their
character or effect.
On February seventy seven active men,
oers. pursuant to their rights under the
tneir written request for a prior special
meeting, TO be held on February 10, at $50
m, for an open discussion Of ;he mat
ters specified In their request in advance
Of the meeting for the 18th. Under the by-
laws the president must call a special
meeting of the club when so requested bv
AT least twenty-five members This re-
quest was signed by seventy-seven.
The president has refused to call sucb
m'etng as requested; but has attenptsd
70 merge the separate business so specified
ior meeting on February 10 into his meet
ing OF the 18th. which his own proxy com
mlitee Is doing its utmost 10 control
hls seems TO be an attempt both to
hulIliy the rightful request Of seventy-seyen
members and 10 utilize proxies obtained for
We sole purpose of voting for q revision
Va OEIaWs 10 vote also upon other matters
~ ffpeSGlaSlIy SlS DESIGNATED for prior meeting
10 this right or fair?
A proxy committee is almost unknown I'm
CUBS, was never before known or suggest
"a IN this club and is contrary TO club
usage. Nevertheless an official proxy com
nttee OF the majority OF the board OF gov
srnors with the president as chairman, is
ior the first time in the history of the
auo' soliciting your proxies for their own
proposed revision. without any statement
oL explanation that IL Is contrary TO the
nHnes and opinions of a minority OF the
yyoarq and OF many club members
rufther. although in words asking for an
OPPRESSION OF opinion. this committee offers
~ means OF expressing his opinion 20 any
right or fair?
III ycu consider this unfair, or IL you