The Washington herald., 1913-12-21
MOTOR DEALERS
FORM new BODY
Local Merchants Organize the
Automobile Trade Asso-
citation Of Washington.
TO START SOON
Organization to Work Out Various
Problems that Have Puzzled
Member Firms.
BY L. g. CHEW.

With a view of improving many Of the
existing conditions in the local automo-
bile trade, fourteen OF the representative
motor dealers Of Washington met
Wednesday in the Buick salesrooms and
perfected arrangements for the organiza-
ton Of the Automobile Trade Association
Of Washington.
Joseph NJ. Stoddard, of the Cook and
Stoddard Company was elected presi-
dent; N. T. Pollock, Of the Pollock Car
Corporation, was chosen treasurer, and
r. H. Martin, manager of the local
Buick branch. was elected secretary.
The officers OF the new organization as
sumed the duties of their Offices imme-
diately and thereupon proceeded to set
the wheels Of further organization into
motion.
President Stoddard was authorized to
appoint a committee to draft a constitu-
ton and bylaws for the new organiza-
ton. He advised the election Of a board
Of control, which was unanimously
adopted and the following elected TO
serve on the board: Claude Miller, of
Miller Brothers; W. s. Keller, of Zell
Motor Car Company, and H. B. Leary.
jr.
To Attack Problems.
In accepting the ONCE of president, Mr..
Stoddard outlined the policy and the
aims hoped to be accomplished by the
new organization. He stated that II
would be the aim Of the Automobile
Trade Association to give careful con-
sideration to every matter of interest to
the automobile trade brought to the
associations attention. He declared that
scientific and business-like study
would be made of the problems con-
fronting the local dealer and no stone
left unturned to improve conditions.
Special attention, he stated. would be
paid to the problem Of secondhand
cars, automobile freight rates, extension
Of credit and other questions. which are
at present causing the local dealer con-
Germ
One OF the most important reforms that
the association hopes to accomplish Is
the establishment Of a uniform service"
An effort will be made to determine the
exact amount Of service the purchaser
o. a car Is entitled to. and all Of the
dealers live up TO the standard set by
the association.
The membership of the new association
n open to every automobile dealer in
Washington maintaining a ralesman and
repair shop who is in good standing. The
association is an organization for bona
fde dealers alone, and Is not open to
accessory dealers or tire men.
The charter members have all pledged
their hearty support to aid the new as
ISOLATION in every possible way, and sig
nified their willingness to work actively
for the promotion of the association and
the automobile trade at large. Invita-
tons to Join in the movement for the
clearing up Of many of the doubtful
questions in the local trade have been
extended to all the dealers of Washing
ton, and already a number Of applica-
tions have been received by Secretary
Martin
The first meeting of the association
was held December Is, when tentative
plan of organization was discussed. 1t
was not, however, until last Wednes-
day that the permanent organization was
effected.
Bob Martin, secretary of the new
association, stated yesterday that he
felt a great good could be accomplished
by such an organization. and that the
dealers had entered enthusiastically into
the work.
Active Work Starts Soon.
'Tt will be a working organization. busi-
ness pure and simple Our aim will
be to improve trade conditions and we
will be willing to work 365 days out OF
the year to accomplish this"
Actual work will begin Immediately
after the next meeting Of the association.
which Will be called Wnen tne commlttee
appointed to draw up a constitution and
bylaws has made its report and the re-
port has been acted upon. I feel conf
dent that every automobile dealer in
will give US his support and
Join with US. It Is not to be the work
OF q few, but Of all. In organizing the
association II was necessary to begin
with a few. Those who first entered
into the movement did not do SO by the
process Of elimination or choice In DIFF
ferent gatherings they had expressed like
views, and their getting together was a
natural result of their views
I'VE want every dealer in Washington
to Join the association. and will bring
pressure to bear to make the Automobile
Trade Association a representative or
ganization capable of delivering q
punch"
The charter members Of the new or
ganization are: Miller Brothers Auto
Supply House. Zell Motor Car Company,
II. B. Leary, jr., Foss Hughes Company,
the Locomobile Company of America,
the Cook & Stoddard Company, Bartram
Electric Garage. the Luttrel Company,
Auto and Supply Company,
Pollock Car Corporation, David s.
Hendrick Company, Inc, Overland WASH
ngton Motor Company, and the Buick
Motor Company.