Evening journal., 1915-12-30
MOTOR CAR OF TODAY
THE BEST EVER BUILT
Manufacturers Have Kept
Abreast of Times In
Every Detail

Motorists generally are familiar with
the influences and industrial practices
largely responsible for the motor cars
present high state of deyel lipmenr and
for the common tendency toward a
|. downward revision OF price schedules.
y The economic advantages incident
upon the adoption of standardization
programs in both manufacture and mar
keting, and upon the virtually mivcr-
sal movement toward increased produc-
ton and the elimination Of irregular
models, arc fairly well known. But there
remains another direction of develop
mcnt in the industry, concerned with
the methods Of manufacture, of which
laymon are commonly unaware, and
which has exercised quite as significant
force upon the whole project as those
better recognized.
Tie motor cars structural changes
from the time OF the chain drive, kero-
sene-lighted. single-cylinder machine to
the perfected multi-cylinder automobile
of today have demanded of motor car
engineers no greater mental effort than
has the necessity Of providing means for
ciIecting these changes. In other words,
the design of the motor ear itself re-
cords no greater development than that
accomplished in the machinery and
equipment which produces the result OF
such design. Machine tools of today are
as far different and advanced from those
of ten years ago as the automobile Of
today is superior to its predecessor OF
that time.
This development has been brought
about not so much by the makers oi
such tools AS by the automobile engi-
neers themselves. As every advancing
step in the industry was a pioneering
venture. they .were forced TO analyze
their own needs for production, conceive
the remedy and teach the builders OF
machine tools TO supply 1t. The out
come has been the evolution of machm-
erv TO accomplish results which IN an
other field perhaps would have been con
sidcrcd impossible.
In one sense. this process worked an
automatic elimination among motor cai
producers. but to the general benefit OF
The industry and the purchaser. Foi
while concerns of limited resources were
forced TO drop behind in the competi
tion of progress. those companies which
were sufficiently fortified financially
were encouraged to continue the worl
and eouip their plants with the lates
tvpes Of machines as fast as they ap
pearcd. They were enabled TO produce
a better result. IN larger quantity. will
a reduced force of men, and the conse
nuentlv lowered cost OF manufacturl
Z permitted the public to purchase bette
automobiles at a much lower figure.
Coincident with the changes IN pro
dnctior methods was the development o
efficiency in the manufacturing plan II
self. The workman was schooled an'
drilled in his special task and bocam
most proficient in his own particular di
rection, and by virtue of this schooling
and systematic supervision he wa
brought to produce better article II
less time
The effect of this feature is not con
fined TO the motor car alone, but work
ed an influence on its equipment as wei
In the matter of tires. for example,
IS clearly shown few years ago tn
automobile manufacturer paid twice a
much as now for tires vastly inferior d
construction and wearing qualities I
those Of today. And a similar ratio @
cost and quality is seen in other equiv
ment.
No one portion Of the automobile il
dustrv has been affected by the stead
program of increase in efficiency and do
crease in cost. It has been general.
has included the very cheap cars an
those of the intermediate prices. as we
as the highest grade type Of vehicle. u
direct and significant consequence h'
: been that the manufactures can produ'
and the purchaser can buy today 81
perior vehicle for almost one-half II
price demanded few years ago.