The Detroit times., 1915-01-22
WAR WILL MAKE
AMERICA LEAD
Hugh Chalmers Says Motor De.
signs Will Now Originate On
This Side

zone eject Of the war which has
received little comment" said Hugh
Chalmers yesterday. lis it's effect on
automobile designing" Mr.. Chalmers
was standing In his exhibit at the
show, watching the crowds around
the si.4O0 Chalmers New Six" He
continued:
american engineers In the past
have been accustomed to go TO Eu-
rope for ideas OF design. We Amerb
cans have led the world In manufac-
turing methods; but. rightly or wrong.
ly. the impression has been general
that the foreigners excelled US on de-
sign and II has been the fashion 10
follow their example.
THE war, however, has changed all
that and, l believe, when the. battle
smoke has cleared away and condi-
tions abroad permit the resumption
OF business and the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
OF manufacturing. European engineers
VIII be coming to America to see what
We are doing. For We will have had
at least year q hope not ane longer)
In which to forge ahead, TO develop
our own ideas and TO perfect what
ever ideas we had gained from the
foreigners before the war started.
"Our own experience is case In
point. and well illustrates what i have
just been saying. Years ago-in tact.
when the Chalmers company was nrst
started--we built q valve-in-the-heao
motor, the famous Chalmers 80.
Since then this type OF construction
has been further perfected ABROAD.
until within the last year or so a per-
, fected type Of valve-in-the-head motor
the Delage-has been brought out.
with the cam=shaft at the top OF the
motor and the valve mechanism en-
tirely enclosed.
"Other foreign designers at once
saw the advantages Of this type OF de-
sign and when our engineers were
over there a year and half ago they
found the trend OF European design
beginning to swing to this type or
motor. They brought back the de-
sign. simplifed and improved II ana
used It In bringing out the New Six.
Later trips to Europe showed them
that even more foreigners were TAX.
ing up the new style motor ana nad
II not been for the war ] am convlnc.
ed that this type OF construction wouia
have been widely used and developed
this year abroad.
with the outbreak or war, how
ever. engineering development In Eu-
rope stopped so far as automobiie ae
signing was concerned. Meanwnhe
we are going right ahead in this eoun
try. Our own engineers will develop
and perfect these new types OF motor
design. We shall depend more on
ourselves. We shall find that our
Judgment on these matters Is souna
and good And, as I said before. Win
n wears lead we shall be In position
where the foreigners will have 70 come
TO us.
zone of the advantages which TINS
'war-terrible as II isis bringing 10
America Is the fact that II Is putting
American business men on their met
tie. drawing us away from too great
dependence on Europe, compelling US
to do certain things ourselves. A great
change I'm attitude Is sweeping over
this country. I'm glad to see IT. Ano
I'm glad that this same spirit is gong
to make itself felt more and more III
the automobile business.
eve have the men, the money and
the machines that are essential TO the
.upbuilding and development OF any
business. And I am convinced that
after the war We Americans shalI
more and more take the place OF lead
crship that belongs to us,