The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1916-07-10
THE VOICE OF THE MOTOR

That some Frenchmen should be
bothering themselves Just now about
the quality, pitch and intensity of
sounds from automobile horns seems
remarkable in view of the unremit-
ting roar OF death in which a portion
of their country is enveloped. We
may consider this as additional evil
dence that the French are maintain
ing a wonderful equipoise (more so,
perhaps, than any of the other peo-
Piles of Europe now sustaining stu
pendous losses), this fact that some
of their scientific men should be dis
cussing release of the world from the
raucous voice of the horn
And this is all the more remark
able when we consider the fact thai
a large percentage of machines in
France heralded by such sounds are
in constant activity within envelop-
ment of the sense-crushing roar of
battle Here would seem to be evil
dence of a measure of unlooked-for
unselfshness, this devotion of thought
to something for the benefit of the
nerves of mankind coming to us out OF
a country overwhelmed with terrors
of sight and sound.
The two Parisians most prominent
in this question before their Academy
Of Science are Monsieur Manage and
Monsieur Loubet. The former thinks
II fallacy to suppose that so much
noise of the machines as now pro-
duced through the horns produces
safety to the public, because the peo-
pie are so accustomed to noises that
one more or less fails to arouse thei!
attention. He thinks that motor cars
should be equipped with horn having
two notes. one of fundamental grave
tone and the other of sharp. warn
ing high tone.
In criticism of NJ Manages thought
NJ. Loubet thinks the power to Olsen
| tangle from the masses of sounds the
| sources that may interest us at the
moment is diminished by the circum-
stances of our city life. The REPETITION
/ Of familiar street noises dulls the ear
and has the effect of slowing our per-
| geption of sound
Evidently NJ. Loubet would have as
loud tones as at present, as much
noise as compatible with public COM
fort to startle subconsciousness Pos.
sibly he would apply the rule that
sound is characteristic of the source
from which it comes. and that for the
sake of safety we should continue &c
identify a loud voice with the machine
and the possibility of danger there.
from.
| Possibly, many who think or cars
in the least about this question will
agree with NJ. Marage in his prefer.
ence for musical notes to unmusica
noises, and that a horn will better
do the work of warning than thu
harsh ones we hear in so many in,
stances. There is direct appeal tC
the ear in an unaccustomed musica
sound much lower than that of start
ling discordance We so often hear
And there is quickening of the sens,
of hearing under the influence of :
wave of sibilance.
We all know, for instance, that tn,
actor on the stage, speaking. his lines
and acting the part, or the orator APP
pealing to his public. can Immediately
detect the slightest hiss that may
come from only one mouth in the
midst Of loud applause of handicap
ping, stamping of feet and even shouts
This topic is one to interest peopl,
all over the world. Probably, If dis.
cussion of IL shall continue seriously
with a view to reduction of what
people with highly sensitive nerves
call a nuisance. the decision will re
main with the manufacturers of tn,
horns, who. in turn, will look for adj
vice to the majority of those owning
or driving machines, and concerned
more intimately than some others In
the question of safety.