Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-12-10
ORIENT NOW WANTS
AMERICAN CARS
Conditions in Singapore De-
scribed by Branch Man.
ager There.

Imagine country whore the ma
tives refuse to buy "A motor car with
"a left hand drive, where they insist
upon having clincher tires, where
gasoline costs 45 cents "A gallon, where
electrical equipment is frequently torn
out because of native prejudice ana
where chauifeurs can be hlrcd TOT
Sl2 gold month. Those are a few
of the interesting details brought from
Singapore by q. NJ. Malcolm, general
manager of the oriental branch of
Speyer, Cole K Co.. New York, who
is in Detroit on business. Speyer, Cole
a. co. control the Asiatic territory for
HupmobiIe. Scripps-Booth. Harroun,
DENLY and Ramer products and they
also conduct n banking business with
motor car dealers.
Few two passenger cars are used IN
the far east, according to Mr. Malcolm.
as the exceedingly low wages paid to
chauffeurs allow every car owner TO
hire his own driver. This low salary
produces curious effect on taxi rates.
Tho gasoline costs 40 to 40 cents a
gallon and tires and parts are almost
double the prices in the United States,
the low wages received by the drivers
allow the taxi owner to charge rate
of s16S an hour for first-class
machine.
Freight Rates Increase Car Prices.
High freight rates have caused the
prices of many motor cars To become
more than twice their American sell
ing prices Since the beginning of the
war the ocean freightcrs charge $50 4
ton If 30 cubic feet for motor cars,
v hich were $40 ton before the war.
This rate means that 7-ton Ford
touring car costs $2lO for oceai.
freight alone, and as result. when
a Fri N
the United States and Asia. he Is
forced to charge S1,150 native money
or 500 gold for the same car that can
be purchased here at $3.50. The cars
predomnating thru Japan. India
China, burma and Java are the Ford,
Overland. Buick, Studebaker, Hupmo-
lille and Hudson, with the Ford TAX
ing the lead IN numbers. In recent
drive between Ipoh and Campur. two
cities on the extreme end of the Malay
peninsula. Mr.. Malcolm counted ~
Fords i'm 80 miles.
Motor car dealers handle all acceS-
sories and parts in these countries. and
there are no separate accessory stores
such as may be found in this country
or garages like those we have. Every
motorist has his own garage, which Is
.often a mere shack without walls III
which he keeps his car.
.'nternd ,beir nrentest difficulties In
o,nnrtation through their demands for
cash i'm advance from dealers and II,
Gha ,.,,aor M nre,idices and. fancies OF
,ho orientoi The Asiatics refuse to
robass NV "a,, with left hand drives
and vii NOT buv a tire of the demount
able rim type or the quick detachable
,'in,bar "u,v % ,,no They insigt upon hav-
mo magnetic with their MACHINE and
,1,,1 ,ms q v",,s recentiv. in every instance
.,'bstituted gas or acetylcne lamps for
.hoir oicct,ic irht equipment. which
,he, hem ;er,sed ant and threw away. a
,,ro,S .muy s' nreiudice also exists agains,
sioctric Starters. and these have often
been taken out and replaced by the
pana nerm crnn1 e%n
N.Y. Mnro of the countries in which Mr.
NaIcoIr, % onerates are troubled by cold
weatber. but all suffer from an en-
,nernn Wen,n' n,oist,re that affects the tire,
WI h.',orios 70 no-,ceable decree
W;ckishaws are SO numerous in the
larger cities that ,raffic police and