The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-03-17
Frank Discussion of Motor
Matters by The Times Auto
l. mobile Editor.
AN UNPREJUDIcED OPINION
A Column of Judgment on Is
sues Vital to Motor Car
Owners.
BY MONTE sOHN.


Once it was fashionable for automo-
bile sections to contain many things
which are not automobile news.
In those days when it was horrible
monotony to turn the pages Of the
motor section, one found an endless
trail of yarns about how some fac
tory was increasing its floor space;
The life history of the new secre-
tsry OF the Plopp Automobile Com
pany:
The superiority of one make of tire
. In one coluIhn-on page land the
unquestionable supremacy in quality
Of another tire-on page 8;
The influence of George @. Quinine
in the production of the Toledo Tiger,
"America's Foremost Eight"
The amusements-when not en-
gagged in building Puncture Proof
Carburetors. ''the favorite of motor
dom"-of Arthur ]. Grease;
The opening of a branch of the
Phosphor-Bronze Clutch-Collar But
ton Manufacturing Company in Mel
bourne, Australia;
And pictures Of factory officials,
statesmen, and car-washers.
There was some excuse for an oc-
casional picture of a new arrival in
local motordom, provided he brought
some prestige with him.
New Trend I'm Auto Journalism.
Things are changed.
Automobile editors discovered that
there is a woeful dearth of necessary
news. and set about to obtain such
material as motorists, present and
future degree, would fad Of interest.
In this connection The Times auto
mobile editor cannot but agree with
q distinguished contemporary in the
following recent statement:
THE local automobile public is al
ways interested in new things in mo-
tor cars and motor car construction
and II Is likewise interested in local
automobile conditions, but it: does NOT
especially care for what such and
such an individual did on the Pacific
coast"
Which could not be more explicit.
The arrival OF a new model auto
mobile, its description, and discussion
Is news.
The establishment, Of a new auto
mobile agency is news.
Discussions and advice in care and
maintenance of tires, cars, batteries,
and facts about oil, gasolene, carbu-
sFetors which will help the motorist
ARE features which necessarily con-
tribute much that he seeks in a motor
section.
The Times seeks suggestions from
lay motorists which will help its mo-
tor section to attain the ideal toward
which 1t is always striving.
Wants Views of Readers.
1t receives these frequently, but
not frequently enough.
1t will welcome letters and publish
them when possible.
There is a very definite need in mo-
tor news that the Times automobile
editor seeks constantly to satisfy.
The motoring public wants to know
which accessories are good and which
are bad, and it wants to know which
adJuncts to the mechanical equip
ment Of a car are helpful and which
. are injurious.
The Times has sought to make plain
the dement's OF gas-savers, two-in-one
tires and other dishonest products.
1t will continue to do so.
Even now, there are in process Of
analysis half a dozen so-called carbon
removers; tests, the result OF which
will be frankly set forth In these
pages.
There are, as the writer has been
given to see 1t, only two motives
which should dominate automobile
news; interest and honesty. They will
always dominate The Times motor sec
ton.