New-York tribune., 1918-07-02
Autonobihng
Dealers Join Move to Cut Out
Night and Sunday Service
on Cars, Tires and Fuel
By C. E. r. Scharps

New York automobile dealers yestcr-
day lined up with the National Automo-
bile Dealers Association in the cam
paign which the countrywide organiza-
tion is conducting to eliminate unnec-
cssary work, and so to free great num-
Der of all-purpose mechanics for gov
crnment needs. After listening to f. w:
A. Vesper of st. Louis, president, and
E. L. Peake, of Kansas City, executive
secretary, most of the 150 dealers who
were present at the meeting at Reisen-
weber's either Joined Immediately or
took away application blanks which
they agreed to fill out later
Complete agreement with the pro-
gramme of the N. A. u. A. by New York
men will mean the elimination OF all
Sunday and night time work on motor
cars, except commercial vehicles, and
will mean the cutting out at oil times of
unnecessary service, such as small ad-
justments, which owners will be taught
to make for themselves. Free service,
too. will be done away with, inasmuch
as the association recommends elm
mating coupon books and service cards.
The association goes even further and
recommends the closing OF tire service
and gasolene stations on Sundays.
This plan complete has already been
put into effect in st. Louis, Kansas
City, Chicago and Milwaukee. In those
cities it has not only done away with
lot of labor being wasted, but has
met with the unqualified approval of
the dealers. An appeal will be made
to the arrangements associations in the
city. as we'll rs in the neighborhood, to
enlist in the Sunday closing plan. If it
goes through. owners will be able to
take their cars out on Sundays, but
will have to get their gasolene, oil,
etc, on Saturdays and to make all prep
arations then for their Sunday trips.
In the case Of cars that use'sa great
deal of fuel, the owner will have to
carry an extra supply when starting
out on trip. 1t is argued that Sun
day motoring is almost always in the
nature Of pleasure driving" hence the
set against Sunday opening Of stores,
service stations, tire service places and
garages.
In order not to leave owners abso
lutely helpless on Sundays, the plan is
to designate several central and branch
emergency service stations which re-
main open on Sunday. Car owners in
need Of help will be able to telephone
TO the nearest such service station, and
if the car needs only small service this
will be given If it is serious bpeak
down, the car will be taken in and de-
livcred the following day to the regu-
lar service station OF the owner.
The War Service Committee repre-
senting the automobile dealers OF the
country made eight recommendation
to save labor for the government,
which were approved by the Com
mercia Economy Board Of the Coun
40. o%
;ngton. The suggestions are not bind
ing upon the various dealers, garage
men, etc, and compliance with the rec
concentrations is left to the option Of
dealers and the like.
But in this connection Mr.. Vesper
yesterday told the story about two ne
groes who were talking about the war.
One of them told the other lie ought to
20 and enlist before he was drafted.
"Whut do All wan to list fuh ?"
asked the other. "Ah amt angry at no
one. Uncle Sam, mebbe, kin draf' me,
but he CANT make me fight
"No, boy, he cain't mex you fight,
dat's true" said the first darky. "But
and den you kin use youah own judg-
ment."
From which it appears that if the
dealers the country over do not follow
the "suggestions" to cut out night and
unnecessary service, as we'll as Sunday
work, do not eliminate waste and un
necessary demonstrating expense, fail
to educate owners to do their own
small Jobs and mechanics to replace
those drafted as well as to put their
organizations on a cash basis, they may
get orders to.
Both Mr.. Vesper and Mr.. Peake are
good speakers, and they talked the
proposition we'll at yesterdays meet
ing. New York dealers have hitherto
held aloof from the national organiza-
ton, but they were certainly "sold" yes
terday. The speakers were introduced
by Charles NJ. Brown, president OF
the Automobile Dealers Association
Others present included were R. II.
Johnston. G. II. Larson, G. s. McCutch
con, Emlen S. Hare, A. G.. Harrington,
+. S. Partridge, II. T. Porter. A. H.
Whiting, G. F. Bailey, T. B. Van Al
stync, G.. S. Morrow. f. NJ. Daley, L. c.
Daley, j. A. Clark, G. G.. Lewis, f. f.
Colver. Il. S. Rice. A. G. Southworth,
c. f. Miller, C. A. Stewart, D. H. Seguin,
S. A. Marks. G. Fl. Lowell, NJ. f. Muir
ply. H. w Headington. S. B. Bowman,
Fl. w. Garland, F. j. Titus and c. P.
Mooney.
1t was announced at the meeting that
the Brooklyn Motor Vehicle Dealers
Association has Joined the National
Automobile Dealers Association in a
body.