Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-09-23
Io,Da Newspapers
THE LIBERTY MOTOR.

| SlpuN Wy
Ever since discussion OF the Liberty
motor became heated. months AMI
| months ago, The Journal has assumed
on the basis of ordinary probability,
without pretending 10 have any inside
| knowledge, that the Liberty motor was
a good motor for certain kinds OF
work and that II was done n treat in
| justice whsn its press agents said II
surpassed every other motor In the
world for every kind OF work The
claims were preposterous impossible.
and IL was unfair TO expect the Liberty
| motor TO live up to them. From
month TO month this conjecture as TO
the Liberty motor has been additionally
| justified. A recent bulletin on air
plane production issued by the British
| bureau Of information from its New
York office is completely confirmatory.
The bulletin recites that tests of the
Liberty motor on British grounds have
been highly satisfactory that the
, delay in perfecting II has been the
common experience in connection with
all new motors. and that "in the opin-
| ion OF experts" the Liberty engine "ts
sound and will be greatly improved
upon after a few months under active
| service conditions"
The Rolls Royce is one Of the stand
ard British airplane engines. probab bly,
the best the British have for heavy
| duty. The British information bureau,
| compa ring this engine with the Liber-
". says the Rolls Royce. tho at the
present moment considerably more re-
liable gives slightly inferior perform
I IT,
motor delivers more horse power per
pound Of weight than the Rolls Royce.
when 1t works. But the bulletin in
Tentatively adds: 1T is well to re-
member that the Liberty engine is not
the last word in aerial motor construc-
ton. and that other experimental en-
gines have been designed and manu-
featured which excel even the Liberty
Since, however, the Liberty engine has
now been put on productive basis
and great numbers are being turned
out daily. we want as many Of them
as we can get: otherwise, by the
spring Of next year we shall have
many machines in storage without en-
gines."
Very likely the issuance of this bull
letin was inspired by Americans who
wished the truth about the Liberty
motor to come out. so dark hints Of its
failure could be disposed Of The bull
letin makes absolutely clear that the
original claims for the Liberty engine
were hasheesh dreams 1t makes clear
that the Liberty engine is not yet per-
fected as 1t will be after thorough
test under actual service conditions
II makes clear that, while it is a good
experimental engine" there are 9TH
ers that excel il even in h~~~-
But ii also establishes as a fact that
the Liberty engine is quite scrv!cea o.e
and that It is being produced in suff'
Gent numbers to be Of real help to our
allies.
The Liberty engine is not miracle;
il Is just a good engine Since the
British and French are able to manu-
facture planes in far greater quantity
than motors. the availa bility of this new
engine turned out in American factor
les is very happy. While we haven't
filled the air with swarms Of American
airplanes and are not likely to for some
time to come. we are actually and con-
siderably contributing. by the manu-
facture of serviceable engines TO win
ming the war overhead. If there is no
particular reason for feeling proud OF
our achievement so far in that respect,
at least there Is no occasion to hate
ourselves TO death. -