The Washington times., 1919-10-18
ByL. ]. FAULKNER.

1he movement started by the American Automobile
Association has aroused considerable interest not only
among the repair and garage but among the
of cars themselves #
Mr.. Ullman, Of the A. A. A., reports that he has
received food Of letters commencing the stand taken by
the association peculiar feature has also been the large
number of letters received from praisng various
repair in the city relative to their square method Of
doing business This is particularly gratifying from many
angles 1t is always WE'LL III campaign Of this character
that the good should be knorn well the evil and Mr.
Gilman is desrous Of giving praise where praise is due
as of censuring where censure is needed.
The questionnaires sent out by the A. A. A. have met
with ready response by dealers who have submitted their
rates Of charges for various classes Of work. only
special line but in time labor The general tendency Of
these replies has been seemingly sincere desire to make
lplain the rates
Not Aim to Regulate Prices
1t is not the aim Of this campaign to regulate prices
1t has not been thought Of in this way moment the
idea involved being to obtain from the various repair peo
Pe their scale OF charges without regard to their adheng
Ito any particular rate, and them if the rates
within the range Of reasonable charges to consider them
eligble for the fair list 1t is manfestly impossible for
the repair make set scale of prices but there is
limit under and over that within which lie can keep
The Washington Automotive Trade Association, com
posed Of many Of the leading automobile accessory dealers
and repair Of the city has offered its cooperation to
the a A. A. In this campaign, is exactly in conformity
with the enets laid down BY the Washington Automotire
Trado Association itself.
Not Sweeping Indictment
There seems to have been created among few feeling
that this campaign sweeping Indictment against the
general method Of charging in the city, This is far
from the truth but nevertheless it is fact that few
repair have in their greed cast the trade
i'm general and it is for the purpose Of eliminating these
profteers from the business that the campaign nau
gurated
Aad it is gratifying to know that Mr. Ullman is re
cevng daily in his mall with the answered questonnares
letters Of conendation from the repair themselves
1t is movement that all interested in and it is not
question Of personal attack but Of universal benefit It
would be well to be suspicious Of the repair man who cries
tout against such campaign it is safe to assume that
he does so from Interior motives
One plan which have mentioned in previous edi-
tora would seem to be very desirable and that is making
estimate Of the costs far possible from super
fetal diagnosis This estimate Of cost woud of necessity
have to be elastic within the bounds of reason as often in
making repair other defects discovered and on the
other hand it often found that the work required is not
so difficult at first supposed Therefore it is propo-
siton Of give and take if the and repair desire
to treat each other fairly.
Calls Up Client If Bill Is Large
One dealer in particular seems to have solved the ques
On Of this increase Of charges estimates by the prac
ce Of calling up his when the charge viii exceed
the amount stated and Informing him of the necessity of it.
This has been found in the particular mentioned to
work out very satisfactorily S----
Tt might be mentioned in passing that some of the
complaints that have been received by the A A. A. If true
would make porchcimber blush with shame