The Washington times., 1919-09-13

Stromberg Motor Devices Company:
Herbert Chase, assistant eeeretary,
Society OF Automotive Engineers.
The petroleum industry was repre-
sented by Henry L. Doherty, of the
Henry l.. DOherty and Company,
chairman of the Fuel Section Of the
conference Committee. DR.. william
N. Burton. Standard Oil Company, OF
Indiana, w. H. Isom, Sinclair Oil and
kenning Company, r. B. Leonard, At
lantic Refining Company Frank How
ara and B. M. Clark, Of the Standard
OIL Company, OF New Jersey r. l..
welsh general secretary and c. c.
smith, assistant general secretary Of
the American Petroleum Institute.
4 In the absence Of Charles F. Ket-
tering, past-president Of the Society
OF AutOmotive Engineers, and its Of
hcial representative on the Automo-
tive Conference Committee, Mr.. Clark
SON read = statement in which Mr..
Kettering said in part:
The fuel problem as it exists to-
day divides itself into two general
classes. one OF which belongs to the
automotive manufacturers and the
other to the fuel manufacturers.
However, q complete solution in
either case is impossible without the
hearty cooperation of both indus
tries" Mr.. Kettering then outlined in
a general way some Of the research
work bearing upon the fuel problem
which has been conducted in his own
laboratories.
In general, the statement was to
the effect that much basis research is
still necessary to determine just what
phenomena occur during the COM
bustion Of fuel in the engine cylin-
der, but that the reseach to date ap-
pears to indicate that a further study
of the problems will enable a salts
factory engine fuel to be produced
even though IL becomes necessary, as
seems most likely. to cut still deeper
into the crude than is now common
practice"
Point Need Of Forecast.
The foregoing statement ELECTED |
considerable valuable discussion. Rep |
resentatives OF the automotive indus
try pointed out the needs, from its
standpoint, Of securing the best pos
sible forecast concerning the nature |
of fuels to be used in the cars now |
being produced, or prepared for pro-
duction, in order that steps can be |
taken to satisfactorily utilize the |
fuel that will be available.
The subject Of fuel specifications |
was discussed at some length, and Il |
was generally agreed that a fxed |
specification would be detrimental to |
both producer and consumer, but that |
a flexible specification which would |
be changed from time to time as the /
exigencies of the fuel supply and |
demand may dictate would be useful |
to all concerned and a great assist
ance to the automotive manufacture
in enabling him to design his product /
in such a way as to utilize the fuel /
most satisfactorily.
1t was generally agreed that the /
numerous problems involved in sat-
isfactory settlement of the situation
rendered thorOughgOing and extensive
research work very necessary. Both /
the fuel and autOmotive representa-
tives expressed a desire for the |
heartiest cooperation and agreed to |
utilize present laboratory apparatus
and other research facilities to the |
best possible advantage.
II II shall appear that these facili. |
ties are not adequate for the solution |
of the problem in hand. ways ana /
means for securing additional faeih-
ties of a more centralized nature and
better suited for attacking the prob
lem are to be given.
Plan Chart Of Needs.
It was agreed that the representa-
tives OF the automotive industry /
would outline in considerable detail
the various difficulties which the au-
tomotive engineer and car user faces
in the use Of present-day gasoline,
and also endeavor to state clearly the
fuel problem as il appears to the au-
tomotive industry, this for the pur-
pose of aiding the fuel industry to
prepare to meet the problem, so far
as this can be done by the refiners.
In addition, the representatives OF
the automotive industry indicated
desire to adapt the apparatus pro-
duced by them to the fuel which the
petroleum industry. faced on the one
hand by the increasing demand. and
on the other by diminishing supply
of crude. can produce.
There was every evidence OF the
greatest willingness on the part Of
both the fuel and the automOtive in
dustries to bring about the heartiest
cooperation which in the end is GER
tain to result in great benefit to the
users OF automotive apparatus who
are also the ultimate consumers of
the fuel produced by the refiners.
With this end in view the technical
men of both industries are to be
brought into contact and are deh-
nitely assured Of the hearty support
Of the executives through whom their
recommendations will be put into
effect.