The Washington herald., 1920-08-22

The manufacturer who must senu
| his goods long distances or the
| city stOrekeeper who must get his
goods to the consumer in the city
and the suburbs of his particular
town can find the truck for his
needs among the many well built
machines now being offered on the
market. Satisfaction with motor
truck delivery means, of course,
selection OF the right machine for
the work to be undertaken and a
| thorough analysis of the particular
problem by a transportation e&-
| pert or engineer.
The transportation engineer will
tell him right.
See TroIleys Replaced.
There are some enthusiastic
! prophets in the motor world who
| declare that the auto is only in its
infancy as a public carrier both OF
goods in bulk and of passengers
in numbers. In the latter connec-
| tion it is their prediction that, in
one "jitney" form or another, 1t
will supersede a great deal of the
now financially half-starved troll
! ley traCkage of the land. As a rival
perhaps better as supplement
or a feeder-to the steam railroad.
in both terminal and intercity
traffic, they fCresee an almost in
definite expansion.
The steam roads were already
groanIng and creaking under their
trafic burden. being billions be-
hind in proper provision for serv-
ing the nation, before treir latest
troubles with weather and with
labor came upon them. 1t is the
contention of waterways advocates
that the rivers should be developed
to care for considerable fraction
OF heavy, lowgrade freight suitable
for slow movement and carrying
low rates. The auto truck, at the
other end. can supply speed and
fexibility.
Circumstances have consplred to
give the auto truck a magnificent
opportunity to prove itself. Just as
the highways got clear of winter
SHOWS came the terrific traffic tangle
inflicted upon the railroads by the
| OUTLAW" strike. One OF the worst
sufferers has been the automobile
industry. But it may get a later
compensation in the aforesaid op-
pOrtunity OF INSTRUMENTATION Civ
en- to the truck.
First Viewed with Suspicion.
Truck Transportation" a maga-
zine published by the Selden Truck
Corporation, speaks editorially on
the subject OF Motor Trucks and
Railroads" as follows: There was
a time when the introduction of ma
chinery was looked upon with sUs-
picion, because it was believed that
it would displace labor. depriving
workers OF the means of obtaining
a livelihood. When the frst ma
chimes were installed in the factories
of England. they were sma shed by
the workers, who believed that they
would lose their jobs because of the
machines
Akin to this fallacy is the idea
now entertained by some people.
that the motor truck in the Ship
by Truck phase of its development
is competitor of the railroad, TAX
ing business away from the rail car
riers.
Both Of these theories are en-
tirely erroneous. Machinery. instead
of displaCing labor. gave it more
work and better tools to work with.
Is Supplement to Rails.
The motor truck serves the same
purpose in its relation to the rail
systems. While it may in certain
localized instances, compete in a
small way with the railroads for
short-haul business. its total effect
is just the opposite. Its function is
not to make war on the railroad, but
rather to supplement it. The rail-
road cannot go directly to the farm
our greatest supply base. to bring
away its products. 1t cannot 90 di-
rectly to the door of the merchant