South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-05-31


Give All credit to Jimmy Sfurphy. courageous
daring. and most Of AL dependable. who makes
new record for the great annual auto race at In
dianapolis.
n took a combination Of brains and perfect
-,tt,. the assistance OF a fast organization. and
the viii 20 win.
He sl1ms upon the surface Of the earth at a rate
Of sreed which would have amazed the men VINO
rode In yesterdays parade had it reen suggested as
thev iournied back from the Southland little over
a half century ago
t4e bocornes something more than the winner Of
q snoring event for the history OF the automobile
business shows the part that has been played by
speed demons who aroused the imagination OF the
people as TO what can be accomplished.
when Henry Ford first hired that daredevil OF
his day. Barney Oldfeld 70 win races for him. ne
opened the way TO selling his machines by thous-
ands.
oDlv 25 wears ago when an automobile went out
on a II mile trip. second car carrying mechanlc
followed IN order to insure its arrival
The most important thing about this record Is
not its sreed the fact that the judges VINO helu
their expensive watches determined the result down
70 the fraction OF second.
Il IS the fraction OF seconds which count in lfe
that almost immeasureable space between events
which may determine the fate of a nation or the
destiny of a soul
Il is the fraction OF seconds which mean advanc-
ing civilization for in the saving Of time all pro-
sress made
The accomplishments Of this daring driver amazes
for the moment but a matter of fact he was
slow. very slow in comparison with the speed that
Will be made in the future
Il was fast only as to the means Of locomouon'
speedy only in comparison with the previous &C
oon,plfshnnents OF other men. It Is important only
as recording a mark
When men first found other means of travel ex-
cert by walking. they marvelled at the speed by
which they could get the ground by riding
on the back OF horse.
Instead Of the four FIVE miles an hour. there
we're daring souls among the savages that cut that
down to half the time-and the power of mankind
was doubled and life multiplied in its posi-
biiues.
When the ancient Romans added sails their
triremes they amazed the populace by their
achievements.
when the first steam roads supplanted the stage
coach. the men of that day thought that they had
reached the limit Of speed in travelling twenty miles
hour.
The ambition Of man has always been directed
10 the, conquering OF those twin limitations upon
actvity-time and space. Philosophers say that
they are in reality the same mental concert. Time
is the measuring stick for experience just space
io the obstacle personal participation in expert
enccs.
When one means has failed to satisfy the desires
and the demands of mankind for the humiliation
Of these elements he has turned to methods.
Last year at Omaha. Bert Acosta few air plane
at the rate OF 1857 miles per hour
Of a it'll. more than $50 miles. Since that time
other aviators over short courses haye increased
this well above the 200 mile hour record.
When Oldheld his reputation for
speeding there were but a few thousand automo-
bnes in use in the world. Last year there were
s72572 automobiles registered in the various states
The thing that had been a sporting instrument
turned 10 common use This year the total will
run above ten millions
Ten years from now the record Of Acosta will
seem unbeHeveably slow and men and women will
hang uron telephone wires asking anzdously wheth-
er some aviator Of that day has broken his last
year record OF a thousand miles hour. There
VIII also be many millions OF air PLANES in daily use
Probably in hundred years. man will devise
some means Of overcoming what is called the power
OF gravitation to such an extent that transporta-
ton between continents VIII be matter Of hours.
rot days
Radio working along that same line. 1t is
carrying the human voice instantly without ma
terial contrivances. soon IL will bring photo
sTaphs and It VIII then be possible to get in touch
with any person IN the world by pressing button
and sending out the right call.
Murphys record seems fast very fast 1t Is for
those who stu chained 10 earth.
IA O. matter Of fact IL is slow terribly SLOW
when the imagination stretches TO those vistas
that are now being explored by the scientific mind
Man. q walking animal learned TO ride and now
flies Coin your own word for HIS next victory over
time and space Is not yet in the dictionary.
II VIII be soon.