Evening star., 1922-10-25
CLOSED CAR SHOW
VISITED BY 1000
dwelling of New Model of
0Ids by Margaret Cor
man Feature.

with q total of more than seven
thousand visitors to the closed car
show at Convention Hall last night.
indications point to attendance rec
ords being smashed at this years dis
play. The spacious hall was not only
crowded last night; il was packed,
and difficulty was experienced in get
ting around to the various exhibits,
Washingtonians are gradually real
izing that the auto show is the place
to see. and, if possible, buy. While
no statistics are available on the sub
ject, it is probably safe to say that
the local shows, held under the
auspices OF the Washington Automo-
tive Trade Association, are as well
attended as shows in other cities com
parable to Washington in size.
From indications last NIGH, when
the SurSinS thrOnss fairly DAMNED
the tremendous auditorium. and gaZed
with envy on the shining nuw car,
the 1J-- Ia.i exhibition VIII set rec
ord fur other cities in the United
States which Will be difficult to over
come.
New Model OIds.
To large number of the visitors
last night Margaret German. Wash
ington's prize example of feminine
pulchritude. was a magnet whose
drawing power was not to be denied.
In booth 19, where the Oldsmoblle
holds undisputed sway, She held the
center of attention while she daintily
unveiled the latest Olds closed mod
els, which just arrived in Washing
ton and which will be known as
model 43 brougham.
The band. in accord with the car
nival spirit of the occasion. blared
forth the new tune, In My Merry
Oldsmobile," and the crowd, six deep
by this time. gaZed at the new closed
car and, incidentally, of course, at
Miss America of 1921.
In connection with the unveiling it
may be mentioned that f. r. Strong,
salesmanager of the Oldsmobile Mo-
tor Company, came on to Washington
especially for the show and was an
interested Spectator when Miss Cor
man otiiciated at the Olds exercises.
All Booths Patronized.
Although the Olds Company fea-
tured Miss German as an especial at
traction, booth l9 by no means held
the center of the stage throughout
the evening.
Competitors were found on all
mon. Cadillac, Maxwell. Dodge, oak
land. Liberty, Paige. Peerless and all
the rest among the long list of eX-
hibitors who have taken pains to see
that Mr.. and Mrs. Motorist see all
and know all at the minimum effort.
In fact, there was no booth in the
show. either in the automobiles or
the accessories. which was not heay-
lily patroniZcd and which did not con-
duct rushing business last night.
To the observer there is 4 notice
able difference in the show crowds
from year to year. In olden times.
when the auto was more or less of a
curiosity, the visitors to the show
seemed to forget the fact that ears
on display would eventually be sold.
and would do everything but carve
their initials on the shining surfaces
of the new cars. a good many of
them had no idea in the world OF
buying a car and would make the
salesman's life miserable by eXtrava-
giant promises. Several years ago
visitor to the New York show con-
fided to the writer that he had prom
ised to buy seventeen of the different
cars on exhibit: that he had told
each salesman n appear at his hotel
the next morning in demonstration
and that by the time thoy arrived
there he would be back home in the
"hick" town where he came from.
Good joke, wasn't It?
Crowds More Serious.
But the crowds nowadays seem to
realize that the automobile game is
a real one to be played as any other
game of life. and that buying an
automobile is just like anything else.
The show. of course. is intended to
interest not only prospective pur-
chasers. but those who are not con-
templating buying. But at shows
these days there is less clambering
in and out of high-priced cars. less
idle curiosity among those who are
inclined to be curious, and more of
the serious, intelligent realization
that autos are not playthings. but
are expensive, although necessary
units of the progress of the time, and
should be treated as such.
owing to a typographical error in
Sundays Star Henry S. Wood who
has an attractive accessory and equip
ment space at booth IS. was not men
toned. His "Rolls-Rough' display
is worth more than casual attention
on the part of show visitors.