Evening star., 1923-05-14
SMALLER WHEELS
ION AUTOS POSSIBLE
Tire Tests Now Under Way
May Mean Changes in
Construction.
BY j. c. ROYLE.
Special Dispatcb 10 The star

Special Dispatch TO The star
NEW YORK, May IA radical de-
parture in the construction of auto
mobiles is forecast by experiments
now In progress by engineers en-
ployed by dozen of the great pro-
ducers. The changes will affect the
size and design of automobile wheels
! and make decided difference in CON
struction, dimensions and materials.
These changes depend on the re-
suit Of experiments with the so-called
balloon" tires now being given ex-
haustive tests and for which some
| manufacturers feel there is a decided
| public demand. These new tires
which have been tried out tentatively
| by the Cadillac, Lincoln, Packard and
other producers have much larger
/ air chamber than the present-day
tires although they are of about the
same size. measured from tread to
tread.
Through the increase in the air
chamber. tires of the same outside
circumference as the old models re-
quire Il wheel smaller than the size
| necessltated by present tires Instead
OF the air pressure running from sixty
to eighty pounds, according to the
! weight of the car and the size Of
| tue tlre, as is the case at present, the
new tires are expected to require
but twenty to twenty-five pounds
| pressure.
The object. of course. is TO provide
| easier riding qualities and at the
| same time to avoid tire bruises and
| pinching and cutting of tubes. IF
| these tires are generally adopted
| wheel sizes may be reduced TO a
range OF twenty to "a inches. This
| is but little larger than the present
| cars.
| The prospects are that the next rad
] zeal change in automobile engineer
/ ing will involve four wheel brakes
wheel makers. therefore. are fgur-
| ing on making a one-piece wheel and
! brake drum in order TO simplify
| parts and at the same time effect
economies of construction. This they
hope will offset the expense of hav-
! ing four brakes instead of two. II
! is predicted today, therefore. that If
| these experiments work out steel
| wheels Will become almost universal
Some of the smaller cars are expert
menting with the new tires and
| brakes, but there are not likely to
! be any wholesale changes in the less
| expensive models until the technical
| problems have been worked out IN
! the heavier and more expensive We
| hicles.
| Labor Problems Still Pressing.
| Industrial employment in Detroit
| today reached the highest point in
( center, with total of $4,000 work
ers, an increase of l,450 in the last
week. The slight check to building
| released some workers. who were at
once absorbed by the automobile
| factories. Officials of the Detroit En-
ployes' Association declare, however.
4 that the peak, in their estimation.
| has nearly been reached.
| The check to building operations
has not brought corresponding
| cessation of demands for increased
| wages from the building trades.
Painters in New York have demanded
$40 day and a five day week. under
penalty of strike next Monday.
| Material prices however, seem steady
at present levels.
| Clothing Workers Make Demand.
As was expected. wage agreements
entailing approximately 10 per cent
increase in Chicago and Rochester u
iclothing workers have been followed
by similar demands among 10000 in
TIE clothing trades here. 1t is prob
able that any strike here will involve
far less than that number. as many
manufacturers make individual agree
mentS with their workers.
The National Association of Manu-
facturers in convention here devoted
their discussions today to production.
but in almost every case, production
problems led right back to questions
iof getting sufficient workers and
and keeping them.
Railroads are putting men to work
! in their repair shops as fast as they
can secure them in an effort to put
engines and freight cars in the best
possible condition to meet harvest de-
mand. which will become acute by
the end of this month