Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-02-21

and so strong that whenever there is
a problem to be solved, whether it
concerns safety, legislation, taxation,
or Whatnot, car owners will have the
power, through their own organiza-
ton. to obtain justice Immediately.
When we entertain visions of this
sort it is well to be reminded that as
early as December 9, 1902, a resoIu-
ton endorsing a Federal aid road
building bill was moved AMI adopted.
They were thinking far ahead in
those days, and there is no reason
why we should not be looking still
farther ahead today.
Building for the future means ac-
cepting temporary defeat or re-
verses cheerfully, taking them as les
sons Tor the future. Nowadays we
permit our most optimistic business
prophets to predict production of
five millions passenger cars for the
coming year and then talk about
hard times if for any reason the
industry falls a few thousand be-
| hind the mark. Yet in 1903 the in
dustry manufactured but IL 900 cars
as against predicted sale Of $4,000.
This was a setback to the A. A. A.,
too, but the pioneer organizers were
undaunted.
Big Things in Old Days
The history of the A. A. A. is
crammed full Of the enthusiasm and
practical vision of pioneer motorists.
There was the memorable tour from
New York to st. Louis in the amaz-
ingly short interval of fifteen days.
This resulted in a deficit of nearly
$1,000; but no one but the pioneers
who made this trip or who watched it
with intense interest back at the au-
tomobile factories can appreciate
what it meant to the further progress
of motoring in America.
AS far back as April 5, 1911. A. G..
Batchelder succeeded in motoring
across the continent. 1t meant to
motoring what the self starter meant
to the development Of the automobile
itself.
Later there were the Vanderbilt
Cup Races. notable events in the his
tory of the automobile, because they
were the foundation Of many of the
comforts and convenienccs which the
average driver enjoys today when
he steps on the gas. The rulings set
forth by the A. A. A.. for instance,
rapidly encouraged the manufacture
Of faster, sturdier and finer stock
models.
Just as quantity production of
lower priced automobiles helped to
build gigantic manufacturing enter
prises that now give motordom the
financial strength 10 undertake new
models and finer cars so did auto
mobile racing enable the A. A. A. to
come into possession of funds that
were to furnish the basis of a stu
greater investment in organization
activities on behalf of the car owner.
Many Of the memories that the
twenty fifth anniversary Of the in
dustry bring to mind also recall SINH
| lar circumstances in the ranks of the
organized car owner. The industry
| had its serious setback during 1920
and 1921, but 1922 was to show en-
couraging Improvement and 1928 was
to reveal an unprecedented demand
| for cars that may even be surpassed
in 1925.
The parallel set -back and come
back in the history OF the A. A. A.
was the split in the ranks two years
ago, the formation of the n. NJ. "A. and
the great consolidation of the two
national organizations effected last
last spring.
The industry's off years are those
vision of a greater and better motor
| lied America, and it is very much the
same with the, national utilization of
the six hundred leading automobile
clubs. They progress when their
leaders. as we'll as their individual
members, are looking ahead.
The next twenty-five years in the
industry's progress, and the CORE
spending. period in that of the A. A.
A., will rest with the motoring enthu-
siasts of today. IL we have the vision
great things will come to pass-in my
opinion, greater advances than the
whole of motordom mas ever before
achieved.
Motordom, It's industry and its in
dividuals, should rise to great heights
OF satisfaction, economy and safety
because 1t has a flying start If the
pioneers could give US what we have
today then surely we who have no
such staggering inertia to overcome
should be able to push m0tordom up
to a plane that will mark advances
| worthy of celebration on motord0m's
next jubilee-the Golden one.