davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06

off in high at 40 and over in no time.
Other machines just won't shift If YOU
force them much over 20 in second.
Know Your Cars Capacity.
You should know just what your
car will do. This applies to the brakes
az we'll as to the acceieration and
speed. 1t is important to know
exactly how much power YOU have
with which to stop: otherwise YOU
may overestimate II or underestimate
1t. In event of the former. YOU
may have A collision or at least a
narrow escape which will help to un-
nerve you. If it is the latter. YOU
will not be travelling as fast as YOU
should when YOU have an opportunity.
For instance. you are rushing TO
the hospital with some one who has
been seriously injured There is an
open stretch where YOU can hit so
miles an hour without endangerinR
any one or taking an unnecessary
chance. But you are not sure Just
how far you can go at this speed he
cause there is a sharp turn at the end
of the road where you must slow down
to 20. You lose a little time here
because YOU have not learned by
practice just how effective your
brakes are at high speed
On all the curves you drive slower
than Is necessary. You have seen
other cars turn over on curves but
have not practiced with your machine
long enough to know that because IT
its low center of gra witty you can take
curves at quite high speed
Many Points to Consider.
Then there Is your steering. your
Judgment of distance. your horn blow
ing. and, in particular. your gear
shifting at high speed. Would YOU be
content to wait for the car 10 pick UP
from 20 to 30 in high or would YOU
be clever enough to drop hack into
second and accelerate to 30 In q FASH
High speed requires super-control
of the car, and you cannot acquire
this without intelligent practice
do not recommend burning up the
highways in an effort to become n
master of this type OF driving, but
when YOU have an opportunity to go
fast. try to study conditions with
view 10 becoming thoroughly familiar
with tho peculiar hazards you will
meet when YOU are Obliged to pilot
car imam emergency"
1t gave Smith new slant IN
speed. There was something he had
neglected Some day he might be
called upon to function as a highway
lifesaver, and it became evident 70
him that the driver out of practice in
this line is out of luck
Next Week. No. 178: Unseen Brakes,
tEOnyrtrhf 1907
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
No. III: Hurrying Safely.

wv ShItlN.
1t was not unusual to see Smith
doing a daily dozen of one kind or
another with the car. He was a firm
believer In the value of practice
Usually he was practicing quick
stopping, slow driving in high gear.
quick re-cranking Of the engine, fine
steering. and so on. 1t was all good
business but there seemed 10 be one
feature he overlooked.
That was speed. Never in all the
years ! have known him do | recall
seeing him practice speeding. nor have
l ever heard of him even consider.
ing it.
Some day YOU may have to speed. -
] reminded him. You NAV even have
a police Officer standing on the run
ming board commanding you to go like
the mischief Then what will YOU do?'
Il guess this baby can kick up the
dust when / step on it," he praised
the car.
NO question about what the car
will do" / agreed. I'm thinking
about the driver"
That was something Of a different
hue. He never had considered this
before.
When YOU are forced to get some.
where in the least possible time" 7
went on, ut isn't merely matter Of
pressing on the accelerator as far as
1t will go. "A a matter Of fact, YOU
might have all kinds of difficulty get.
ting the car to reach it's top speed and
run all sorts of risks. And when you
are speeding in an emergency YOU
least can afford to risk your neck.
Safe Driving Is Speediest.
THAT Is where you must use Your
wits. but wits that haven't been kept
sharpened are not so useful. IL YOU
never try to make good time, the
chances are A hundred to one that
when you do have to you are going
to fail from stage fright. You'll he
in strange environment with the
scenery going past like a flash. You
will be taking long chances You
probably will violate the law. and if
you don't wreck the car you'll be
doing well.
"One of the biggest aids to speeding
with safety lies in n quick getaway.
You should know frfm actual drivir q
experience just how quickly YOU can
get the car under way. and YOU
should aim to make IL accelerate as
rapidly as possible. know one
driver who never practiced any Of
this, and when he was forced to step
on the gas in an emergency he kept
running too fast in low and second
when shifting gears. This DELAYED
him a lot. You can run some cars up
10 30 miles an hour in second and ne
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06

That taxes on automobiles, direct
and indirect, had Increased from
$12 900, 900 In 1914 to approximately
$666,000,0 900 in 1925, or more than So
fold. is pointed out by F. f. Moskovics,
president of the Stutz Motor Car Co..
in a plea that road construction should
be commensurate with the taxes the
automobile-using public pays.
OF these taxes more than $3.50 ,000,-
600 is derived through registration
fees and gasoline taxes, the remainder
being secured from Federal excise
taxes, personal property taxes on au-
tomobiles, municipal wheel taxes eff
fective in many cities and other spe.
cial payments.
While taxes have increased to such
gigantic proportions. according TO
Mr.. Moskovics, road mileage has bare
~ doubled. During 1914, he points
out, there were 257 900 miles OF i'm
proved roads In the United States,
whereas now there are about 300
Forward Motoring Public.
The motoring public is in many
respects the most progressive section
of America, Mr.. Moskovics said. s'Its
millions are alert, happy, progressive
and prosperous. Yet this vast public
sleeps peacefully on. While it sleeps
it's rights have been invaded, its
pockets emptied and it's safety denied.
This vast public is the easiest mark
that tax gathering ever found. 1t is
the most tax-ridden class of the mod
ern age. 1t gets very little for the
hundreds of millions of special taxes
laid upon it annually by the States.
counties, cities and Federal Govern
ment.
The giant has grown so fast it
does not know it's strength. In 1914
there We're less than 1000, 900 motor
vehicles in America Now there are
more than $4,000 900 motor vehicles
At the very least two taxpayers and
voters are interested in each motor
vehicle Consequently there are fully
100000 voters who habitually ride
In motor vehicles If this class voted
as a group there is no limit to things
1t could do Yet, right now, this class
Is treated as an insignificant monority
by the legislators of the States and
the Nation. Its rights are ignored
Motorists Bill Grows.
"Ostensiblv the motor car tax
money goes to help build and support
roads. Before 1914 the public con.
sidered roads a necessity. and the en-
tire populace and property supported
them. The motorists share of the
burden in 1924 was but 5 per cent.
Now the motorists pay considerably
more than half the entire bill, which
amounts to about a billion dollars
year, the motorists paying in excess
of $500, 100000 per year for the last
three years
During this crucial period, when
the motor cars increased 10 times and
the taxes on motor cars increased so
times, the improved road milage has
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT FAILS
TO KEEP STEP WITH AUTO TAX
Levy Jumps Over 50-Fold in IL Years
While Road Mileage Has Barely
Doubled, Says Moskovics.

increased but once, or just doubled
During 1914 there were 257. 291 miles
of improved roads in the land. Now
there are about 100000 miles Road
mileage has doubled, cars increased 10
times, and taxes on car owning in
creased so times"
In further discussing this question
he says.
Our road building records sound
splendid until you measure the roads
and the number of cars they will ac-
commodate with safety. We hear
much of 10000 miles of new roadc
completed each year in recent years
Splendid, but how about this? Each
mile of l8-foot road which is the
mileage basis of those 10000 miles of
new road. will accommodate but 200
cars, in two lines moving at % miles
per hour. Each car at this speed
needs so feet of roadway. That means
about 20 feet between each car, on
each line of the douhle-track way
Thus. the 10000 miles of roads will
not accommodate the 2,500,000 annual
increase in motor vehicles. The facts
are actually worse than this. In spite
of 10000 miles of new, improved roads
each year. there are built but 5000
miles of pavement. The other 1000
miles of new road are really sec
ondary roads In .sparsely settled parts
of the land. Where the pavement is
laid the road congestion will be
found. At least 100000 new cars
annually try to get onto the 5000
miles of new pavement that will ac-
commodate but 200, 900 vehicles with
proper safety.
Since 1919 we have had an increas
ing road shortage that In it's accumu-
lation now amounts to mileage
shortage of from 10000 to 10000
miles. measured by the demand. the
increase in cars, and the enormous
motor tax funds annually forced from
the motorists
Vote as Taxed
mo one grudges the tax money If
they only give us roads equal to our
share in road building costs. We do
insist that property and the public
should also support roads.
1.-THE great motoring public will
eventually get the roads for which 1t
has paid, and paid and paid. Our
amiable giant will awake and vote as
1t has been taxed. No one of the in
dustry, no group of the motorists
ever asked to be get up as a special
motoring class. But they have
grouped us among the sheep that can
be led to slaughter without complaint.
They have made of the motoring pub
lie the greatest taxpayer of the land.
In the end they will have to give us
adequate roads. They will do this
just as surely as they have made
special class of the motorists. But
the time when they begin to do this
interests every one who drives a
motor vehicle This road building is
the great safety advance of the next
10 wears"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06

this means to the dealer! He can &C
curately budget his year ahead of
time and know with reasonable GER
tainty how much profit he will make
The new dealer can start business
knowing just how many of his make
of car his territory should absorb and
can finance himself accordingly.
Automobile dealerships have become
a permanent, profitable source of
livelihood and are practically non
speculative Ii the dealer utilizes fac
tory aid. This was not true a few
years ago, but today We know where
yesterday we guessed
Competition has not decrea sed. bur
1t is a different kind of competition.
The fewer companies who now do the
bulk Of automobile business are tho
survivors of the more speculative era
OF competition which we passed
through during the early years of the
industry.
During that earlier period some
very startling automotive creations
appeared In the market to bid for
popularity. In most cases the com
panies which built them have gone
out Of existence. The companies
which are left are the ones which of.
fered only tried and tested products.
thereby building up public good Will
which proved very valuable when the
struggle for recognition became most
keen
Thus we now have in the market
products of manufacturers which. for
the most part, are backed by reputa-
lions OF worth. This means that the
public no longer needs to guess-the
public knows. In the narrowed field
of choice there is a reliable car for
every one backed by a company of un-
questionable stability.
Manufacturers Benefit.
The manufacturers, too. have
profited by this process of elimina.
ton. Each company knows about
what percentage of business II will
get out of the total business for any
particular period.
such factors as these are consid-
cred: General business conditions.
total business the industry will do
during the coming year: percentage
OF such business which the company
can expect: how much of this bust.
ness will come in the Fall, how much
in the Winter and how much In the
Spring and Summer. With this
knowledge at hand, production sched-
ules are arranged and leveleds off TO
meet the demand in the most eco
nomical manner. with the result that
labor turnover is reduced, overhead
is stabilized, car stocks are no more
than adequate and dealers are oper.
ating more efficiently. This knovl.
edge. this certainty. is the most
valuable development the industry
has undergone since it's birth"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
MARYLAND PROPOSES
Minimum SPEED LAWS
Twenty Miles an Hour Is Sug-
gested as Slowest in Bill
Before Legislature.

1t will be Illegal to drive an auto
mobile on a Maryland State road az
less than 20 miles an hour on Satur.
days. Sundays and holidays, if bill
just presented to the Legislature be
comes a law.
The measure, sponsored by John n.
Mackall, State roads commissioner. is
designed to end congestion on the
highways
1t is Mr.. Mackalrs contention that
"it Is not the fast driver who causes
highway accidents.
AS long as a man Is careful al
most any speed is permissible under
certain conditions. The slow driver.
the one who holds up all other users
Of the roads and causes congestion. is
the one chiefly to blame for the
wrecked cars one see along the high
way.
THE present bill takes care only
of Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
because the public is not yet familiar
with the way the minimum speed laws
apply. When it has been in use for
some time, however, / am sure the
people will approve a universal mini
mum speed law. Later the minimum
speed VIII be above 70 miles, perhaps
30. And maximum speed laws will
be entirely eliminated, the only limit
being reasonable care. Reckless driv-
ing should depend upon the circum-
stances at the time, rather than upon
arbitrary laws"
In addition to the Mackall bill. many
other traffic regulations will be pro-
posed to the Legislature. One, de-
feated last session, will seek to pro.
hibit parking autos at the tops of
hills or on curves on State roads. An
other will require full headlights.
One change will govern the right of
way where a State road meets less
important highway 1t is proposed
that the autos on the State road be
given the right of way.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
Did You Know

That If two baskets are used in the
cylinder head to increase the size of
the combustion chamber and reduce
compression, a slight change must be
made in the carburetor adjustment.
The mixture should be made slightly
richer until sufficient carbon has col.
lected to force compression up to nor
NAL again.
That springs should be rearched
after they start to fatten out? The
average car of several years service
does not ride as we'll as of old because
the springs have lost their efficiency.
It will help to remove them and sub
nit them TO the treatment of spring
experts.
That If spare inner tube lis carried
in the car. 1t should he wrapped In
soft paper or preferably cloth? Bal.
loon tubes are more flexible than the
high pressure type. but carrying them
in a box is apt to chafe the folds.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
AGAINST
AUTO INSURANCE BILL
Baltimore Commerce Group OPP
poses Compulsory Act Now
Before State Legislature.

The board of directors of the Balti-
more Association of Commerce has
disapproved the compulsory automo-
bile insurance bill now before the
Legislature. This action followed
report by the legislative committee
of the association which suggested
that Maryland wait until the scheme
was tried out elsewhere.
Recommended ton was made that the
present laws governing automobile
traffic and licensing be enforced more
rigfdly,. or that they be amended, If
necessary, to prevent driving by those
found unfit, either by reason Of in
temperance or disregard of the rights
of others. 1t was suggested that this
be accomplished by providing that in
case of conviction for serious viola
tions of the law the operating permit
be suspended automatically for a
period of a year, and upon conviction
for a second offense 1t be revoked
permanently.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
Balanced Wheels
Reduce Rambling
Noise at Top Speed

Balanced wheels are one of the
most unsung of the newer notes
In motordon. They are designed
to reduce the rumble so notice
able when quiet engines are run
ming at top speed on smooth high
ways.
Wheels can be balanced inherent
~ or by use of a counterweight 1t
usually is a matter of compensat-
ing for the weight of the stem. cap
and dust cap of the tire. A slight
ly larger lug nut used on the side
of the wheel opposite the valve is
one way to achieve balance.
Nine wheels out of 10 will stop
rotating with the tire stem down.
A balanced wheel will stop at any
point. Find the proper counter
balance weight for the front wheels
and apply it to those in the rear.
The latter are difficult to test ac-
curately.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
OF AUTO INDUSTRY
TO BENEFIT BY EXPERIENCE

Lessons learned from the last quar-
ter of a century are being applied to
advantage by leaders in the automo-
tive industry, says E. T. Strong, presi-
dent of the Buick Motor Co, who de-
clares that the era just ahead of the
car manufacturer will be character
lied by certainty instead of specula-
ton.
Eve are better educated than we
were few years ago, when 1t was
necessary for pioneers to sell the
automobile to the public" says Mr..
Strong. I'VE have put behind us the
highly competitive years when 500
companies were scrambling for foot
hold. This number has been reduced
today to less than 10 per, cent of the
original total
we now know that the automo-
bile is an accepted commodity and an
absolute necessity. Under normal
conditions we can depend upon GER
tain amount of business each year
from the replacement market and the
natural increase in population. We
are assured of yearly increase in
registration which is dependent on
what might be termed registration
ratio.
I'm 1917 registrations increased 40
per cent over the previous year. Since
that date the trend in the increase on
a percentage basis has steadily de-
clined. Today the growth in registra-
tions it on a much lower ratio. In
1925 1t amounted to about ID per cent
and each year it is growing smaller.
Auto Market of Future.
This means that we are establish
ing a registration ratio which will
probably amount to a very small per
cent seven or eight years from now,
and which will represent the yearly
increase in registrations based on the
natural increase in population. Add
to that the replacement market. new
owners and the export market and
you have the automobile market of
the future.
We know that each of these fac.
tors, or at least the registration ratio.
replacement and new owner markets
amounts to fairly steady percentage
of total business each year. The ex-
port market is slightly more intangi-
bic, but 1t has not as vet become sta
bilized due to unfortunate conditions
oot pnu' hdtcl we VIII KNOW more dc-
curately what to expect from this
source.
What does this certainty mean?
1t means that the industry is no long
ar shooting in the dark. It means that
the entire industry knows just about
how much business it can expect from
year to year and can arrange its pro-
duction schedules accordingly.
We are now able to level off our
production schedules and divide
production more equally among the
seasons. This is an economy which
Is reflected in the lower priced and
higher quality automobiles from year
to year.
1t is true that dealers can obtain
an expert appraisal of their terri
tories from the factory which tells
them just how much business they
may expect each year. Think of what
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06

Sleep.walking natives and hysterf'
cal cows are the chief enemies of the
motorist In Java who Is forced to do
night driving.
This new note in night-driving diff
fculties was sounded by /. M. Prin-
sen Geerligs of De Locomotief. Sama-
rang, Java, in an address before the
third World Motor Transport Con
gress.
Natives customarily walk with
their merchandise on their heads at
night" said Mr.. Geerligs. They
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
Few Drops of Oil
Stop Grinding of
Steering Wheel

1t pays to keep in mind many Of
the less conspicuous parts of the
car which are not properly lubri-
Gated because they are overlooked
so easily.
One of these, almost invariably
forgotten in the 1ubricating proc
ess, Is the top of the steering gear
post. A few drops of light oil
applied at this point every few
thousand miles will take away that
grinding noise when one tugs at
the wheel as in parking.
Clutch and brake pedal shafts
need little lubricant once in a
while. Neglect causes excessive
wear. resulting in noisy pedal
action.
Don't neglect the windshield sup.
ports and anchors.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
New Features in Spring.

Granted that the automobile shows
will mark the introduction of great
many new features, not all the big
features In design will be revealed
until Spring. Among the headliners
vet to come are low pressure, self
filling hydraulic four-wheel brakes,
paneled tops. fabric bodies, high-speed
motors that run moderately at mod
crate car speeds, single sleeve valve
engine and iolt-proof clutches.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
Officer May Inspect Car.

New traffic regulations in New
York require that any car owner or
operator must permit a policeman.
motor vehicle inspector or other per.
son exercising police powers to inspect
the equipment of his vehicle and make
such tests as may he necessary to
determine whether the law ia being
comDlied with
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
Sleep-Walking Natives and Hysterical
Cows Chief Enemies of Java Motorist

trot pretty fast along the roads. but
they are absolutely asleep. All at
once they appear before your radi-
ator and you are lucky If you escape
running them down.
1T is similarly dangerous with
cows. The Javanese COW is the ami
NAL which pushes the plow and the
wagon. These husky animals have
habit of becoming frightened by head
lights. Then they dash straigt at the
light.
This is very annoying" the speaker
concluded
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
CLUTCH ROCKING AIDS.
Trick Often Helps Car from Mud
or Snow

Use or the clutch to rock" the car
out or mud or snow can be resorted to
occasionally without serious damage.
Often where continuous application
of power will not pull the car out OF a
bad spot in the road rocking mo.
ton. caused by letting the clutch in
and out with rhythmic measure. will
give the necessary traction.
Don't do it except As an experiment.
and II 1t does not work, abandon the
trick at once. Too much of this viii
harm the clutch.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
John Smith and His Car
BY FREDERICK C. RUSSELL

n oris
a cha
exploited
benefit the 2000000O
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06

One of lies tragedies is that the
hate Mr.. Blank fell into that cate
acry while he was trying hard not to.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06

Disc wheels are coming back, if
they ever actually went away. A
greater number of the models at the
National Automobile Show wore
this type of wheel than ever before.
The old objection to this type of
wheel seemed 10 concern itself
chiefly with the noises it kept be-
Meath the car. Now that body and
chassis silence has reached such re-
markable heights, this objection has
been removed.
Friends of the disc declare j, lends
itself to adornment more readily