Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-26
HITS SPEED BOAST
MADE BY SALESMAN
Director Approves ResoIu-
tons Condemning Forms
of Auto Advertising.

Further Endorsement Of The rcSolu-
tons passed recently by the Eastern con-
ference OF motor vehicle administrators
condemning the overemphaSis placed on
speed by certain automobile advertisers
comes from Fl. II. Brooks. general sales
director Of we'll known motor
company.
Mr.. Brooks agrees with those who
framed the resolutions that sales
argument based mainly on speed may
not unreasonably have the effect Of
encouraging on the part Of the auto
mobile purchaser a tendency to chal-
lcnge the manufacturer assertions.
and to drive his car at a speed far in
excess Of the legal limit and at the
risk of human life.
Laboratory Tests Necessary.
Such laboratory tests as are con-
Quoted at the Indianapolis Speedway
or at Daytona," said Mr. Brooks. are
essential from an engineering stand
point, for only IN this way can defects
in mechanism be detected We have
learned q good deal about engines.
tires strains and stresses and vibra-
tions by means Of such tests. and while
see the checkered flag wave victory ia
his car in the 500-mile Memorial day
classic. such race Is not an end in
itself but merely q means TO an end
IN TACT. the losing cars may profit more
from the experience than the winner
III Is, OF course, reassuring to know
mat the car one purchases is a fast
one and capable of doing its 80 miles
an hour on the open road. IF every
road were a speedway nobody could
De blamed for opening up a bit and
burning up the highway.
Unfortunately, however. autolnotive
engineering has got rather ahead Of its
time. Road building, has failed To keep
pace with motor car production and de-
Veiopmert, and until The traffic lanes
are Wldened and grade separations are
more general. speeding through The
countryside Is cut Of the question and
should be discouraged by every rep,l-
table manufacturer
Cites Offending Manufacturer.
1T is only the saort-siehted manu-
iacturer m matter what may be the
merits or the speed possibilities OF his
car. VINO will deliberately encourage
reckless driving and those who NAV
may nave done SO with no evil inten-
tons
Every accident, every death only jeop-
ardizes the automobile industry. and
the wise manufacturer would refuse to
sell car to speed fend who could al
most be counted on to end up in a
crash. III accidents could be reduced ia
zero the use of the automobile would
De multiplied a hundredfold and the
manufacturing business would be stimu-
lated accordingly.
EVERY motor car manufacturer ought
10 constitute himself a member of a
committee Of public safety and do all
IN his power TO reduce the number OF
highway accidents.
Speed Natural In High Powered Car.
Speed is taken for granted in a
nign- powered car. for the various makes
on the market today represent a sur
Fival OF the fittest and engineering
triumph
The purchaser of a car. however
buys, first of all, transportation. and
the value OF his buy Is measured bv
the economy of that transportation
Some purchasers may prefer to sacri-
nee economy for luxury and style, and
thus the manufacturer must cater 10 a
variety Of tastes.
Why not concede, then, that all au-
tomobiles are speedy and advertise a cal
on its many other merits? Dependa
bility, In the long run, Is the quality
most sought after by the purchaser"