The Washington times., 1928-02-01
STRONG LAUDS
CAR MAKERS
d E d. aTRONG


President, Buick Motor Company
OF ali the visitors at the automo-
bile show, few outside the industry
sponsoring the exhibit appreciate
the years OF toll, OF testing. and of
endless experimentation which have
made possible, at prices within the
reach OF all, these luxurious auto
mobile creations OF today. The
automotiye industry stands alone
among all the multifarious indus
tries OF the world, both in the ex-
tent OF this experimenting and in
such aggressive self-fmprovement.
It is considerably easier to sell
q bar OF soap than to sell an auto
mobile. In fact, with the exception
OF a home, the automobile is the
largest single item in the average
family's purchases, and this fact
Is reflected in the care with which
cara are chosen. The size Of the
automobile investment has spurred
competition among the makers Of
motor cars. and thus has been an
important factor in the constant
Improvement witnessed by passing
years.
This same vast difference between
unit values has also necessiated
safeguards against dissatisfaction
with the product, another important
goal of automotive experimentation.
The sale OF an unsatisfactory bar
OF soap is trifling, in its power to-
harm the makes, compared to. an
unsatisfactory sale OF 80 large Al
unit as a motor car. The CORE
spondingly deeper ill.will resulting
from the latter sale may make it
self felt very seriously, and so
manufacturers have willingly under
taken heavy expenditures to insure
satisfaction.
Built ON Failure
Motor cars Of today are literally
built upon failures-not failures OF
the product itself. but failures of
experimental material and designs,
or which the public has known
little or nothing failures in the
laboratory. Only the experimental
men OF our automobile manufacture
ing concerns can appreciate how |
aptly the phrase construction by |
destroying" fits the long tedious
process which has given us our
motor cars. Automobile makers |
have had to maintain constant |
and costly search for the new and
better thing, while at the same !
time producing and marketing the
best of which they were capable at
the moment. All this has gone on
behind the scenes.
The motor car is the largest
trusted to unframed hands. The
steadily learning more about the
use of cars, are really unframed
In their operation or proper main
tenance, and this fact hens in the
manufactures with problems rarely
encountered by workers in other
lines. The safety factor has to
be considered very seriously-those
details OF design. material and
workmanship which will best pro-
mote the welfare of the driver and
the public.
Fool Proof
The manufacturer problem
would be simpler. If, like the loco
motive builder, he were turning out
\ product for use by experts only.
As It is, he must take every pre-
caution to insure satisfactory per-
Torrance, as well as the safety
already mentioned, in the hands Of
persons most OF whom are entirely
lnskilIed in the care and use OF
cars. Cars, unlike locomotives.
must perform on all roads, without
axpert attention between runs,
They must be built to Withstand
abuse as well as legitimate use
10 deliver much more than the
and normal service re-
puired Of other commodities.
Each ensuing year has seen
marked Improvement in motor cars.