Evening star., 1928-05-06
In the Motor World
BY q. ADAMS HOWARD.

GUS game. Manly lItlG yOuHEStSIS
have lost their lives i'll supplying
this "crucible" for the testing of
materials, design and construction
TO the engineering fraternity of tie
automotive industry. That racing
has served useful purpose In eX-
posing weaknesses in design and
construction, there is no doubt.
The boys who have died have in a
sense been martyrs of progress.
Yet we cannot help thinking that
Frank Lockhart'S death was need
less. At best he could have hoped
to shave only trif1e from the
recently established records.
The logical procedure would
have been a long period of expert
mentation. changes in design and
possibly reconstruction OF Lock
hart's car, so that he could have
undertaken a trial against time
with the hope of making an im-
portant contribution to the long
campaign against time, The clip
ping of seconds of speed record
is purely a stunt, the lowering OF
the record by minutes marks inl-
portant advances in many direc-
tionS that are significant to the
engineering division of the in
duStry.
we lay a wreath on the grave
of brave. young Frank Lockhart.
a martyr in the war on time"
The stand of the trade paper is
we'll taken. Clipping off seconds
is not to be compared with clip
ping off years of life.
New Insurance Plan.
A new form of insurance policy
that gives the motoriSt better
financial iIotCGtiLn against the
loss of his car by fire, theft. tor
nado or other hazard, at a lesser
cost. is being adopted in New
York and should prove of interest
at least to motorists here. The
new form states IN part:
In view of the more than four
teen billion dollars worth Of cars
on the road" says the company,
THE Importance 10 he motoring
public of an improved torm of in
Surance to safeguard their huge
investment is obvious.
Until recently 1t was possible
to insure an automobile owner
against the loss of his car only
for a stated sum usually from
so TO IS per cent of the cost
which was, of course, subject TO
settlement on the basis Of the de-
probation that had been expert
enced up to the time the loss oc-
Cured.
This arrangement, while log
ical enough. has often caused dis
satisfaction on the part of the
owner losing his machine. because
the average claimant does not
read his contract and is under the
impression that he is entitled to
recover the face value of mis-
policy even though his claim de-
velopeS months after the insur-
ance was written.
1.-The new form. now in growing
use, mentions no Speciflc amount
of insurance but deals with actual
value and covers the motorist for
exactly the amount his vehicle is
worth at the time of loss. due
consideration being given 10 the
condition of the car by reason OF
the carefulnesS FOR careleSsneSSl |
Of the owner. reconditioning or |
repainting. and also To the mile |
age travelled. freedom from dam |
age by accident. ard other FAC
tors in the situation.
The car of a salesman which
is operated day in and day out, in
all kinds of weather, Is plainly
not worth as much, after several
months of use, as the car OF the
same make and year that spends
most of its time sheltered in The
garage.
"In the circumstance, the new
indemnity contract is one having
special interest for the man who
does not abuse his car. rather
than for the needless driver who
gives little thought to the appear
ance and general condition of his
machine.
incidentally, the new form also
affords the motorist a saving IN
the cost of his car insurance be-
cause 1t makes possible premium
computed on an average value
prevailing during the term Of the
policy instead OF on the basis of
original cost. Each year there is
a natural, progressive decline in
value, up TO the fifth year, after
which most cars are uninsurable."