The Washington times., 1929-04-10

This method of meeting the mo.
toring public first in the massed
centers of population and then
spreading throughout the entire
country. is typical OF the tactics Of
the successful conquests wagcd by
those early courageous pioneers from
whom the new car has taken its
name-the Vikings
H. 'tCt the many points of similar
ity between the tictory of the Vik-
ings' and the deN eiOpment and char
acteristics of the new Viking auto
mobile formed the deciding lactor
in the choice Of the name Viking
over more than 100 other names
which were considered by Olsmobile
and General Motors officials.
Before Columbus
History contains no pages of more
hard fought conquests than those
which chronicle those early centur-
les, dating back before the Christian
era when tn Vikings ruled from
their Northland fastness.
These Mortimer conquered part
of Gaul and Britain while Rome
looked on impotently. Their armies
swarmed over what is now cent? !.
Europe and they penetrated over
half of Russia They won their way
through Spain and along the Medl'
terranean and braved the formida-
BILE Atlantic, discovering Greenland
in 985 A. ID. Then, under the leader
ship OF Left Ericsson they reached
Iceland and +he American continent
nearly 500 years before Columbus
was born. For more than II CEN
turies these vi ings were truly mas
ters of seas and the leaders in many
of the lands to which they 1mml-
grated.
Not only were they noted for
their daring and prowess, but also
for their high type OF civilization.
That they were superior to all their
contemporaries in ship building IS
manifested by their exploits. They
also were highly proficient in weav'
ing, metal working arts and similar
crafts, as are proven by antiquities
of wearing apparel, Ga-asscenec
swords, ringed coats of mail and
costly and artistic adornments of
gold and silver now valued eX-
hibits in museums.
Had Equal Rights
The government of the Vikings
Indicated a high degree of intelii-
~ ace anad moral ethics. They had
Iaws comparable to those of the
~ esent time which covered prop.
erty rights. rules of inheritance. age
of ma jority guardianship and mar
riage. Women were accorded equal
rights with men in many respects.
And in hte realm of literature
the Viking bequeathed to posterity
a marvellous record which gives a
minute and comprehensive account
of the lives of the Mortimer. These
SaGas were written on parchment
and many of these have been re-
covered in Iceland where they had
reposed in cabins for centuries.
Even without some of these writ.
ten records the daring travels and
conquests of the Vikings through
lands and over continents can be
traced through relics left by the
Mortimer and discovered in later
years when the visits of the Vik-
ings had become legendary.
Such a super-race as were the
Vikings was not an accident of
nature. Instead it was the result
Of selectiVity based upon the age
old law of the survival of the
fittest. The Viking child faced this
rigid law from birth. If signs of
weakness developed the child was
exposed to die-there could be no
Viking weaklings. This drastic
custom preserved the best and con
tributed to the strength and superb
ority of the race.
Trained as Leaders
From earliest childhood the Nik-
ing boy was reared to become a
leader, First and foremost in his
early life were athletic exercises
swimming, running, climbing, wres-
tling, archery and snow-shoe con-
tests. Through it all he was trainCd d
to a Spartan demeanor in facing
hardships Courage and the will.
TODD were cultivated. Thus were
Conquerors reared.
This rigid adherence to the law
of the survival of the fittest has
a prototype in the methods used in
the development of the Viking auto,
mobile. Ideas--the brain children
of the engineers-were given an
equal chance at the start but were
ruthlessly discarded when a weak
ness developed. Those which sue
cessfully passed the tests were de
veloped. even as the Viking youth
was developed by his games and
exercises.
This development period paralleleG
a series OF elimination contests tc
discover the champion. Metal was
p;tted against metal to determine
~ b inh Mas tho hnttnr. fnt. tho aslc