Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-07
AUTO SHOW CROWDS.
DANISH DEPRESSION
Price Raise Is Considered
Fairly Made Gesture
Toward Stability.
BY G. ADAMS HOWARD,

BY G. ADAMS HOWARD,
Automobile Editor of The Star.
NEW YORK, January 7.-All thoughts
of pending depression in automotive
interests were banished, temporarily al
least, by record breaking crowds at the
thirieth annual National Automobile
Show, which opened Saturday at the
Grand Central Palace here. Since re-
Stunning its sessions yesterday after a
short recess Sunday, attendance rec
| trend. Oficials of the show and ex-
hibitors have unanimously expressed
! their optimism over the general out
| look Of conditions in the industry for
| 1880 by the enthusiasm so clearly mani
fest.
Many Sign Orders.
Concrete evidence Of the approval
registered by the visitors-evidence dear
! to the hearts of the salesmen-is the
signing of orders for the various makes
| and models on display. A slight price
| raise, noted among the products OF
many manufacturers, appears to nave
been accepted as gesture fairly made
| In an effort to stabilize certain branches
of the industry which in recent years
have suffered considerably, due to mass
production and price shaving. 1t ap-
{ pears certain that the present interest
will continue through Saturday night.
when King Auto relinquisheS MS new
| York palace and moves on 10 other
cities with new armies Of spectators 10
! conquer.
Attendance at the show this year Is
marked by the morning and early att
ernoon throngs. Heretofore Sucn hours
were somewhat slow and the gatherings
rather smcil True, good weather has
i, prevailed, but those knowing the me-
| tropolis are of the belief that climate
| conditions are less affective in New
York than in other urban centers.
Appeal to Eye Brought Out.
AS prophesied, the appeal to the eye
has been carefully brought out among
many other refinementS. Increased pow
er Is another outstanding feature. end
the slogan, More Power to YOU, mas
been oficiaily adopted. This slogan is
no idle iest-it is a fact Cars of all
makes, cars in all price fields have
carried out this development. Yet, de-
| spite the increased power Of the models,
! it is positively asserted that the cost
of upkeep will be lowered rather than
| increased. To substantiate this SEEM
| ing anachronism, the manufacturers
| point out that the many improvements
and easier accessibility will more than
overcome added bills for gasoline and
oil. Particularly the manufacturers
have reference to ordinary service and
repair charges.
Fights Take Ascendency.
It is stated at the show that this
year will go down in history as the year
in which the eight-cylinder model went
into aScendency and wrested first place
| from the six in motor car manufacture.
| Sixteen years 1t has taken the. eight
cylinder contingency to put the popular
six in second position, longer than 1t
took the six to outstrip the four. Singu-
larry enough, it is said, it is the swing
ing over to Fights by heretofore strong
advocates of the six which is largely
responsible for the new order.
Only Two Fours in Show.
The fours are rapidly dwindling, only
| two being displayed. but, curiously
enough, it is six that is the lowest
\ priced. Incidentally, a European car
tops the price list at $l9,5o0, and an
American six holds up the other ex-
IRENE at $4S5 I. o. b. factory.
Great interest is found at the STAN OF
the new 16-cylinder car, where one
closed job is exhibited. Taking away
| soft, expensive rugs, etc, the car is
| placed at $500 +. o. b. factory. This
! Is, the Cadillac, V-type, will not be
ready for distribution for several months
and then only small number will be
in production. The car of that make
and name will be continued as an eight
as usual This particular car has only
been manufactured in multiples Of four &;
skipping from four to eight and then
| to sixteen cylinders. It Is made for
American buyers to choose instead Of
some Of the European cars of high
prices.
Straight Fights Predominant.
| Among the Fights, the straights pre-
i dominate Twenty-Five makers, or 80
| per cent Of the total favoring the all-in-
| line type. OF the IL new Fights this
season. 10 are straights. The brand
new Fights uncovered this week include
Hudson, Nash, Dodge, Oakland, De Soto,
Peerless, Pierce Arrow, Marmon, Viking,
| Hupmobile, Jordan and the front-driven
cars, Cord and Ruxton. While several
Of these cars have had Fights before, the
designs this year are entirely new.
| In the front-wheel-drive cars, some
thing new Is shown in the way Of locat-
ing the gearshift lever. Instead Of the
usual vertical lever there is an unique
horizontal hand grip on the instrument
panel.
Stripped and cut away chassis are not
as numerous as of old, but in many
cases are more striking and interesting
Lighting effects are variegated this year
and many new departures are noted
especially in some closed cars
Colors in the majority of the models
are somewhat subdued, although there
are extremes. Wire wheels abound ir
attractive hues. Open and sport car:
furnish many contrasts. Hoods are
considerably longer, sometimes more
narrow, but not as a general average
Radiators follow last years trend, al
though in many instances they seen
nearer the ground and more narrow al
the top, with more and more stream
line effects. Radiator caps are larger
in circumference, but as a rule FIRE,
from ornaments, Arrangement OF spare
tires are mostly universal, whether OF
the side or at the back. Trunks pre-
dominate as standard equipment.
Many Cars Have Radios.
Accessory and shop exhibits are o
interest, but to the mechanical mint
only, as a rule. Safety devices To-
windshields predominant. Radios art
to be found in many cars. Wheel base
have not yet taken decided trend Il
help the parking problem.
The Washington delegation, heade,
by Rudolph Jose, head of the loca
show, attended the exhibit with a rec
ord membership of the Automotiv,
Trade Association. 1t Is their concep
ton that the show of the National Cap
ital will be UP to all standards and