Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-25

, CT the general march Of progress and
no longer need be eulogized.
Motordom somehow refuses to count
its tangible assets, always preferring to
figure up the future improvements
which the engineering profession owes it.
Little resigned as chief engineer Of
leading car mandatory to devote his
time to more intensive invention. War
ner is bringing about actual revolutions
in automobiles through all manner OF
transmissions and coasting devices, de-
spite the fact that the conventional
gear set has been so far ahead of the
clumsy gears of yesterday as to seem
like perfection itself.
So rapidly does the public accept
new developments that no eight-cylin-
der engine seems unusual. In fact,
twice this number of cylinders is ac-
cepted as part of the pageantry OF
progress. The motorist admires but
considers nothing as ultimate.
If enc of the leading manufacturers
were to announce quantity production
on a Diesel-powered passenger car, the
motoring public probably wouldn't lift
an eyebrow. Diesel towering has come
to be viewed as an actuality in the
minds of many motorists That the
actual production may not come to
pass for another couple of years means
little.
Attitude Clearly Shown.
This attitude was clearly demon
strated by the public reception of front
drive. When cars so constructed started
rolling off the assembly line there were
many to place orders without bother1ng
to take demonstrations. Buyers seemed
to know all about front drive in adj
vance of its actual American introduc-
ton.
Before any new development is put
into production there is widespread dis
cusSion of it in conversation as well as
in print. For several years there has
been talk of cars finished in luminous
paint so as to lessen the need for night
illumination of cars. Collision-proof
cars have been visualiZed, even demon
strated When they can be bought at
so much down and the rest in IL in
stallmentS you won't hear anything
more about them. They will be as COM
monplace as four wheel brakes or
lacquer.
The public INDUCES in so many
dreams of future developments 1t often
is blind to the fact that these dreams
have come true. For years many people
have been saying that headlights ought
to swing with the steering wheels, so
that in turning corners at night the
path directly in front of the car would
always be illuminated. Not many OF
them realize that just such an improve
ment can be added to any car at q
modest cost.
Double clutching," that difficult
trick in gear shifting, need not be used
on many of the newer models, yet there
has been no celebration of the fact
The progressive motoriSt is always sew
eral years ahead in his ideas OF what
constitutes a perfect automobile, and
it is apparent that for some years he
has pictured the convenience of being
able to shift straight from high to
second on a downgrade without any
special tricks with the clutch and &C
celerator.
Electric brakes are being demon
strated. as are automatic tranSmiSsions
and carburetorless fuel systems. The
moment the motorist learns that such
dreams have come true he takes them
for granted and falls to further day.
dreaming He may seem to be blase,
but he is something far more signifi-
can't
He's a dreamer of progress.
Copyright, 1881. by the Russell serVice)