Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-09
In the Motor World
BY G. ADAMS HOWARD.

portions" he declared. 1--WE can
hope that 1t may become evident
in the Fall Prudence suggests,
however, a conservative operation
of our businesses" This, he indi-
Gated. should manifest itself in
efforts to effect greater efficiency
in motor merchandising.
"The depression is proving q
dangerous thing to our business
not only because OF the many
hardShipS 1t imposes, but also be-
cause of wicked and destructive
trade practices which have crept
in as a result of the buyers mar
ket which exists" he declared;
According to Mr.. Macauley,
there is little need for concern
over the ability Of the manufac-
turing division of the industry to-
survive the depression. Our
problem Is to keep our distributor
and dealer organizations strong
enough so that they will emerge
from the depression with unim-
paired vitality. The unexpected
protraction of this depression is
making that object constantly
more difficult"
Volume Sufficient.
Mr.. Macauley added that the
volume of automobile business be-
ing transacted is sufficient to sup
port the industry's merchandising
organizations If all of the sales
were being made on lines OF good
business practice.
Trading of used cars, he assert
ed, is on a deplorable basis be-
cause majority of such vehicles
taken in in trade receive excessive
credits which make impossible
their resale by the dealer at a
profit.
Mr.. Macauley also warned
against commercial bribery OF
chauffeurs-a practice which is
reported on the increase in some
large cities. Unless vigorous
methods are introduced to halt
the spread of this practice, Seri-
Gus menace may result, he warned.
THE remedy for these problems
cannot be achieved by any one
company, but demands the sincere
and earnest cooperation Of the
entire industry" Mr.. Macauley
concluded, "Our industry has al
ways been held UP to the world
as a model of its kind, and under
that deserved reputation it has
prospered nightly"
Oppose Federal Tax.
AS organized motordom Is pre-
pairing to vigorously oppose a Fed
eral tax on gasoline, the District
of Columbia division Of the Amer
lean Automobile Association an
nounced today that tax of cent
per gallon would cost car owners
of the country an additional
$50, 100000 a year.
The statement is based on the
fact that 1871 ,400, 900 gallons OF
gasoline were consumed during
1880.
A Federal tax has been proposed
by some Treasury officials and
members of Congress as a means
of raising funds in view OF the
pending Federal deficit.
With regard to the attitude OF
organized motordom toward the
proposal, a resolution recently
passed by the American Automo-
bile Association is as follows:
Whereas, the motor vehicle Is
today the most heavily taxed
property in this country, the
American Automobile Association
is unalterably opposed to q Fed
eral tax on highway transport,
whether through an excise tax on
motor vehicles, accessories or
parts, or through sales tax on
fuel, or through q license fee for
motor vehicles or drivers"
The increasing public demand
for faster motor cars will be met,
to a large extent, in the future by
automobile bodies modelled more
and more on the principle of air.
plane construction, according to
q bulletin issued here by the
American Research Foundation.
Borrowing From Airplanes.
"Just as automotive designers
have borrowed from airplane
! builders in the use of new light
| weight metals and materials to
| insure greater speed" says the
bulletin, $50 they will take advan-
tage of lessons learned by aircraft
designers in aerodynamicS, by
greater emphasis on streamlines,
and the construction of tenders,
lamps. tops and other projecting
parts to lessen wind resistance.
Since speed is the watchword
! today. the future development Of
all other factors contributing to
an automobiles operation will be
governed accordingly - including
engine construction, cooling, car
buretion, ignition, fabrication and
motor fuIls. Important discover
les have already been made in the
/ direction Of suiting various kinds
of gasoline to the service require
ments of individual cars, and, as
a result, three distinct types have
come into use, the ordinary or reg
ular gasoline, the high compress
sion or anti-knock variety and
the aircraft or high-test type.
From these varieties the car owner
may make the selection best cal
| culated to At the particular needs
Of his car.
Future car construction to re-
duce the element of air resistance
means important savings in fuel
consumption in addition to great
/ " Increased Sueed