Evening star., 1936-10-04

SCedQ OF JdHudTy, lIlc uSudl tuilc iiCAC-
tofore. Last year it was in Autumn
largely at the request of President
Roosevelt. who believed it would be
an employment aid at the time most
needed Having experienced one OF
the most successful years in automo-
tive history, with production likely to
run we'll over 100000 for 1886. the
manufacturers and dealers see no
reason to change last years scheme
OF things.
The New York show will be only
few days in advance Of the one here,
and will bring forth for the first time
the newest offerings to public gaze.
At luncheon given by the Show
Committee of the National Automobile
Show at the Union League Club last
week, at which some 40 editors of
automobile columns and motoring pub
locations were guests, cooperative
plans for the forthcoming show in
Grand Central Palace. New York
City, were discussed. Alfred Reeves,
manager of the show and vice presi-
dent and general manager of the
Automobile Manufacturers ASsocia-
tion, made some interesting remarks
relative to the industry generally.
In adopting the slogan, The Pace
maker for American Industry" the
Show Committee means exactly what
it says, Mr.. Reeves brought out. He
reported that dealers are cheerful over
the 1887 outlook; also that the manu-
facturers are equally cheerful and that
the industry is on firm basis, The
idea of holding the show in Novem-
ber instead of January has proved an
unqualified success. 1t did much to
overcome the seasonal character OF
the automobile business and resulted
in a variation of less than six per
cent in employment during the nine
months that followed He mentioned
further that employment has been
stabilized to point where the work
ers are better satisfied, make larger
annual wage and have the assurance
of working steadily rather than suf-
fering the seasonal layoffs of past
years.
A number of those present spoke
most enthusiastically about the pros
pects for the shoW-notably the trailer
exhibit to be held on the fourth floor
Of the Palace.
DR.. H. E. Tabler, chairman OF the
Maryland Roads Commission, has
been appointed chairman of the Com
mittee on Safe Highways that Is being
organized by the American Road
Builders Association, it was an
nounced today by Charles M. Upham,
engineer director of the association.
Governors of 81 States have accepted
Invitations to serve on the committee
and Governors of all other States are
expected to become members or to
designate personal representatives.
The Governors are honorary members.
Advisory members will include heads
or representatives of all national or
ganiZations that are interested in
highway safety.
In announcing the appointment OF
DR.. Tabler as chairman OF the A. r.
3. A. Committee on Safe Highways,
Mr. Upham said:
"Dr. Tabler has been strong ad-
vocate of highway safety since he be-
came chairman of the Maryland Roads
Commission and has been active in
behalf of 'built-in' safety on Mary
lands highways. His experience and
effective work in Maryland will now
be extended to the national highway
safety campaign through the new Or
ganization created by the American
Road Builders Association"
Organization of the A. r. B. A.
Committee on Safe Highways is the
first national effort that has been un-
dertaken for the elimination of motor
vehicle traffic hazards due to I'M
proper and inadequate highway con-
struction.
The Committee on Safe Highways
will make its first report at the 1887
convention and exhibit of the Ameri-
can Road Builders Association in New
Orleans during the week of next
January IL.
BY an overwhelming vote, in some
parts of the State as high as 8 to l,
the people of Maine at the State
wide election passed a referendum
bill strictly prohibiting diversion Of
highway funds to other uses.
Passage of this bill makes Maine
the fourth State to take legal meas
ures to protect highway funds Mis-
souri,, Minnesota and Colorado al
ready having prohibited diversion of
highway funds through constitutional
amendments. A petition now being
circulated in Massachusetts,, if sue
cessful, similarly will protect that
States road money from raids.
British motorists appear to be as
keenly incensed as are American
motorists over the practice of using
automotive tax revenues for purposes
other than highway financing. While
in this country the practice politely is
called diversion" the British view it
as "flching"
The British motorists magazine
The Autocar in a recent issue points
out that despite the assurances
of chancellors of the exchequer that
revenue from automotive taxes would
be used exclusively for highway
financing. motorists now are paying
about f80,OOoOOO 100000, ,ooo)
year ir taxes for roads. but only
about f26,000,O0O ($130, 600, ,0o0) actu-
ally is being spent on roads. The
magazine adds that, while traffic con-
gestion has increased so per cent on
first and second class roads in 10
years, road mileage has been in
creased only about II per cent.
Similar to the American situation
also is the revelation that, while
motorists have been paying for roads
and the money has been used for
other purposes, regulation after reg
ulation has been introduced in an
effort to reduce the appalling toll Of
road accidents, yet apparently the
authorities cannot realise that the
fault lies not with the motorists, but
with the roads. which are totally in