Evening star., 1936-10-18

disease. Motorists and pedestrians
alike must do all in their power against
this national evil.
Evidence that the highway safety
consciousness of the Nation is quick
ening at an unprecedented rate, re-
fiected in the widespread interest in
driver tests and driver training, was
viewed today by the American Auto
mobile Association as a most signifl-
cant development in the long CAM
paign for a greater degree of safety
on the highways.
This new evidence Of desire on
the part of motorists to improve their
driving habits" said Thomas P. Henry,
president of the A. A. A.. lis two-fold
in character. 1t is found in the thous-
ands who have voluntarily taken tests
of their driver adaptability and flt-
ness through the battery of scientific
testing devices now on a swing through
the country 1t is also found in the
community interest in the establish
ment of driver training courses in high
schools, which promises to be the most
advanced step yet taken toward better
driving in the future"
Motorists in Chicago, Washington,
New York, Philadelphia. Providence,
r. l.; Holyoke, Mass, and Chambers
burg, Pa, have already shown a high
degree of interest in the practical
driver tests, in which the operators
of vehicels show reaction to condi-
tions frequently encountered on streets
and highways. From Chambersburg
the testing equipment, which is trans
ported in specially-built vehicles, will
swing through Allentown, Pa; Bing-
hamton. N. Y; Portsmouth, Ohio;
Fort Wayne, Ind. and Detroit, Mich.
In the latter city the testing de-
vices will be featured throughout the
Detroit automobile show and during
the thirty-fourth annual convention
of the American Automobile Associa-
ton, November 20 and 81.
During the past 10 days there has
been quite a rush of applicants for
space at the national automobile show.
which opens Armistice day. November
IL, in Grand Central Palace, New
York. These include number OF ac-
cessory concerns and several new
makes of cabin trailers (also known
as land yachts" and other recently
coined names). With an extra floor
available this season the show WILL
be much larger than that of a year
ago, the fourth floor being devoted to
these new trailers for the most part.
Practically all of the exhibition space
has been allotted and the Show Com
mittee and Manager Alfred Reeves
are assured by exhibitors that many
new features will be offered.
Present reports indicate that while
the 1887 passenger cars will not differ
@ great deal in silhouette and general
appearance from this years lines. 1t
Is positively q promise that in their
new dress the cars will outperform
anything previously exhibited among
the makes turned out in large pro-
duction. For several years the trend
has been toward cars with more
power in proportion to weight, for
that is what tells in general perform
hnce and especially rapid accelera-
tion, which Is so much in demand.
Some of the new offerings will have
more power than their 1886 coun-
terparts, but there is perhaps more
tendency to decrease the weight,
which is another way, of course, OF
increasing the power and one which
tends also toward economy.
At least one large car Is reported
rs being $50 pounds lighter than its
predecessor, and some companies are
doing their utmost to reduce weight,
even though there is still considerable
tendency to make the car, as whole,
larger and more roomy. Lighter ma
terials are being used, and every ef-
fort made to eliminate weight where
1t is not needed. This is what the
engineer calls "disposing the metal
to better advantage" In other words,
putting it where it is needed for
strength and reducing where strength
IS more than already required. One
way of accomplishing this, for ex-
ample, is in the case of the frame
of a car, where the use of boxed
section made from light pressed steel
welded at the joints is employed. This
often adds to strength, though actually
saving weight
Smartness in appearance Is certain
10 be expected in the new models. An
example is the use on some makes
of rubber covers for running boards,
tinted to match the body instead of
being in conventional black or gray.
Roominess in body will be increased
In many instances as much as S or 6
inches in width, while interior height
has been increased by dropping the
floor and without shortening the
height of the car.
At the trailer display on the fourth
floor Of the National Automobile Show
many advance designs are promised.
Some Is leading makers will exhibit,
making a concerted effort to show
New York and the East that the
modern trailer Is far ahead of the
models of yesterday, either factory
constructed or homemade. Not only
are hundreds of thousands of trailers
being used for cottages and cabins,
but for many other purposes as well
Motion picture players use them as
portable dressing rooms, political cam
paigners as travelling ballyhoo head
quarters, evangelists have made them
into churches complete with pulpit
and organ for outdoor services; COM
mercial companies use them extern
sively as advertising media and fo>
travelling exhibitions. Shows and cir
cuses also have taken up the trailer.
In their 1897 finish. streamlining,
sleek appearance and convenient,
beautifully-designed interiors are no.
table.
Some of the trailers to be dis
played at the show are veritable pal
aces on wheels. Visitors may not be
surprised If they see a few of these
attractive cabins with built-in bath
tubs: other features include faucets
which may be connected on the OUT
side to the city water lines so as to