Evening star., 1950-02-19

Photographs OF Show Committee on
Page F-5
competing for sales In what is
now buyers market. The ex-
hibits include various models of
10 American cars as we'll as eight
Of foreign make.
Prospective purchasers inspected
the latest in wide-seated interiors
and eXteriors, which are smooth,
sleek and cleaning with chrom-
ium. They saw, or had explained
to them, the newest simplifica-
tions in devices ranging from
transmissions to door latches.
40 Exhibitors in Show.
Forty exhibitors in all are repre-
sented. In addition to the cars
there are accessories and gadgets.
The cars and accessories are
shown against scenes that are en-
tlrely local. There are two 30 by
100 foot canvas drops, one show
ing the Lincoln Memorial, the
other Jefferson Memorial. There
us a 40-foot reproduction of the
Washington Monument.
Entertainment Is provided for
the ear as well as the eye. Three
times daily there is singing by
Miss Frances Langford, star of
MGM and musical comedy, and
Miss Connee Boswell, star of
radio, screen and stage.
The current display shows the
advances made by the automobile
industry since 1940-or, more ex-
actly. since the war. In l94l the
industry was converting to pro-
duction for defense.
'49 Production Over 6 Million.
Last year 6,238,OS8 passenger
cars were produced and makers
now are counting buyers as some
price reductions in recent months
testify. How far the industry has
come in mid-century is indicated
by a comparison of 6 million pro-
duction figure with a total output
in 1900 of 4,192 cars.
The 1910 show displayed 16
makes of cars but no foreign
makes. Shadows of the war in
Europe, soon to involve the United
States, lay across that show. The
largest exhibit was by the District
National Guard, a new type of
anti-aircraft gun. and outside the
stadium guard searchlights swept
the still peaceful skies.
In 1910 the Washington Auto
motive Trade Association looked
forward to selling $4,000 new pas
senger cars. In 1949 sales in the
District totaled 32,163.
Emerson Heads Committee.
The committee for the present
show is composed of William H
Emerson, president exofficio; Fred
l.. Haller, secretary exoficio; j
Melford Sanders, chairman; Philip
'Lustine, A. Leftwich Sinclair, jr.:
Frank G. Stewart, C. T. Lindsey
and S. H. Vuncannon.
Richard Murphy, president OF
the WATA, is manager of the
show. He had been associated
with every show the association
has staged, including the first one
in 1918. There were shows before
World War I, but not under the
sponsorship of the association.
| Show visitors may submit to 9
number of testing devices for driv.
ers at the American Automobile
Association display. These de-
vices test the drivers ability tt
judge distances, his perception Of
colors, his field of vision-how fal
he can see to the side-his ability
to see under dim illumination and
also while facing a glaring light
and the time of his reaction be-
tween perception of danger and
putting on the brake.
The AAA also recalls old times
with the display of 1907 Brush
roadster coupe.
| Tickets for the show are avail
able at the Armory entrance. Ad-
mission is 40 cents up to pm, &c
cents thereafter, with the excep-
tion that the 80-cent price rules
all day today.
Mr.. Murphy estimates that the
attendance for the eight show
days will run between 10000 and
$4,000 persons.