THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1932.
THE CHINA MAIL.
PAGEAN
XAM THE MOTORISTS' PAGE
Dramatic Adventure In Scientific Work
Edison's Search for New Rubber
Plant
STORY OF “GOLDENROD”
BY HARVEY S. FIRESTONE (Vice-President, The Firestone Tyre
and Rubber Co.)
THE WIZARD CONTROL.
Great Development
of This Year.
Saving the average motorist hun- dreds of applications of the clutch pedal in the course of a day's driv- ing. Buick's sensational automatic clutch, the leading feature of Wizard Control, is bringing forth entha- ciastic commendations from all parts of the world, according to raports received in Shanghai.
Economic Readjustment In Car Industry
Manufacturers Intent On Lowering Prices
GREATER VALUES APPARENT
the
Characterising the present econo-, nearer home, from the body manu: mic readjustment as the greatest facturer's standpoint, are the many since the dawn of the automotive body advancements in these new jera, William A. Fisher, president of lines of cars. The driver can also go into free emerging the greatest values ever the effort to give more for
Fisher Body Corp., says from it are "Here again it will be found that There has perhaps never been a more drama-wheeling and out of it without ue- favouring automobile buyers. In money has dictated every change. tic adventure in scientific research than the one in the clutch pedal, the automa- spite of all the adversities which the Fisher bodies, for instance, incor- tic clutch giving instant control readjustment has imposed,, the porate dozens of improvements this which the late Thomas A. Edison engaged during
of both free wheeling and conven- buyer, in Fisher's own words, is year. There is the new adjustable finally "getting & break." His interior glare-shield, replacing the the last six years of his life. He was seeking a
views, directed to the industry and outside fixed visor; newly designed plant that could be grown and harvested in the "A test run covered 232 miles business in general, follow; and refined body hardware; better United States which would be capable of produc- and included every type of driving
"Probably there has never been upholstery, insulation and ventila- ing rubber in practical quantities. The story of the average motorist encounter what he accomplished forms a vital chapter in the country, suburban and city," Mr. P. great economic struggle resulting from the British Anderson of Messrs. Anderson of scheme to restrict the exportation of rubber from Ferraggairo said. "The results her colonies in the Far East for the purpose of creating artificially high prices.
tional drive.
time when value meant so much tion; new refinements of the door when manufacturers, not only of locks, seat regulators, window Automobiles, but of every other mechanisms, to name the more con- commodity, were going quite an far crete examples.
"And finally, there is style. An in their effort to raise quality and lower price. They had to do it, of intangible thing at best, and diffi- were surprising, even to experienc-course." Persons forced to readjust cult to define; but a thing which ed motorists. They showed that their spending to keep within re-a car either has or has not, and a the number of clutch operations įduced incomes are buying only for thing we have stressed at all times. reached a grand total of 848. This their needs, and applying their Always an important factor, style means that the clutch was disen-measures of value more strictly than means more now than ever, per- gaged 848 times and g48 times in a distance of less than seriously affected are regarding the keeping his car longer than here re-engaged ever before.. And even those less haps, because the average buyer is 250 miles.
dictates of good taste, avoiding the tofore. And it is reasonable to sup- "A hundred miles of the drive display of wealth which expresses pose that he is going to select the Rubber.". By that time his cam- had been a prodigious worker in the was over highways, with 24 stops itself in "awank," and employing car which-all other factors being paign against the British rubber realm of the unknown, toiling by at cross-roads. During this part some of their plenty, at least, to equal stands the best chance of restriction plan. had fully aroused day and into the long hours of the of the drive the clutch was used ward relief work of some sort. the people of the United States to night to solve the mystifying pro-96 times.
(looking up-to-date among the care "It was into a greatly changed of the year after next..
A Mighty Force.
you will see how inspiring to every When Mr. Edison took up the man was his sudden appearance in cause in 1925, a mighty force had this field of industrial battle. He rallied to my father's call. "Amer was then in the seventy-ninth year icans Should Produce Their Own of his life. Since early boyhood, he
lean car owners.
Economic Independence.
#
plant
It had occurred to that if found which .would rubber
in
eagerness and
economic
the perils of the situation. In the blems of science, that he might "Entering the city, the remain-setting that the automotive indus- three short years that it had been make the world a happier and bet-der of the distance was covered try had to plan the introduction of
In Step with the Times. in operation they had seen the price ter place to live in. His contribu through traffic. The number of its offering for 1932. Always in
"Careful streamlining. has been of rubber jump from 14 cents a tions to mankind had exceeded those stops for lights and other reasons close contact with the
the dominant change in the styls pound to $1.23 a pound. Even the of any man who had ever lived. If was 198. In this driving the clutch pulse of the country, motor car of bodies this year. Even here, other rubber manufacturers, who at ever a man was entitled to say, "I've was used 792 times, a number that manufacturers, months ago, fell into there is apparent the same caution first had been made to believe that done my share; my remaining days would seem inersdible if it were step with the times. Several of the against any thing faddish or freaky. the British rubber plantation indus on earth will be spent in peace and not actually recorded on the count-new lines, reflecting these builders Possibly styles this year. might have try from bankruptcy, were at last quiet," it was Mr. Edison.
ing machine."
convictions on the appropriate thing been a good deal more radical but ready to admit that drastic action
Energy of Youth.
It was pointed out that each time for these times, have now been out for changed business conditions, was needed to lesson this heavy burden on the pocketbooks of Amer
But to stop while he still possess-the-foot in the old type of opera- rolet, to mention two
the clutch is fully depressed with for some weeks. Buick and Cher-which imposed a new conception of with whose thrift upon the public at large. At ed the strength to carry on was tion a force equal to about 85 problems I am familiar, have any rate, the new lines display style contrary to the spirit of this great pounds is exerted. With Buick's thoroughly outdone theinaelves in with a pleasing restraint which is Mr. Edison man. And so, plunging into the automatic clutch, this work is per- the matter of value referred to, and certainly in step with the times.
with all the .could be task
formed by merely resting the foot their achievement may be regarded
"And here of course is where the produce energy of youth, Mr. Edison organ upon the new clutch
way ised the Edison Botanic Research ton, power supplied by vacuum dustry at large.
control but as more or less typical of the in- buyer finally 'geta a break.' He is practical A
getting rockbottom prices on a type from the native soil of Amer-Corporation as a means of pressing from the intake manifold moving
of automotive values such as have ica, we would achieve one of our on with his new work. It was a the clutch.
Many Body Advancements. "Greater values are apparent never before been seen. At Fisher! greatest steps toward economic in-tremendous undertaking. Many men
"In the test drive above," Mr. from one end dependence. This belief my father of younger years and lesser deter Anderson continued, "the expendi-other.
of the car to the Body, for instance, the tremendous Mr. Edison, and ac- mination would have faltered in its ture by the driver of an accumulat-mechanical
There is
of purchasing power born of massed an array innovations seldom resources has reached out into the cordingly he was more than delight-presence and questioned whether it ed force equal to 29,680 pounds was matched in any one year. But even wool market, the steel market, the ed when, after careful considera-(was not all too impossible to at
timber forests, and the many other tion, Mr. Edison said to him, "I beįtempt. But these obstacles only lieve it can be done and I'm going served to spur Mr. Edison on to
ANOTHER DROP IN PETROL
sources of the raw material from which bodies by Fisher are built to try to do it."
greater effort. They made him
IMPORTS...
and has gathered these materials at prices not only in keeping with the British imports of petrol show
times but actually lower than would be available to purchasers of lesser some rather remarkable decreases compared with last year. The im- The parking problem is no new quantities. Such purchasing has ports for March, compared with puzzle to civilisation. It existed sa placed at the disposal of the buying February, were 19,048,822 gallons far back as 1660, as is proven in on public a double advantage; it has less, and for March this year con-order issued in that year by Charles given to-day's automobile buyer the trasted with the same month of II. It reads:.
benefit of vast quantity purchasing:
ahared with
If you will pause for a moment toj more resolute than ever that his consider the unusual circumstances days on earth must not end until surrounding Mr. Edison's decision, he had reached the goal upon which
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CARS NOW ON DISPLAY AT
THE NATIONAL MOTOR CAR CO.
553
eliminated."
J
1
PARKING PROBLEM.
No New Puzzle to Civilisation.
* of life which have undergone revi-
1991 there was a decrease of.34,- "Whereas the excessive number at a time when all commodities are 187,215 gallons, while for the three of hackney coaches in the city of at the lowest price levels in years. months the drop was 16,461,842 gal- London are found to be a common "As these prices stand to-day, lons. This represents a great fall-nuisance, the streets and highways they surely entitle the automobile ing off in consumption, and might being thereby made impassable and to a place among those necessities be thought to suggest that more dangerous. crude oil was being brought in for
"We command that no person grision to it the public purse. Au- refining here, but there were all-persons permit or suffer said thorities throughout the Industry round decreases here also. The coaches to stand or romain in any naturally hesitate to predict, but figures are:-19,687,688 gallons less of the te
there are grounds to believe that prices are now at the very bottom. In fact, it is no secret that the industry is relying upon the auto mobile, shows here and throughout the United States to set in motion The Standard Motor Co., Ltd, the machinery of buying again. announce that the sales ofThere is every reason why it Standard cars for March have should do so. New cars are really "broken"; "Wevery, record in the needed to replace those now in
in March, compared with February: 17,947,185 less, contrasted with March, last year; and 26,755.764 less la the three months. This seems to indicate a great falling off in consumption.
his heart was Bot.
Vulcanised / Rubber.
RECORDS BROKEN BY STANDARD CO.
than twenty thousand shrubs, trees announcement
For six years he analyzed more history of the Company.... This service. The array of new models marks" a peak now on view is certainly calculated and vinca. And then, in 1931, Just an Industrial career which to create the desire to buy. And before his eyes closed in eternal can only be described as sanss comparison of the cars, and their sleep, he called my father to his tionally successful. The rapid rise prices with those of even due year home in New Jersey and showed in popularity of Standard "cats, ago should convince almost anyone him four pieces of vulcanised rub particularly during the last year, that to wait is to tempt, fate. bor which he had produced from is impressed upon one every day by pure rubber obtained from golden the grawing numbers of these cars rod cultivated on his Florida, estate, one sees upon the road. Such pros He was too ill then to speak of his
chievement, but the light, inchi
eyes revealed how Jubilant was
at having obtained seveng
Föf rubber, from, thes
OPEL
MOTOR CARS
BULLETIN
OPEL DESIGNS ARE TESTED THE
CARS HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES BY DAILY USE - OPEL UPKEEP IS UNUSUALLY LOW. THE FIRST
SHIPMENT OF THESE CARS HAS
JUST BEEN RECEIVED BY
THE DRAGON MOTOR CAR
COMPANY, LTD.
38, WONG NEI CHUNG ROAD, HAPPY
VALLEY. YOU ARE CORDIALLY
INVITED TO, TELEPHONE 80228. OR TO CALL FOR A DEMONSTRATION.
PRODUCT OF GENERAL MOTORS.
YOUR NEW CAR
FULLY
SHOULD HAVE THESE FLOATING POWER AUTOMATIC CLUTCH: FREE WHEELING EASY SHIFT: TRANSMISSION.... SILENT GEAR SELECTOR FOURW HEEL
HYDRAULIC BRAKES CENTRIFUSE BRAKE DRUMS MONO-PIECE ALL-STEEL BODIES
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