From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Page from 'The Motor' magazine with various news articles and opinion pieces related to motoring and current events.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 160\5\ scan0226 | |
| Date | 29th January 1941 | |
| January 29, 1941. PUBLICITY FILE 1378 563 The Motor Contd. In the News Things They Say . . . PEDESTRIANS are bound by no rules and can only commit one offence—that of loitering on a road crossing.—Lord Alness. And well they know it. Robbing Peter . . . ONE of the first results of Mr. Bevin's man-power conscription decision will be the immediate enlistment of thousands of skilled mechanics now employed in garages. It is estimated that there are more than 1,000,000 men available at once for skilled or semi-skilled munition work. "Mr. Bevin wants anyone with the 'mechanical instinct,' and any man who can tinker with a car, whatever his work, may very easily be the skilled fitter of our war factories to-morrow. —Daily Sketch." [Will somebody bear in mind that for lack of repair facilities road transport is now in a dangerous position, and without road vehicles what would happen to the movement of coal, food and munitions?—ED.{J. L. Edwards}] Real Thrill ... double declutching. To anyone over 30 it is second nature. But motorists have been so pampered in the past 10 years by synchromesh gearboxes and such-like foolproof luxuries that they have no idea of this elementary operation. ... They have never experienced the thrill of doing a perfect change from top to third at about 60 m.p.h. on a really obstinate old-fashioned gearbox. It's as exhilarating as a perfect brassie shot, in my opinion.—Lord Donegall in the Sunday Dispatch. Self-discipline is Accident Remedy IN discussing accidents, a leader in the Islington Gazette says: It lies chiefly with the general public to tackle this menace. Surely the people of this country can learn to discipline themselves as effectually in this matter of road safety as they have shown themselves able to do in other situations created by war conditions. War-time Petrol BROADCASTING last week, Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd, the secretary for the Petroleum Department, said that in 1938 we imported 3,000,000,000 gallons of petrol and petroleum products at a cost of £45,000,000. In view of still greater commitments in the war he urged economy of petrol by civilians. The "Help Your Neighbour" scheme used more fuel, and could only be justified if workers were thus able to get to and from their business with a minimum of delay. Unnecessary journeys by car were wrong and wasteful. Preservation of Peakland THE Edale Valley is a picturesque cul-de-sac in the heart of Peakland which is well known to Sheffield and Manchester motorists. The National Trust has recently acquired further land there, consisting of 300 acres west of the hamlets of Upper Booth and Barber Booth. It is hoped now that the character of this unique district will remain unspoilt, although it is known that the Derwent Valley Water Board, which takes a pride in the preservation of rural amenities, also seeks far-reaching powers over the valley. The fact that the National Trust is now a landowner there should have its effect. In their advertisement, in The Motor last week, the telephone number of Harold Radford and Co. was given incorrectly. It should be Kensington 6642. This general development lines up rather with a trend which has been making itself felt in certain parts of Europe in recent years. Decentralization has been characteristic of some German and Italian interests for a number of years. Indeed, a law was passed in Italy not so long ago limiting the size of cities; Germany had similar plans and Russia's system embodies features of both the Axis ideas. They aim at more even distribution of the population and it is only by the efficient maintenance of road transport communications that this object can ever be achieved. Americans Motor Away From Town The City Populations are Getting Smaller; They Drive Out to Dormitory Estates Every Night MANY American towns which thought they owed it to their reputation to grow in typical American tempo are, in actual fact, becoming smaller. The year 1940 has brought, besides the third term for President Roosevelt, this remarkable state of affairs. What has been only felt hitherto is now proved statistically. A census carried out last year reveals that the population of many American cities has evacuated itself to a considerable part of the country without being compelled to do so by air raids. They no longer enjoy living in the built-up areas. Made Possible by Car Their return to the country is made possible, in the main, by the fact that practically every family has its own transport. Highways are built to enable them to reach their dormitories. If the sociologists of the world were not occupied with the European war at the moment, this exodus from the American cities would probably create a sensation. The big cities of the United States have almost finished expanding. New York grew only 6 per cent. in the last decade; the Chicago population remained unchanged, whereas the population of each had increased by no less than 25 per cent. during the previous 10 years. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Boston, San Francisco, St.{Capt. P. R. Strong} Louis and Cleveland all lost population. The fact that Los Angeles gained 21 per cent. is due to the nearness of the film centre, Hollywood, and to its situation in beautiful California. The flight from the cities is not connected with any economic crisis as is usually the case; economic reasons in this case point rather to prosperity which can afford the luxury of a car and of leaving town as there is insufficient playground in the cities. Smaller towns are affected in just the same way as large ones. For the first time in the history of the United States, cities have not grown faster than villages. Obviously the car is the decisive factor in the distribution of the population. It has changed the city dwellers' outlook. It is destroying the old city as it lives in our imagination—the city which the railroad had created—and a new structure described as the Metropolitan Community, is in formation. Its growth means the lessening of the overcrowded suburban districts which are bigger in America than in this country. (Continued at foot of next column) CLEAN UP. The untidiness of the gas producer trailer has been cleaned up completely in various designs which originate overseas. This neat set-up is an Australian design. A15 | ||