The Editor's "I."
Page 2
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
What every Editor Knows.
Inerrancy is the fixed ambition of an editor. The man in the chair seeks truth; he also knows how very hard it is to get it in some cases. There are tales and tales, even in my small experience of advertisers and correspondents, but my respect for the traditions of the Press dries up my ink at this point—on this theme. Nothing must be disclosed hereanent. A little homily is outlined : to me and v assistants, make accuracy the guiding star, regardless of the trouble involved— check everything, take nothing for granted; to my friends in the trade and to owners who wish to use this journal as a vehicle of publicity—have your own say about your own interests, but avoid splenetic attack and criticism, whether overt or veiled, upon your competitors. An editor becomes nervous, if he finds that anybody is persistently trying to "climb up his back," and he then imparts to so-called " news " both a line of direction and a push towards the w.p.b.
" Not a Horse Was There."
Mr. Thomas Wells Thorpe, is the Managing Director of Mann, Crosaman and Paulin, Ltd., of the Albion Brewery, E. A forceful and progressive man, he was naturally one of the first to adopt heavy motors, but, he had the necessary judgment not to go in too soon. The year 1901 saw the first six Leyland steamers on order, and six more of the same make were ordered in 1903. All these 12 vehicles are still in regular use and doing well : Mr. Thorpe intends to send at least four of them to the C.M.U.A parade next month. More recently, in 1908, he began to give petrol a turn, for particular classes of work, and one Leyland three-tonner at present sustains the reputation of internal combustion in this case. I may recall the fact that, in the " Brewers' Special " of this journal, which was published on the 13th April, 1905, the only full-page illustration, under the title of "Not a horse was there, and from a photograph taken in the early morning at Whitechapel, was due to Mr. Thorpe's courtesy. The last time I met him, over luncheon in the board room down east, he treated me to a lucid disquisition upon the licensing laws ; it made clear many points about which I had been in doubt.
Two R.A.0 Ex-Chairmen.
I see that Sir Charles Day Rose, Bart., moved, and that the Hon. Arthur Stanley, M.P., seconded, the adoption of the first of two resolutions of sympathy with King George, Queen Mary, the Queen-Dowager, and other members of the Royal Family, last week, at a special meeting of the Committee of the Royal Automobile Club. I was mentally reminded that I had enjoyed a big share in the steps which caused both these gentlemen tojoin the R.A.C. Committee. At the trials dinner, at the Aclelphi Hotel, Liverpool. on the 3rd June. 1901, on the occasion of the third Lancashire tests, Mr. Stanley had— not for the first time—come with his father to one of the L.S.P.T.A. functions. On this occasion, my desire to secure him as a member of the Automobile Club was well clinched by Col. Mark Mayhew, who was seated beside him, and he was promptly elected, to become, later. a committeeman and Chairman. Sir Charles Rose. As Mr. Rose, was a brother member of mine on the Committee of the Berks. A.C., but already a member of the London club ; my share, in his case, was that I nominated him for the Club Committee prior to the 1904
elections. when he duly succeeded at the ballot. There is a measure of gratification in knowing that, quite apart from their great services to the movement as Chairmen of the R.A.C., these leaders are close students of all that pertains to heavy traffic. Sir Charles Rose, as a member of the Road 3oard, will be the first to recognize the claims of that branch, and to admit the justice of expenditure—at least in proportion to the yield from the tax upon heavy motorcars—on bridges. Heavy-vehicle owners don't want to see their contributions devoted to the easing of curves and like light-car objectives. l'hey are, fortunately, in a position to back their claims by rational argument in this connection: they have the right to a tplid pro goo for that 1id. a gallon.
The Versatile Kaiser.
I am at all times ready to give credence to statements about the Kaiser's activities, no matter in what connection. There is, of course, a basis of attraction in the fact that he and his military advisers have paid heed to my writings on the subject of registration and subvention. These, naturally, were intended for consumption by the heads of our British War Office, ima. I cannot be called to account because THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR is widely read in Germany. It appears that, since the early part of the year 1906, each succeeding issue has been officially scrutinized by officers of the German Army, and that numerous extracts have been passed "higher up "—more than a few times, I am justified in stating, to the Kaiser himself. Thus, in no small part.. I find that this journal, whilst it has so far been unsuccessful in persuading the Home authorities that 22 or 23 per vehicle per annum is useless as a subsidy, is responsible for the truly-magnificent German subsidy, of 2200 by way of constructional bonus, and 250 per annum for five years by way of retainer, for each approved fivetonner. I have, both in Berlin and London, had opportunities to observe the Kaiser at short range. One incident may be told here. It occurred, at Victoria Station, in February of 1901, on the occasion of the funeral of the late Queen Victoria. My party had six front seats on the stand at the Grosvenor Hotel, in immediate proximity to the station fore-court and western exit, both of which were right under one's eyes. That, however, was not good enough for me: I made up my mind to see the train arrive from Portsmouth. A ventilating window, high up in the lavatory but still below the level of the glazed roof of the station, caught my eye ; several _pieces of silver caught the attendant's hand. In company with Dr. HeleShaw, F.R.S., I—plus a pair of opera glasses—was quickly hoist into position. A few minutes later, the train steamed in, and the assembled Royalties stood near by as the coffin was tenderly lifted out. A disconcerting slip by one of the bearers caused an instinctive tremor to run through the limited number of spectators, but one man, and one man only, moved forward. That was the Kaiser. With outstretched *hand, he made two or three rapid strides to render that assistance which threatened to be required but was not. It was over in two seconds, yet it struck me that this irrestrainable readiness to "take a hand" was typical of the man. Dr. Hele-Shaw remarked to me: "He is as willing to be an undertaker as to conduct an orchestra." Would that his progressive willingness in respect of commercial-motor subsidies, which has ripened into extensive practical action, found a less-faint echo in England.