The fact that these discursive notes were missing from last
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week's issue has caused some telephonic inquiries, some personal badgering and some epistolary communicat ions, anonymous and otherwise. The explanation of the non-appear:ince is perfectly simple, but my experience is that, in a case of this sort, when you "a round unvarnished tale deliver," you are apt to be laughed to scorn, as I have been. 6itiall wonder, then, that some mortals are tempted to elaborate in such extremities. I will, as heretofore. however, content myself with the "good old noble truth," as Charles Ilawtrey used to term it ; instead of being able to sit down, and write my " stuff," the night before press day, as is my wont, I had to pack off to Scotland. however, the incident has produced more than one interesting letter. I like people to write to me, so I here give some excerpts from one who signs himself "Dist racted."
" Life has been almost insupportable to me during the past few days. 'Out and Home' did not appear in last week's issue. I suppose by now your attention has been drawn to this. I cannot imagine that your facile pen has not evolved its usual quota of unconventionalities, and I am, therefore, led to the assumption that you must have suffered from some editorial deletion. I am prompted to write to you on this particular occasion, because, for many weeks, there have been two things which I have wanted to tell you about Out and Home.' To be quite candid with you, I miss the old panegyrics with regard to men of moment in the indust rial world. The old
trade-headlight series was a good one, and there must be still many men of moment who have not yet suffered at the expense of your tame cartoonist.. I was pleased, however, to see you revert to your ancient practice by the inclusion of a pen picture of Mr. J. H. Adams in a recent number, and I was thereby led to the conclusion that you intended to revive the series. Another point I would like to make is that you should give us a page of Out and Home' every week. and not be content to write just sufficient to eke out a folio with your elaborate heading and two or three reproductions of more -or-lessinteresting photographs."
Another correspondent, noticing. with an aching heart, the absence of this page from last week's issue sends me a letter in which, after some personal remarks, which modesty compels me to withhold, goes on, as may be seen below, to the subject of advertising, and it will be. noticed that he has deeply thought over the question. I suggest that advertisers in this journal " read, mark, learn and inwardly digest."
"1. of course, in common with the majority of other members of the industry, have an inkling as to your identity, and I would suggest that you should be in a unique position to initiate a revolution of a mild nature in connection with certain manufacturers' publicity methods. I am in a position to know that a great many commercial and manufacturing houses regard the expenditure upon advertising as a necessary evil, but one which must be scamped as quickly as possible. The majority of advertisers appear to me to have but little idea of the necessity of eonstantly changing their matter. Over and over again have I glanced through the advertisement pages of your journal as well as those of many others, and only occasionally is my attention directed to anything in the way of a smart announcement. Manufacturers and others must pay large sums away as rent for space in trade and other journals, and instead of utilising this space to the very best advantage, they are content to put in the most-uninteresting letterpress week after week without any attempt at variation. There are, of course, brilliant exceptions, and these it is not necessary to mention, but it will do good to the average advertiser if you address a word of serious advice to them on this subject. Further evidence of their lack of originality is forthcoming from the fact chat photographs which many manufacturers must have taken with the view to their reproduction, if possible, in the columns of trade journals are hopelessly uninteresting ; such as just a side view of an ordinary van or wagon as it leaves the works. without any attempt to dress it up with a load or any surrounding features of interest."
* * * I was much interested, when in. Glasgow, to be shown round the Albion works, at Scotstoun, and to observe the extensions in progress. The Albion people are evidently very busy, and are preparing for a much-increased turnover. My attention was arrested in the repair shop by an Albion vehicle 10 years old ; its owner had cheerfully sent it in for repair from a remote part of Scotland. I saw just such another antique at the Scottish Exhibition of Arts and Industries ; it was an Argyll, and was shown as a matter of historical interest in the Transport Department. Visitors to the exhibition should not miss seeing this, as nothing short of an actual sight of the earliest cars brings home vividly the marvellous motor progress of the last decade.