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My White Horse. ' Leo Swain. " Bueuresti."
By "The Extractor."
Motor Trades Debating Society.
In consequence of many of the members of the above society attending the M.T.A. meeting at Cardiff, it has been decided to postpone the first debate until 15th November. Members will receive particulars of the first subject for debate in due course.
The White Horse Knight.
A reproduction of an old sampler caught my eye—it was an arresting picture of a. -white steed and a doughty knight armed cap-a-pie crossing a tiny bridge ; in the offing is a Viking ship in full sail, evidently a strong wind blowing because of the waves depicted in true sampler, fashion by a few unassuming lines ; but one's eyes soon went to the inscription which seems to me to be worth repeating. It runs as below, and I thoroughly uphold the sentiment :— "I Shall Pass
Through this World But Oncp Any Good thing That I can do or
Any Kindness That I can Show any Human Being Let me do it Now
and not defer it
For I shall not Pass This Way
Again."
A.D. 1420.
In the right-band corner I discovered a tiny white horse of a familiar shape ; then and only then did the inspiring mission of this most attractive picture burst upon me, and then, Ga,dzooks1 it was during prohibited hours.
"Leo."
My earliest recollection of Leo Swain, whose "counterfeit presentment " graces our pages this week, was in the cycling period just before the boom. He was even in those days a "pushing young particle" in the tire trade and brought out the Swain tire, which did not infringe either Dunlop or Clincher patents, for neither had it wires nor beaded edges. He went out to South Africa, and his photograph, in which he looks very little different to what he is to-day, emblazoned the numerous cycling papers. I remember him when he joined the late Ernest Dook, who came from Shrewsbury and Challiners, and the Dook-Swain solid tires came into being. He ceased to take active interest in this after a year, founding then his own business of Leo Swain and Co. in Manchester. "There is a tide in the affairs of men," and here it was that Swain took it at the flood. He fairly popularized
B4.4 the Polack in the North ; he took up A.T. Speedometers, Parsons' NonSkids, Klaxons and Bleriots, but it was to selling solid tires he gave of his best as far as my observation goes.
He had represented SpencerMoulton's for pneumatics over a big ground for some time, so when the war came the Spencer-Moulton Co. offered him the control of their solid-tire business throughout the country. There is little doubt that Leo Swain has splendidly risen to the occasion, for he is essentially a salesman and an organizer He has always taken a foremost part in local government of the motor trade. He was a director and vice-chairman of the old society which used successfully to run the Manchester Show ; he has been on the committee of 'the local society of the S.M.bI.T. for many years. Then again he helped to form the Lancashire and Cheshire C.M.U.A., and strongly held to the view that it should be really a Users Association: He has done most useful work in that connection and is held in great esteem.
Swain recounts with proper pride that he sold the first flying machine in the Manchester district, a 25 h.p. Bleriot with Anzani engine. I am not clear as to whether he personally left the ground on it _or not ; he collected the money anyhow. He is a founder member of the Aero Club, and amongst his other associations may be mentioned the Motor Club, London, and ditto Manchester ; the Arts Club, a delightful social circle ; and the Rotary Club. His hobby seems to me to be his ever-increasing business, but, like the truly sensible man he is, he finds a little time for the inevitable golf and for billiards.
Read in Rumania.
Mr. Jae Pedersen wrote me on the eve of departing for Christiania in the interests of Firestone tires. He enclosed a post-card from Bucuresti (this being the native name for. Bucharest) emanating from Mr. Robert Sandison, now manager for Prowodnik in the Rumanian capital. Sandison had seen news of Jao Pederson's new appointment in 011a Podrida " and promptly congratulated him. This journal naturally finds its way everywhere.
011a Podrida.
Mr. Cohn Mather has accepted a responsible position in connection with the making of munitions at the now gigantic Austin works at Northfield, Birmingham. The Reliance Radiator Co., Manchester, of course, continues under capable superintendence.
Some large orders for lorries have been recently placed by the War Department with the Star, Wolverhampton. Some copies of last week's C.M." will be useful in the M.T., A.S.C., "How to Keen Your Lorry Fit" dealing exhaustively and " illustratedly " with the Star.
A fine mess-room, or canteen, has been erected adjoining the works of Showell and Co., Ltd., at Stirchley—separate dining rooms for men and girls, and the whole waited upon by voluntary helpers from the Y.M.C.A. Showells, being large brass founders, are much engaged in making munitions, also, of course, the new paraffin attachment for motor lorries.
Mr. H. G. Olden, of Dreadnought Policies, is back from the States looking all the better. He missed being torpedoed by 24 hours. The Huns caught a boat belonging to the same line of Dutch steamers just a day later. It was at Falmoutt on landing that Olden first heard of the Germans' latest handiwork—no wireless messages are transmitted to neutral steamers these clays—fights have occurred in saloons and smoke rooms in consequence of wireless war news, so passengers nowadays just have to wait.