'^osa: scientific work of the government 361 



maintenance of these buildings; partly because deterioration 

 would be slower and failures would be less frequent, and partly 

 because repairs would be easier and cheaper to make. The 

 government would do only a portion of this work of research 

 and standardization, as many engineering societies, industrial 

 organizations and manufacturers would cooperate. But the 

 government should take the lead, and do an important part of 

 the research work, and nothing which the government could do 

 would be more useful and constructive, or would be more appre- 

 ciated by the building industries and the public. Standardiza- 

 tion work of the kind suggested has great educational value 

 to architects, to builders, to manufacturers, to jobbers, to building 

 owners. Is there any good reason why such a constructive 

 program of cooperative study should not be undertaken? Can 

 the people of this country afford to go on without it under present 

 conditions ? 



STANDARDIZATION AND TESTING OF AUTOMOBILES 



19. The automobile industry is one of the most important 

 of our industries, and motor vehicles of all kinds play a most 

 important part in the business and social life of the people. 

 Several billions of dollars are expended each year in the pur- 

 chase and maintenance of motor vehicles. Great improvements 

 have been made in recent years in their design and construction; 

 on the other hand, the quality of materials and workmanship 

 has in many cases gone backward. Much progress has been 

 made toward the standardization of the materials and parts of 

 motor vehicles, and great credit is due to the automobile industry 

 therefor. But there is great need for further systematic study 

 and the preparation of specifications and tests, and the encour- 

 agement of testing so that purchasers may know better what 

 they are buying and selling agents may describe their machines 

 more precisely. The interests at stake are so enormous, and the 

 possibilities of service to the public are so great, that it seems 

 imperative that more should be done by the government to 

 assist the industry in its great task. 



