Ed Bobit's Publisher's Page

"Je veux qu'il n'y ait si pauvre paysan en moi royaume qu'il n'ait tous les dimanches sa poule au pot." (I wish that there would not be a peasant so poor in all my realm who would not have a chicken in his pot every Sunday.) Henry IV; Hardovin de Perefixe, Historire de Henri le Grand, 1681.

“The slogan of progress is changing from the full dinnerpail to the full garage." Herbert Hoover: Speech, N.Y.C., October 22, 1928.
*Ed.: "No one has ever been able to find in Mr. Hoover's speeches or writings, of which a very careful file has been kept over the years, the expression 'a chicken in every pot.' Mr. Hoover has also never promised or even expressed his hope of two cars in every garage." — Letter to George Seldes (The Great Quotations) from Mr. Hoover's secretary, with proof -sheet corrections, December 12, 1958.

The odometer situation upsets me! Not that it won't be upsetting to an industry we are dedicated to and make every effort to represent, but we must face the fact that the industry leaders are strangely silent during a time when consumerism and truth ring out from every rafter.

Now try to understand me; I am not asking for a new world. Or some sort of paradise in the auto fleet market that can bring new success and profits to all. I am simply attempting to find those same leaders who are so in evidence when some possible legislation appears on the scene that is within the political area of the state house or is closely discussed in the Washington circles, — where the consumer does not get a full crack at it.

These are the same men who are great community leaders, who divide their earnings with charity and attend the board meetings in our industry. It is a different kind of Godfather chapter.

The evidence is clear. Legislation is needed to make the used car merchandising business legit.

There is sacrifice in the offing. Don't you think that it took an adjustment for the TV networks to eliminate their cigarette advertising; the pharmaceutical houses to pull millions of dollars worth of product off drug store shelves; the auto makers to send out literally millions of letters to car owners advising them of problems encountered during production; the stock exchange; tuna fish, cranberries, and the lot.

Some industries have found the men to lead them into the challenge of policing themselves and have not had to wait for Dear Uncle to do the job. Read my words in the July AF editorial covering the reasons for this and for the stand that we have taken: our request that the associations and assertive leaders of the industry take the initiative and influence the legislatures to enact an equitable law that will be fair and acceptable within the industry, while providing the confidence in the consumer that will leave the high mileage fleet cars in the best position during resale.

If the groups that portend to offer the leadership are, in fact, doing the job, then few people know about it. There is ample opportunity for publicity and the dissemination of knowledgeable facts surrounding the issue. The problem appears to be one of defending self-interest. Unfortunately, it may not bode well for the industry.

I recall our interest in publishing the bizarre Greyhound Rent-A-Car story on their abortive attempt to become leaders in the leasing arena. After we collected a few taped interviews (we still have them), we received a phone call suggesting 'that it would not give the leasing industry a good image'. We continued. But not for long. Suddenly, all key figures who had agreed to discuss it with us felt they would rather not talk about it. Someday, it will be written. It is genuine history and nearly everyone I discuss it with insists they want a 'personal copy'.

Enlightened self-interest is an excellent ploy in this wonderful business world that we live in. But the individual (you and me) deserves a square answer to questions. The odometer situation is one that needs to be solved by our industry before we permit elected and non-automotive men in Washington or our states to decide it for us.