The San Francisco call., 1910-09-25
DISCUSSES FUTURE
OF AUTO INDUSTRY
Col. Frederick S. Fish of Stude=
baker Brothers Reviews the
Present Conditions

The general discussion of the auto
mobile Industry that has been going
on recently. in which the bankers have
said that the buying of motor cars was
being carried too far, and also the
runors that the industry was in bad
way financially. have brought about an
- interesting interview with Colonel
Frederick S Fish Of the Studebaker
Brothers company, while visiting
Colonel George II. Studebaker at his
summer home at North Shore near
Boston. Colonel Frederick s. Fish is
3 director IN many big corporations and
one Of the prominent officials of the
Studebaker company. 'When he had
time for public life he was state
senator several years in New Jersey.
serving as president Of that body dur
ing his last term.
Colonel Fish said:
There IS no doubt that the 1911
season for motor cars will be bigger
one than ever" he said. That is evil
dent now from the orders that are
coming in from all sections of the
country. These orders. by the way,
are what may be termed additionals
or increases. for some time ago the
dealers in different sections outlined
what they considered they would sure
ly need.
since then many of the men have
found that they were too conservative.
This was not very surprising when
there had been so many attacks upon
the industry by prominent men, and
also when 1t IS considered that a num-
her Of the managers had not been
identified with our company for several
years, and were therefore more intent
on being successful on q small scale
than failure on 4 large one.
What is true Of my company is also
true OF others established on thorough
y reliable lines. There may not be so
many cars turned out this year as had
- been planned. but that does not mean
any Of the big companies are going to
curtal their output, as some people
have said.
What is going TO happen is that
some Of the companies that were
founded upon paper and came along in
the general rush, merely assembling the
cars and putting a name on them, will
be wiped out Of existence. That is only
10 be expected in the general run of
business. It will not be the result Of
any effort on the part of others to
get rid Of them.
The big plants where various parts
are being made have rush orders turn
ing out different things needed by
many makers who have not the facili-
ties for producing every single part in
their own plants AS these large motor
comps nies are able to pay cash. order
far ahead and have been buyers for
number o. years, the parts makers do
their utmost 10 i'll their orders
when the 7sv7,r
companies place orders for a little at
time they are subject to delay or re-
FUSED Naturally. in such a case there
Is no production Of cars from the
assembling plant. orders from dealers
can not be filled, or IL accepted the
machines are too late to find a market.
II is the survival Of the fttest, and so
this year expect to see a number of
machines known to me only through
reading the motor papers pass out of
existence. But the other companies
win grow stronger and the air viii be
cleared.
That has been the story Of the in
dustry about every third Ryear since it
really got going uphill in this country
Throughout the west there is vet left
big field for motor cars The south
west has not begun 10 be supplied. The
south viii take more every year. In
me east there will always be steady
demand for cars
The time is coming when America
Is going 70 supply the world with
motor cars. That may seem strange
when We read so much about the big.
last cars they build on the other side
snd recall how they come here and win
some OF our best races. Still il rnus+
be remembered that the people across
tee water are not as whole very rich.
And they can NOT buy big racing cars
W hat they want, and what thev
have wanted just as many people here
cid are moderate priced cars that will
stand hard knocks. The motor indus
Try here is on sounder basis TODAY
man II might otherwise have been
because some Of the makers went after
the trade Of the people who co,1gd
afford a moderate priced car.
Gradually American makers are
Forcing their way into foreign markets.
During my last trip abroad I was sur
Trlsed 10 note the number Of American
made machines that were touring about
the different countries INQUIRIES
showed me that the call for them was
Setung 70 be very steady now that the
prejudice against them had worn itself
out.
We have our own statistics to prove
Shis- Take the export figures for com
garrison. For the last fiscal year 6 e2s
cars, valued at S1L1sO.22o, were SAINT
1rom America For the preceding wear
she figures were 3,ls4 cars. valued AZ
S5-s92.2o0- That is nearly doubling the
figures IN one year. At the same time
there is z decrease in the call for rna
ohines from abroad American cars are
gov found wherever there is any sem
biance of civilization.