Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-04-16

WE HAD HOPED that this season the usual spring
scramble for artonobiles woa1ld be averted IN the
case of St1dekaker cars at least-but alas Tor well
laid plansI
NOT THAT WE ARE COMPLAINING in the
least. So far we ourselves are concerned Far
from being unpleasant the condition that eorfrorts
the Studebaer Corporation this Spring OF 1917 Is wen
nigh ideal.
THAT IS SPEAKING from manufacturers point OF
view.
BUT FROM YOUR sTANDPOTNT-t Is different
That's what we wanted talk about-and to advise
you how best to go about it to meet the conditions
that obtain and ward off disappointment
HERETOFORE AS YOU KNOW there has alwayr
been a tremendous-One might almost say hopeless
-ehortags Of Flanders "20" and EMF so cars
In the Spring montl1s-the rush season.
ONE OR TWO OTHER MAKES that were popular
with buyers shared with to extent this pleasur-
able over-demand Peasurable, but disheartening at
that. For dslikes to dsapPoint 90 many good
friends Then too when you know you make the
best automobiles for the money you hate to see good
friends forced to accept second bests.
THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN TIE CASE. We were
powerless to remedy it. The EMF Company was
young. Had made tremendous progress, but there
limit to financial resources. And, anyway, fac
tories be equipped only about so fast Machine
tools can't be wished into form.
BUT THIS YEAR Il was different This big forty-hVe
million dollar Corporation felt equal to the task OF
supplying the full demand for It's two models
herculean tho 1t was.
WITH UNLIMITED CAPITAL at its command; with
the largest and best equipped plants In the world;
with engineering and manufacturing organization
second to none; contracts for material placed and
deliveries assured; i seemed - il even splendid
sales force would be unable keep ahead OF the pro
ducton department..
AND WE HAVE DONE ALL set out TO do. That
is say estimated that $4,000 cars divided into
$4,000 Flanders '20s" and 10000 EMF "30s),
would surely supply the demand
WE FELT SURE WE HAD NOT Understandable the
demand. We knew the unparalleled popularity OF
these famous not only throughout the length and
breadth of America, bat in all other civilized
tries but
WE THOUGHT $4,000 CARS would do Some Of our
competitors warned us it too many-the rest of
them didn't believe would OF could make that
WELL, WE'RE UP to schedule-a few cars ahead of
it on April 1st and carried from March to
April orders for 47S2 cars Most OF them Flanders
LOOK AT THIS RECCRD-it's almost unbelievable.
In December when would-be competitors were sub
sisting on snow balls and waiting for 'he season. to
open up, the Studebaker plants shipped 5000 cars. In
January Inventory mouth), 1000.
IN FEBRUARY 1900; in March 4601, and the schedule
for April is 6000-and, we have said, little
ahead of the schedule.
IN THE WICKEDEST WINTER in fifty years. you'll
recall. You'd have thought that would help by
retardng demand-t did leave other makers cara on
their floors. But seems as If the harder the condi-
tons of roads and weather the more careful people
are about selecting their automobiles.
COCO A MONTH IS THE SCHEDULE for April May,
June, July and August, and wen make them, but
the little boy said, that's our almighty darndest.
WORKING OVERTIME NOWE-and men can stand
only about so much Of that We don't like overtime
at all. But we're doing utmost to keep up with
the demand-and we still IN sight OF it. tho
breathless.
THERE'S THE CONDITION as IL stands today. It IL
up to you What are you going to do about it9
ANALYZE 1T: It means that lot of people going
have to wait for deliveries and a lot more will be
disappointed to accept other car
second best value-for all will not be able to get
Flanders 40" or EMF "30' cars.
IT ISN'T so BAD as It looks, In a way The shortage
Of Flanders "20s Is apparent than real-for
capacity Is 30 eos per day than SOS. But it's
bad enough. And it shows have again fallen
short OF our ambition, hard we have tried to
realize it.
WE ARE TELLING YOU THIS because have
repeatedly asserted to dealers and the public that
would surely avert the Spring scramble Now that
we know that we have failed we feel that you
frank statement Of the facts
OF COURSE IN TELLING YOU we cannot help
telling competitors also-and very naturally they
will use II against us-try to persuade you to buy
their cars the grounds former years, you
can't get Studebaker Cars-either model" And thatu
be true-unless you beat some other buyer to 1t.
WE FELT SURE would be able to supply every
possible customer with Flanders "20"-bHt
member
comma Detroit he O