The Washington times., 1912-04-07
MOTOR CAR MAKERSE
FEAR GUT IN TARIFF
MAY HURT INDUSTRY
Thirteen Manufacturers File
Protest With Senate
Finance Committee.
BY HARRY WARD.

Aroused by the Underwood bill,
which threatens to reduce the tariff on
automobiles from IS per cent to 90 or
80 per cent, thirteen Of the largest
motor car manufacturers In the coun~y
try have banded together and filed a
protest against the measure with the
Senate Finance Committee. They point
out that a reduction in tariff might
mean at least an per cent reduction
In the wages of the thousands and
thousands of wage-earners at present
employed in the American plants.
They say this would be the logical
loophole, because the cost of prodtc-
ton In many cases cannot be reduced
In any other way.
The brief bristles with facts of in
terest, chief of which is the evidence
offered as to the need of a protective
tarin to prevent a reduction of wages
| In order to meet foreign competition,
| the claim being made that were 1t
not for the protective tariff policy Of
this country at the time the motor car
Industry came on the horizon, almost
countless millions of dollars would hav,
gone abroad sor motor vehicles by
| reason of the earlier start of the in
dustry In Europe, and American arti-
| sans would have gone without many
millions of wages which the tariff has
| enabled them to earn"
The brief points out that the wages
paid abroad are from one-third to one
! half the rates prevalent in American
| factories, which difference in compen-
| sation Is maintained by the tariff. and
tells of the efforts made by European
makers to get into the American mar
kets. european makers, 1t is also
pointed out. in addition to having the
| benefit of cheap labor, also have the
/ advantage of being able to Use Amer
lean macninery, which in itself means
| much.
The thirteen manufacturers filing the
protest have a total capital of SIS O07,-
65l. employ 1906 wage earners. whose
pay for twelve months aggregates
s26,s73.797 The amount OF material pur-
chased by them in twelve months is
said to be seG, ,0sS.747.
Joseph Letter, president of the Wash
ington Gas Company. is the latest pur-
chaser of Cadillac roadster. Other
Cadillac sales made last week by the
| Cook & Stoddard Company include
| touring cars purchased by Mrs. Tyson
| Elliott, Z. V. Grunwell. c. +. Nesbit,
z. II. Cave, E. E. Jordan, and roadsters
TaSos by Dr. Hrow e. L. Bliss nrabdsad and H.
lundaulet with an extra touring body.
The Commercial Automobile and Sup
ply Company reports the sale of E-M-F
| touring cars to Lieut.. n. l.. Jones,
George A. Rankin, Henry Oxenburg, j.
E. Bissett. Louis NJ. Reitz, a Flanders
roadster to A. H. Ryan, and a Stude-
baker electric victoria to Thomas II.
Melton.
Following its policy of offering the
public complete line of popular-priced
pleasure and commercial vehicles, the
n nd ta1
here by the overland-W shington Mo-
tor Company. has perfected two new de-
livery wagons. Both vehicles are
mounted on the model 50 chassis, and
special and model 50 delivery ex-
press" The former is equipped with a
covered body while the latter is fitted
pacity of each is 800 pounds. They have
been designed for merchants who re-
quire rapid delivery of small and
m-sized parcels.
Brothers include the following: DR.. H.
II. Donnally, Allen f. Walker & Co,
J. F. Kelchner uwo2, H. N. Payne, g.
Clark. c. Walter Hoover, Mrs. Whitson.
S. Alexander. J. A. Balderson, Straus-
Gunst Company: DR., M. r. Evans. John
Shugrue, E. W. Grafton, Pauline NJ.
Henri Wagner. William H. Warner,
and J. G. Meyer
James J. Flynn has been appointed
manager of the Washington branch of
} the Locomobile Company, and will take
: charge May !. Mr.. Flynn has been
: manager of the Zell Motor Car Com
pany for some time, and has a host of
friends in this city, who wish him much
success in his new field Mr.. Flynn sue
ceeds ]. f. Macdonald. who has gone
to Philadelphia to join the Packard
, sales force.
The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Com
: pany, one of the most progressive of the
! Akron rubber concerns, and makers of
J No-Rim-Cut tires, is celebrating its
thirteenth anniversary. Since its for
nation the company has placed on the
market one million tires.
e N M Gnu