Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-09-05
HIGH GRADE CARS NOT
AFFECTED BY WAR
President of Packard Co. Gives
Reasons Why Emergency De-
mand VIII Make Up Loss

"The sale of high grade American
cars will suffer very little on account
of the European war, for the very
simple reason that what is lost in any
one way will be made up in another"
That was the reply made by M. ].
Budlong, president of the Packard
Motor Car Company of New York,
Philadelphia and Chicago, when asked
what he thought of present trade
conditions and their effect upon the
automobile business. Mr.. Budlong
continued:
THE war naturally has affected
business in New York more than 1t
has in the West and in New York 1t
naturally has affected such industries
as the automobile business more than
it has affected trade in the common
necessities. The injury cannot be
very great, however, nor can 1t be
permanent. Even now, with the war
only a few weeks old, I have noticed
signs of a freer buying spirit than
recently prevailed. The capacity of
the United States for adjusting itself
to intense situations will prevent
business stagnation now that the first
shock of Europes terrible tragedy is
over. OF course, there are some peo-
pie who are so hard hit by the war
that they will conserve every resource
for long time to come, but, mean
while, there are others who will
profit by a readjustment of conditions
and who will conduct their business
and personal affairs accordingly.
THE temporary cessation of i'm
portation and expectation and the
closing of the New York Stock Ex
change has created new condition
of affairs for which we were not pre-
pared, and has brought the business
of $4,000 brokers, importers and ex
70 OF 4
least. Strange as it may seem, this
untoward condition will not affect
greatly the high grade American car
business Although we sold a great
many more cars in this locality dur
ing the past season than during any
of several previous seasons, very lit
tie of our trade came from the finan-
cial district Other pursuits have been
more prosperous and have supplied
the demand.
"At the moment It is difficult to
make a complete analysis of the high
grade car situation on a count of the
fact that a large number of the peo-
pie who can afford and buy the best
cars are still out of the city on their
vacations. Indications are that at the
worst any reduction in trade will be
merely temporary, because those of
our patrons who are in the market for
cars, but who have held off in placing
their orders, have invariably said that
they are going to buy just as soon as
business becomes adjusted to the new
conditions.
"A large number of Americans who
ordinarily spend many months in Eu-
rope are now forced to return home,
in many cases without their old cars,
which have been confscated on the
other side, and in many cases with
out new cars which they have intend
ed to purchase in Europe. This will
mean an immediate and greatly in
creased demand for high class Amer
lean cars Also, within the last few
days we have received many orders
from men connected with various in
dustries that have Immediately pros
pered as a result of the war and who,
in some cases, have made tremendous
sums within a short space of time.
another influence which will have
permanent as we'll as a temporary
good effect upon the American high
grade car business will be the prac-
tical elimination of the foreign made
cars owing to the inability of their i'm
porters to guarantee delivery and to
supply parts and supplies. Many of
those who have driven foreign cars
previously have done so as matter of
habit more than anything else and
have not realized the superior quail
ties of American cars, particularly for
American conditions. Invariably
their first purchase of an American
car leads to their complete CONVEX
sion. fact which is borne out by our
experience that the very best Gus
toners we now have are among those
who have formerly owned and driven
foreign cars.
present indications being that the
struggle in Europe will not be termi
mated shortly, business interests and
popular sentiment in this country are
bound to settle to a rational basis.
Our position in the worlds trade is
so strong to-day on account of Eu-
ropes necessity and our own great
resources that in addition to meeting
our own requirements and supplying