Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-12-30
THE CAUSES OF
CAR SHORTAGE
Renschaw, Sales Manager For
REQ, Tells How Sidetracks
Are Used For Storage

Il don't like to tell tales out of
school and everybody in the trade
knows I'm no knocker," says r. c.
RuescLaw,. salesmanager of the REQ
Motor Car company. but I will say
this If automobile manufacturers
would pay less attention to the ticker
tape and more to the real business of
making and selling cars, there
wouldn't be nearly the railroad con-
gestion nor the ear shortage there is.
Here's the idea: A lot of con-
Germs are eager to make good show
ing-on paper. They play on the fact
that the public that deals in stock
margins does not know that automo-
biles shipped from the factory may
not be automobiles sold, though on
the surface 1t looks like it.
So they ship on dealers allotment
schedules-made some months pre-
vious. Many dealers are not prepared
at this time 10 pay the sight draft
and take deliveries, and the result is
carload of automobiles standing on
a siding for days, weeks-yes, months,
in some cases. Case shipped in De-
cember may not be unloaded till May.
Frequently they have to be retinished
before customers will accept them.
The records show that thousands of
freight cars are being used i'll that
way for storage purposes. to the end
that the stock quotations may look
good TO spectators. 4 few concerns
are monopoliZing the freight-car sup
ply while those who have a lively de-
mand can't ship.
And, mind you, those are the big
le.
so feet long, extra high, and with
10-foot doors made especially for
shipping automobiles-and the only
kind we makers of big cars can use.
If they would all follow the REQ
plan, half the congestion would be re-
lieved-it never would have occurred
in the first place.
I'VE REQ folk never ship on a deal
ers contract allotment only on
monthly specifications. In other
words, while II dealer. when signing
up in July. hay specify for example,
$50 cars per month in December, jan
uary and February. We do not ship
until he sends us, in November, lis
specifications for the coming month,
indicating that he needs that many
Reos in December and is ready to
pay for and unload them the day they
arrive at his station.
You'll find no REQ cars stored in
freight cars on sidings, nor anywhere
else, for that matter. For we haven t
been able to catch up with orders
even in bleak December
But then, we REQ folk do not try
to make all the automobiles and we
are concerned not at all with the item
of stock quotations."
It's becoming quite the thing
says r. c. Rueschaw. salesmanager of
the REQ Motor Car company, ito
present the parson with an aitomo-
bile and since in such Il case the
first consideration is to preserve the
gentle disposition of the father of the
flock, the good people invariably Sc
lect a car that is sure to give its own
er the least possible amount of
trouble.
II know of nothing better calcu-
lated to preserve the temper, even of
a parson, than a thoroughly depend
able automobile.
Imagine, for example, a car whose
starter wouldn't begin; one whose
brakes would fail to brake; steer
ing gear that was 'tipsy;' and above
all, balky motor-can you imagine
how difficult it would be, even for
a preacher. to keep from saying bad
words or thinking unkind thoughts?
Seems as if the ladies-who, of
course, are always the ones to do
these kindly acts-kave thought of
ali this for, in countless cases, they
have selected dependable Reos for the
occasion, more often than could be
accounted for by mere coincidence.
"Of course the fact that REQ cars
are driven by women more than any
other make, undoubtedly has some
thing to do with it.
That simple one rod control
strongly appeals to them. Then, too,
they look to appearance, and at the
same time must count the costa
consideration that must weigh heav-
lily in the selection of a REQ.
"One dealer who recently sold three
Reos-two Fours and Six-for
Christmas presents for the parson,
insists it is because he and so many
other REQ folk are good churchmen
that they get the preference.
But that doesn't entirely account
for it, for we all know a Methodist
Ladies Aid society wouldn't willingly
buy a car from a Presbyterian dealer!
recently sold two REQ fars for par
sons presents-and he spends most
of his Sundays fishing, as all his
townsmen know!
Must be the car says I.
Anyway, no automobile could be
put to better use-nor a more suitable
present selected; for the dominie's
time and radius are multiplied, and
his field of usefulness vastly broad
ened when, with his own car, he can
call on the needy and the sick and
the unhappy and minister to Chem.
Recently I was honored for a sub
scription for a REQ for the parish
priest, and although I don't attend
his church, I fell for IL.
Does me good. too, every time I
see him drive by on an errand of
mercy 1 wish every REQ could be put
to such good use"