South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-23
ARGENTINE GOOD
MARKET. FOR AUTO
Great Possibilities in South
American Country, Says
Commerce Report.

Argentine offers greater possibili-
ties than any other country in South
America as a market for automo-
tie vehicles. SAYS David Beecroft in
q report made public by the bureau
Of foreign and domestic commerce.
Of the department. Of commerce.
The physical characteristics Of the
country. with its prairie-like pam
pas. ideal for agriculture. its popu-
latIon OF 100000 scattered over an
area greater than that Of the United
States east OF the Mississippi river.
and its great need for motor trans
portation OF all types make tine
country "a particularly opportune
field for such apparatus Like the
great Mississippi valley in North
America. Argentine viii undoubted-
- develop into the largest CON
sumer Of motor vehicles in South
America.
For 10 or Is years previous 20 the
war automobiles in Argentine were
confined chiefly 10 the cities Eu-
ropean cars sold almost exclusively
in the cities; the American car to-
DAY is selling almost exclusively in
the country. European cars We're
largely Of the expensive types in all
the best makes They were owned
by the wealthy business men as well
as the wealthy estancierOs Farm
ers). who spent much OF their time
Ia the cities. The country districts,
being practically without improved
roads we're not suitable for such au-
tomobiIes. In fact. it was very rare
that a resident of BuenOs Aires
would attempt TO drive even TO Ros-
ariO. 2 distance Of 175 miles In dry
weather such a drive might be pos
sible but il would be very unpleas-
ant because Of the trail-like roads
and the clouds of dust In wet
weather the trip is impossible, for
the heavy cars could not make any
With few exceptions. the expensive
European automobile was a city We
hicie for the wealthy classes.
Argentine Needs Automobiles.
The Argentine camp. or country
settlement. needs the automobile. II
il a region of great distances. and
many OF the farms being very large.
speedier transportation than the
horse is required. While the large
farrn system of ownership makes IT
easier to sell automobiles at the
"a
hardship i'm that the selling market
is limited a. ee.1pared with a SINH
lar area of cultivated land in North
America.
The field OF the motor truck in
Argentine has not been developed 10
any extent and the truck movement
is tagging far behind the car move
ment There is a good selling field
for trucks i'm the city of Buenos
Aires and a limited selling field in
some OF the other cities such as RO-
sario. Bahia Blanca. Mendoza. and
Cordoba. I'm the smaller cities
street pavements are generally good
but wide streets are not SO common
as I'm Buenos Aires. There is a very
big selling field with the estancieros.
No country is better adapted 10
the use OF the motor farm tractor
than Argentine with its long level
stretches. its entire freedom from
stones. and its sparse farm pOpula-
ton. The farm tractor was intro
duced BY American manufactures
on he pampas several years ago. but
unfortunately it's application was not
r.arr III
years ago mechanical farm help
competent 20 care for the farm traC-
tor was not 10 be had and the ma
chimes proved failure. not owing
TO faulty design. manufacture. or
materials but owing 90 lack of com
peteut operators. Those tractors
We're largely of the heavy type. cap
able OF pulling eight 70 u plows.
They are still TO be seen but are not
iu use because OF the high cost OF
fuel and the problem OF operators.
Unfortunately they are not a good
advertisement for the American
tractor industry OF today
Today the estanciero Is not favor
ably disposed 20 the farm tractor.
partly because of past experiences.
bat largely owing 20 the high price
OF gasoline. the cheapness of horses.
and the poor crops OF the last two
wears The small American Easo-
line tractor capable of pulling three
or four plows is Ou the Argentine
market but rs not selling In spite
OF the haudiCapS the estanCiero is
looking more favora bly, on the small
tractor. He sees i'm IL cultiyatiug
capacity that viii make up 20 some
extent for the shortage of labor due
10 the cutting of OF immigration
since the war and the emmiEration
OF many italian farm laborers who
have left To join the colors OF their
native land.