Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-10
II REQ STRIKES
POPULAR FANCY
Exhibit at Auto Show Attracts
Wide Attention; Price
"Tilting" Discussed

llltlnS Discussed
REQ, the handsome car of size and
strength and moderately priced, is one
of the hits of show week.
The REQ is handled in Harrisburg |
and vicinity by the Harrisburg Auto
Company. of which George q. Nc
Farland is the manager.
The REQ models are eliciting con-
siderable praise both at the show and
salesrooms.
In the REQ is to be found accessible
ity, comfort and also convenience for
the driver Since 80 per cent of REQ
cars are driven by their owners this
is highly important.
Mr. Mcfarland reports that the REQ
1917 models have struck the popular
fancy and he expects the year to be
the biggest this well-established car
has ever had in Harrisburg and vicin-
ity.
Price 'sTiIting"
S'The thing that has proven to be
the best thing that ever happened to
the automobile industry came in
threatening guise, and believe me, itI
had us all scared for a time," said
Mr.. Mcfarland.
"I refer to the necessity of fitting
prices, which we, in common with all
other automobile manufacturers, were
confronted a few weeks ago and which
menace has not yet disappeared by
any means"
when some months ago, it became
apparent that if prices of materials
! sary for all makers to increase prices
: of the finished product, we were
/ mighty anxious about the outcome.
Nobody hailed the prospect with
delight-the dealers least of all. They
were convinced to a man that a price
| increase would be fatal. They were
certain the damand would drop off to
nothing. When told that unless con-
! ditions changed radically and soon, the
manufacturers profit would be wiped
| out and prices would have to go up.
| they preferred to handle the cars on
/ smaller discount basis rather than
to risk an increase of list price.
Small Discounts
Here entered a factor with which
II l doubt the average buyer was con-
Fversant, namely: that dealers dis
l counts On duIOIl1ObIiSS VI SletiidSlh u
makes had long since been cut to the
limit. 1t is very much less than 1T
is on articles such as furniture, pianos,
farm implements and other staples
consequently the sacrifice the dealers
were able to make in that direction
| vas wholly inadequate to meet con-
ditions. There was only one way out
| WIT had ofhe taken at once"
prices of both materials and labor
did continue to go up, and since it was
a condition and not theory with
which the manufacturers were con-
fronted one after the other bowed to
the inevitable and the public saw high
er prices announced all along the line"
"Then a strange thing happened in
stead of the demand dropping off, as
we all had anticipated, the automobile
business has enjoyed one of the big
gest booms in its history"
Three Reasons
"This last December was the biggest
December we have ever known. 1t was
more like May"
"Analyzing the situation it seems
this was due to three things-First,
the prevailing prosperity, which en-
ables many persons to buy even at the
advanced prices, who were not pre-
viously able to buy at all; and second,
experience has taught buyers that the
only time to get prompt delivery is
III the winter. Wnen Ile opTlHB TuSIl
sets in, it means weeks, even months
of delay-with a shortage of all stand
ard makes of cars at the end"
But the third, reason and the phase
about which ] started to speak
and which I think is the best
thing that ever happened to the auto
mobile industry, was the fact that the
public became aware all at once, and
for the first time, that automobiles
are actually made and sold on a small
Ter percentage of profit than almost
any other commodity, not even eX-
inasmuch, as 80 per cent of buyers
are engaged in some line of business
themselves, they knew market condi-
tions and so they anticipated a still
higher increase in materials and knew
that a still further advance in the
price of automobiles was to be expect
ed So they rushed to get under
cover while there was yet time"