Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-08-25
MOTOR WORKS HELP
IN war OPERATIONS
Many Factories AutOmaticaI-
ly Turn to Manufacture of
Airplane Engines

1t has been estimated by government
experts that there are now in this
country 100000 owners of passenger
automobiles that cost at the time of
original purchase $500 or less each,
100000 owners who paid between $500
and 800 for their cars, 1,219,000 in the
800 to $4,000 class, and 231 900 having
cars of which the list price was be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000. There are also
in use, of course, many thousands of
cars that cost originally more than
$4,000. These figures measure the cum
ulative quantitive demand for pas
senger automobiles during the past sew
eral years-one for Approximately
every twenty person.
The Standardization of materials,
methods and mounting dimensions of
parts, which has been the greatest
factor in the large volume production
of American cars, with simultaneous
decreased cost and improved quality,
has convinced many European de-
signers and manufacturers that they
should take a leaf from the book of
wisdom of our automobile engineers
who are now, incidentally, working to-
gether in the same organization, the
Society of Automotive Engineers, with
the aeronautic, automarine and trac-
tor engineers. Large production of
moderate priced cars in England and
France has been contemplated for
some time. A low priced model was
brought out by an Italian firm even
during the war. Russia has shown
ambition to enter the automobile
manufacturing world The production
of cars of the "pleasure type has
naturally been reduced in those, coun-
tries that are now at war.
America Has Advantage.
At the conclusion of the war, auto
mobile production in this country will
be larger than ever before, in order to
meet domestic and foreign demand.
Governed by the cost of material and
labor, the tendency will be toward
lower priced ears. Europe will want
large quantities of inexpensive ma
chimes. The American manufacturers,
cialization developed the modern auto
mobile of low cost, will naturally be
in an advantageous position in the
worldwide trade, although the com
petition will be keener than ever be-
fore.
In times of stress the car of medium
and low price range comes more and
more into demand. This is a natural
result of the pertinacity with which
the public holds to the automobile as
an essential element in the transporta-
ton system of modern life.
Turn to Airplanes.
AT this time many manufacturers
of high priced vehicles will be called
upon to furnish large numbers of air
plane engines. The class of work
manship required for the successful
production of these engines in consid-
erably in advance of even that of the
best passenger car practice. 1t is for
tunate that the productive capacity
that most nearly approaches the re-
ouired quality thus becomes automati-
cally available as a result of the eff
feet of war on the demand for auto
mobiles.
The reflex action of this situation
which is bound to occur will become
plain after the war. 1t is possible, OF
course, that large numbers of air
planes will remain in commission in
the peaceful time to come. There are
many who believe that the time is fast
approaching when the airplane will
supplant the automobile in certain
well marked spheres, especially in the
realm of sport. The more plausible
view, is however, that vastly fewer
airplanes will be needed in time OF
peace. In that event the productive
capacity of the airplane engine plants,
which will in all probability by that
time be keyed up enormously, again
will be available for the production
of passenger ears.
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