Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-09
MOTOR Makers PLEDGE
FACILITIES TO nation
Manufacturers in Conference Vote
unanimously to Support III
dustrieS COMMITTEES.
ORGANIZATION KEPT INTACT
Some Decrease in Passenger Car
Production Anticipated Because
Most of Factories Will Give PREF
ereucc to Government Necessities.

\. their meeting in Detroit last
week in answer TO cali from VIC
National Automobile Chamber OF COM
morcc. more than l5o automobile mali
uc,,,urcrs voted unanimously 10 sup
nor, Tho work OF the Automobile In
dustrics Committee At Na*hiie'oh'
nIcdvcd 20 the War industries Boar"
and the War and Naval tepat''''"''
thcir hcartieSt support and To man
rxnrcsscd their readiness to turn over
lilo vast productive facilities OF inc
Industry to the government as iast US
the government can make use oil them.
In the meantime. automohlIe hahe' .
will keen their ORGANIZATIONS 'h!"
50 ms to conserve the greatest noSS'o'o
potential strength for the present an"
future war program OF the eoNct"
mcnt President Charles Cliti"h' OF
The y. \. L. c. presided. with every
promncnt company IN the in"uSi
represented and also representatives
of the Motor and Accessories Mahui"c-
turcrs' Association.
II was very clearly shown that the
washington authorities had no inteh-
ton of arbitrarily cutting OIL the "u-
tomobilc business, and that autoihop'ie
men themselves have offered 10 rc"uce
messenger car production according 10
the government needs Tor war ma
,nrials or as tic government may re-
,,,,r, the facilities of tho automobile
and Accessory manufacturing COM
NAMES The heartiest response TO the
rorn,nittce's efforts has been received
from the War Industries Board ana
from the Army and Navy departments
DO Not Expect Normal business.
Manufacturers appreciate ina, huS-
mess cannot bc entirely as usuai ""r-
ing the war. as the principal business
nov is making war and not making
automobiles. so that the industry can
not cNpcct to increase production as
In The past.
The manufacturers Attending '"'
,uce,inr were surprised at the ErcAl
unr,hor of automobile men in the ser
VIC, and the spirit OF cooperation
which has been shown By the niaherH
giving their best men TO the govern
rncut Mt great sacriicc 10 themselves
and their plants.
II is realized that rather than give
munition orders to Compa nics when
have 10 buy new machinery ana puii"
new nlants advantage should tie taken
Of The productive capacities OF the au-
1omobie and parts plants Ah lh
monsc amount OF war WORK Is ncIhS
done and preparations are being rh'he
10 take over more worH Tor IN" govern
ment
a. w. COPELAND and Hugh Chalmers
of TN. Automobile Industries Board,
who with John i. Lee were appointed
to coordinate the government war re-
uuiremeuls with the facilities OF the
automobile industry, explained me
work going on at Washington. Their
49,, 60 ,ddI,ion:l engineers was
,,,,.i,. ,ns,vored hv nine manufac-
~ ,.aiur, ..i,iu.- Tho services Of nine
OF their engineers 10 work with the
committee AT Washington for tn. period
u.,.r. En- Relieve Nnurunds
:. ., f.,, ,b.,t s,lii,. ,ruusuortn.
49,; 60. ,n,lI;ors az nco,ic ana thou
,onds nf ,ons of rrei. int az supplied hy
a,ar, ,5o,nr car and truck.
,.n,,,nd ,ri,h the War Railroads Boards
ronn.s, 20, rrea,cr motor transporta-
80, rnlio%o rs, railroads of ,hort
h.,l ,ran;r demands continued pro-
durt,vc facilities in ,h3 Industry. now
rn,,.J y. third amoul, those OF the
ITni,.a states
Ev unanimous vote cc IN" urcctiuG.
rh. rulloyyi.t.. ,.It,r..ul ,.as sent To
PANEL Wr-li.rG. chairman Of thr Wat
lnau.,ric. lo,r,; At WASHINGTON:
.rbc u,t,.,,oli,r industry AS rcDrc
s.nted bv more th\n l.u manufacturers
session here to-day. volunteers its
hearty sunuori 10 our Autn,nohilc In.
dustries Committee in Washington. and
nIedres 10 The war Industries BOARD
and the War and Naval DEPARTMENTS
their hcartiest supnor,, and 10 a mar
cxpresscd their Willingness TO turf
their facilities over 10 the government
as fast as the government can max,
use OF them. In the meantime we hon,
to keep our organizations intact 80
as to conserve the greatest possibl,
potential strength to the presen, ant
future war plans Of the governments
Loyal support by 27.500 dealers WA,
indicated by reports from differen
sections OF The country expressing thci
Willingness to help win tn. war by re
ARRANGING. their ORGANIZATIONS for IN,
new situations created The automo
bile men expect to make cars to =
near a normal number as the material
and coal situation will permit. but i
may be expected mat there will b.
some decrease i'm the number OF pas
sengtr cars produced. making then
harder 10 get and higher in price.
.,aooo Workers in Industry.
The meeting was supplied with son,
in,crcEtin.: figures which proved tn
far-reavhinr influence OF the auto,no
bile Industry They showed $50 max
crs OF passenger automobiles. ana ~