The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1917-09-05

cEaHCG, IIlc nlOIOTCar-CnS pleasure
car used by the America nfamily in
the after-dinner spin or the weekend
TRIPS most likely to grace the list
of our war economies.
The Department of Agriculture at
Washington estimates that there is
one automobile for every thirty per-
sons in the United States. According
to the departments tabulations, there
are more than 3,500,000 automobiles
roaming around the United States.
The increase in 1916 over 1915 was
something like 43 per cent. Ten years
ago the country had only $4,000 mo-
torcars in use.
The Government revenue from au-
tomobiles last year, from registration
fees and licepses, was something
like $25,000,O0O. That, however, is
mere pocket spending money compar-
cd to the cost of the world war, Ger
many spending an equivalent of that
sum every day TO keep the machinery
of Mars in motion.
1t is not the number of cars or
their cost that figures at this time,
but the amount of money necessary
for the upkcep of the cars. Sit down
and figure up the money you spend
every year for gasoline, oils and tires;
then multiply it by the more than
3,500,000 cars now in operation and
you will see why the United States
Government will have to follow suit
| ,,ith hor 11inc
this "luxury."
But while you, Mr.. Family Man,
may have to practice self-denials with
your motorcar-maybe lock it up in
the garage for the duration of the
war-the automobile manufacturers
preston in the manufacture of cars,
nor the automobile accessory gentle
men in the supplying of motor parts
When General Pershing and his
troops landed in France his troops
were carried inland in American mo-
torcars. American steel rails were
laid down virtually from the steam
ship pier in the direction of the Sam
mees' camp. American locomotives
were placed on the rails and the cars
carried exclusively de-in- America
supplies.
The automobile manufacturers will
make airplane and motorboat engines.
The rubber kings are busily making
tires for all the lorries, ambulances
and supply cars that are necessary to
maintain armies of millions. Thou
sands of motorcars are necessary to
the upkcep of the military machine
of the nation. And these thousands
are constantly being worn out and de-
stroyed and must be replaced by thou
sands more.
But, as to gasoline, it is very like
ly to be classed among the "liquid
luXuries," once an era of war econo-
mics is inaugurated. Just as the
United States virtually must feed the
world, so must it supply the world
with gasoline. According to the Unit
cd States Geological Survey, the mar
| keted oil production of this country
in 1915 was 65 per cent of The worlds
output. Undoubtedly it has increas-
ed in two years. 1t has been reported
that the present shortage in crude oil
production is something like 100000
900 barrels.
Our new fleet Of airplanes will re-
quire an enormous supply of fuel. 1t
has been estimated that $4,000 flying
machines will require more than 1885,
600 gallons every flying hour. Allow
ing 263 flying hours in year and
four flying hours day, the gasoline
consumption of the air fleet would be
more than million gallons day, or
approximately 300,00O,00O galolns
every flying year--about onc-quarter
of our entire production. And when
you consider $4,000 motortrucks used
by Uncle Sam you can figure there
must be some economy on the part of
the family man.
| Liquid LuXuries"
1t has been estimated that the total
mileage of the more than 100000
cars in this country is more than 49,
O00,0O0,000. Gasoline consumption is
somewhere around 840,OO0,O0O gallons.
OF this great total only about per
cent is used by commercial vehicles.
So much for King Motor. While on
the subject Of ''liquid luxurics" one
'cannot pass over rum. Economy, of
course, has already been begun in that
line through the Governments action