Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-12-09
AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS
WILL BACK GOVERNMENT
Automobiles One of Greatest Factors
In Transportation Problems
of This Country.

In a recent article in "Automo-
| bile Topics" r.. II. Broadwell, vice.
president of the Fisk Rubber COM
pany presents an optomstic viewpoint
on the war and its effect upon the
automobile trade. In many ways this
statement is one of the few compre-
hensive reviews OF the present situa-
ton
He writes: BATTLES cannot be
Fought and won unless the men arc
physically fit as well as properly
equippel; in other words thay must
have full stomachs. The war cannot
| be won nor the government carry on
It's program unless we are financially
ut and have full pockets. firmly
believe that as order comes out of the
task which is confronting the govern
ment at the present time, they will
md the American manufacturers will
De able to rise sufficiently to the sit
uation TO take care Of the government
business and at the same time not
shut off entirely supplies to their
large selling organization which have
such far-reaching effect on the
prosperity Of our country This ap-
plies not only to the automobile In
dustry but to every industry. Curtail-
ment In production of cars must nee
essarilv come. but to the thousands Of
dealers In the country that does not,
by any means, mean the closing of
their doors. Cars which would no
doubt become obsolete will be over
hauled and kept in commission. The
owner of car today, who has been
in the habit of buying a new one each
year. If unable to get that new one
this coming year, will have his car
put in shape probably in much bet
ter shape than the one who would
purchase it secondhand In other
words, by the very shortage OF cars
| business will be created
The greatest problems which our
country faces today are those Of
transportation. 1t does not make any
difference whether 1t is in the city
or the country, transportation is n
factor. The individual transportation
by the automobile has been one Of the
greatest factors in the development OF
our country and with the probable
output this year of 1,S00, 900 cars, IL
the production was cut SO per cent,
would put between 100000 and .O00,-
600 new cars into operation. This to-
gether with the estimate of 1000, 900
la operation today. would, with thu
possible necessary discardine of these
old models which can no longer be
made to run. mean that by next year
we should see from 100000 to A.
1b0,0 cars in use. All require SER
vice and If an individual today dis
poses of his machine thru his inabii-
ity to operate It, the man who buys il,
buys 1t for the purpose of operation.
Il believe that we are going thru a
period that is going to show us all
the more the necessity of the automo-
bile. not rs some people would put Il,
Tor pleasure use, but for actual util-
ity. II is safe to say that not 10 per
cent of all the automobiles in use can
he considered as purely pleasure cars.
the other ninety being passenger cars
and used for real purpose.
The conditions are going TO teach
us all not how TO do without as much
as how to stop waste. In the fast age
In which we have been living. waste
has not been considered a factor, but
In the recent gasoline propaganda 1t
was definitely shown that the eimi-
nation of waste ~ the use Of gasoline
would supply the government with all
its requirements We are going TO
find the same thing Is true In the
operation OF our business, whether It
Is manufacturer, dealer or I'm in.
dividual. We are not going TO stop
going on, but are going to find meth
DDS and ways and means for the elm
iration of the waste which does not
bring any feturn but is only an ex-
pense.
"It would therefore seem that with
the scare headlines which have ap-
peared In our newspapers regarding
our own individual business. stating.
that the plants were all going To be
taken over and operated by the gov
ernmcnt, should come the sound reas-
oning that would show the govern
ment wise enough to realize that
while 1t needs must be para mount.
still industries must go on and organ
izations In all towns and hamlets in
our country must continue to exist TO-.
the further development, and if this
.hot Is constantly borne in mind thero
is no doubt that ways and means will