Evening star., 1918-04-14

0VERSO[D MARKET
MARKS AUTO TRADE
FIJI. Akers Predicts That Stu
pendous Output Will Con-
tinue to Wars End.
PLANTS ARE PATRIOTIC

~yery properly the efforts of the en-
tire automobile industry for the past
twelve months have been concentrated
on winning the war. Production OF
Rutomobiles-even automobile trucks
for the ordinary commercial and domes-
tic purposes has ceased to be the
paramount concern of the automobi
manufacturers; for the makers of
motor cars have been too busy con-
verting TO government uses the energy.
the ingenuity, the resourcefulness and
the efficiency which in the last two
decades have enabled the automobile
industry to revolutionize manufactur-
ing methods and to develop quantity
production to a point never before
dreamed Of stated F H. Akers, safes
manager of the REQ Motor Car Com
ERny in recent interview.
This conversion of energy has taken
many and divergent forms Not all OF
the automobile factories are actually
producing munitions OF war. although
the production of trucks for military
service, of airplane engines. of anti
submarine craft. of artillery tractors
and a thousand and one other things
which the United States and her al
lies need most urgently for direct use
in winning the war is engaging sur
prisingly large part of the productive
capacity of many of the biggest auto
mobile factories in the country.
No Lack of Patriotism.
TN view of the assistance which the
automobile industry already has rem
dered the government in preparing
to prosecute the war most effectively
particularly since this activity is being
constantly increased-we shall not be
accused of sordid commercialsm of
a lack of patriotism if, even at this
time. we digress for the purpose of at
tempting to diagnose the future of this
mammoth industry itself. For, while
our present duty is to give ourselves
whole-heartedly to the winning of the
war the injunction In time of war pre-
pare for peace was never more clearly
applicable than today.
AT the best there is certain to be a
period of sharp industrial and CONNER
cial readjustment soon as hostilities
shall cease, and it is equally certain
that the necessity for Hquidating the
enormous war debts that are now be-
ing piled up will result in an inter-
national race for commercial suprem-
acy which will completely eclipse Ger
many's former efforts to secure place
in the sun Consequently it behooYes
those of us who are unwilling to see
America left at the barrier in this
great race to see to it that as nearly
as possible her commercial and indus
trial equilibrium be maintained even
Still in Its Infancy.
IF We may Judge the future by the
past and the present the automobile
business still is in a period of COM
parative infancy. If figures mean any
thing at all. they indicate Enthusiastically
that the point of saturation'-what-
ever that may meanNhas not been
reached. The curve of production, to
the end of 1917, is still upward, and
while there is certain to be a marked
recession in 1918 1t will be due not to
q falling Off of demand-which, of
course. would be the case IL the maxi
mum absorptive power of the country
had been reached-but to the necessity
of releasing for government uses part
pacity. which normally would have been
utilized for the manufacture of automo-
biles.
1T is significant that even in 1917
production exceeded that of 1916 by ap-
proximately 20 per cent. and it is still
more significant that right now used
cars Of all makes and classes are SELL
ing briskly at prices representing an
advance OF from 40 per cent to 60 per
cent over what the same cars were
selling for a year ago. 1t is doubtful If
there ever was time in the history of
the automobile business when there
was as lively a market for used cars
- at the present time, and when we
consider this statement in the light of
the admitted fact that the supply of
automobiles has never eQua1ed the de-
mand. it is apparent not only that
neither the buying power nor the buy
ing inclination of the public has di-
minished. but that it has actually in
creased
4 TT Is at least doubtful whether pro-
duction will again get back to normal
before the end of the war. If 1t does
not. we may look forward with the
utmost confidence to anowersold market
Tor the remainder Of the conflict. The
9feAt middle class-including farmers
and skilled workmen who make UP the
bulk OF the buyers OF medium-priced
an4omobiles-sre flush with money It's
natural that they should be spending
Fart Of It for conveniences which they
never before have been able to afford,
and that's exactly what they are doing.
Personally, I am extremely optimis-
to over the outlook for the automo-
bile business-not only for the period
after the war, but for the immediate
present. The prosperity of the indus
try for the present is limited. of course.
but It is limited not by natural
economic causes, which are funda-
mental. but by the desira bility and
necessity for our sacrificing selfish ends
to the greater cause in which we are
eN cell