Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-03-13
SPRING OPENING
FOR AUTO TRADE
1OLAST 4 WEEK
.-an House VIII Re Observed By
the Tri-Cit! Dealers From
March = to 81.
,,rFs PLACE OF ONE SHOW
r.eh Firm VIII Have Exhibit Of
His Own and All VIII Con-
scentrale Advertising.

TIE tri-C5tv automobile trade in
.-.,rr will have its spring opening
- week Of March IS.
mis- was decided at a meeting OF
- Tri-Cirv Automobile Trade as
.,eiatjou al the Davenport Com
-srcial club last night, when the
~smbers agreed 10 hold open house
- last week in March.
Fach dealer viii have an auto
-ohile exhibit of mis- own instead
: a central auto show as in for
-.r wears. Because there is no
sliding in the tTi-Cities large
.-augh TO acCOmmodate all deal
* who desired space TO show
.seir cars. the plan OF a central
.how was dropped.
The dealers have united. how
ser. to make the individual shows
success They will be in the
arm of one show as the prospec-
re buyer who calls at one dealer
Ind sees his cars will be conveyed
o another dealers place Of bust
sess In a machine. These courte-
;.es will be extended by the deal
s-s 10 each and at the same time
demonstrate their cars 10 the pros
pectiye buyer
Advertising Campaign.
Not only the automobile dealers,
bit those handling tires and &C
eessories viii have AT Home"
week the last week in the month.
Beginning Monday Of next week a
concentrated advertising campaign
will be started to last two weeks.
It's purpose will be to advertise the
spring opening. the dealers 20
avoid calling attention to the re-
spectiye merits of the cars they
handle but to concentrate on en-
deavors to interest the public in
the show week Following the
show week, the plan is TO continue
an advertising campaign, making it
continual one rather than spas
mOdic
The dealers last night also de
dded to place delivered prices on
the cars In the past, cars have
carried the cost {. o. b. at the city
n which they were manufactured
tie purchaser being compelled o
pay the freight. war tax. gasoline
and oiling charges in addition. \
number Of consumers were mislcd
under this plan because they
thought the price at the point f
manufacture was the charge deIiv-
cred All prices advertised now
gill be for cars as they stand ~
he salesToOms here.
Dealers also said that the cos.
q getting ca $ here is more than
ioubIed because they have to he
aFiFeu overland from the factories.
many Of which are in Michigan.
me railroads are unable to handle
aIt0mObile freight.
kropf Talks.
7. G krOpf. commissioner Of the
association. gave an address on
The Necessity OF Confidence and
fourage in the Automobile Bust
less. Ar krODf compared tile
automobile men 10 the soldiers in
he training camps and at the front
stating that il is just as necessary
0F the dealers TO protect their
morale as il is to have the Rcd
Cross, ! NJ G. A. knights of Co
5mbus and other organizations
Provide Tor keeping the minds OF
he soldiers occupied He said thai
ne dealers must keep up their
a1hndence in the present crisis ami
Dot TO become discouraged as the
var has shown the automobile ia
q more necessary now than ever
before. He declared that the auto
noble dealer who. in his zeal 20
1eep q sale from another dealer,
viii sell under the fixed prices, de
pFiFing himself Of profit merely u
GET the sale, is menace 10 the
.ldustrv.
After april 1 the dealers prob
ABLY will demand cash for all re-
pair and O.ertiaulinE jobs. in or
Ger 70 avoid loss and to prevent
controversies with patrons.
GERHANY USES NETTLE FIBRE.
Amsterdam. Netherlands Nettls
aofe, as a substitute for other tex
lle material. seems 10 have come
. stay in Germany The govern
lelt bureau entrusted with tire