New-York tribune., 1919-02-02

y
sales manager; Russell Begg, Jordan
engineer, and Paul Zens, purchasing
sgent.
This is the year. said Jordan yes
terday. The war is over; tyranny has
been beaten: the Kaiser is soon to be
put where he can do no more harm,
and now America can turn to more pri-
yste and peaceful affairs. l look for
an eventful and prosperous year.
There is every indication that peo
pie will spend more freely and liber-
allv than ever before. The lid is off,
so to speak. In 1917 the people of the
United States saved six billions of dol
lars In 1918 they saved twenty bill
ions. Tho removal of war restrictions
has released this money, and it is safe
to assume that large share of it is
to be spent on automobiles. The end
Of the war, too, has released many
from their obligations to save, and
those who denied themselves even
necessaries of life will demand an
added share of the luxuries-
The Year to Advertise
This is the year to advertise. The
volume OF advertising will be tremen-
dous. believe it will pass all previous
years. Reports reach me that the old
line companies are doubling their ad-
vertising appropriations, which is as it
should be. The manufacturer who
doesn't take big space doesn't deserve
any Of the big business that is going
TO be done. Sales expenditures will
be on a more efficient and systematic
basis, with some Of the most intelli
gent exhibitions Of merchandising abil-
ity that the industry has ever seen.
"This is the year of the hero-the
returned soldier and sailor. He will
be hailed as q returning conqueror-
feasted and feted and given the best Of
everything. The car of 1919 will have
to stand this test: 4 want the best you
have for my boy, just back
This is the year of the buyer. The
manufacturer had his innings during
the year just past. Because of restric-
offered what he had and the buyer had
to take it Practically all the models
offered at the beginning of last year will
be produced this year, with very few new
models. The postwar model has not
yet appeared and probably will not be-
fore the end of the year.
This is the year for the dealer
Never before has he had better pros
poets or better markets. Nearly every
class OF Americans is more prosperous
than ever before. They have more
money to spend for the comforts of
life The farmer, the mechanic, the
Office worker. the merchant, the small
business man and manufacturer, they
all viii buy automobiles this year, many
OF them their first car.
Again st Is the Year.
This is the wear for cooperation.
Never before has the industry as
whole SO badly needed the help of the
Individual manufacturers. The great
est lesson we have learned from the
war Is the power of unselfish effort ex-
pressed in cooperative action. To get
the most out of the year and to give
the most we must subordinate oar
selfsh purposes to the needs Of the
industry at large. Price cutting for
selfish or sentimental reasons while
wages, material and overhead are high
VIII react TO the detrment of the man
VINO starts it. as we'll as to the industry
and the buyer.
Promiscuous price cutting is throat
cutting, and means a staggering blow
10 the industry. 1t is as clear as the
writing on the wall that cutting prices
inflated for the purpose, to gain COM
pettive advantage. is more likely to re-
iard sales than help them, because the
public will be led to expect further re-
duetions before spring. 1t is folly to
expect any decrease in the cost of ma
'erial, LABOR or overhead before the
middle Of summer. The majority of re-
liable manufacturers now have~an uI4-
eefstanding on the subject of prices, so
mat the buyer may feel confident that
ne Is buying at the best price obtain
apie for some months to come.
This is the year Tor reconstruction
France and Belgium are not the only
countries TO be rebuilt. America has
oeen ravaged by the influenza; it's in
stitutions have been disorganized its
industries disrupted or turned topsy
,uryey; its shipping and overland
transportation systems have changed
tneif complexi6ns entirely, and many
ot the finest highways Of the country
nave been ruined By war traffic. These
'aings will require the greatest efforts
q an OF US TO rebuild.
This IS good year TO start things,
200. While reconstructing the roads
broken up BY the endless procession Of
var trucks, why not extend it into a
programme OF national highway con-
ssracHon! This could be done with
Hontary equipment, soon to be useless
" tae army. And at the very outset
adopted.
For the High Grade Car.
This is the year Of the high grade
sar. There will not be any new cars
'his year. The weak ones dropped out