The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-05-12
NATION BEING
MOTORIZED,
SAYS REEVES.
Enormous Volume Of Gasoline
Driven Machines Follows
War.

The importance OF the motor car in
oustry In American life and the enter
prise or the automobile industry has
neen proven In the last few months by
the present demand for cars and the
quick transition OF the big motor plants
from war to peace basis, according
10 aired Reeves. general manager OF
the National Automobile Chamber OF
commerce. upon his return from a trio
through New York state and Ohio,
noiding conferences with officials on
trade matters In general. Among
other things Mr.. Reeves says:
Although far from being on a nor
NAL basis, the automobile industry has
led all others in getting back to nor
NAL. Last year there was a shortage
OF cars because the industry took on
more than one billion dollars worth
OF war contracts. This has brought
the big demand of this year. Last
year only 926,3S8 passenger cars were
made, whereas the normal demand.
including requirements needed, was
approximately 1000, 900. The manu-.
facturers should be almost in normal
production by June.
Dealers in all parts Of the country
are demanding cars for their trade,
"AtASh ShCy e0J 1p 64C0llCuI 1OT al
types. Particularly In the farming dis.
tricts are/cars needed because OF the
hard service to which they are put
and the failure to obtain cars last year
l visited twenty-seven plants and dis
covered everywhere a strong demand
for passenger cars and an increasing
demand for trucks. Trade in trucks
was very poor in January and Febru-
airy. but with general business reviy-
ing, new motor truck lines being estah-
lished-there are now 1872 lines run
ming in and out of New York city
the months of March and April have
seen the truck business extending to-
ward normal. Many of the makers
are still doing war work.
New Concerns Bad Omen
A serious thing about the truck
business is the great influx OF new
concerns. which seem to think the
truck business is an easy one instead
Of being one of the most dimcult In
which to attain success. Many of
them are certain to meet with failure
and buyers should be careful to purs
chase only from companies that have
a proven product and are financially
able to carry out their service obi
cations.
The nation Is fast becoming motor
lied. This is especially true in the
farming districts, with motor cars,
trucks, stationary engines and cleo
tric systems all being run by gaso-
line.
There has been little or no change
in labor, while raw materials have
come down only slightly. This makes
it certain that there will be few, II
any lower prices this season.
- The industry. which has always
been leader in welfare movements
for employees. is very much to the front
in that respect just now. Motor car
plants generally stand high in their
plans for the safety Of employees and
for their general welfare in the way
Of plans for the betterment of their
help, in many cases involving co-opera-
tive savings and participation systems
that are models for modern business.
The labor situation Is easy, be.
cause practically all those who left to
90 into the sefvice-the draft reports
show 1o4 ,000-are anxious to return
to their old work, while of course hun
dreds of returned soldiers who were
in other lines are anxious to enter the
automobile trade, because of the ex-
perience gained with motor equipment
during the war"