Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1920-09-23
Big Reduction in Price of Ford..

The celebrated Henry Ford threw q
bombshell into the automobile vohi
on Tuesday, when he announced 4 Big
cut in the price OF all cars ana tractors
manufactured by his company. The
average reduction amounts to Sl42 per
car, bringing them to the prices that
prevailed before the war. The state
ment issued by the Ford Motor Com
pany is as follows:
I'VE are making q reduction in
prices because we believe il is time
to make an effort to bring back pre-war
conditions, :cgardless Of the fact that
We have untitled orders on our books
Of l46,065 ears and tractors. We are
facing a temporary loss, as our stock
CT material on hand was purchased at
inflated prices, and until this stock is
used up We will have 10 face the loss
in order TO bring about steady Sondi-
tons throughout the country. The
following reductions will 60 into Eject
Immediately: Chassis, from S525 to
$500; runabouts, from $3.50 to S395:
with starter, from S625 to S465; TOUR
ing cars, from S575 10 $40; with
starter, from $3.50 to $50; truck
chassis. from S640 TO $40, all includ-
ing demountable rims; coupe, from
$3.50 to S745; sedan, from S975 to S797:
Fordson tractor, from $3.50 to S79O.
The announcement was entirely I'M
expected, the intentions Of the COM
pany having been kept a profound
secret until the formal statement was
issued. The National Highway Ca
rage, which handles Ford cars, had re-
ceived no notice of the reduction and
only two days ago had sold and de-
livered two trucks.
"The war is over and it is time war
prices were over. There is no sense or
wisdom in trying TO maintain an arti-
fetal standard Of values. For the
best interests Of all il is time that a
real practical effort was made TO bring
the business OF the country and the
life OF the country down to normal. In
fated prices always retard progress.
We had TO stand it during the war, al
though it wasn't right, so the Ford
of its products the same as they were
before the war
There is lull in general business:
we are touched by the waiting period
that always precedes a reaction, people
in every walk of life are waiting for
prices to become lower. They realize
that ii is an unwholesome, unnatural.
unrighteous condition of affairs, pro-
duced by the war. 1t is one Of the
penalties civilization pays for war. In
every line of activity there is a grow
ing idleneSS because the demand is not
there.
Raw materials are being stored:
manufactured goods are being stored
because the volume of consumption is
growing less and less and Ices
through the self-denial of the peple,
manv Of whom could not afford to paw
the high prces. Others would not pav
the high prices because thew felt the
injustice Of the situation. Manu-
featuring plants are being shut down
all over the country. Labor is being
thrown out of employment, yet the cost
OF living has seen very little reduction.
Our country is rich beyond
measure in natural resources, rich in
all the material things that go to make
a nation great. and vet its progress is
being held practically at a standstill
because OF the greed of the proflteers.
Now is the time to call a halt on
war methods, war prices, war profiteer-
ing and war greed. 1t may be neces-
sary for everything to stand a little
sacrihce, but it will be most profitable
after all, because the sooner we get the
business OF the country back to pre-
war condition, the sooner the lives of
our people become more NATURAL
progress, prosperity and contentment
VIII occupy the attention of our peo-
pie.
There will be no change in wages"