Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-01
100000 AUTOS
/ FOR 1920 IS GOAL
n SET BY DEALERS

Ten years ago the annual prOduc-
ton of motor passenger cars in this
country was $1,000, according to a
statement in Daily Financial Amer
lea. The production schedule for 1920
is. al Feusd numbers, 100000 cars.
The gain in production has been
steady, except in 1918, when rastric-
tons imposed by war conditions
brought about some curtailment- At
the end of 1919 there were more
than 100000 cars and trucks regis
tered in the United States, and it is
estimated the registrations will soon
reach 100000.
The question is sometimes asked
wrat the situration point in the
automobile business is. The ques-
ton is not readily answered. Some
people thought it was in sight sew
eral years ago, when registrations
were only half what they are today.
1t is difficult to draw the line be-
tween cars used for pleasure and cars
used for business, or some economic
purpose
An Outstanding Fact.
One fact, however is outstanding:
That the motor vehicle has firmly
established its position as part of
the -country'S transportation system.
whether used for carrying passengers
or freight. Lines without end of
passenger cars and trucks are seen
in large cities and small cities, and
impression is conveyed perhaps that
the motor vehicle is part of the ma
chinery of urban life. AS a matter
of fact, the automobile industry has
made its greatest progress in recent
years in rural communities.
Statistics show that the increase in
registrations of motor vehicles IN
the agricultural sections of the coun-
Try in the last five years has been
far greater than the increase in the
industrial sections. In some sections
of the country, it has been found,
sales of automobiles to farmers are
greater than sales to all other classes
of people and in one representative
middle western state it has been
found that only about % per cent Of
the cars in the state were registered
from the largest cities, the remaining
rs per cent being registered from the
small towns and rural districts. 1t is
estimated that about one-third OF the
cars registered at the end of 1917
are owned by farmers.
Motor Vehicles Influence.
The motor vehicle has had a far
reaching influence on rural life and
this influence is increasing rather
than diminishing. Mention should be
made, at this point, of the part that
the motor vehicle plays in agrlcultral
and industrial life of the country I'M
der transportation and credit condl-
lions that have prevailed for some
the motor vehicle plays in agricultural
raj produce and of manufactured
products over long distances is now
being done on large scale.
While the motor truck is not De-
lieyed to be economical for long hauls
in competition with railroads, the
congestion and impaired service OF
the railroads of the country have
nevertheless. caused very large
amount of long-haul trucking to be
done for such distances as from New
England to the middle west. Such
long-haul trucking may be uneco-
nomical, but it serves at least TO pro-
vide transportation means to move
goods and thereby to ease the strain
on the credit situation For short
haul traffic it is. of course, generally
conceded that the advantage is with
the motor truck
Eject in Housing Problem.
Recently the automobile has come
to play an important part IN every
day life in connection with the
housing problem In many cities and
towns there is great shortage in
houses The housing problem has
become a serious one for many of the
large industrial concerns, some OF
which have made large Investments
in housing developments III OTueF u
provide living accommodations Tor
employees. Rents for houses, apart
ments and tenements located on car
lines or otherwise easily accessible
TO manufacturing plants have, Tor
the most part, been doubled
The workingman has found that
by living in outlying parts or the
city, or in the country, he is able to
effect a great saving in rent In this
way the automobile has come to be
an important factor in relieving the
house shortage in the cities and
towns.
Used Cars Sought.
Used cars. almost anything on
wheels, have been eagerly sought,
and for a few hundred dollars the
workingman has been able to settle
in a home which otherwise would be
TOO Inaccessible to be practicable. We
hear it sometimes said that working
men who could not afford it own and
keep automobiles, but in thousands of
cases this is the answer The work
ingman is saving the cost of car
and more out of the difference he
pays for rent.
To even greater extent than in
the past, the development of the
motor industry in the future will be
along industrial lines. In most lines
of industrial effort there is a leader.