The New York herald., 1921-01-09
1921 TO BE MOTOR
TRANSPORT YEAR
Efficiency in Business De-
mands Greater Use of
Automobiles.
I
FARMERS OWN MANY CARS
Export Market Offers Great
Opportunities to American
Auto Makers.
FARMERS OWN MANY CARS
BY CHARLES CLIFTON,

By CHARLES SLAr AoNs
President National Automobile Chamber
of Commerce.
1921 will be a transportation yea..
Every business and every proouct is
called tpon to face it's part in the re-
construction. Waste must be cut. Ex
travagance must be eliminated. Ell
cient methods must prevail.
The salesman who goes afoot or oe-
pends on irregular train service Wheh
ne could double his productivity py us
ing car must go into the discard. Inc
real estate man who depends on trolieys
alone will find his business seriously
curtailed The farmer who depends Oh
a team to connect him with the town
will find his family disconnected ms
farm Stunned by the hired man ana
his profits reaching the zero point.
The farmer, moreover, is the heaviest
buver..of cars. owning over thTu~ OF
all automobiles registered. the rurai
districts of the United States purchased
60 per cent. of the 1920 motor venice
output. OF the cars in this country SO
per cent. are owned in communities OF
900 population or under, and 90 per
ce.t are owned in districts or 5,Oo0
population or under.
This is to be a year of conservatism
when the weak will go to the wall ana
the strong will add to his strength.
People will want cars.
But they will not ask as in years gone
by: How much speed? How mucn COM
fort? How much prestige?
The test will be: How much economy
In transportation? How much gain to
my business?
These are questions which the auto
mobile can answer with satisfaction to
the sternest interrogation. In a year
when efficiency In transportation will
be essential, the passenger car ana
truck will have an opportunity to prove
their worth to a degree not realized In
the times of superprosperity.
We may or may not see the volume of
orders which piled into the factories In
the first half of 1920. That period rep
resented the demand of q market which
had been starved for two years, plus the
Immediate requirements of the day. On
the other hand, each succeeding year
brings greater needs for hauling OF goods
and passengers from point to point
greater economies In time. Consequent
H production schedules are likely to
show a steady growth as time goes on.
This Is not vacant optimism. A FORE
east without facts would, indeed, be like
a ship without rudder, directed by the
passing breeze. Prophecy must be
guided by the hard logic of the known
elements.
we know that fundamental business
conditions are sound.
we know that the automobile is one
of the primary transportation units.
We know that the owner realizes to
an increasing degree that the possession
of a car is an extension OF his power IN
BUSINESS. as we'll as widener OF his
social contacts
Let us examine the fundamental busi-
ness conditions. The country is rich.
Products abound. Eventual prosperity
Is inevitable. The 1920 harvests have
been better than average. Labor Is
more plentiful and more efficient than
during the war and postwar years. The
foreign exchange situation is improving
Railroads are better able to handle long
haul business. Cars and trucks are
available in greater numbers than ever
before.
Business contraction has been due to
a shortage of credits, not to q lack of
goods. After the war, after the high
prices and speculation, period of prun-
ing was inevitable. When one looks
back TO 1873 and to 1903 one realizes
that the rcadjustment has come with
surprisingly small discomfort. Price de-
clines have taken place rapidly, and
as soon as the public realizes that the
lowest price levels have been reached
there will be resurge of trade
The degree of business ability to be
found among the manufacturers of cars
and trucks is shown by the growth Of
the industry. For twenty years the
making Of motor vehicles has been gain
ing steadily One exception Is to be
found in the year 1918 when the pro-
Iucers of passenger cars voluntarily cur
tailed their output In order to make air
planes. parts and other instruments OF
gar Here Is the record: