The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-06-27
By FRANK F.. MASON. International News Service Staff Cor
 reSnOndent.

International News Service Staff Cor
 respondent. -
 Berlin, June 26.-Bankruptcy and imminent dissolution summarizes the situation of the German automobile manufacturers, according to an in Eestigation made by the International cars with international reputation stand the chance of surviving the old-fashioned and inadequate meth ods of production
 German efficiency" that hypnotiz- ing slogan which has thrown fear into the hearts of competing coun- tries and forced the hurried passage of anti-dumping- legislation to pro tect home markets from German competition, has never made it's de but in the automobile industry
 Mass production. even for small cars is unknown Compared with American methods, one can truly say that German cars are handmade If you want an automobile in Ger many you are limited to German makes, for the government forblds importation of either cars or ures-
 You first decide what engine you want You can order it from the fac tory directly or through 2 dealer Even Benz and Mercedes have no forty to fifty automobile dealers in Berlin selling the Benz car. Prices depend on the contract the dealer made Eith the Benz or Mercedes
 
 tract, made before the mark depre- tciated to it's present level, he can sell you a chassis, with engine, 25 per cent cheaper than his competitors, or even the factory itself
 After you have the chassis you go to a car architect and have him de sign the body for you He may have half a dozen stock body designs, but : there will be no bodies on hand. It must be built, which means a delay ! of six weeks to three months.
 If you want a. self-starter and cleo ! tric lights you go to a third shop, | where accessories are sold. and pick out your starter and electric lights. : There isn't a single German manu- l facturer who has reached the point tof including starter and electric light as standard equipment for his car.
 Lights Cost $500.
 The chauffeur habit is responsible for the absence of the starter Even the curious little tricycle. automobiles running around the Berlin streets are driven by their uniformed chauffeurs. A starter and electric light costs be- tween 16,000 and 10000 marks. which means about $500 in American money
 A chauffeur earns about 10000 marks a year. Consequently the most expensive and approximations linn cuisines require the driver to get out and turn it over before he can start 1t.
 If you are amazed at the lack or system in the prices of the chassis ferences in tire prices. You must make the rounds of the tire stores and carefully get their bids on tires for your car. There will be var iations of 20 to 30 per cent This is traceable to the fact that, al though Germany forbids the impor- tation of foreign tires. the tires you will probably buy were smuggled in through the war zone by the Allied armies of occupation
 GermanyS cheapest automobile. by the time it has been outfitted with ! tires, with acetyEne lamps costs more than one thousand dollars. at 1 the present exchange. A trip in a car of this type reminds you more of a 1 motorcycle sidecar than an automo- bile Germany's best makes, of in | ternational reputation, however, are cheaper than the equivalent Ameri- | can cars At prices ranging between | $3,5OO and $4,000 you can get Benz or Mercedes limousine in Germany | with a body which, in luxury leaves | nothing to be desired.
 Workers Earn 13 Gents an Hour
 But even these latter cars require | that you shop carefully. picking your | chassis, body. starter, lights and tires carefully at the dealers who have the Willing to pay fancy prices for the names of cars which the worlds greatest racers have made famous ana the Entente export duty of 26 | per cent does not necessarily mean she throttling of their businesses
 But the lesser luminaries of auto mobile manufacture are already in | difficulties, heavily overstocIzed TbaiT medium priced cars are rela lively o1,t or proportion to their hiSher-Drfced | com petltors Many of the German | automobile industries are outgrowths or sewing machine factories or tvDe- writer companies. If the Adler com pany U9nnOt sell its Adler autoroob;Ta II WlI Keep its company afloat by it's