The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-10-04
Industry Has Far Out
stripped Iron and Steel.

Automobile Industry Has Far Out
stripped Iron and Steel.
Analysis Of information secured
through governmental sources dis
closes tha1fthe automobile industry
lis the largest manufacturing enter
prise in the world.
'-iI1rty years ago, Bryce in his
classic treatise on the American
Commonwealth referred to Ameri-
cas- great railway system as the
jmeans-of communication that held
this country together and rendered
lit one for all social, political and
commercial purposes.
During the past decade says
the October issue of the Auto
mobile Trade Journal, another
great advance IN inter-communi-
cation has been made. The auto
mobile marks the most successful
attempt to provide individual
transportation since the first cave
man harnessed the progenitor of the
modern horse and thereby sup
piled himself with means Of
travel afeld."
! The tremendous. growth Of the
automobile industry in recent
years is due solely to. the fact that
it has supplied public need
The value OF the 1922 automo-
! tive output VIII be approximately
as follows:
Automobiles -sL350. .0o0.D00.
Tires -- $1,000, 900
Repiacenent parts 55o,0o0,oGo
Accessories l50,900,090
Total 50, rs ,ooo.o 600
This total is 80 per cent greater
than the value OF the output in the
second largest industry, the re-
fining of petroleum (65 per, cent
Of which is used by automobiles,
65 per cent greater than the value
OF the iron and steel output, and
more than twice the value OF al
cotton goods produced in the textile
mills Of the country.
The automobile business is the
most essential OF our manufac-
tring industries. because it direct
~ affects a greater number of what
might be. termed basic" industries,
than does, any other manufactur-
ing enterprise.
Annual imports Of crude rubber
into the United States are now
coo, 5000 pounds per annunl.
OF this total, 81 per cent. or 490
100000 pounds, vii, be required
this year for automobile tires.
Production of plate glass this
year should total about 6S,06o .oao'
square feet. Nearly one-third OF
this. or 2l.5o0.oOo square fee. will
be required for automobiles.
This year G0.000.o00 gallons OF
gasoline will be produced. About
4.32o,6oG.900 gallons. or so per
cent of this total. VIII he asea
in automobiles.
While over S50.o06.o00 gallons
OF lubricating OF will be refined
in 1922. only 575,o0o,o 900 gallons
Will be required for domestic. con
sumption. About 230,000.0n0 gal
ions, OR over 40 per cent OF tie do
nlestic consumption VIII be need
ed for the operation of autono-
biles.
About 5000 bales of Egyptian
type. long staple cotton vii. be
grown in the United States this
year while 100000 bales W.! be
imported from Egypt. Abo,;s SS
per cent of this total. Or $4,000
bales. will be used in the MANA
facture Of automobile tires.
Any weakness in the market for
automotive products will be imne-
diatley reflected in the business Of
all of those industries which Ge-
pend wholly or in Part on the au-
tomob:le business for market.
With its various subsidiary lines
the automobile business Influences
The industrial labor market to a
more pronounced extent than does
any other great industry.
There are 727. .00e wage earaers.
In production, sales and service
work. whose income. is derived
from the industry.
In addition to these tttere are
935, 900 other wage earners. who
derive their income indirectly l4.on1
the automobile business These ore
drivers anG chauffeurs and work
ers in industries supplying "aw
materials TO manufactures, Of au-
tono!ive products. Fdgnres sor
workers. in these industries We're
obtained BY multiplying total work
ers in each Of these industries hy
the percentage of the tota! outl'at
needed fer automot:ve products.
Directly and indirectly the alto
mobile industry Influences tE" en:-
ploynen; ot So 900 wage earn
erS
There are approximately !2-
.5G 200 wage earners supported
from manufacturing Industries or
engaged IN transportation o.
these. l3 PER cent are dependent
upon the automobile business.
Inc automobile is, today, the