The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-01-15
BY JOHN n. WILLIS.

industry fOund tnat inns hse ol ma
~ brought new problems of
iusIuoss adjustment.
In solving these problems In 1921.
,ba industry made its most notable
advances IN placing sales and pro-
Juc'iau methods upon sounder
Tbs establishment OF these new
s,srdards i'm sales and production
,driniqtration brought the indus
,ry through the year in far stronger
condition than many anticipated.
The courage and resourcefulness
of Americas bankers and business
men I'm sustaining the motor car
industry deserve the admiration Of
Ncrery American. When It IL re-
nenlbcred that the automobile in
dustry today provides employment
for the heads of. very nearly one
million American families, as well
% taking large shares Of the pro-
auction Of such allied industries as
re leather. cotton, toXtiles. etc. etc,
Lne may Judge the part II plays I'm
advancing Ameflca's prosperity and
The standard OF living OF Americas
citizens.
Business rs Usual.
So we'll has the automobile trade
uct tine difficulties of read iustmcnt
during 1921 that the world today
can continue to look to America for
TN best In automotive transport.
Moreover, because the nutomotive
Industry ls the faithful barometer of
al business, It can now be said with
reasonable confidence that 1922 will
approach business as usual For
1922 promises to be a year OF nor
NAL production.
Naturally, In reaching conclusions
on the production plans for 1922, the
officials Of the companies in which
/ am interested directly have given
me my more specific data< My con-
taco with the leaders In the industry
has given facts confirmatory to the
Information gathered by the sales
txecutiycs of the WHY'S Overland
lnterests, but for purposes or dis
Nisslon | am not justified in recit-
Ng proofs other than those bearing
upon the operations of WHY'S s-Over-
land.
WHY'S overland manufacturers
two cars. the overland selling OF re-
tail at S595. and the Willys-Knight
selling at S1j25. we will produce
this year new seven-passenger
Willvs- knight model that will sell at
very low price. Thus we are
studying each class Of motor car
purchasers--that desiring low
priced car OF best grade and fine
priced car and that class which
seeks the middle-priced car of best
grade and fine materials and finish.
Sales Surpassed Predictions.
II is through a study OF all classes
Of the motor buying public that one
best obtains a basis for discussing
the probable automobile sales in
1922. OF course one may err. one
way or the other, in naming figures.
but the majority of manufacturers,
because Of the slackened sales In
the latter half of 1920 and in 1921,
will err on the conservative side.
one of the best prepared analysis
Of the probable market | ever saw
was that laid before me at the open
ing of 1920. 1t was prepared by inde-
pendent agencies quite outside the
automobile business. Its final con-
clusion stated that used cars to the
number OF 100000 would be re-
placed with new cars during 1872 /
Yet our most recent figures show
that final figures at the close OF
1921 will show approximately 1900
600 cars replaced. And, in passing
may be said that there were many
q manufacturers who thought that The
United States would do well to alb
sorb an even million OF new car,
In the year, After ALL it is difficult
even for our most experienced sales
executives truly 10 realize the amaz'
Ing buying power within the bound
aries OF this great nation Of ours.
The opening of 1922 sees dealers
stocks lower than they were a yea
ago, There are several explanations
Tor this. 1t should be recalled tina
following the first price cuts in auto
bhes In September 1920, manufac
tttF Gf 20 cta
the market for at least the first hal
OF 1921. As a result many of th'
most popular cars, offered to thi
public in 1921, carried price guar
shtee up to June l. This was a pro
Ntecpon to the public and to the deal
er but It resulted in n slowing o
sales because the belief gained cir
Sulation that cars should not b.
bought until after June /.
The record for 1921 shows tina
the great bulk of sales came afte
June although in any normal yea
me majority of sales are made il
Ine first six months of the year
Ihe rush of business experience
oy the more popular cars in the lat
YET part of the year was surprlsinl
20 many. WHY'S Overland had
Dig business in September and a larg
T business in October. In fact, Oc
sVvel was the largest OCTOBER Il
point OF sales and receipts in tn
history OF the company. Novembe
abo made a record and the com
pany failed to fill orders for De
eember delivery.
This rush OF business has deplete
uealers' stocks. Our figures shov
tnht we have less than half the mum
er OF unsold cars In dealers hand
than we had a year ago.
49,, What 1922 Promises.
4, without going into any detaile
HHneussion of the history OF automo
Sne sales and how conclusions ma
oe urdWn from them, | would poir
eer lhat motor car owners in III
PAST TWO years have not replace
Sorh cars with new ones at the sam
s'e that they have in previous year
us true that they had better auto
yes and that through better sery
~ methods and better understand
ns OF automobile mechanics owner
chimes '"S'' ''A'
But there is a great replacemer
aue that normally should hay
an Ielt In 1921 that will be ev
N ms year. Moreover, price
oae heen readjusted. The ne
,loaleS ,o overland at S595 sells at IN
sO"eSt s,t price for which am Overlan
er sold, And most cars are toda
a right price" Buying powe