The Washington times., 1922-09-30

SURPASSED
IRON ANDSTEEL
Now Rated Largest Manufac-
turing Business in World,
Says Trade Journal.

Analysis Of information secured
Governmental sources dis
closes that the automobile industry
Is the largest manufacturing enter
prise in the world.
Thirty years ago, Bryce in his
classic treatise on the American
Commonwealth referred to Americas s
great railway system as the means
of communication that held this
country together and rendered 1t
one for all social, political and COM
mercial purposes.
During the past decade" says
the October issue of the Automobile
Trade Journal, another great ad-
vance in inter-communication has
been made. The automobile marks
the most successful attempt to pro-
vide individual transportation since
the first cave-man harnessed the
progenitor of the modern horse and
thereby supplied himself with a
means of travel afield."
The tremendous growth Of the
automobile industry in recent. years
Is due solely to the fact that 1t has
supplied a public need.
Greater Than Steel.
The value OF the 1922 automotive
output will be approximately as
follows:
Automobiles ...........$1, $50, 900 900
Tires $4,000, 900
Replacement parts. $4,000, 900
Accessories ............ 100000
Total ............... 2,725,0O0, 900
This total is 80 per cent greater
than the value of the output in the
second largest industry, the refining
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 all cotton pro-
duced in the textile mills Of the
country.
Affects Basic Industries.
The automobile business is the
most essential OF our manufacturing
industries, because it directly affects
greater number Of what might be
termed basic" industries, than does
any other manufacturing enterprise.
Annual imports of crude rubber
into the United States are now
600. 100000 pounds per annum. OF
this total, 81 per cent, or 49O,OOO,OOO
Will Dt lHlS yCdl
for automobile tires.
Production of plate glass this year
should total about 6S,00O,00 square
feet. Nearly one-thIrd OF this, or 2l,-
500, 900 square feet, will be required
for automobiles.
Nearly one.third of this. or 21,50.-
900 square feet, will be required
for automobiles.
This year 5,4OO, 100000 gallons of
gasoline will be produced. About
1920, 900, 900 gallons, or so per cent
OF this total, will be used in auto
mobiles.
Will cover $50. 900. 900 gallons Of
lubricating oil will be refined in
1922, only SIS 100000 gallons will
ton. About 30,000,000 gallons, or
over 40 per cent. of the domestic
consumption will be needed for the
operation Of automobiles.
About $4,000 bales of Egyptian.
type, long staple cotton will he
grown in the United States this
ported from Egypt. About 3S per
cent Of this total, or 100000 bales,
will be used in the manufacture
OF automobile tires.
Any weakness in the market for
automotive products will be imme-
diately reflected in the business Of
al, OF those industries which depend
wholly or in part on the automo.
bile business for a market
Employs 1862 900.
With its various subsidiary lines,
the automobile business influences
the industrial labor mafket to a
more pronounced extent than does
any other great industry.
There are 727,000 wage earners,
in production, sales and service