New-York tribune., 1922-05-27
Automobile Makers
See No Signs Of a
Slackening Demand
Principal Call Now Because
of Business Bcitermens:
Pressure Will Continue
Well Into Summer, Is View
S,ceial Dtspaioh Ia me Yr{bpne

DETROIT, May Developments
IN the autornbtivc industry continue to
be a repetition Of the heavy produc-
ton efforts which began in the early
part Of the year. As yet there ia no
indication Of slackening in demand
and executives are certain now that
the present pressure on manufactur-
ing facilities Will continue to be eX-
erted until we'll into the summer
months.
Two views Of the business Of the
early part Of the year are taken. One
that the buying is due mainly to the
repression Of the sub-normal business
period O. the late after-var period,
and tDf other, that the automobile as
an s'i to business has come into dc
mkTd with the gradual Strengthening
0f general conditions throughout the
sountry. II the automobile has not
outdistanced the general business Of
the country by too wide margin, Il
Ia expected that conditions viii con-
tinue to be very favorable through out
the year.
Executives, though taking the posi-
tion that the principal demand for
automobiles is nov because Of its
direct or indirect bearing upon gen
eral business, also acknowledge that
there will always be a certain amount
Of usage Of q purely pleasure nature.
Business Of this kind they declare
would follow an upward curve IN gen
eral industrial conditions. and for that
reason demand Of this kind is still
to be experienced and should begin 70
develop in the fall months Of this
year
There is n certain amount Of mill
ina ttll
this, for the most part, is directed
toward accepting employment IN fac
tories where work promises to be
steadest for the balance Of the year
Wages are about even in ell factories.
slight differences being ignored by
tho men that they may make con-
nections In a factory which promises
to be Of all year round nature.
Truck Business Better
There is not an automobile factory
ness that it can take care Of for sew
eral months TO come. Truck factories
are showing constant improvement and
promise Of increased railroad ship
ping held out by the decrease in rates
this week will work out favorably for
the truck companies. This view il
taken because increased shipping Will
mean increased haulage az both ends.
from the shipper and to the cons gnee.
With an increase in business for the
railroads, added to the business al
ready accruing 70 the truck companies
from the Improvements in other lines.
notably building, it is expected that
truck demand will develop on q scale
rivaling the present business in the
automobile plants.
Business in the parts and equip
ment field is the heaviest in the dis
trict, Replacement business is very
strong and makers in this field are
confident that it will continue at a
high peak through the year. Opera
ton OF cars means replacement bust
ness. and good business conditions
generally are regarded as factors that
Will keep cars operating.
Fluctuations in prices in several
well known makes in the last Two
weeks are nothing more or less than
attempts to determine price which
will yield satisfactory return to the
maker and at the same time promote
q sufficient volume of buiness Com
panies which he'd cut deeper than they
aftcrward considered necessary have
n notched their prices upward again,
but there Is nothing which indicates
price movement one way or another.