The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-26
BUSINESS ON MEND,
. SAYS MOTOR HEAD
Feel That Worst Is Over
In West, Observers
Opinion.

To the smashing accompan iment
OF bursting aerial bombs and the
blaring OF a brass band the main
plant stood stiffly at attention as
the banners of America and cad
lilac ffuttered out into the early
spring sunlight Monday. March s,
in observation OF the birth Of An
tome de la Mothe Cadillac, founder
OF Detroit and patron OF the Cadil-
lac Motor Car Company.
In the natural hollow square
formed by the buildings of the fac
tory an immense crowd OF en-
ployes and their wives and visitors
listened to the voice OF President
H. H. Rice. as he drew a parallel
between the growth OF Detroit.
founded by Cadillac in 1901, from a
village to a great city, with the
growth Of the Cadillac Motor Car
Company from a small unit to a
great organizati ton.
President Rice returned from his
Western trip just in time to be
present at Cadillac Day, and after
Lew Perry, the company's oldest
employe, had loosed the flags. he
was host at a banquet for oficials.
executives OF the General Motors
Corporation, and the newspaper
men who had taken a keen interest
in the celebration. James Couzens,
mayor of Detroit. was also a guest.
through the West. President Rice
said, in part:
81 was agreeabIy surprised at the
conditions which found. was
prepared for bad reports, but even
among the most conservative I did
not find them. There has been a
very decided change just recently.
change for the better. Business
is on the mend"
Omaha. Denver. Colorado Springs.
Salt Lake City. Butte, Spokane, Sc
attic, Portland. Vancouver. San
Francisco and Los Angeles. togeth-
er with smaller towns-each has
its word of optimism. Mr.. Rice
pointed out, Agriculture, stock
raising, mining are so improving
that even the bankers-by nature
the most conservative-arei inclined
to a belief that business Is on the
upgrade. Mr.. Rice said.
1T isn't so much how much
money was lost in tht past" he con-
tinued. "as. how much money
people are making now, that de-
termines the business situation.
And the people are making money
now.
California conditions are on the
mend" Mr.. Rice continued. and
with a smile told of the rivalry
that had broken out between. the
Cadillac organizations in San Fran
cisco and Los Angeles. The sales
managers OF those two sales depots
have a bet as to which will sell the
greater number Of Cadillac cars.
The infection OF the competition
has been extended. he added, to the
statesmen in the two places, who
have pooled to bet against each
other
1T looks verv much better there"
Mr.. Rice continued, before intro
ducing Mayor Couzens. than it did
even ninety days ago. They feel
that the worst is over. Now. mind
you, that doesn't mean that there
will be a whirlwind OF business
business is out of the choppy sea.
clear sailing ahead"
Mayor Couzens lauded the idea
of celebrating Cadillac's birthday.
Members of the General Motors ex-
ecutive group also spoke. Those
attending the lunch were: Mayor
James Couzens. H. II. Rice. Howard
Coffin, Lynn McNaughton. A. U.
Widman, D. F.. Hulgrave, H. ].
Lount. E. W. Seaholm, Henry
Ewald, Walter Boynton, William
Moffet, C. E. Terrell. w. B. Comp
ton, Don Hayden, Verne E. Burnett,
E. Y. Watson, F. H. Harvey, Rog-
er Burlingame.' F. G. Luderer, r. c.
Hayes and Richard Harfst.
The General Motors Corporation
executives who attended the Cadil-
lac Day celebration and lunch at
the main plant were: c. s. Mott.
vice president; A. P. Sloan, jr.. vice
PRESIDENT: T. S. Merrill, secretary;
N. H. Hawkins. advisory counsellor
of sales. service and advertising.