The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-11
t. w. NASH SPEAKS ON MAGNITUDE IF. AUTO ACTIVITIES
Talks On Value of Products Over Radio From Broad casting Station in
 Atlanta

The thousands throughout the country whose homes are equipped with radio receiving outfits and who listened in" on Atlanta, Ga. Friday night. learned something of the mag nitude of the automobile industry directly from the lips of c. W. Nash. president of the Nash Motors com pany. and an outstanding figure among manufacturers of motor cars.
 In the message which was broad casted 1t was brought out that in value of finished products the auto mobile industry ranks first Tn Amer ica, exceeding by a generous margin even the gigantic steel and textile industries.
 rho motor car industry was moth cred by . fundamental need for rapid and economical transportation" said Mr. Nash. ''It sprang from neoss- sity; it has grown with unheard of rapfdity because 1t has met that necessity successfully. It has made possible . far moro rapid develop ment oe this country than would have bean attained otherwise.
 There are today well beyond 12.- o0e,oeo motor cars and trucks turn ing their wheels on the highways and byways of this great nation. This averages nearly one automobile or truck to every eight persons resi- dent in this country. Naturally some states have absorbed . much larger numbey of automobiles and trucks than other states. Where population Is greatest and the good road move- msnt has progressed most rapidly you will find the most extensive use of the motor car.
 "At present six states-New York. Ohio. California. Pennsylvania. Ini- nois and Michigan-own nearly 70 per cent of the 100000 motor ve- hicles. Here are concentrated close to B,ooo,0oo automobiles and trucks. You may gain . better idea of the vastness of this figure whom tell you that the gain in registrations Of automobiles and trucks for these six states during 1922 surpassed tho total registration of Great Britain ana France combined. At this time Cali fornia leads tho United States with the greatest number of cars per cap ita, owning one for every lilo i'm habitants, or virtually one car to each family.
 One very important contribution that the automobile industry makes to the welfare of our country is un- known to most of my hearers. be- lieve, and that Is the enormous tax it pays toward the support of the government and the payment of our debts.
 Although from every standpoint of sound and unprejudiced reasoning the motor car is essential, 1t never theless has been singled out to bear a five per cent excise tax placed on all automobiles and parts. In a word. it is taxed as though 1t were a luxury, whereas 1t is the worlds most advanced and most economical mechanical method for performing the same functions as the wagon, the farm implement, and other essentials that are viewed purely as necessi- ties to the industrial life of the na- tion and which are unburdened by an excise tax.
 "As I talk I am wondering if you have any conception of what this one tax alone has done toward paying the cost of our part in the recent war.
 T believe I am conservative in stating that this five per cent excise tax on motor cars during the past year has brought to our government the staggering total of from ninety to one hundred million, dollars. If this sum were to be contrasted with total amounts received by the gov ernment from some states in tho union it would really open your eyes.
 "In my judgment 8 closer analysis of what the automobile industry has accomplished for this country should be prepared, and this information made a matter of common knowledge so that everyone of you might be- come acquainted with tho real facts of the industry.
 with such figures before you there can be no reasonable doubt as to the vital part which tho motor ve- hicle plays in the functioning of tho social and industrial life of this great nation"