The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-04-10
AUTO SHORTAGE
+. SEEN IN NEAR
FUTURE
Sales Have Used Up All Output
and Orders Are for
Weeks Ahead..e
BY MARSHALL b. WALKER,
Cosmopolitan News Service.

DETROIT, April 11.--Prospects of
q shortage of automobiles during
the next two months, despite daily
increasing production, is facing the
motor industry today.
Most OF the factories have been
running at capacity for the last
five or six weeks. Sales have
taken all the output and orders
are weeks ahead on the books.
And so great is the demand that
it is expected that sales during
April will increase from so to TO
per cent. Only greatly increased
production. for which practically
all plants are striving, will meet
the demand. March output was
S46,SSS cars and trucks. April
should produce from $50 1000 to
COO, 900 to keep up with the trade
I So great Is the number OF sales
that 1t is predicted America will
reach the limit of automobile owner
ship in two years at the present
rate OF increase. Figures just
made public show motor vehicle
registration totaling 12,23S,375, in
dicating that nearly so PEI cent
of American families now own cars.
Officials believe that when regis.
tration reaches $4,000, 900 virtually
every American with the price will
own q car unless the cost of cars
is cut. Even the replacement de-
1land, it is pointed out, would not
keep the industry operating at ca
pacity unless cheaper gasoline is
found.
Courts Are Swamped.
With this increase in ownership
OF cars, the industry is facing one
of its greatest fights today Laws
to regulate it, tax 1t and curb il
are being considered in practically
every State in the United States.
For instance, in California alone,
the present legislature is consider
Ing in the neighborhood of seventy
nine bills more or less directly con-
cerned with the automobile. One.
fifth of the bills presented In the
Illinois legislature are automobile
measures, and Michigan representa-
tives are swamped with auto bills.
Most OF the bills being considered
are concerned with a gasoline tax,
truck limitation. compulsory in
surance, laws governing accessories
and speed regulation.
The American Automobile As
ISOLATION. the Motor and Accessory
Manufacturers Association, the Ma
tional Automobile Chamber of Com
merce, the National Automobile
Dealers Association and the Rub
Der Association of America are
joining hands to protect the industry.
and already have advocated one
measure designed to limit taxation.
on automobiles to the amounts nee
essary for the maintenance Of i'm
proved highways and the admins
tratiOn of State motor Vehicle de-
partments with the State as the
sole taxing agency.
Truck Orders Increase.
The motor truck industry is booRl-
ing. The Federal Motor Truck Com
pany experienced in March its
second biggest production month in
history, with greater prospects for
April. First quarter orders for
the General Motors Trucks Company
Of Pontiac, Mich, were slightly
more than 10 per cent greater
than during the corresponding period
last year.
More than $4,000 worth of orders
were booked by the Acme Motor
Truck Company of Cadillac. Mich,
during the first quarter, and with
April orders increasing, it is
anticipated that the second quarter
will exceed the first. Untitled orders
total 5000 900.