The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-05-22
SLUMP IN AUTO
BUSINESS
IS NEAR
Detroit Manufacturers Prepare
to Cut Output After Record
Breaking Weeks.
BY MARSHALL b. WALKER,
Cosmopolitan News Service Staff
Correspondent.

DETROIT, May ga slump in
the automobile industry Is near. AL
though Ford plans to boost June pro-
ductton to ESQ, about 200 more
thar at present, and although 1t Is
said the demand still exceeds the
supply, buying apparently is falling
or, for a couple of Well-known com.
panies are reducing their force pre-
paratory to cutting down the out
put. Probably not again in many
months, possibly in years will SO
many cars be made as have been
made during the last few weeks.
The industry as q whole Ia very
quiet these days. Only three or
comparison with the usual run of
barring last week of the sale of Du.
rant Motor Company stock by the
State securities commission Of
Maine. another was the conSolida.
ton Of the Trippensse Manufacture.
ing Company, makers of auto
bodies, with the Everitt Brothers
Corporation, auto trimmers and top
manufacturers. "A third was the
appointment of J. Walter Drake,
chairman OF the board OF directors
OF Hupp Motor Car Corporation, as
Assistant Secretary of Commerce.
New Engine Planned.
The appointment is viewed by
Detroit business leaders as a
significant recognition Of the i'm
portance of the automotive industry
in the business life of the nation
and the world. They stress the I'M
portance of the appointment by
emphasizing that It shows a grow
ing appreciation in Washington II
industry, particularly as another
auto man, Edwin DENLY, now is
secretary of the navy.
Young John Dodge is reported to
be demonstrating some Of the
mechanical genius of his deceased
father who was one of the founders
of Dodge brothers. 1t is said that
young Dodge is now building, and
has practically perfected, a new
automobile engine which will push
q car in the neighborhood of
eighty-five miles an hour and that
It will be installed in a Dodge car
in the future.
''Four-wheeled hydraulic brakes
will be the sales feature of the 1924
cars and are the outstanding de-
velopment in the automobile indus
try since the self-starter," Malcolm
Loughead, of the Hydraulic Brake
Company, told Detroit automobile
engineers here a few days ago,
speaking in line with the general
safety first driving movement which
IL being observed over the United
States.
"A genuine need and strong de-
mand for better motor car control
exists" he said Efforts to better
traffic conditions by legislation and
severe court sentences have been
largely Ineffective. and fOur-wheel
brakes OF proper design are actual
" meeting the appalling traffic
conditions in a practical and salts.
factory manner"
Plans are going forward rapidly
for recognizing and financing the
new Republic Motor Truck Conn
recently by the United States lis.
trict court to the noteholders com.
mittee, of which NJ. NJ Buckner, Of
the board Of directors Of the New
York Trust Company, is chairman.
It Is stated that the new company
will take over the Republic proper.
ties and that manufacture OF trucks
will be pushed vigorously with
ample working capital.
Big Race for Detroit.
Another claimant to the distirc.
fdon Of owning the oldest auto
mobile in the world is Fay l..
Cusick, of Milwaukee, who says he
first owned and drove a car made
by Gottfried Schooner, mechanic,