Evening star., 1923-10-13
3,&,566 AUTOS
co To SCRAP HEAP
Replacing of Machines Made
in 1916 and 1917 Great
Boon to Manufacturers.
BY j. c. R9YLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, October 13.-Who is
buying the tremendous NUMBER Oh
automobiles being built this year, ana
who will buy the more than four mil
lion cars which will be built in 1924?
The answer to that question rests
largely on replacement needs. More
than two million present owners of
automobiles and trucks will be num-
bered among the purchasers In the
next twelve months. For the replace
ment requirements Of the United States
now are more than two million cars
year. This business alone, with the
collateral demand for parts, is sufficient
to keep the autcmotive industry mov-
ing at fair pace the year round.
Millions of Autos Scrnpped.
Manufacturers are not going TO be
content with a fair pace, however
Production schedules the remainder of
this year and a large part of next give
promise of being heavier than ever be-
fore Price cuts by many manufac-
turers will necessitate the proportion
ate cutting of overhead per car. Wnlch
can only be assured by quantity produc-
tion. AS result it is estimated that
employment in the industry will fe one
third greater than last year, through
out the winter.
The tremendous number of vehicles
which will be thrown on the market
is not viewed with great alarm by
most manufacturers as they realize
that practically all the 1,5S3.6l7 cars
made in 1916 and the 1,S68,s49 cars
turned out in 1917 are now on the
scrap heap.
Lower Prices Seen Ahead.
Since the cut in Ford prices, senti-
Ynent in the trade has settled down
and no startling developments are ex-
pected until the New York automobile
show, in January. Some makers are
which will evoke long drawn "ah-
a-a-a" from the public. One maker
promises an innovation in equipment,
which, he says, will be the biggest
sensation in ten years. Another well
known maker is expected to announce
new low prices in connection with
new models, which will shock the in
dustry.
In the meantime, sales throughout
the country are holding up unusually
well, according to factory reports
from dealers.
Enormous Output Planned.
Preliminary schedules of produc-
ton for the Ford Company for No
vember and December indicate an
outturn of 100000 for the current
year.
The remaining 112 leading makers
are expected to turn out an equal num-
ber which will bring the years total to
about 3,S0000 vehicles. The Ford
Company turned out it's eight million
five hundred thousandth motor October
4. This shows a production of 100000
cars in seven days less than three
months. Even If this rate were not ex-
ceeded, the nine millionth motor should
be made about January l and the ten
millionth about July of next year. Sales
of Ford cars and trucks in September
totaled 141,467. an increase of over
$4,000, as compared with September,
1922.
Automobile Makers Buy Copper.
Automobile manufacturers are taking
full advantage of the present low price
of copper to buy the red metal and cop
per products in anticipation of their
needs. In other lines the demand has
shown a falling off, due in some meas
ure to the usual seasonal decline. A
short time ago there was a movement
on foot to send copper to German fab
ricatorS without title to the metal pass
ing out of the hands Of shippers. Under
this plan, the German manufacturers
were to turn it into manufactured goods
which would be sent back to the ship
pers in this country who would market
them and remit to the fabricatocs the
cost of manufacture with a profit added
The recent disorganized condition Of
German industry, the almost complete
loss of value of the mark as a medium
of exchange and the growing belief
ample funds in pounds and dollars to
finance copper purchases without such
aid has resulted In the dropping Of this
plan, at least temporarily.