The Washington times., 1924-01-16
WILL SET
AUTO PACE
IN 1924
Manufacturers Predict Greater
output-PossibIIity OF
Price Cut Cited.
BY MARSHALL b. WALKER,
COSmODOlItan News Service.

DETROIT, Mich, Jan. 16.-Wltn
New York's greatest national auto
mobile exhibition now matter
of glowing history, Detroit ready
to open it's twenty-second annual
display to the public next Satur-
day, and practically every other
large city of the nation preparing
for similar shows, these events are
now the chief topic Of conversation
in motordom.
But from out Of executive offices
continue to come announcements
Of last years great Industrial pros
perity and forecasts Of even greater
successes this year.
Along with this talk Of what 1924
will bring, eyes are focusing on
the Ford Motor Company. It 10
pretty well acknowledged that the
Ford company is the barometer by
which conditions Of all other COM
panies are read. Not that Ford
guides the entire industry, but that
what he can do, others, to a certain
extent, also can do.
His 1923 Record.
Ford built 2,O9O,959 cars and
trucks during 1928, it was officially
announced this week. Final records
show that the combined production
of Ford Motor Company, Henry
Ford & Son, and the Lincoln Motor
Car Company totalled 2,200,682 cars,
trucks and tractors.
This breaks all production records
Ford car and truck output broke
the 1922 record by 739,623, while
the tractor output jumped from
H., In
production was 1926, gain Of
1858 over 1922.
Output Of all companies in the
United States combined was 4,014,'
600, a little less than twice Ford's
production. For several years Ford
has built approximately one-half the
total output of the nation.
FOrd's Spring Schedule.
Ford's spring schedule has been
set at 5000 motor vehicles a day
and there is every indication that 1t
will reach 10000 before the end Of
the year which will boost his total
to 100000 to 100000 for 1924.
This would give him still another
opportunity to carry out his policy
of increased sales and profits by
decreased prices.
But will he cut prices? That 10
one Of the questions asked today
by the public.
Many companies cut prices dur
ing 1923. and although practic ally
all leading concerns showed new
high earnings for the year, in
crease in output was all out Of
proportion to the increase in net.
In some cases net profits a car
fell off from 20 to 80 per cent Ss
compared with 1929.
1t is expected that the motor
industry in 1924 will be compelled
to seek profits from volume rather
than from higher prices. In fact,
if volume OF production increases
sufficiently there is a possibility
that price levels will be lower than
during the past year.
Three Cuts Made.
Already this year three price re.
ductions have been announced,
Rickenbacker cutting open types
$40, Studebaker reducing the price
of five passenger coupes and sedans
of light six $65 to $50. and Gardner
making reductions averaging 500.
Since the New York show there
has been much speculation as to
what style developments will be
made. The tendency toward four.
wheel brakes, balloon tires, and
steel wheels, and the public's
greater demand for closed cars Is
marked. VIII these Improvements,
or innovations II you wish to call
them that, become more strongly
intrenched in the industry and be.
come general? It is the belief of
many that they will.
81 Adopt FOur-Wheel Brakes.
Thirty-one companies now offer
four-wheel brakes as standard or
optional equipment; twenty-nine
companies are offering balloon tires
as optional or standard equipment
at added cost, and steel wheels are
coming into greater favor with
manufacturers.
Turning from passenger cars to
trucks, the fact that truck sales in
the last quarter of 1923 were main.
tained at an even level, when
normally there is a heavy falling
off. indicates that 1924 will see more
trucks manufactured than ever.
Some even so so far as to say that
1924 truck sales may double the 1928