Evening star., 1924-03-09
REVIEWS z YEARS
|NAUTO BUILDING
Franklin President Tells of
Vast improvements and
Growth of Industry.

Progress has been SO rapid, de-
velopments SO speedy in this fastest
growing industry which the world
has ever seen, that every minute OF
the working day has been occupied
with thoughts and plans for the
future, says IL II. Franklin, presi-
dent, Franklin Automobile Company
II is only on such occasions as the
annual national automobile show that
the full significance of what has hap
pcned is impressed on us who have
been in the industry since its in
ceptior.
L have seen an industry which did
not receive the early support of finan-
cial interests-which was, in fact, look
ID upon somewhat askance by the
banking fraternity in its carly days
grow into an industry OF admitted
stability, steadily, surely and soundly,
without n setback. There have been
no crashes, no failures Of the in
dustry as a whole.
History of Ford.
/ have seen Ford. To this business
Ford is epochal as we'll as personal
He is the man with the big idea Plus
rho courage and ability to develop it.
His first hint of L five hundred dollar
Ford had service as his basic prin-
ciple. He knew exactly what he
meant by service. The extent to
which he has carried his ideas of
transportation within the reach of
almost every one has made him the
outstanding figure of twentieth CEN
Jury commercial life. The automo-
bile was t'ord's opportunity, like
slavery was Lincolns.
i a f,1i fr>3y cit 80,
IN values. in what people receive for
their money when expended for an
automobile. Not so many years ago
big prices were paid for cars which
the performance of today's: cars and
represented corresponding g'Iy less in
trinsically. CLOSED bodies were un-
HnoWn and even windshi>lds and tops
cost extra then. For less money to-
day the buyer may obtain q veritalle
palace on wheels
Makes Nation Rich.
| believe that the automobile has
maze this country rich. AS q vehicle,
~ Is exactly fitted to the "get there"
temperament Of the American public.
and goes hand in hand with the spirit
mas given Anne ericans d foremost rank
among peoples OF the earth
Nothlng has ever put money into
circulation to compare with the auto
mobile and allied industries. Aided
by the automobile, which saves the
time and widena the scope of the
operations of the Individual, the
American people are earning more
money today than ever before in his
tory. and are, therefore, able to spend
more money than ever before for
other comforts of life. They are
aIending more money for insurance.
lhere is more money deposited in
savings banks.
Effect on Highways.
The development of our highways
has been tremendous. l believe it is
true that many good roads would
never have been built were it not for
the fact that automobile ownership
changed the views of many citizens
in regard to the advisability of good
road expenditure.
If the automobile industry is to
maintain it's present pace che build
Ing of good roads must be Speeded
up. In many sections the country
roads are still primitive. Highway
building must take lessons from rail-
road building and push out into re-
mote and unpopulated districts. Com
mercial development and population
are bound to follow.
While every feature of the automo-
bile has been improved and advanced
there is one part-the tire-which has
made the most tremendous strides,
and. to a corresponding degree, has
been responsible for the development
OF the automobile. Using the same
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., cotton and chemi-
cals-which they had to work with
several years ago, tire manufacturers
have produced a product infinitely
superior TO that of their early days,
and thereby have made it possible for
motorists to undertake long tours
with security and with comparative
lack of annoyance.
Use Of Steel Alloys.
Alloy steeIs came into being through
the automobile. Almost nothing was
known of heat treatments, which,
combined with alloy steels, led to
great structural strength and lessened
weight The influence of these devel-
oprnents on other lines of manufac-
lure has been far-reaching.
Undoubtedly the industry has been
strengthened by consolidation. The
large units, of which General Motors
IS a splendid example, will probably
net be appreciably increased in num-
bar in coming years: the greatest