The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-15
AUTO INDUSTRY
IS FAR FROM
.5LU|NP
Factories Which 'curtailed
Production Now Return 4
ing torNormalcy.
By MARSHALL b. WALKER,
Cosmopolitan News Service.


DETR9IT, April psf5 the
motor industry swings along further
intofs the spRsing trade, every
evidence, points to the fact that the
slump predicted, by some was no
more than q Hurry. and in failing
to naterialize- has rebounded,to~ the
credit of business, -
The spotty condition, existing a
few weeks ago is dfsa ppeafii Sg and
everywhere there; isl more a0nt rlisrI,
es;2:s.s! Leaders, Optimistic. d sa
Factories which have 'beenx cur.
falling production Ito. d, scertai{E ex.
tent, and therefore laying off men.
are returning to, noLlnaley and be.
fore hong the wheels OF the industry
will be turning as fast .as, 4, eyer,
according to the belief Expressed
by those who should know ig, J;
/. rhe optimistic statement recently
made by Emory W., Il, ClarlS one
of Detroit's leading bankers Who
has financial. dealing, with I11otor
companies sufficiently. fteqaerif 10
necessitate his keeping, iii close
touch with the trade, today was
backed up by R. Fl. williams. pies
ident OF the Detroit's aufo inobile
dealers association, who predicted
that the automobile ,busides2 will
continue to show marked gains. OVER
last year. 'a<2 ... ~. ~. Y e StS,
eve have been making a survey
Of conditions confronting our. mem
bers and find, almost without ex.
ception, that dealers lIavega much
greater number Of orders on + hand
for delivery during. April and May
than ever before, - said 'yv illian1s
TN fact, the orders for so-called
future. delivery have caused nlticil
comment and speculation, as the
condition is Unprecedented., NO one
seems to; be able. to figure out why
such a large number, of orders have
been placed in advance 6f delivery
dates, but the opinion is that the
shortage Of new cars last spring
has made an impression upon the
public of general but buyers have
placed their orders in advance to
fcrestall any possibility of not be.
ing able to have new cars when
they want them.
Retail Conditions Good.
The retail automobile business is
in a very healthy condition and
with prices at the lowest level in
their history, | am confident that
the splendid business of the first
quarter will continue throughout
the year I'm general the Situation
! today seems 70 be that for the
first time in the history of che
industry, factory capacity is about
on-a par with immediate future de
mand. Some dealers have been
building up stocks for the spring
rush, but many others have been
unable to do so, and Ford expects
that production capacity will be
taxed to the limit during the next
two or three months at least Ford
sales in March totalled 5,f35 cars
and trucks, being a new monthly
record which was fourteen more
than March, 1928. Indications point
to production of 100000 this
month. Hope of greater output is
seen in the announcement of plans
to double the size of Fords Hege
wisch assembly plant.
Hudson-Essex which has beer
booming right along, even during
what was termed the slight de
preston in the industry recently
also is planning expansion. Tc
provide additional manufacturing
and shipping facilities the plan q
the Jefferson Forge Products Gem
pany near the Hudson plant, has
been taken over.