Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-13
BATTLE |SLOOM|NG
IN AUTO INDUSTRY
Other Companies Trying to
Keep General Motors From
Getting New Trade.
BY j. c. ROYLE.


NEW YORK. August 13-While
Wall Street was digging the seeds
ont of it's ears today and dlgesting
ne so per cent stock dividend melon
Of General Motors other elements in
ne motor industry analyzed the stu
alton in the light Of the action of
General Motors directors and found
ii not discouraging.
Under the new dispensation General
Motors is faced with the necessity or
earning and paying 81 a share
year in dividends on the S,7OO,OO0
shares of common stock outstanding
IN addition to covering DIVIDENDS on
the preferred and debenture stock.
President Sloan'S statement that the
outlook is entirely satisfactory may
he taken at it's face value. 1t can
mean only one thing-that the dlrec.
tors of General Motors are convinced
this is not only within the range OF
possibility but Of surety.
The cash situation in which the cor
poration finds itself after record
hrea king year seems also to assure the
expansion program which 1t Is known
has figured largely in the plans OF the
company.
New Owners Secured.
Increased earnings, it Is frankly
conceded by General Motors eAecu-
tives, were compiled not so much
. from new automobile owners as from
drivers who previously had owned
other cars.
other automobile manufacturers in
answer to this said today they did not
fear this competition. Instead, they
,nok the action of General Motors as
confirming their own belief that the
business was there" for whoever could
capture 1t. All hands are going aheao
on that assumption. Employment in
Detroit has gained between 4,5O0 and
5000 workers in the last three weeks.
Forecasts for equal or increased
business in the second half OF TINS
year are based upon the fact that
more companies are bringing out new
lines of cars than in the second half
Of 1925. These models are probably
the most attractive ever offered by the
Industry The eye appeal has been eX-
fensiVely invoked and the color fea-
lures of the new cars are among their
most attractive points. New lighting
features are offered and the models
are lower. faster. racier and better
looking than ever before, with I'M
proved riding qualities.
At no time in the history of the au-
tomobile industry have so many new
ears been offered The accessories in
ance. comfort and mechanical silence
of operation, exceed anything before
known.
Many New Models.
Buick recently announced an en-
tire new line with higher horse
power motors and a list Of refine
mentS and improvements in engine
and body. Cadillac's new line in
cludes 80 body styles and 500 color
combinations. Chrysler's light six is
only a few months old and the com
nany will soon announce new four
cylinder line.
Both Hudson and Essex have been
improved and refined. the latter fea-
turing an all-steel body. Studehaker
has added several new models. Chew
rolet will soon have n new line in
variety of colors. Nash is making
changes. Pontiac has added new
landau sedan. f.lcar is bringing
out n new. eichtinline and six
roadster Peerless is producing a
new model $50 roadster-coupe.
Neon recently commemorated the
twentieth year of manufacturing with
new type of EurOpean-AmeriCan
car the Jubilee Moon $50, with
coach, roadster and phaeton models.
Overlands new Whippet is said to be
in good demand. Chandler has an
nnunced a 1927 line at price reduc-
lions.
Practically every manufacturer is
spinning loop to rope and throw the
foreign trade. Export business was
responsible for fully one-twelfth of the
gross business of General Motors in
the last IL months. Nobody knows
1ust what the Ford Motor Company
profits are. but it is certain this larg
est producer is relying more and more
on new drivers developed in foreign
countries.
AutomotiVe products exported
from the United States in the first
six months of 1926 amounted to $1S2.
O66. 573. an increase of "a per cent as
compared with the corresponding pc
Rod Of Ia ST year.