Evening star., 1926-01-29
CHEAPER AUTOS
IN BEST DEMAND.
Manufacturers Note Trend
and Seek Further Cuts in
Cost of Production.
BY j. C. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch 10 The Star.

SPECIAL Dispatch TO The Star.
NEW YORK, January 29-Auto.
mobile manufacturers admitted today
that the trend of sales from January
L plainly reflects the strong demand
OF the public for lower motor car
prices. Consequently little, If any,
comment now is heard about the in.
creased prices of tires and rubber
forcing advances in the cost of fin
ished cars to consumers. Vigorous
denials of tire manufacturers that
they contemplate price reductions
bear evidence of the pressure which
has been put upon them, not partiru-
larly by demand for congressional
investigation of their profits. but
from consumers.
Since tire prices are still up. motor
manufacturers are making a deter
mined effort to absorb this expense
through economic methods Of produc-
ton.
Output Costs Reduced.
Fewer men per unit of production
are binS used in the motor car in
dustry this year than ever before" ;"
said a. r. Clancy, president of the
Oakland Motor Car Co. THE reduction
in number of workers needed to build
given number OF vehicles or parts
today. as compared with two years
ago, ranges from 10 to Is per cent in
some factories to so to 60 per cent in
others. This has been brought about
without any reduction in wages"
The Buick Motor Co. Is maintaining
capacity production of more than
] 900 cars a day with 5000 fewer EN-
ployes than We're on the pay roll in
1928, when the high peak of produc-
ton was 925 cars a day, according
to Detroit dispatches today. This re:
n t],. u
attention to equipment and to meth
DDS of handling materials ami stock
Many labor saving devices. such as
conveyorS, have increased speed of
production and reduced la Dor costs
Much has been accomplished by group
ing machines so as to make unneceS-
sary multiple handling of materials.
BY using standard containers for
stock, counting and checking has been
greatly Simplified, so that many men
formerly used in this work now are
turned over to the production depart
ments. Electric and gasoline tractors
have made ii possible to change man
power from pushing of trucks to more
productive jobs.
The truck and bus end of the indus
try is progressing so rapidly that
quantity production of bodies is ap-
preached by manufacturers with fear
orders are usually designed especially
for the purchaser. At the moment
there Is decided call for buSses of
rather limited passenger capacity
"hlch nave every contrivance to pro
mote comfort and luxury of travel.
Some of the new trucks for special
purposes have almost the climbing
properties of a whippet tank. or a
SloW-motlon mountain goat, and great
hn
for quick discharge of loads
Parts Concerns Booming.
The production trend Of all kinds of
motor vehicles is plainly shown by re-
cent orders to parts and accessory
makers. The Eaton Axle and Spring
Co. Is shipping more bumpers. axleS
and springs this month than it did
year ago. according to c. f.=0chs.
general manager.
IRE ma ufacturerS are speeding uD
production to meet Spring tire demand
but are holding down purchases of
rubber TO the utmost in an effort to
depress prices. With best grades
around 20 cents a pound. the level is
about 25 cents below that of a month
ago, and some tire makers predict
further drops. although the statistical
position of the commodity is unde
mia bly, strong
Some manufacturers are increasing
their holdings OF rubber plantation
lands, and an interesting experiment
Is being tried in California in trans.
planting 200 acres of guayule shrub
from which certain grades OF rubber
are made.
Wilson & co. of New York are work.
ing wild suayule lands in the Big
Bend of Texas. but artificial cul;iva-
ton of this plant. which brought mil
lions to owners of supposedly unpro-
ductive lands in North Mexico. has
never as Vet been successful