Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-31

! ing appears, the factories are prepared
to curtail production until the SLACK
has been caught up. With this care
! full check up on the field, even big
production program can be handled on
SorTd basis.
"V aile foreign trade will be the fea.
ture of 1926, the domestic situation
will also be favorable because OF tho
improved position of agriculture.
There are more than 100000
farm families in the United states.
which represent the largest single
| block of buyers.
1t is a tribute to the stability OF
the automobile business that Il has
been able to go forward at time
when agriculture was having a hard
time.
lone reason for this is that auto
mobile prices have been constantly
lowered so that the farmer can pur.
chase the average car for sos bushels
Of wheat today. while it required 1882
bushels in 1913.
In general. however. prices Of com.
modities have remained high. with the
exception of foreign products. so that
agriculture has been at a disadvan.
tage. Whereas at one time the farmer
represented one-third of the automo.
bile purchasers. the percentage for
two or three years declined to around
80 per cent.
In 1926, with agriculture in a bet.
ter economic position, 1t IS expected
that this group of buyers Will be &C.
lively in the market again for manu-.
featured products and that the auto
mobile business will benefit along with
the others.
Employment Outlook Excellent.
With these healthy conditions in
view, the outlook is excellent for en-
ployment.
This industry, directly and indi.
rectly. provides a living for 100000
persons.
About $50. 900 Of these are engaged
in the manufacture Of cars and trucks.
The remainder are factory workers in
the parts, accessory and raw mate.
rails plants, or engaged in the sale or
the professional operation Of automo-
tive products.
THE automobile business is the
largest industry in the country. &C.
cording to the United States Depart.
ment of Commerce, the rating being
based on the wholesale value Of the
products.
This fact has considerable bearing
on the general economic picture, be-
country is active 1t means that there
is an enormous payroll which Is util.
lied in buying groceries. shelter, cloth.
ing, shoes and the other products
which people use. In short, 1t Is an
instigator of prosperity all along the
line.
Commercial vehicle trafic during
the past "a months has been coming
into a new era. 1t has grown away
from the experimental stages and be-
come integrated with the great trans
portation systems of the country.
Railroads. motor trucks, electric
lines and motor buses are, by the laws
of economics, finding their most effi.
cient fields of service and are work
ing together for better co-ordinated
transportation.
The Independent motor truck and
motor bus operator will always con-
tinue active and successful In business
in various sections. but the co-ordina.
ton is present. nevertheless, because
these operators are learning by ex.
perience what fields yield a sound
financial return and are not compel.
ing over distances where the railroads
can serve more effectively.
Railroads Enter Field.
There are now 81 railroads using
motor trucks as part Of their shipping
service, compared with 80 at this time
last year.
by street railroads Is now 5000, or
double that of a year ago.
1T Is likewise interesting that there
are 20 steam roads using a total of 367
motor buses.
There is one field of motor trans.