The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-09-30
War Between the Cars
of Auto Industry Offers
Opportunity to Workers
BY J. LOUIS ENoDAHL.

100000. During this period, how
ever, the total output Of the whole
automobile industry showed a big
increase. General Motors seems to
have gotten its share During the
first half Of 1925, 41S,O0O General
Motors machines-C Chevrolet,
Dodges and Essex-were sold. The
jump was made to $4,000 cars sold
for the first half Of this year. It is
estimated that Ford's profits dur
ing 1925 totalled $94,560,997. Those
of General Motors for the same
period are reputed to have gone
over the $1O0,OOO,OOO mark.
These figures give some indica-
ton Of the factors involved in the
increasing intensity of the war for
supremacy in the auto industry.
They do not take into considera-
ton the great question that troubles
the whole auto industry, which is.
where is the point Of saturation?
How many more automobiles can
be sold before the purchasing pub
lie in the United States cries
Enough" The maximum guess so
far made is 25,O00,OOO cars for the
United States. This figure is being
approached very rapidly When the
high point has been reached, as it
mi h.
ments will be necessary, and
plague of unemployment and short
time work will spread thru this
highly efficient industry, organized
and equipped for mass production
on a scale never attempted in any
other industry.
Henry Ford is a bitter foe of or
ganized labor. His "S5 per day"
looked big in pre-war days. The
prevailing 80 per day" doesn't
loom so large today with the cost
of living nearly doubled. 1t is hardly
noticeable. Little is heard OF thigh
Ford wages" any more. Instead the
Ford speed-up" is now in the lime
light. This is the "speed-up" that
is forcing workers to do in five days
what they formerly did in six.
A Communist was distributing
The Ford Worker, shop paper, to
workers going home in the street
cars in the Ford section of Detroit.
but how do you know you are
giving the paper to Ford workers."
the distributor was asked. "You
might make a mistake and give
copy to those who do not work at
Ford's."
Never" replied the distributor.
"You can always pick out Ford
worker in street car. They all
look Just about dead. They're diff
ferent. The speed-up makes them
that way"
The powers back of General
Motors constitute some of the most
vicious open shop" interests in the
land. Wall Street is enthroned on
its board Of directors. 1t is bank.
controlled under the direction of
Pierre S. DUPONT, George F. Baker,
Jr, Junius s. Morgan, Jr., and
others. The Dupont powder pro-
fiteers got in early with the profits
taken during the world war. The
House of Morgan did the flnanceer-
ing for General Motors just as it
created the United States Steel
corporation. Under such direction
the workers can expect nothing but
the most bitter opposition from Gen.
eral Motors against their every
effort to organize. But they must
defeat this anti-labor power.
Organization OF the auto Industry
will be great help to the workers
In several affiliated industries, espe-
cially the rubber workers, surely
the steel workers and it ought to
give added impetus to organization
in the coal industry, where Wall
Street is now exerting tremendous
efforts to establish the open shop.
Labor has a great opportunity
presented to 1t as a result of the
conditions now prevailing in the
auto industry. Labor must take adj
vantage Of this opportunity.