The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-06-22
AUTO IS NOW.
FAMILY NEED
BY DUBOIS YOUNG,
President Of the Hupp Motor Car
Corporation

Corporation
The average family in America
has telephone, a motor car, phon-
agraph. a piano and a radio.
Statistics bear this out.
The General Federation of Wom-
ems Clubs recently canvassed A.
1851 families, living in every
classification of cities and towns,
and on farms. OF the number in
terviewed, 56.5 per cent have tele.
phone. A total of 2,2S5 .739 OF the
families canvassed have motor cars
IA 55.7 per cent ownership. Forty
six and two-tenths per cent have
monographs. 4O.4 per cent pianos
and 24.1 per cent radios.
1t is an interesting fact that the
largest percentage of families own
ing cars is In towns Of 1000 and
less.
The survey discloses that sos per
cent of all families so located enjoy
motor car ownership. The lowest
ratio was found in cities of 100000
CIlu up, uuI even nCtC eO1 pSh NSAAI
have one or more cars.
Figures just available reveal that
California now has registered
sons. Iowa has one for every 3.73
persons. On the other hand, Ala
bama has one for every 1915 per-
sons and Georgia one for every
12.79.
Florida last year enjoyed an In
crease in new car registrations of
4O.2 per cent. Oklahoma was sec.
ond with rs per cent. Conversely,
Colorado showed a gain of 3.5 per
cent and South Dakota OIL per cent.
New York continues to have the
largest number OF registered motor
vehicles Of any State-1.S15,4S4.
California follows with 1,6o0,47
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois. Michi-
gan and Texas each now have more
than 1000, 000-the last two joining
that class during 1925. Delaware,
with 44,S34 cars. and Nevada, with
24,O14, are on the other end OF the
list.
New York added 1Ss,S51 cars to
its registration in 1925 and Cali
fornia 1884. wyoming increased
2,1T2 and South Dakota but 202.
Registrations for the United
States at the close of 1925 gained
more than 100000 over those at
the end of 1925. There are now
more than 100000 motor vehicles
registered in this country. The
year 1925 was the largest in the
history of the automotive industry.
There always will be a certain
percentage of the total sales to
those who have never owned a car.
Then there will be sales to families
already owning one or more cars.
This is becoming an increasingly
important market. Realtors have
learned that the average house,
when equipped with two-car
garage, is easier to sell than one
with only one-car garage.
Ten per cent of all families al
ready own more than one car. This
country can prepare now for the
day when there will be from 3d.
100000 to $4,000, 900 cars, trucks
and buses on our streets and high
WAYS.
But the automobile industry's real
backbone will always be the replace
ment business, just as 1t is the back.
bone of the clothing industry or
the shoe business.
Imagine what would happen to
the shoe manufacturers were they
compelled to depend for sales solely
on those who have never owned
shoes before! The parallel with the
automobile business is a sound one.
Cars are being improved constantly.
They become obsolete. Then, too,
1t is typical Of the American that
he wants something better con.
stantly.
The automobile business owes
much to this American spirit. How
many persons become car owners
dispose of their cars and never get
another? Once a car owner always
car owner. How many drop back
from one price group to another?
The average man owns the best car
he can afford. His constant ambi.
ton Is to own a better one.
The export market Is growing
rapidly Foreign countries are COM
ing to realize more and more that
America owes much to the automo.
tive industry. While it is true that
the automobile industry's prosperity
reflects good times in other bust.
nesses, it is also true that good
times in the automobile industry
help make good times in other lines
of business. =, st
The automotive industry is today
a stabilized one. There is reason,
indeed, why manufacturers of motor
cars are optimistic.