Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-01
U.S. PROSPERITY
CREDITED TO AUTO
Sales Director Says Europe
Would Advance Faster by
Greater Use OF Cars.

II the rest of the world, instead OF
envyinS America for her prosperitJ and
riches, would study American methods
and. above all, make more general Use
OF the automobile. the causes for inter-
national jealousy might disappear.
In making this suggestion II. H.
Brooks. general sales director in the
autpmotive field. points out that with 8
registration of more than 2S.00o,00o
motor vehicles the United States owns
and uses nearly rs per cent Of all the
2e, 500 900 cars in the world,
America has one motor vehicle Tor
every SIS persons" says Brooks. De
Quoting even the 1896 900 motor trucks
and public vehicles. such as taXlcabs
and buses. there would be at least one
car for every alternate family, with
thousands of families owning from two
TO three cars.
ct is this vast feet Of automobiles
as much as any other factor which has
speeded up efficiency in the United
States and contributed TO our material
prosperity. Equipped with q car, the
salesman or the physician can cover a
large range Of territory and make per-
hsps five times as many calls as for
nerly.
Changes Small Towns.
The automobile has brought the
farmer in close touch with the city
markets and has revolutionized life on
the farm and IN. the small town. Main
street, with lis hitcf1ing rails and false
fronts. has disappeared forever. and in
its, place has sprung UP thoroughly
up-to-6ats little shopping center with
its beauty shop, its movie theater and
its general store catering TO the auto
mobile trade.
Motor vehicle taxes collected last
wear amounted to S7600o0. 600. which.
with Federal appropriations for good
roads created a fund of more than
81 300 .ooo, 900 for highway construction.
The building Of 1000 miles of hard-suT-
faced pavements. $4,000 miles Of sur
faced roads and 5000 miles Of ade-
uuately graded roads will furnish en-
pleyment for all army of men.
The tourist business alone is no in
considerable item in the tally of our
national prosper tv. It is estimated that
some 10000 600 motorists. hearing the
caA Of the red god this Summer, will
invest upward of $500. 900 900 in
scenery. recreation and historical tradi-
ton. Of these nearly 1000 900. filing
q caravan of T50,c 90 cars. will visit one
or more Of Americas national parks.
Tons of 9"Red- Hots."
.'Their reouirem ents en- route will
include not only toms of 'red-hots' and
OCEANS of soft drinks but millions of
gallons of gasoline and oil Tourist
hotels, tea rooms. fitting stations. souve-
mir shops, bCngaletste camps scattered
throughout the country, will reap their
share of the national prosperity as a
result of this tourist trade.
rome ouli imagine that Europe. far
richer than America IN historical tradi-
tiuns. If not in natural scenery, would
pspdt proportionately from the motor
ISIS. but the Old World, backward in
many things is as vet incompletely mo-
tofi1ed. Excluding the $4,000. 900 cars
registered IN the United States. there
are less than 100000 to be distributed
over the rest Of the world, and half a
million Of these are registered in
Canada.
Thus the automobile is still a luxury
In Europe American manufacturers
however. are making inroads. and ex-
ports, which amounted to more than
$4,000 cars last year, are growing
steadily. The United States. if 1t keeps
On. viii make Europe prosperous despite
itself"