Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-02
AUTO PRODUCTION =.
IN 1929 IS RECORD
Output in 1890 May Not
Equal High Mark Set
Last Year.
BY JOHN z. SINCLAIR.

NEW YORK, January 2.-The year
1929 was the record one in automobile
production, but none of the large auto
mobile manufacturers so far has VEN
tured to predict that 1880 will exceed
the production of 1929.
The year 1928 brought a production
of 100000 cars and trucks. This was
the record up 20 that time in the United
States. The first nine months of 1929
saw production climb up to 4,870, 900
units. BY the end of November the
IL months total exceeded 5,4S0,000. So
the figures for the entire year 1929
should reach a total of 100000 units,
a new all-time record.
Such a record could not have been
reached without the tremendous pro-
duction which the Ford Motor Co. eX-
perienced last year
Practically all of the gain in output
over the year is traceable to this COM
pany. which has regained most of the
ground lost in the market prior to its
1927 decline in operations, pending de-
velopment of a new model" says the
Union Trust Co. of Cleveland, in its
Trade Winds.
For the first nine months of 1929, the
registrations of new passenger cars in
the United States totaled 3,269,117, as
against 2,482,028 in the corresponding
period of 1928. This was a gain of 3l.7
per cent The increase for the Ford
Motor Co. was 430 per cent, while the
industry as a whole lost 0.8 per cent,
exclusive of Ford
Today two companies, the Ford Mo-
tor Co. and General Motors, are pro-
ducing approximately seven out OF every
ten automobiles manufactured. The
three others are divided among all the
other automobile companies.
The one disappointing element in the
automobile trade for last year was the
drop in the expected results of the ex-
port trade. 1t was thought that the
1929 export Of cars and trucks would
exceed 1928 figures by at least $780,
900 600. The final figures will probably
show an increase Of about half this
amount.
why is this? The high money rates
in the United States of the last year
caused a sharp decline in loans to Eu-
rope. This showed up in the automo-
bile trade. The other factor is grow
ing tendency on the part OF american
producers to build plants abroad 10
manufacture for foreign consumption.
For the first nine months OF the
year exports Of passenger cars declined
2 per cent as compared 10 the year
previous, while shipments OF automobile
parts to foreign countries for assembly
there expanded 96.5 per cent.
The record for 1880 has yet to be
made. But that the total production
will equal that of 1929 Is improbable,
by about q million units.
What parts of the United States are
considered to be the best prospect so
far as business goes over the next SIX
months? Brookmire's sales and credit
man. issued few days before the close
of 1929, makes the central part OF
south Carolina, the middle section OF
Georgia and Alabama, all of Mississippi,
the eastern half of Tennessee, the
southern half of Arkansas and the
eastern half of Louisiana the bright
spots of the South. The southeastern
section of Idaho, comprising about one
third of that State, looks lie the best
bet in the whole West, with the rest
of the West in the fair prospects"
territory.
So is nearly all the rest of the
country; more OF it is in the fair
prospects" territory than in the poor
prospects"
This forecast estimates that the
United States income for the next six
months will be about 4 per cent less
than it was one year ago and Q per cent
less than three years ago.
This Is not a decrease to be par
ticularly alarmed over.
No one who reads the annual report
Of the president of Columbia University
for 1929 can fail to be impressed with
the increasing importance of business
in university life. The printed report
covers 80 pages. It covers a wide
such as the academic careers, manners.
educational reconstruction, organization
of research, gifts, property, university
budget and honorary degree.
Located in the heart of New York
City, this university expended in the
year ending June 80, 1929. SIC, 1904, 900,
while the budget for this year calls for
expenditures Of $1l,571 900, or nearly
81 900, 900 a month
Think of a total of 36,587 resident
students during the last year and an
other 10000 nonresident. A total of
5,53l degrees were granted in the one
year, of which only IL were honorary.
Columbia has received in cash gifts
since the year 1890. a total of $780, 53,-
600. 1t has resources today of $751;
088,85l. With business men contribut-
ing more literally more than ever to
colleges, the subject of honorary de-
greeS has become important. Columbia
as we'll as other universities, is now
giving honorary degrees of kind
which are not obtained by study
1T is undesirable that any degree
should be conferred as an honor which
may be obtained stately in course. It