Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-02
SALES
GAIN IS PREDICTED
Government Officials Place
Increase During Year at
10 to IS Per Cent.
BY J. C. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

and perhaps more than that number. /
Estimates of men in the industry and
Government executives who are in close
touch with the situation estimate that
slightly more than 100000 cars were
built in $780,
Ordinarily some allowance might be
made for enthusiasm of men in the
industry, but at present cold-blooded
Government officials feel that gain
of between 10 and Is per cent Will be
recorded. The prediction, if fulfilled,
would put output on about the same
plane as that of 1928, when 4,024,o9o
passenger cars were built.
There is every indication that the
lower priced cars will be the big SELL
ers. This is indicated by the latest flg-
ures which show that one of the largest
producers is accounting for 43 per
cent of all the cars sold in this coun-
try. This manufacturer does not exhibit
at the show, but if, as some have pre-
dicted, the concern puts out low
priced 8-cylinder car, there is sure 10
be a wild scurry among the rival makers
Alterations in Design.
Mechanical alterations in design are |
likely to be numerous both at the snow
and afterward. The ''free-wheellng
feature has been taken up by more than
a few makers as the exhibits will show. !
races. as we'll as horse races, ana there
is a wide difference Of opinion among
manufacturers. Some pin their falth
on light Fights. Others feel that many
motorists would rather have Dig SIX
than a small eight. AS to which Is
right, sales will tell.
New accessories are not nkeiy 70 DC
numerous. The trend which LED motor
lists to hang their cars with accessories
al. tn have OaSPQ
and original equipment now includes
most of the essentials.
Another wide difference of opinion
exists as to the future OF the mlogeC
cars Some who have studied the prob J
lem for years declare that If 1880 had
not Leen hard times" year, the course
of the midget cars would have been
yerv bunny one Others say they have
come to stay owing to low cost Of fuel
and ease in parking. The makers OF
the larger and more expensive cars are
lust as optimistic as those who appeal
to a lower price field. They say the I'M
provement in American standards OF Nv
ing always will make room for quality
product.
Dealers Stocks / Ow.
It is entirelv probable nat they are
all right when 1t comes to sales improve |
ment. Not for years have there been SO |
few cars in the hands OF dealers ana |
manufactures. Dealers have cleared
their onerous stocks of used cars, selling |
in the last year, according to Alfred z.
Sloan. jr. president OF General Motors'
two used cars for each new vehicle dis |
posed of. The industry has looked facts |
SQuarely in the face and adjusted out !
put to existing conditions. They are
ready now 20 take advantage of their |
foresight and are rearing to 60"
New England Railroad ALLEGATION.
ALLEGATION of the New England rail-
roads already had begun to obtrude it /
self into the considerations Of the heads !
of the New York Central, the Pennsylva- /
mia, the Van Sweringen system and the !
Baltimore & Ohio when they gathered .
in New York 10 work out the final de-
tails of the consolidation plan involving /
trunk line territory.
The trunk-line plan is not entirely
settled even betV cen the systems in
volved, and it is far from settled so
far as actual accomplishment is con-
cerned. The New England ALLEGATIONS !
are having their bearing on the trunk
line conferences, and the trunk-line
plan, in turn, will have wide effect
on New England.
AS tentatively outlined, the New Eng
land situation is being considered, as (
follows: The Pennsylvania to have one
half the New York, New Haven &
Hartford, the Baltimore & Ohio to have
the other half, the Van Sweringens to
acquire the Boston e. Maine and the !
New York Central to hold the Boston |
& Albany AS outlined by the Big -Four |
systems, the Delaware & Hudson would
be converted into sort of terminal |
bridge line, with it's track accessible to
all four Of the others. This would be /
equally true of the bridge lines held by |
Lehigh Valley.
AS outlined by railroad men. the
Pennsylvania has strengthened its hold
on the New Haven tremendously; and /
since it is an "end-to-end' line with
the Pennsylvania there can be no
check to acquisition. But the Pennsyl
vania has also strong holdings in Bos-
ton g. Maine, and there can be no &C
ton against controlling both the New |
Haven and Boston & Maine.
Two New Haven Lines.
The New Haven, in effect, has two
lines through New England, one down !
the sound and the other through |
Hartford and Springfield. An arrange
ment giving the sound lines to the
PENNSYLVANIA and the interior lines to
the Baltimore 81 Ohio would avoid one
paralleling the other The Van Swer-
ingens are understood already to have
some lIlJeTeSO III 1oOSLOll CS ANAd4AISs
and the lines of that road would be
accessible to their present outlets.
The New York Central would have
tremendously important entry into New
ENGLAND through the Boston g. Albany.
OF course a proposal to make bridge
line of the Delaware & Hudson would
run afoul of protests by Leonore F. Lo-
rec, president of that road. Much of this
lineup is dependent on the
plan for trunk line territory, which is
under discussion in New York today.
The Baltimore & Ohio probably will
come out with the Western Maryland in
its pocket. The Wheeling 81 Lake Erie
spite the protests of the Taplin interests.
will likely go to the Van Sweringens. who
The Pittsburgh & West Virginia will
probably be made bridge line with
tracks accessible to all four as in the
instanc. of the Delaware 81 Hudson cited
above. The Norfolk & Western will get
the lower half of the Virginian and the
Chesapeake e. Ohio the upper half
where it has coal interests.
The minority interests, however, are
sure to make protest no matter what
plan is arrived at.
Store Methods May Change.
The 100000 retail food stores in the
United States through which the popu-
latlon is 1ed, unooupVeuIy VIII cHanSe
methods to a marked degree during 1881.
Unless they do, the number OF both
chains and individual dealers is likely
to decrease sharply. A very considerable
number now are not making profits,
This is also true of the $4,000 establish
ments for the manufacture of food
products which turn out goods to the
value ofS$5 900 year or more and also
of the 5000 wholesale grocers and other
distributors. The changes in methods
are likely to be of material benefit to
the purchasin and consuming public