Evening star., 1932-01-31
BY ALVAN MACAULEY,

\ President NATIONAL Automobile Chamber OF
| Commerce and Packard Motor Company
Although the wheels of commerce
and industry have not been revolving
so rapidly during the last year, those
| rolling on rubber tires conquered more
miles of highway in 1881 than ever
! before.
This claim is supported by gasoline
| consumption records, which indicate
! gallons of motor fuel were consumed
last year than in the record year or
1890.
Accepting this figure, We are justified
| in assuming that the Nations feet of
| 26,0O0,000 motor vehicles exceeded
| its aggregate mileage of 1880 by more
than 5000, 100000 miles. In other
words, each car and truck Travelled an
| average of 300 miles farther last year
than it did the preceding year.
More Records Made.
| Nor was gasoline consumption the
only record established by motor ve-
hicleS in 1881. Increased mileage trans
| lated itself into increased gasoline tax
revenue which was used to finance a
more extensive highway construction
and improvement program than this
| attempted.
I Incomplete reports indicate that these
added tax receipts made possible the
! expenditure by Federal, State and local
! governments of So 400 100000 for high
way extension, Improvement and main
| tenance-almoSt 100000, 900 more than
was spent for the same purpose in
1890
These two achievements coming in
a period such as the one through which
| we have just passed should convey
, much, not only to the motor industry,
| but because of the intimate relation
| ship Of this industry TO all phases Of
economic and social existence, to the
public as well.
Where could one find more eloquent
| testimony of the high place that pas
senger cars, motor trucks and BUSES
have been accorded in the domestic and
business life Of the Nation?
Behind these figures are the stories
of thousands of families who were will
ling to sacrifice luXurieS and even So
called necessities in order that they
might not be denied the use Of their
cars.
Here, we may believe is the guaranty
for the future of highway trans
portation.
Losses Suffered.
1t is a matter Of such common
knowledge that it scarcely need be men
toned that the motor industry suffered
as much as many others in so far
as its 1881 sales were concerned.
Compelled to hold their factory op-
erationS in close check with visible
market requirements, motor manu-
facturers mad to content themselves
with an aggregate output Of 2,46o, ,00o
vehicles for the year-almoSt 1000, 600
units less than 1880, and 54 per cent
under 1925 record volume.
1t might be expected that this failure
of the market to yield more substan-
tial returns would have been most dis
heartening to motor manufacturers.
Quite the reverse Is true.
On the eve Of the national show
they are almost unanimous in agreeing
that this is one of the most auSplcious
signs for the future.
Their view is based largely upon the
part which the much discussed re-
placement market will play in break
ing the frozen lam of buying apathy.
1t is recognized, not only by the in
duStry's leaders, but by economists and
students of business, that sales of cars
and commercial vehicles during the
last two years did not keep pace with
the unprecedented rate at which they
were being worn out.
Uncertainty over future employment
and income and other factors which
| prevented people from following their