Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-07-23
SHORTAGE IN AUTOS
FACED BY INDUSTRY
Situation First of Its Kind
Since Slump Set in Three
Years Ago.
Special Dispatch to The Star,

Special Dispatch to The Star.
DETROIT, July 20. - Automobile
manufacturing Is in the midst of q
severe car shortage. For the present
there appears to be no relief in sight,
because orders from many parts of the
country are being received in such heavy
volume that plant operation schedules
have fallen behind. Thousands of deal
ers the country over have ordered cars
for which they are waiting, and are
withholding further orders until they
can get delivery Of cars needed at
once.
For this reason, officials Of planta say,
1t Is difncult to estimate the number Of
cars the factories are behind. Going
into July from June, 1t was placed I'M
omcially at $4,000 to loo, 900 units. De-
velopments since then, it IS certain,
have increased rather than reduced the
trend. It will not only make July pro-
duction equal or exceed June, but it
will also make August a good month,
in the belief of officials.
This situation-the first of its kind
that the automobile magnates have
been confronted with since the slump
set in three years ago-is the result Of
the upswing in business conditions that
has reversed former years and made
the factory wheels hum with the old
time vigor.
The out-croppings Of 1t are apparent
in pay increases with possible extern
sion Of active plant operations into
September. This Is In vivid contrast to
the Midsummer periods Of 1890 and
1881 during which inventory and vaca-
ton periods were decreed because the
co,,pfrv uoc 0vorc01d m ire rotnr car
requirements.
Already Exceeds 1882 Output.
This week the Chevrolet Motor Co.
exceeded its entire output Of 1882. In
approximately six and one-half months
the organization has bettered its fun
IL months volume of last year. which
was 394,005 passengers and commercial
car units
Present production, according to w.
s. Knudsen, president, Is closely fol-
lowing retail sales The continued i'm
provement has led to upward revision
of the number Of cars Chevrolet Is
expected to build this year. At the
first of the year the estimate was
45O, O00 This figure later was boosted
to more than 100000. By August l
at least rs per cent Of this objective
will have been attained.
The company has 8,721 more men
working as Of July 9 and Is to recall
1000 more before August /.
The Buick division of General Mo-
tors IS averaging 800 cars q day. Ac-
cording to I. j. Reuter-, president, this
TENDER is with $500 men at work
and representing the recent addition Of
1000 who were recalled.
Hudson's shop employees got 5 to 10
per cent wage increases this week. af-
fecting 5000 persons and adding three
quarters of q million to the yearly pay
rolls. The McCord Radiator & Manu-
featuring Co. raised both factory and
Office pay by 10 per cent to be dis
tributed among LOO persons In five
plants.
High operation levels are being main
tanned during July by the AC Spark
Plug Co., General Motors major pro-
Queer Of accessories. This concern
G. M. producing divisions, but also
to independent automobile manufac-
turers. In June production exceeded
former peak in June, 1929, with pro-
portionate growth Of working forces
and pay rolls disbursed.
Makers listed as maintaining volume
through July that will be equal to, If
not better than,. June include Cadillac
La Sale, Continental Motors, Ford,
Hudson Essex, Hupmobile, Oldsmobile,
Packard, Pontiac, REQ and Studebaker-
Rockne.
Codes Bestir Ofiicials.
Industrial codes and their possible
application under the new industrial re-
covery act continue to bestir company
officials who are scanning the future
in an effort toward advance compliance
with Government regulation whatever
1t may prove to be.
Three thousand producers q parts
and equipment are to assemble In De-
troit tomorrow to draft wage scales and
working hours for submission to Gen.
johnson and his associates. They pro-
known as the Automotive Equipment &
Manufacturers Association to cooper
ate with the Motor and Equipment
Manufacturers Association and the Ma
tional Standard Parts Association.
Sponsoring the movement IS group
Of leaders comprising Claire L. Barnes
(Houdaille- Hershey, Vincent Bendix
(Bendix Aviation), c. S. Davis Borg
Warner, H. F. Harper Motor Wheel,
A. c. McCord (McCord Radiator), c.
o. Miniger Electric Auto-Lite) and
G. E. Thompson (Thompson ProductSl.
On the retailing side of the automo-
bile trade, dealers representing 80 CEN
tiers Of Michigan, including Detroit. met
here last week under the auspices OF
the Michigan Automotive Trades As
ISOLATION. They were collaborating with
the National Automobile Dealers Asso-
citation to codify proposals toward regu-
lation of automobile saleSmens salaries.
houSs of employment and other cond1-
onSaffecting car distribution.
(copyr,ght. 1888. by North American News
paper Alliance, Incl