The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-07-01
First 6 Months Auto Output
Equals Total 81 Production
Executives Of Industry
In Reviewing Activities
Claim Results Are Very
Gratifying
By DAVID J. WILKIE
ASSOCIATED Press Staff Writer)

ASSOCIATED Press Staff Writer)
DETROIT, July 1.-The motor
car industry crosses the mid-year
industrial meridian with a. six
months production of approx
mately 100000 cars and trucks
behind 1t and every indication
pointing to an aggregate for the
year of close to $500, 900 units.
The 1886 six months output is
almost exactly the toaI the auto
mobile assembly plants turned
out in the entire year of 1881.
Executives of the industry, re-
viewing activities at the halfway
point, see something infinitely
more gratifying than the return
of consumer demand that required
the production OF so many units
in the first six months. They
Calm substantial success in
ironing out the traditional peaks
and valleys in factory activity,
which in past years produced a
shortage of workers at one period
and heavy unemployment at
another.
Replacement Market Seen
A majority Of executives are
convinced the upturn which took
on additional impetus this year
will carry on throughout next
year, and While no authority
among them cares to attempt an
appraisal of potentialities beyond
that point. they count heavily
upon the obsolescence OF older
models to provide a huge replace
ment market.
Coupled with the effort to
stabilize employment in the motor
industry was the plan, effectuated
last fall, of introducing new
models in November, additionally
the beginning Of a lean" period
in automobile assembling and dis
tributing. That the plan MAIN
tanned employment through the
winter months is the most obvious
fact about it.
Attack Used Car Problem
1t was revolutionary move,
and there are those among the in
dustry's leaders who believe
something equally drastic yet may
come to definitely dispose of the
perennial problem Of the used car.
Already considerable progress has
been made by apportioning de.
liveries of new cars on the basis
of old car movements by individual
dealers.
Some idea OF what the assembly
of two and onc-half million motor
cars means is shown in the fact
that the 2,472,359 units produced
in 1881 had wholesale value of
$1,426,656,252 exclusive of tires,
parts and accessories. Because
the industry has concentrated on
volume distribution, the whole
sale value Of the output from
January to July this year may be
slightly less than that, but it will
be a very small difference.
Employmep. Nears 1929
Most recent figures announced
by the Automobile Manufacturers
association show that wages paid
by member units of the organiza-
ton averaged $50 a week per en-
ploye. In the spring of 1929 the
average was $35.
There is every indication the
average of aggregate employ
ment in the motor car industry
assembly plants, body fabricating
units and parts and accessories
manufacturing companies - will
run higher this year than in
1929.
In 1929 the peak employment
was approximately $4,000 and
the average monthly roster was
44S,O0O workers. In 1885 the
average was 4ss.0O0. Most recent
figures assembled, for May this
year, showed 100000 employed in
the same lines.