Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1937-01-08
MOTOR VEHICLE
SHOWS A RECORD
in Sc MILEAGE

MOCOr V0nlcI6 CfdV0l III Cne ~ HlCeU
States last year in terms of car mil
cage exceeded two hundred billion
miles-a transportation record hither.
to unequaled in any country. Well
merited has been the credit given to
the automobile industry for helping
this country out of the depression. But
think what it would mean to our work
ers, our farmers, our business men if
we could increase motor travel to
four hundred billion miles year.
Before that can be attained, the ca
pacity of our street and highway sys-
tenn must be enormously expanded
for it is inadequate for even the traf-
fic of today.
Arterial streets must be improved.
In our largest cities elevated thorough
fares are called faSs Highways must
be Strengthened. widened, traffic lanes
separated, underpasses built, curves
and grades made safe. Hundreds of
thousands of miles of American roads
are today unsafe for modern motor
transportation. We need more high
ways, we need better highways and
safer highways.
In the face of urgent need Of every
dollar or road money for roads which
will save lives and promote business
we find hundreds of millions of dol
lars of license fees and gas taxes di-
verted to unfair and illogical uses not
connected with pavement construction
of maintenance.
believe that the legislatures which
are about to meet will correct this in
equality and restore highway funds
to highway uses so that the automo-
bile industry may continue to employ
more and more men at good wages.
In the ensuing prosperity of the in
dustry, independent automobile manu-
facturers will share substantially. A
notable feature of automobile history
during the past year has been the
fine showing made by the small manu-
facturers-small only in contrast to
their gigantic competitors.
Predictions have been made repeat
eddy in recent years that the terrific
competition of the "Big Three" would
eliminate all smaller companies but
during the past year the three great
independents-Packard, Hudson and
conspicuously, Studebaker-have prov
ed these prophecies false by securing
a larger share of total new passenger
car registration than in 1886. Stude-
baker sales of passenger cars gained
20 rsr cent in 1886 compared with
1855
Ga sosl 20 per cent more cars in
1866 Sii.e.. in 1885, it was necessary
for Studebaker to offer style, COM
fort, performance and economy equal
to or better than that of other cars
and to do it at prices as low or low
er. Studebaker's ability to do these
things was obviously based on the
fact that it is impossible for any
company, no matter how great, to Sc
CUAO q AnOnOpOAy VI OAoAAS' AAO P<ASI
history of the automobile industry has
repeatedly given US instances where
small companies become style lead
ers. During the past year Studebaker
was exceptionally fortunate in having
cars that "clicked"- conformed
particularly to the modern woman's
idea of modern style.
Public opinion as expressed at the
automobile shows during the past
two months indicates that Sturebaker
and other Independents may confident
ly expect to secure in 1887 a larger
share of total automobile sales than
they have had for several years.
HYS11 No.