Evening star., 1938-01-23
NEWS OF THE MOTORING WORLD
Automove Industry Unte in Drive Prevent Lengthy
and Strives to Put Men Back to Work.

dressed . group Of newspaper men at
q luncheon, and announced the ar
rival on the market OF . new series
Ct cars to be known Is the Cadillac
Sixty. He stated that the introduce
tion OF the car At this time Is Cadil-
lac's answer to rumors that the au-
tomobile industry has been beset by
gloomy forebodings of the future. Mr..
Denney declared that the model Is
now in full-swing production at the
Detroit factories which offers proof
that one company, at least, Is con-
vinced sales efforts will overcome any
tendency toward restricted volume.
While the manufacture Of cars, he
said, has to be Of q competitive ma
ture. he believed at this time . friend
ly cooperation with all plants was
very desirable.
Bucks picture also was made known
last week at a dealer meeting attended
by w. F. Hurfstader, general sales
manager, and H. J. c. Miller, assistant
general sales manager in charge of
the East. They were guests Of ]. e.
Saul, Washington zone manager
Mr.. Hurfstader praised the work Of
the Eastern dealers, stating that they
had made an enviable record during
the past year. He stated that the
Nationwide organization was the
largest 1t had ever been and looks
for the strong sales position in Wash
I'M 70 ho toi ,aI ~, thu
coming months.
Hudson's announcement Of q low
price car will put many men to work.
The Hudson Motor Car Co. here was
host last week to all dealers and sales
men in the Washington zone at
luncheon and preview Of the new
Hudson 112. ]. T. Powell, zone man
ager, presided, and the speakers in
cluded c. G. Beeching and Charles
Molster of the Hudson factory in
Detroit.
It was the consensus at the meet
ing that Hudson will fulfill its obliga-
ton in aiding unemployment for
many months to come.
These signs augur we'll for the In
dustry and what is good for that In
dustry is good for the country as q
whole. Gainful employment is q
goal to be the objective Of every one
1t is to be hoped that the White
House conferences will have achieved
their worthy purposes.
Slumping of of used-car sales in
the United States to the point where
approximately 100000 used cars are
in the hands of $4,000 automobile
dealers throughout the country has
focused the attention of the Nation
upon the 100000 "used-car fami-
lies" in the United States and their
relation to the national welfare.
During the last quarter Of 1887 there
was a marked decline in used car sales.
In some sections sales were ohe-third
below those of the final quarter OF
1896 Inventories accumulated, and
dealers. with so much Of their capital
tied up in secondhand cars. tended
to reduce trade-in allowances. The
inevitable happened. Sales Of new
cars declined sharply. Although Lead
ers in the automobile field do not re-
gard the decline in used-car sales as
the only factor in the slump in new
car sales during the last quarter Of
1887, estimated at about 80 per cent
below the corresponding period of
1896. most automotive men agree with
William S. Knudsen, president OF
General Motors Corp, who testified
at . recent hearing before . Senate
committee that the precipitant decline
in used-car sales was the major cause
of the slump in new-car sales.
The current automotive situation,
therefore, demonstrates clearly that
the public must absorb used ears II
the new-car market is to be active.
If the used-car buyers fail to respond
because Of diminished buying power,
increased prices or excessive taxes, the
jammed, and the movement of new
cars from factory to consumer is
| slowed up. The new-car market Is
definitely geared up to the used-car
market. 1t is believed by many who
have studied the various aspects Of
the problem that economic and psy-
| Geological factors that affect buying
are usually much more pronounced in
the used-car market than in the new
car market.
Rejecting firmed tone in practi-
cally all lines. car and truck produc-