Evening star., 1938-05-22

from general revenues, but these in1-
tial highways stimulate the use Of
motor vehicles, and larger and
larger percentage of the highway costs
is paid by the highway users, until,
as in the United States, special taxes
collected from highway users are the
principal source of funds for main
highways.
Another pronounced trend is that
toward Capitalization in highway ad-
ministration to facilitate adopting a
uniform and continuous highway pol
Icy and carrying 1t out efficiently. In
some OF the larger countries, as in
the United States, the state or province
Is the central unit, the national gov
ernment exercising merely q co-ordi-
mating authority or influence over these
units. In others the national govern
ment itself is the controlling unit. In
most countries, however, as in the
United States, there are still local
roads under the jurisdiction Of one
or more types Of local political units.
The detailed information for some
OF the countries. includes number OF
motor vehicles, mileages of different
classes OF highways and types OF i'm
provement, amounts of highway budg-
cts, forms Of highway taxes and reve-
nues derived therefrom.
As the number OF motor vehicles in
the United States far exceeds the to-
tai number IN the rest OF the world.
so the report shows the United States
to be in the forefront in highway de-
velopment and methods of admins
tration and finance.
The fifteen countries covered in the
report are the United States, Great
Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Po-
land, Turkey, Netherlands, Portugal,
Argentine Republic, China, Australia,
Netherlands, East Indies, Ethiopia and
French Equatorial Africa. these coun-
tries having been selected from all
parts of the world as representing
widely differing conditions.
Starting its normal downtrend at
this time of the year, car and truck
production will drop to SILL units
the week ending May IA, according to
Automotive Daily News midweek sur
vey of the industry. This figure COM
pares with q revised total Of 57,469
units last week and lao. 1853 year ago.
Unless retail sales dictate otherwise,
future weeks are expected to show a
gradual decline in output until new
models are announced.
With Chevrolet and Pontiac show
ing q sizable decrease from q week
ago, General Motors divisions expect
to assemble about $4,000 units the cur
rent week, which compares with re-
yised total Of 22,183 last week and
54,786 vehicles year ago. The Chev-
rolet total will decline from $4,000
last week to l2,500 units currently,
while Pontiac planned on about l,loO
Jobs last week as against l,641 the
previous week. Buick has 3,400 units
carded, Oldsmobile about 1900 and
Cadillac-La Sale around 500.
Operations have also been slack
ened at Ford, where approximately
10000 jobs are expected this week.
Combined with Lincoln's 375 cars talso
a decline), A. D. N. estimates the
Ford group will turn out about l2,315
units currently, compared with l4,435
week before last and 35, 400 year ago.
Chrysler divisions remained practi-
cally unchanged last week. 12,200 cars
and trucks being scheduled as against
a like number the week before and
24.8OO a year ago. Plymouth's pro-
jected $500 cars and trucks tops the
group. followed by Dodge's $500,
Chryslers / 700 and De Soto's 500.
Although noting its first decline in
several months, Packard continued TO
lead the independent group with 900
cars last week. Nash has $50 jobs
carded. Studebaker 586 and WHY'S
about 300 The miscellaneous group
should account for roughly 5000 units.
| Excessive rates of automotlve taxes
are an important factor in keeping
millions Of antiquated used cars on
( the highways of the United States.
| That is the conclusion Of the Ameri-
can Petroleum Industries Committee
from study of the effect of excessive
taxation on used car ownership.
Approximately 6,5oo,0oo cars having
value of $50 or less, operated chiefly
by motorists with incomes Of less
! than $50 a week. are now in operation
| on the Nations highways. the statis-
! tics iodicate. Most of these cars are