The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-11-14
TRADE
WINDS"
nv SCHNEIDER

NEN YoRk-The sharp dip in
automobile production-ordered BY
the office Of production manage
ment-is offset by a vast volume
OF defense contracts. The total IL
well over 5000. 600 900. That's
only q starter.
General Motors present srms-
ment bookings run 20 the tune Of
81 200. 900 900. Ford. $500. 600 900;
Chrysler. $500 .000. 900: Packard.
$3.50. 600. 900: Hudson. $40. 900. 900:
Nash and studebaker about $780,
900. 900 each. and WHY'S Overland
about half that amount Truck
manufacturers. too. are operating
at peak levels in defense produce
ton. as are automobile accessory
and parts producers.
Private sdvices are that mar
gins of profits on defense orders
are reasonable although not nearly
as large pereentagewise as on con-
sumner goods dollar volume.
CAN BE DONE - The automo-
bile industry is showing leaders OF
the airplsne industry that mass
production is possible. Not only
are producers doing 1t. but % are
those related TO the industry-body
and parts makers.
The Ford Motor Co. as an ex-
ample. will not only produce air
plane parts in volume. but also will
manufacture Pratt & Whitney air
cooled sirplane engines and COM
plete bombers. Moreover, the COM
psny is training technicians for
fleet work.
FUTURE-Says Mr.. Ford: We
are going to keep on making air.
planes after the close Of the war.
Thousands of them will be used
for commercial purposes. Planes
that rise vertically from small
backwards will be used in the flu
ture. experimenting automobile
transport travel, and We intend to
be active in that production"
General Motors, too. is preparing
for such business AS previously
reported here.
COMPETITION General Mo-
tors and Ford are not the only
auto manufacturers preparing for
large-scale production of CONNER
cisl planes. Airplane manufacture
ers are getting set with postwar
models and now have large facili-
ties as result of increased war
production.
Douglas Aircraft and Lockheed
engineers are working on war
peace transport-war-peace name
used because they will carry either
so or so paying passengers or 20
troops. Consolidated Aircraft and
Curtiss-Wright, too, are getting
set for large commercial produce
ton.
TANK PLAN-Automobile and
rail equipment companies manu-
tanks are now produce
ing at the rate of about 1000 per
month. Representatives Of Chrys-
Ter, Ford, General Motors, Bald
win Locomotive, American Car &
Foundry, etc, are working with
government officials to step up the
pace. The plan is to produce more
than 5000 tanks monthly - from
2s-tonners to modified fortresses of
so tons. The big babies will carry
37mm. and 75mm. cannons in adj
dition to several heavy so caliber
machine guns.
GIN. ARMS WORk-Alfred p.
Sloan jr., chairman of General Mo-
tors. says that his firm delivered
ST., 700. 900 of defense materials
last year and that for the first six
months of 1a41 deliveries totaled
Sl31, 500, 900. He forecasts that for
the last six months of the year
defense deliveries will total S275.-
900. 900. The company has signed
more than 20 per cent of its ST.
zoe. 900. 900 defense contracts. He
expects GIN. to be producing
ornaments full stride in the last
half of 1912.
PROTECTED - Manufacturers
are not as disturbed about the or
dered cut in auto output as one
would believe. This because 1910
production was near an all-time
peak. II the final cut brings the
le4l output down to so per cent
of last year, the volume would
still compare fsvorably with the
2,s66, 900 in 1889 and 2,001, 900
produced in 193s-both Of which
were not bad sales years.
Present indications are that pro-
duction volume Of the 1912 models
will come close 10 2,25o.0 900. And
as long as the White House wor-
ries what will become OF labor
headed for unemployment IL auto
output is curtsiled. the feeling is
that now the industry is riding
under labor's plea-protection-