Evening star., 1942-01-02
Dealers
Continued From First Page)

Kee Auto Service, Inc, was one of
the few dealers who anticipated the
ban on further sales of new cars.
Acting ION a hunch," he said he
had disposed of his stock Of new
cars week ago.
For the time being, Mr.. Mckee
said, none of his employees will be
dismissed. He said employees in the
new car sales department already
have been transferred to the used
car department.
May Be Forced to Close.
But Joseph Cherner, president Of
Cherner Motor Co., said his firm
probably would have to dismiss be-
tween so and so employees immedi-
ately. Eventually, he said, he may
be forced to close his business for
the duration. The Cherner firm has
about 120 new cars in stock.
Were not complaining. though y
Mr.. Cherner declared The primary
thing is to win this war. and we've
got to expect things like this"
J. J. Blank. president Of Arcade
Pontiac Co., said he would have to
shut down unless We can get the
Government to rent part Of our
building" Already, he said, most
Of the sales force has been dis
charged. He predicted that Of the
firms Ill employees, perhaps as
many as 80 would have to be dis
missed.
I'VE simply won't be able to meet
expenses with the revenue from
service and the sale Of automobile
parts, I'm afraid" Mr.. Blank said.
I'VE have about 120 new cars in
stock and had planned to ration
ourselves to, say, 10 cars month.
That would enable us to keep going
for year. We wouldn't make any
money, but we wouldn't have to close
shop. But as the order stands. we
can't sell the cars We have"
Expects to Complete Deals.
Mr.. Blank said he understood
dealers would be able to complete
sales in cases where contracts all
ready had been signed by the pur-
chasers.
No comment was forthcoming
from Richard Murphy. president Of
the Washington Automotive Trade
Association, who said he hadn't had
time to digest" the order.
Philip Lustine. president Of Lus-
tine Nicholson, said 20 of his 35
statesmen already had been dis
missed because of curtailed deliv-
cries of new cars. The other six
will have to be let go now, he said.
This order will come pretty close
to putting some of us out of busi-
ness" he said.
William H. Emerson, of Emerson
& Orme. said he was waiting for de-
tails Of the rationing system. to be
worked out in the next few days,
ito see where we stand" He added,
however, that he expected his al
ready-curtailed sales force would
have to be eliminated completely.
Depends on Repair Work.
Several dealers said they planned
to concentrate their efforts on re-
pair work now, and hope, in this
way, to survive the blow.
Il saw it coming, so I'm not going
to worry or get panicky," said Ray
Kearny, partner in the Kearny
Oldsmobile Co. Even if the ban is
more than a temporary one, think
we can keep going with repair work.
No one has been dismissed from his
job and hope no dismissals will be
necessary"
Although he had been anticipat-
ing the order. Mr.. Kearny said he
had his fingers crossed, hoping that
it would not be made effective until
January 5. That would have given
him this week end to dispose of new
cars in stock. AS it turned out, the
order caught him with about IS
new autos.
Stanley Horner. president of the
firm bearing his name, said 1t
seemed to him that they're trying
to cruelty the automobile business. "
He said he would be forced to dis
miss "a statesmen, and other en-
ployes, such as colored help and
mechanics and servicemen who pre-
mare and service new vehicles.