Evening star., 1942-01-14
Business
Continued From First Page }

ton, however, recalling his first
statement. He replied with an en-
phatic TO however, to question
by Representative Fitzgerald. Demo-
crat of Connecticut, as to whether
there was any intention by o. P. M.
to commander private cars.
IF it becomes necessary to put a
ceiling on the price of used cars We
will do so-and the schedules are
already in the icebox,'" Mr.. Hen
derson told Representative Bull
winkle. Democrat. of North Carolina,
in response to another question. He
said this ceiling would apply to all
sales. whether by individuals or
dealers.
Mr.. Henderson said he saw no
prospect Of automobile production
being resumed after the shutdown
on passenger cars and light trucks,
January 81.
Relief Moves Disclosed.
That steps are under considera-
ton to relieve the situation which
threatens $4,000 retail automobile
establishments with 100000 employees
was disclosed late yesterday by l..
Clare Cargile of TeXarkana, Tex,
president of the National Dealers
Association, who told the committee
that negotiations are in progress
with some" Federal agencies that
I'VE are sure" will be productive of
beneficial results.
Mr.. Cargile did not name the
agencies involved, but said that
Price Administrator Henderson
and his staff had been very
sympathetic" Nor did he indicate
the nature of the measures that
are being considered.
"Our program will very shortly
resolve itself into a short-range pro-
gram and a long-range program
that I think will be very satisfactory
to the dealers of the country" he
told the committee. Il think 1t
will enable some dealers to stay
In business who otherwise would
not be able to-" he added.
The short-range program presum-
ably would deal with the cars now in
the hands of dealers and those to be
produced this month. The ban on
private sales originally was effective
only through today, but yesterday
the Office of Production Manage
nent extended it until February 2.
BY that time. the prospective ra-
tioning program is expected to be
ready.
ssMr. Cargile was the last of a
long string of witnesses from many
parts of the country.
Sin common with some of the
other witnesses, he urged against
the complete stoppage of production
stated for January 81, explaining
that schedule based on 20 per
cent of the normal output would
enable most dealers to stay In busi-
ness on a subsistence basis"
See Transportation Threat.
,Spokesmen from areas in which
war materials are being produced
also emphasized the threat to ade-
quate transportation for workers
that is entailed by the new restric-
tions.
Discussing this phase, Representa-
tive Fitzgerald declared that some
defense workers in his State COM
mute 100 miles. Arthur Summer
field, a Flint (Mich.) dealer, said
that the prospective defense en-
ployment there is $4,000 and that
half of the workers will be housed
outside of the city in areas entirely
dependent on private automobiles
for transportation.
James Scanlon, a dealer from
Meriden, Conn, told the commit
tee that the dealers don't expect to
make any profits" during the war
emergency. but we want to pre-
tect our investment and keep trans
portation available to the people"
Benjamin OuriSman, PRESIDENT
elect of the Washington Automotive
Trade Association. proposed four
point program which he described as