The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-02-16


employment of the auto workers as
the motor car plants are converted
to war production, the present diff
ficulty in getting new tires or get
ting new tires or getting the old
ones retreaded. Those problems are
only the beginning Ahead lie cir
cumStanceS which amount to a COM
plete change in the pattern of
American life, a suspension in time
OF the automobile age
TEN MAJOR CHANGES
/. In the next few months, the
country will begin TO realize fully
the degree to which the passenger
car has become an economic neces-
sity instead of a luxury.
2. The success of the war pro-
duction program will be found de-
pendent on truck transportation to
a degree greater than anyone had
realized,
3. Key to the whole problem Of
auto, bus and truck transport will
be the rubber situation.
q. Railroads, interurbans and
street car systems will be found in
adequate to car for the increased
traffic burdens if automobile trans
portation is drastically curtailed.
5. The automobile business with
it's tens of thousands of dealers and
statesmen and service stations will be
entirely changed
6. Along with the auto business
proper, vast chain of supplen-
mentary businesses such as tourist
resorts, roadside taverns, travel
agencies, stores Of all kinds, delivery
and service systems will find it nee
eSsary to reorganize their normal
operations.
T. Farming and farm marketing
methods will be affected.
8. Federal and state road building
programs and city street improve
ment programs will be shifted to
give greater attention to war
transportation needs.
8. Real estate values may be up
set by reduced demand for subur-
ban residence and suburban shop
ping centers and greater demand
for urban dwelling in closely con-
centrated work and residence areas.
10. Federal and state tax rates
will be altered to provide revenues
which reduced income from normal
automobile levies will yield,
Other far-reaching effects might
be listed but these 10 will give a
fairly comprehensive picture of how
the whole social pattern of Amer
lean life may be reformed.
Before taking up some of these
minor revolutions in more detail, it
might be well to take a quick look
at which this automobile civiliza-
tionS amounts to.
PLENTY OF CARS
In the first place, there is no
shortage of cars today. American
Automobile Association figures show
27.5 million cars in service, one car
for every four and fraction in
habitants, more per capita than IN
any country in the world. That fact
explains why it will be more difficult
for the United States to readjust
to an existence with fewer automo-
biles.
Normally, is million cars have
been scrapped annually, to be re-
placed by new cars off the assembly
lines. They probably won't be
scrapped this year. Five hundred
and fifty thousand nWe cars are
frozen now in the hands of dealers
and manufacturers. A fourth Of
these are to 60 into stock pile to
be held for future emergencies and
the remainder, about 100000, will be
rationed out during the year.
Army and Navy and prime con-
tractors for war goods get first call,
then police, health officers, doctors
and similar emergency personnel
will be aiken care of. All these 420,-
cars will be rationed out by the end
of the year, and then there won't
be any more new automobiles eX-
cept the 10000 left in the stock
pile.
BY Jan. l, 1913, There Will be
about 20 million cars on the road
if they can get rubber. The prob
lem is to see if the country can get
through The war on 20 million cars.
There is one proposal to design
Victory" car, an inexpensive auto
unlike anything now on the road,
mad assign one automobile plant to
make this Victory car and no other
for the duration of the war. 1t would
be strictly rationed TO people who
could prove they needed new car.
Production would be discontinued
at the end Of the war, or perhaps
a year longer. For it will take the
auto industry full year to convert
back to automobile production, and
that's point which must not be
overlooked.