The Wilmington morning star., 1945-12-02
AUT0PR0DUCTI0N
TAKES DIP AGAIN
BY DAVID J. WILKIE
Associated Press AutOmOtive
kNnifnr

ton Of 1916 passenger automobiles,
already far behind schedule, took
another downward dip this week.
Practically halved by the strike
| in General Motors automotive
plants throughout the nation, pro-
duction slid further when parts
shortage unrelated to the GIN
stoppage, impaired operations at
the Ford main plant in nearby
Dearborn. Chrysler car divisions
thus far have attained virtually no
new model output.
The industry's difficulties spell
the end of any hope that even
200,0 new cars may be produced
before the years end. When all
restrictions on output were remov-
ed by the War Production board
several weeks ago a schedule of
approximately 100000 units was
set for the final three months of
the year. This later was halved
as Ford and GIN encountered trou-
Bile in procuring parts and mate
rails.
General Motors disclosed soon
after the CLIO United Automobile
Workers strike closed it's factories
in 81 cities that even had the
strike been averted output would
have been curtailed this week be-
cause of a shortage of glass. The
Ford stoppages result from labor
difficulties among nearly a score
of its supplier concerns.
To date General Motors has as
sembled about $4,000 passenger
cars in its Chevrolet, Buick, Odds
mobile, Pontiac and Cadillac divi-
sions while Ford has turned out
slightly more than $4,000 Ford and
Mercury units. The small output
from Hudson, Nash and Packard
factories probably would not bring
the present total above $4,000 cars
since July 1. Chrysler, which plan
ned to begin assemblies early this
month may get some production,
but its bank Of parts and sub-as-
semblies cannot carry it on in
definitely.
A subject of wide disagreement
in the industry is the extent to
which the General Motors STOP
page can affect other manufactur.
ers. George Romney, general
manager Of the Automobile Manu-.
facturers association, has asserted
that because all. the companies
buy at least some parts from Gen.
err Motors-such as spark plugs,
ignition wiring, fuel pumps and
other units-all, with the possible
exception Of Ford, would be forced
to close down if the GIN stoppage
continues.
Challenging this, Walter P. Reu-
Their, CLIO United Automobile Work.
ers' vice-president, has declared
that survey under way by the
union, does not bear it out. The
union, Reuther asserted, had com
pleted a study of Studebaker' s
supply sources and established
that the South Bend concern coulc
continue operations with materials
obtainable from other sources
Studebaker, however, has not ye'
attained any production volume
Ford, which has been getting
fuel pumps from General Motors
AC division, also has Other
sources of supply for that parti
cular part. Ford, however, ha.
no assurance the alternate source.
can meet all its requirement:
indefinitely.
One industry spokesman, WHIT
asked to remain unidentified, il
commenting upon the possible at
feet OF the GIN strike upon othel
producers, said today:
1T can't seriouslyy affect pro
auction Immediately in the plant
OF other car makers because asid,
from General Motors and For,
there has been virtually no pro
duction thus far. Had it com,
when the plants were in full pro
duction it would have been fel
seriously throughout the industry.
One of the certainties of the cur
rent situation is that schedule
retail deliveries will be delaye
from weeks to several months.