Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-09
Cars
Cost Is Put
At$25O,OOO
BY MARTIN S. HAYDEN

1t will cost the auto industry
a pretty penny-maybe as much
as 0,000-to roll dignitaries
through the second Eisenhower
Inauguration.
It's not a matter of partisan
politics; the auto makers had
agreed with the Inaugural Com
mittee prior to November 6 that.
III Adlai Stevenson won, Demo-
Gratis would get the same free
service. But. when they're sure
they won't be quoted, auto in
dustry representatives are specu-
lating whether the cost is worth
the alleged advertising and pub
lic-relations gain.
In all. 466 new 1857 models
OBS each from General Motors,
Ford and Chrysler, plus AZ from
Studebaker-Packard and l9 from
American Motors are being
brought to the Capital for the
January 20 week end.
OF these, lat, mostly convert
ibles, will roll with dignitaries in
the Inaugural Parade Monday,
January 81. and theoretically
give the individual makers a
maximum Of advertising pub
licity.
PSI In Motor Pool
OF the remainder. eight have
for the past several weeks been
assigned to individual dignitaries
Iof the Arrangements Committee
and 80 will be assigned to the
White House to handle week
end business beyond the capacity
Iof the presidential garage.
That leaves 281 vehicles fol
the general inauguration motor
pool from which they are as
signed to Governors. Senators
and national and State party Of
Ificials, some of whom, past ex-
perience shows. are experts al
mooching the last drop out OF 6
good thing.
One year. for example. a Gov
ernor fortunately from ar
Eastern State) kept right on 60
ing with his loaned car wher
the festivities were all over anc
had the assigned chauffeur drive
him home. Another dignitary
: took his car off for a social eve
: ming. had such a good time III
J decided to spend the night with
; his hosts, and just left his chauf'
feur sitting outside while an auto
company picked up the tab fol
his hourly pay.
This year. individual compan.
les are asking for a post-inaug'
, ural report showing in detail
how each car was used during thu
| big week end. and by whom.
i. When we get that" said on
top industry official. well tall
about 1860. This thing has jus
kind of grown like Topsy ant
most of us would like to cut j
out. We give the same sort o
: service to the national conven
! tions, the annual Governors
conference and the Inaugural
: and all we get from the politi
clans in return is legislation
knocking our ears off. 1t doesn'
!. seem worth it,"
!, Chauffeur Hire
Drank Leon of the Inaugu-
raj Committee said today: II
don't know of any situation
;, like that. I have sat in on
r meetings with the five manu-
S facturers' representatives since
e early November. They have
been fully cooperative and
4 fully enthusiastic.")
: Chauffeur hire is the big item
n in the estimated $500-per-ca
n cost of the unusual service. For,
k this year is hiring private de
L tectiveS to drive it's cars an
d presumably protect the dis
i tinguished riders. GIN habituall
brings in regular employees fror
I scattered branches and pay
y their hotel. meal and travel ex
4 penses, in addition to regula
o salaries. The other companie
Il get their chauffeurs from ;
: local college student job-place
/" ment bureau.
But there are other expenses
il 1t costs to ship the cars In
, to insure them. and to gas.
oil and wash them. Then there
: the expense of the Inaugurs
motor pool for which the man
ufacturers contribute dispatch
ers and telephone operators an
the cost of mechanics 10 pro
tect against the press agents
nightmare of a fishtailed drear
number stalled on Pennsylvani
= avenue before a national T.
" audience.
:. Finally there's the consid
), cradle cost OF conversion of as
: new" cars to used car" classi
, fication; that's what they ar
q when the festivities are over an
= the factories knock them dow
# at reduced prices to East Goa:
dealers.
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