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IN a 3 AJ WINNETKA WEEKLY TALK, SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 1924 17 AUTOMOBILE SECTION AUTO INDUSTRY GOVERNS TRADE Figures Show Influence in Business "Cars Enhance--World Advance," was the slogan printed on the dele- gate emblems at the first World Motor Congress held in Detroit two weeks ago. A great deal of economic fact is in that slogan. The economic behavior of the country during the past five years can be seen from the number of cars used. The labor in- volved, the demand for iron, the de- mand for steel, and the many other necessary elements for automobiles are becoming a more deciding factor in the business cycle of the present generation than any other two or three ventures of newly considered enterprises. From the first thought of economic theory agriculture has always been considered the subjecting and deter- mining factor of business conditions. Then there were the theories that a business cycle occured every 8 years because one of the planets of the uni- verse blocks the sunshine coming to the earth. This planet, Venus, is just in a straight line with the earth and sun, between the two,every 8 years. In more recent times, labor and capital have been considered para- mount factors in the ups and downs of the business world. With regard to these the thoughts presented had, for the most part, to do with clothing workers, the miners and the bankers. At the present time, there is an outstanding source of information- for the economic student in the automo- bile world, not merely in the industry itself but in the use and influence on business in general. It is rather in- teresting to note that business condi- tions in America are showing an up- ward movement. We find conditions in the automobile industry starting to slow up just a little because the early spring orders are being filled and a little slump in orders takes place. At the same time there is a report that automobiles of the medium priced class and some of the others are rais- ing their prices. The excuse used for the change in price is that there is a lower output schedule. The lower output schedules must be planned for the future. For the de- mand for new cars is gaining every year. Twenty years ago an auto was as scarce as a battleship on Lake Michigan, but now there are some 15 million motor vehicles. Nearly ten million of them are passenger auto- mobiles. Yet there is a reasonable de- mand for new automobiles. In Illinois alone there was a gain of about 92 per cent in the sales of new automobiles during April over March. The Ford leads the list with a 114 per cent gain while the higher priced cars exceeded their March sales by 39 per cent, according to the sales registration statistics. In accord- ance with the present reports of the various economic service institutions who report an upward movement "in the business conditions, the automo- bile sales anticipate a greater volume of business. When people are spending money for new cars, whether they are cheap- er cars or higher grade, there is a ten- dency to increase the volume of busi- ness. This not only helps to brighten the industries which are largely in- fluenced by the automobile trade but other industries as well. According to the department of commerce report on automobile production during the month of April, there were 337,037 new automobiles produced. That is some 7,000 autos less than were produced in April of 1923, but over 144,000 autos more than in April, 1922. The aveage market is becoming larger every year. This may seem strange with about 10 million passen- ger automobiles in use at the present time. It appears as though the auto- mobile industry has reached its max- imum. Instead, there are new develop- ments in the automobile market. The overseas market of American made cars is becoming larger. Exports of this year to date are 30 per cent higher than for the same period of last year. All these facts merely give an idea of the large number of workers nec- essary to produce the large number of cars. In addition there are the thous- ands of oil station workers, the ga- rage men, the auto mechanics, and hundreds of other workers connected with the automobile industry. These are merely the direct or immediate workers. Then there are the other in- dustries which thrive on the auto- mobile industry because of the pro- duction of the raw materials neces- sary for automobiles. The influence of the automobile in- dustry is greater than has been credit- ed to it. It is alive to the business conditions of the nation. It is a builder of business and at the same time an indicator of conditions. By itself it is not the only industry that causcs business prosperity or depres- sion, but in connection with agricul- ture, labor and capital .it is of vital importance, although it has been somewhat neglected. MOTORISTS PLEDGED AGAINST VANDALISM Contemplating a great increase in touring this year the Chicago Motor club has issued a bulletin urging mo- torists to preserve the countryside. This bulletin urges motorists to re- frain from picking wild flowers, to be careful not to pollute streams, to clean up when breaking camp, and to use the utmost caution to prevent forest fires. The touring bureau of the Chicago Motor club has a number of pledge cards on hand addressed to the Mo- torists' League for Countryside Pre- servation. Motorists are urged to come in and sign these cards, which read: "I, as a member of the Motorists' League for Countryside Preservation, pledge myself to do what I can for the preservation of the countryside, so that all may share in the enjoyment of it. To this end I will leave a rest- ing place or campsite clean; free from papers or litter of any sort. I will be careful in making camps and fires. I will leave the roadside in such a con- dition that the pleasure to be 'derived from it by others is not lessened by any careless action of mine." ELIMINATION OF GRADE CROSSING IS PROBLEM "Abolish the grade crossings!" cries the man in the street, reading of "an- other family wiped out." But the thing is easier said than donc. On class 1 railroads alone, there are in the United States 256,362 grade crossings. The net increase in 1922 was 3855. To eliminate these would cost on an average $75000 each, or a total of some nineteen billions, a sum on which the annual interest charges would be almost a billion dollars. It is obvious that this is prohibitive. We haven't the mony to spend in such quantity. In cold calculations, the lives lost in grade-crossing acci- dents are not, economically, worth the amount of money required to elimi- nate all grade crossings. But when the national government undertakes to build and maintain national highways, doubtless it will set an example for all states to follow in eliminating grade crossings from all its mileage. "Bugs" Baer Pens Hard Road Sense for Speed Artists "Bugs" Baer, a well known news- paper homorist, has written and pub- lished a series of "road signs," prob- ably merely intended to entertain. But many of them might be erected with benefit to the safety of traffic. "Don't run up your mileage with skids," contains a lot of real caution in tabloid form. "Don't do your thinking with your brakes," will strike a responsive chord in every man who has had near-nervous prostration at the sight of the reckless driver stop- ping in a hurry. "There are three grades of eggs, but only one grade of crossing and that's dangerous," ought to be pasted in the hat of all those who try to "beat the train" across its right of way. "The glass in your windshield is the same stuff they put in hospital windows. Which will you look through?" is a very pertinent query, and "Fifteen miles an hour may be a chill but fifty is fever," is not too medical to be understood. To towns troubled with too much speeding by tourists, Mr. Baer sug- gests "Speed limit in this town fifteen miles an hour. One day for every mile over that!" or "We have seven hotels and one jail, take your pick!" "Don't try to scare locomotives with your horn." "The minute you save may be your last one." "You wouldn't travel on a freight train, so don't try to travel under one," are all good to remember. Mr. Baer intended to be funny, and succeeded; he may not have intended to be serious, but many can take his cleverness seriously with benefit to themselves and the general public. In other words (Mr. Baer once more), "Accident insurance is a good thing to have without the accident. The vibration of a car causes all nuts to work loose. At least once a month tighten all rim lugs, but before doing so put a little cup grease on the bolt which will eliminate wheel squeaks. Your body fenders and run- ning board bolts require tightening at least every 2,000 miles. Keeping them tight will eliminate squeaks and rat- tles. Spring clips should be tightened every 1,000 miles to prevent breaking and shifting of springs.;,. The "springs should be oiled every' 500 miles to keep out rust and squeaks. = \R) Sedan - - - . $1,595.00 Baloon tires furnished on all above models at n oadditional cost. All mounted on the tamous Reo doutle-framed c!.assis, and powered with the 50 h. p. 6-cylinder engine. 2185 Taxicab- - - $2 Speed Wagon 1185 (Chassis) Parcel Del'y - 1485 All prices t. o. b. Lansing, plus tax. The Reo Line Coupe - - - $1875 1985 Brougham . -2235 Special Touring Reo i toward tires on all its ~ passenger cars, because Reo has pioneered practices tending redater ~ motoring comfort and § Reo Evanston Co. Inc. EVANSTON 1101 Chicago Ave. Phone Ev. 6194 REO MOTOR CAR COMPANY, LANSING, MICHIGAN