Packard Company
Makes Survey of
Its Distribution
______ /
Some Dealers Are Overstock
ed by Other Makers and
Flooded Market Soon
Results.
Motor ear dealers and distributors
through their organizations and Indi
vidually have been making so strenu
ous a protest ngalnst the system of
manufacturers loading them up with
cars during low selling periods that
results are In sight. At least prom
ises are being made that It will not
be done again.
Just plain good business dictated a
policy In the Packard company
ngalnst forcing cars on dealers and
distributers years ago. From years
of experience In manufacturing and
world-wide marketing of Its product
the company established a set of
principles for the conduct of Its en
tire business. The first of this set is
that the right principle shall stand
before profit and be executed fear
lessly even to the loss of business.
This in Itself would have stood as a
harrier had not experience taught
that loading the retail organization
with cars beyond its ability to dispose
of them Is, in the long run over a
period of years, a profit wrecker
rather than a profit builder.
Must Guard Reputation.
An automobile company must not
only look to its dealers and distribu
ters to dispose of its product, but, to
a considerable extent, guard Its repu
tation for fair dealing with the gen
eral public. It is the dealer and the
distributer who comes in direct con
tact with the public and we believe
that the manufacturer, if he values
his reputation and expects to preserve
it on a high plane for years, must
have dealers and distributers of high
standing In their communities, firm
financial footing and wholesome busi
ness Integrity. The manufacturer
must, bend every effort possible to
keep his field organization at a high
standard. Forcing cars on the sell
ing organization in the long run
makes for a lowering of this standard.
Because of the system by which
motor ears are built in America, pro
duction cannot be regulated closely
to demand when the demand does not
remain at a constant level. Output
cannot be kept fluctuating widely
without heavy losses. The Ideal situ
ation for successful automobile manu
facturing would be that which per
mitted a factory to work at Its pro
duction peak the year around and
have the field absorb the daily output
Without demanding more.
Quotas Without Analyses.
Because of this, overstocking of
dealers and distributers grew. Ip
most cases a factory makes a con
tract with a dealer or distributer with
the number of cars that will be taken
from the factory specified. Often
these quotas are fixed arbitrarily and
without an analyses of the market
possibilities. »
When the public Is absorbing auto
mobiles as rapidly as they can be
turned out and clamoring for more
the dealer and distributer fights for as
many cars as he can get. However,
when the industry has overestimated
market possibilities and a big re
serve is built up before the rushing
production can be checked down the
overstocking sets In.
Ths machines are shipped from ths
factory, regardless of quotas. Ths
dealer or .distributer Is notified that
they are on their way. He may al
ready have more ears stored than his
oredlt will permit without much
stretching. However, he must accept
the shipments and pay for them. Fail
ure to do so might cost him ths loss
of his franchise. To do so, on the
other hand, might stretch his credit
to the breaking point. He takes the
care, hoping business will grow bet
ter. Many times he keeps on ac
cepting more and more cars until hla
eredit snaps.
Retailer Slashes Price.
Loaded with an Inventory beyond
him the retailer many times begins
slashing prices, through overallow
ances on used car* taken In trade for
new ones. He gets In some money,
but his profit and sometimes an ac
tual part of his capital becomes tied
up In used cars. Slashing of prices
again to dispose of this stock calls In
the receiver.
The overstocking plan of ths fac
tory in a case like this la the almost
direct cause of th* crash and the
factory draws from ths community as
Its penalty, a loss of oonfldenes, This
is but on# penalty, however. Th#
owner cannot be extended that service
which the factory knows h* must
have to continue buying its cars If
the retailer In his district la being
changed constantly. This leads to a
direct loss in reputation, In confl
uence and, over a period of years, in
a genuine sacrifice of buainesa and
profits.
Study of the overstocking problem
year* ago caused Packard to organize
a plan of co operation with lta retail
organization. The company demands
a certain standard of any retailer and
thora Is a thorough checking up be
fore a new one Is appointed.
EYES OF SCIENCE
Only a few much-favored
eyes of men of science have
been privileged to look upon
vitamins, yet everybody must
have these nutrition factors
in abundance to assure
growth and sustain strength.
Scott’s Emulsion
for fifty years has earned
world-wide repute as a builder
of strength. It is die much
favored food-tonic that sup
plies vitamins in abundance.
Scott’s taken regu arly
helps grown people and
children alike realize
strength and vigor.
BloonfefcL K.l * Ur*
h
Hudson Coach at Chicago Show
One of the outstanding models to be shown at the Chicago show this
coming week, is the Hudson Coach pictured above.
This heactiful closed ear is the result of three years of experience in
roarh building and sells for $1485 In Omaha.____
FLINT PLANT ADDS
ANOTHER BUILDING
The formal opening of the new ad
ministration building of the Flint
Motor company, of Flint, Mich,, De
cember 21, signalized the 20-year de
velopment of Flint from a city of 80,
000 population to 130,000 people.
Flint Is the second largest center of
automobile building in the country.
The close of Michigan’s logging
days found Flint, Mich., searching
for new industries to replace the -r-l.
W. C. Durant and J. Dallas Dort
established the Durant-Dort Carriage
company. This company developed an
industrial, business and residential
district In Flint that Is still prominent
in the city’s life.
Durant first concentrated his re
markable automobile genius upon the
development of the Buick Motor com
pany, which led to the growth of the
’’Buick section," a city within a city.
He next turned his attention to the
Chevrolet Motor company, which
under Durant guidance developed an
other, the western section of Flint.
Two years ago W. C. Durant an
nounced that he was about to de
velop another industrial section at
the south gateway of the city.
With almost miraculous rapidity, a
modern industrial plant was erected
for the Flint Motor company, which
now for more than a year has pro
duced the Flint six motor car. The
new administration building com
pletes the picture of a plant one half
mile long, situated on Michigan's
main highway of travel, the Dixie
highway, and provides offfees for the
administrative departments. The
plant Is architecturally beautiful,
well landscaped Hnd Is termed the
last word In manufacturing conveni
ence.
CADILLACCOACH
IN BIG DEMAND
So great has been the demand for
the new CadlHae coach that J. H.
Hansen Cadillac company has several
unfilled orders on file for cars of this
body style.
This coach body, mounted on the
standard V63 chassis with its V-type,
90 degree, eight cylinder motor and
four-wheel safety brakes, represents
a car of true Cadillac quality that at
it's open car price enables the man
of moderate means to secure the fin
est and latest motor car creation at
a price not much in excess of many
of the lighter motor cars.
NEW YELLOW CAB
TRUCKS EFFICIENT
That big companies and large cor
jporattons have placed their /tamp of
approval on Yellow Cab one-ton
trucks Is attested by the long list of
owners representing some of the fore
most industries in the country, oper
ating Yellow Cab equipment.
A few of the familiar names mak
ing use of this exceptionally rugged
equipment are: Cudahy Packing com
pany, Chicago; Fleishman company,
New York; Tnterborough News com
pany, New York; Milwaukee Journal;
Schulze Baking company, Chicago;
Parmalee Transportation company,
Chicago; Chicago Bailv News; Stand
ard Oil company of New York and
California; W'ashburn-Crosby Milling
company, Minneapolis; United States
Treasury department; J. R. Thomp
son Restaurant company, Chicago;
Corn Products company, New York;
Associated Pipe Bine company, San
Francisco; Pacific Oil company, San
Franclsce; R. H. Macy, New York,
and numerous others.
WILLS FINANCES
ON FIRM BASIS
"Wills Sainte Claire, Inc., enters
1925 In a remarkably strong and
organized financially condition," C.
Harold Wills, president, says. “The
company has a net worth of approxi
mately $10,000,000 and of this amount
approximately $3,500,000 are quick
assets, with cash on hand In banks
and government certificates of ap
proximately $1,700,000. There are no
loans, mortgages or outstanding In
debtedness of any kind other than
current accounts, which are very low.
No trade paper Is being Issued and
all available cash discounts are being
taken advantage of. The year 1924
closed with very satisfactory operat
ing results and the statement shows
the company to be In a healthy and
prosperous condition.
“With the unanimous acceptance of
the Vogue series eight and the new
six and the general prosperity which
I believe will be enjoyed during 1925
Wills Sainte Claire, Inc., has every
assurance for the biggest and most
successful year in Its history."
And you can't make the sun shine
where there's moonshine.
And nothing's Important, I think
you’ll confess.
That adds not a whit to man's hap
piness.
-©—-u
Dddee Brothers
TYPE-A SEDAN
/
Its smooth, quiet performance is a
matter of common observation.
People who pay no particular atten
tion, as a rule, to the finer shades of
chassis operation, are instantly im
pressed by the restfulness of , the car
in action.
$1245 f. 0. b. Detroilt $1995 DeXvered
O’BRIEN-DAVIS AUTO CO.
28th and Harney Sts. Telephone HA. 0123
Sales and Service Branches at
Council Bluffs, la.
Denison, la.
Auto Schools Are
Great Benefit to
Motor Industry
J
Principle of Mechanics Are
Taught Students First;
Drawing Easy to
Learn.
In a good automobile school, in
stead of starting the course by teach
ing the students how to drive, that
is the last thing covered, if indeed
it Is covered at all.
For the main thing is to get the
princlplea thoroughly clear to the
students and to make them under
stand why certain things happen,
rather than to demonstrate that they
do happen. Anyone can learn to
drive In a few' hours, because it is
simple. But to get an accurate
knowledge of motor car design and
construction that will enable the
student to think and talk correctly
about motor cars, and to know good
or bad design when he sees It, the
work must be constructive and thor
ough, and it must start at the be
ginning.
First Step.
For example, the first step in
building a Kuick car Is to rivet the
side members and cross members of
the frame together. A properly con
ducted class in an automobile school
will be drilled on these points. They
will be told where the greatest strain
on the frame occurs under various
conditions; they will be told why the
outside cross members are not rivlted
to the extreme ends of the frame,
instead of being placed at certain
distances from the ends.
They will be told why channel sec
tions are used for the side members
and cross members; why angle braces
are used; why reinforcement plates
are triangular in shape and flanged
at the base. And by tiie time these
rlasses are ready to pass on to the
other chassis units they will be able
to tell whether the frame on any
car they see Is well fitted to do Its
work, just by finding out what ma
terial It Is made of, the weight of
the car and an inspection of the
frame Itself to see how it Is put to
gether.
Next Step .Motor.
The next step would logically be
the motor. The student In a good
automobile school will first take up
the study of the principles behind
the Internal combustion engine. He
will doubtless be surprised at first to
learn that all such engines are run by
the expansion of heated gasee, rather
than by explosions. And then he
will learn why It Is necessary to
water-jacket the cylinders and ex
haust valves, and what types of
motors make possible th# greatest
economy In water-jacketed apace—
for naturally the smaller the water
jacketed area the more economical
the engine will be in fuel consump
tion.
He will learn that valves must
have a certaig relation to the size of
the cylinder bore, that certain ma
terials make the best motor hearings.
He will learn the theory and prac
tice of lubrication, of drop forging,
of heat treatment, of casting metals.
From the motor th# student passes
to the clutch, which hooks the power
up with the driving mechanism or
disconnects It at the will of the
operator. Next comes the transrnis
sion, the universal joints, the drive
shaft, the rear axle with Its marvel
ous differential gears and pinions,
and then the less complex matters of
running gear and other parts.
Better Mechanirs.
Good automohile schools will be a
big factor in developing a better
class of motor mechanics thousands
of miles away from the big auto
mobile factory centers. They will
interest more of the young men in
taking up motor car designing and
building as a life work. And, best
of all, they will succeed in giving
thousands of people, both men and
women, a good insight Into the things
they ought to know before they pur
chase a motor car for their own use
and enable them to get the utmost
efficiency from their cars.
20-Year Employes
Honored by Reo
Many Have Been With Veteran
Manufacturer More Than
Two Decades.
For a number of years the Reo
Motor Car company has followed ths
practice of honoring those employes
of the company completing five and
10-year periods of continuous employ
ment. This year, while these two
classes of steady workmen will con
tinue to be rewarded, two new classes
will be established when Reo honors
the workers who have been with the
company steadily for. 20 years and
for 15 years.
It Is of more than passing interest
that this veteran automobile manu
facturing company, which has just
celebrated its own 20th anniversary,
should hate a group of employes who
have been with the company steadily,
almost since its organization.
This year there are 10 men repre
senting executive and production de
partments, who have been with the
company 20 years. Eighty-seven men
are completing their 15th year with
Reo, while 106 have been on the pay
roll continuously for 10 years. The
class completing five years’ service
Includes more than 400 names.
Twenty-year men are to receive a
newly designed emblem with the
"twenty” in Roman numerals of
white gold set In a field together with
a carefully selected diamond. For the
15-year employes, there la an emblem
In which the number of years of serv
ice is designated by Roman numerals
in green gold. This badge is jeweled
with a ruby.
Coming soon after the announce
ment of Reo'a extremely low labor
turnover for 1924, the establishment
of these two new claese* of honored
employes is especially Interesting.
Reo is known to have the lowest la
bor turnover In the automobile man
ufacturing Industry, and it Is quite
probable that lta figures would com
pare favorably with the beet from
any industry where large numbers of
people are employed.
And we’ll lose all our molars,
The dentists all say.
If we don't, like the cattle,
Eat roughage like hay.
Dodge Brothers
Slated to Open
Canadian Plant
Will Be Ready for Produetion
in Toronto in February—
Machines Will Also Be
Dodge Brothers' new Canadian
plant, scheduled to begin operations
In February, will be a factory of real
productive rapacity, and not merely
an assembling station.
The factory will be in Toronto,
Ont.. and will displace the one estab
lished by Dodge Brothers several
years ago at Walkerville, directly
across the river from Detroit. The
buildings acquired for the purpose In
Toronto are among the finest erected
by the imperial government for muni
tions work during the. world war.
Their original cost was $1.250,000 and
subsequent improvements represent
an investment of another $500,000.
Facilities are available for one of the
^ largest automobile plants In Canada.
The Canadian business will be con
ducted by a subsidiary company.
Dodge Brothers (Canada) Limited, in
corporated under the laws of the do
minion. it will govern its own pro
duction and formulate its own poli
cies, in liarmonv with those of the
parent organization and with the re
quirements of the countries to be
served. K. R. Clarkson, it is an
nounced, Is general manager. Mr.
Clarkson, a native Canadian, has rep
resented Dodge Brothers in Canada
nearly 10 years.
"The natural preference of Rritish
subjects for products manufactured
by fellow subjects of Great Britain,
together with the possible tariff ad
vantages, make it entirely logical for
Podge Brothers to produce cars in
Canada for export to other British
territory," said Mr. Clarkson.
"This was the thought in mind In
establishing a manufacturing and as
sembllng plant in Walkerville several
years ago. The output of this plant,
however, was practically all absorbed
in Canada and we are now preparing
to enlarge production enough to leave
a good surplus for export.
"The population of Canada Is
slightly less than S.000.000. The per
capita ability to nbsprb automobiles I"
substantially the same as that of Jhe
Fnited States. The dominion govern
ment, realiz.lng that manufacture of
automobiles in Canada for Canadian
consumption exclusively would have
Insufficient volume to permit prices
comparable with those in the I'nited
States, amended the tariff regulations,
making Canada a free trade country
for export. That is, raw materials
imported into Canada for manufac
ture. and parts or units brought in
for assembling, are assessed at the
time of entry and the duty is re
mitted when the completed motor ve
hicle is exported. This naturally
makes more desirable the expansion
we have always had in mind.
"As soon as possible after the
opening of the Toronto plant in Feb
ruary, produetion will be on a much
larger scale than In the former Cana
dian plant, to rare for the ever in
creasing Canadian and other British j
demand for Dodge Rroter* motor
cars."
STUDEBAKERAGAIN
j WINNER OF TROPHY
Permit No. 1 to tour the Ynsemite
valley, a trophy sought eagerly every
year by every automobile on the Pa
cific roast, has been awarded for the
fifth consecutive time to 8tudet>aker.
Each year there is a race to see
who shall be first Into the valley. To
get there means a 24-hour grind
through seetrlingly Impassable roads,
snow banked and drifted as high as
the enr, and around trees blown
across the unseen trail during the
stormy winter. No tackle, towing or
Other aids to motoring may be used.
The car must go In under lls own
power exclusively.
At 8:1 r> In the morning of January
4. Chief Ranger (•’. S. Townsiey of the
California forestry service found nut
aide his cabin In the valley, which
during the winter Is made an "island
by the towering drifts without. Wil
liam J- Silva. Studebaker dealer of
Modesta, Cal., in a Standard six du
p'ex phaeton.
"Well, winter Is over and spring
will he coming soon." he said. "You
fellows with your Htudebakers are as
sure a sign of the seasons as the first
robins. For five years you have taken
away permit No. 1. Gue«s 1 may as
well have a rubber stamp made for
you. How did you find the going?'
Silva had to admit that the going
had taxed every resource of the
Standard six car. In places he had to
back up several times and buck drifts
like a battering ram. Several other
places a start had to he made with
shovels
CREEPER HANDY j
FOR REPAIRING
A creeper Is a handy thing about
the workshop far getting under the
car to make a repair or an adjust
ment. It not only provides a means
of getting under the car. but keeps
one off the dirty oily floor, as well
as protecting the health during
cold and disagreeable weather. It is
ao simple to construct that no shop
or private garage should be with
out one. It consists of a frame made
from two bv two ends and tine
half by three boarda aliout three
feet long A pillow is provided for
a head rest and caster rollers, the
latter permitting one to slide under
the tar with it.—Automobile Digest.
3,560,813 CARS
MADE LAST YEAR:
Automobile production for Decem
ber as estimated from shipping re
ports to the National Automobile
chamber of ropimerce today totaled
211.665 cars and trucks. This brings
the total United States production for
the year to 3.o«0,513. The Canadian
figures of certain companies, how
ever. are not included, #o that the
grand total is estimated to be dver
3,650,000.
Report* from dealere throughout
the country indicate that the business
Is in a very strong position. Stocks
on hand of both new and used vehi
cles are light and the winter outlook
Is Improved over last year.
MOTORISTS WANT
SAFER MACHINES
Safely has become of such primary
Importance In motoring that owners
are giving more consideration thin .
ever before to safer type* of motor
cars, according to I- E. Corcoran,
general sales manager of the 1 lei re
Arrow Motor Car company.
"Prudent owners now are demand
ing cars which are safe not only from
the standpoint of pedestrians and
others, but which afford the occu
pants themselves a high degree of
protection,'' said Corcoran.
"Anyone who has driven or rlddi n
in the larger, more substantially built
type of motor car has experienced r
sense of almost complete immunity
from danger. A larger, more stable
car. Is safer much In the same wiV
as a well built cruiser i« safer then
a flimsy canoe.
"For that reason, an Increasing
numlier if motor car buyers are re
garding i he higher first coat of tlio
better class of automobiles ns h sensi
ble form of Insurance which protects
themselves and their families, as w- d
as others."
UNIQUE BELGIAN
TRAFFIC RULES
Nf-w Belgian roa«l t raffle* r^trula*
turns, which «o into effect in Feb
ruary provhle that a limit
will no b*n?»*r apply to motor tars.
So says an AsHociale<i Press dispatch
from Brusaols.
Motor»*stn merely rmiFt avoid driv
ing: in any fashion which may en
danger th»* public, and pedestrians
must k* t out of the way and allow
• his to pass.
ADVKRTISEMKNT. **
Is Your Child
Thin aad Weak?
Cod Liver Oil in Sugar Coat
ed Tablet* Puts On Flesh
and Builds Them Up.
In just a few day*—quicker than
you ever dreamt of—these wonderful
nenllh building, He*h making tablets
called Mci'oy x t’od l.lver oil Com
pound Tablets will si art to help any
thin, underweight little one
After sickness and where rickets
ate suspected they are especially
valuable. No need to give them any
more nasty Fod Liver oil these tab
lets are made to take the place of
that good, but evil*smelling, stoma- li
upsetting medicine and they surely
do It. *
A very sickly child, age 9, gained
12 pounds In 7 months
Ask Sherman & McConnell Drug
Co., JJeaton Drug Co.. Brandels SlSres
or any druggist for McCoy s Cod
Liver Oil Compour.u Tablets—as »a.«v
to take as candy and 60 tablets, 60
cents.
Cod Llvor Oil
Compound Tabietj
OWGIMAL — OIMUfNC
OOlabWts 60C«ntt »
—
mSIMia The Fordor Sedan provider room for the whole family.
gj&. (/»Kr Cw/. wW/Wv Yet it it a light, easily handled car—the kind you want
>•' >,,2 />/,*, for the months of changeable weather and difficult
in a1 winter car ^vm, oau*.*
‘TtlV^ho “f/HWl ifa? It is fitted with carpet and curtains that harmonize with
IC/r VfJ%S ilO'* /vl'l'y the color tones of the two wide, deeply upholstered seats.
* It enables you to keep comfortably warm, yet have plentv
■- of fresh air since the Fordor Sedan is equipped with Cow l Ventilator and
The Fordor Sedan w indows that lower by revolving regulators. t
You cannot own a car that offers you better value or more widely useful
service. And the greater economy of operating a Ford lends emphasis to
the practical worth of this car to you.
Coup« - 9520
: £2 SkxrcCjj^tor ^om/iany^
Ok npai Ckrk danxmmabla Detroit ||
rimaandatarkaranMSua* , I fc
AH>n~.r*y **» THE NEAREST
-- AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER ji
VISITORS ARE ALWAYS W ELCOMF AT AIL FORD PLANTS ||
