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Show CHEERING NEWS FN AUTOMOBILES Manager Hains Expresses Opinion on Auto Situation No Steel Shortage. In an interview today, Manager Ij. L. Hains of the Ogden Motor Car company and president of tho Ogden Automobile association, gives a very comprehensive opinion respecting the automobile situation. Mr. Hains, is very optimistic in his view of the auto-moble auto-moble business, local and otherwise. He says: "Latest news from Washington to the offect that any radical curtailment curtail-ment of the motor car industry is unlikely un-likely has had a cheering effect among the automobile men of this city. A better tone is noticeable in business and conditions generally have improved. im-proved. "The war officials were shown by figures that there is no steel shortage short-age such as would justify a curtailment curtail-ment order, that many factories can get along without alloy steels, that the coal mines are operating at 75 to 80 ner cent of canacitv. that much of the load of shipping can bo taken from the railroads by driving cars from the factories without in any way interfering interfer-ing with munitions manufacture. It was also shown that the industry Is big enough to make both cars and munitions, meeting all problems that would arise. "The local automobile men are still somowhat dissatisfied with the opinion opin-ion of some of. the public regarding tho motor car and its character. They say many have thoughtlessly classed it as a non-essential, whereas It is one of the most essential articles In America today. "Transportation and movement from place to place is one of the greatest factors in America's life, and motor car men point out that without automobiles auto-mobiles there would bo a slowing down of civic and business life that would be injurious to the entire country. "Aside from this general condition, it is stated, something like 80 per cent of the cars are owned by farmers, who use them almost entirely for business work. A car is considered the equivalent of a team of horses and V it can be run between the farm and own by a boy or girl, whereas a team jenerally requires a man Also there s the obvious saving of time. "Another point that the automobile' men bring out regarding all industry is that the rule should be expansion rather than contraction. By this they means that when the war "demands a certain amount of an industry's capacity capac-ity that industry should be compelled to expand and carry a heavier load rather than cut down its normal business, busi-ness, provided this doos not interfere with war work. "Expansion, they point out, will keep -tho dealers, stores and busi nesses in other than manufacturing centers going -at full head, whereas a cutting down of factory production i .would have an adverse effect upon' every town and hamlet in the coun-1 try. And tho towns and hamlets, with I bonds and men and morale, are thej big factor in the winning of the war." |