| Show IS prosperity A MYTH during the recent campaign the party which was defeated invented a sort of campaign slogan to the e effect f the republican prosperity is a myth that the people did nor believe in this slogan received sentimental proof in the outcome of the election other than sentimental proof proof by facts and figures can be given in many a way and one of these ways is a look into the statistics anious about the manufacture of motor vehicles figures recently announced by the department of commerce at washington as a result of the biennial census of the manufactories manu factories in the united states indicate that the output of motor vehicles of all classes in this country forthe for the year 1927 totaled and they were valued at 2537 of this total were passenger vehicles and their value amounted to this does doe not include public conveyances these aie figures well worth pondering over neally three mi million ilion passenger cars produced in one year at a value of more than two billion dollars in spite of the fact that this is campaign year the figures for 1928 will doubtless show a greater output now of this more than two billion i dollars worth of automobiles produced I 1 in twelve months in the united states the great majority were purchased and used in the united states some were used doubtlessly for business purposes some partly for business and pleasure but the greater number for pleasure alone the fact that the people of the united states were able to spend so great a sum for automobiles in one year and at the same time maintain a high standard of living in other directions ions gives some evidence of the great prosperity and purchasing ability of the people in the united states automobiles are produced more cheaply in america than in any country in the world despite high wages and the reason they can be produced so cheaply is that they are turned out in in great numbers and the fact that such great production is possible is due to the prosperity of the united states not of the rich and the near rich but all of tho the people for the man who works by the day is now pretty generally able to afford some sort of motor conveyance to take him back back and forth to work if lie he so desires sires it the automobile industry has been albe to keep ahead of european rivals because it has the great american market a market made possible by a protective tariff which has provided employment at high wages for everyone who desires to work in european countries which do not have the american standard of living and the high wage theory that is now generally accepted in america by em and employee alike the majority of the people cannot afford automobiles and the reason they cannot afford automobiles is that their standard of living wit wil not permit such I 1 luxuries for they so regard them T therefore he without a tremendous home market the european automobile industry has not assumed the proportions of the american industry in a great country like ours with more than a hundred million industrious ambitious intelligent people the home market is the most important market far more important than any other the case of the automobile with the figures quoted above from the department of commerce amply prove this statement |
