58 Miracles Ahead! 



return to 1942 models. He declared that manufacturers have 

 educated the public to expect new models each year and that 

 consumers, who are aware of the great strides industry is mak- 

 ing during the war, are looking for remarkable improvements 

 in postwar products. 



"This does not mean," he said, "that the public expects or 

 would welcome all the radical fantasies which have been 

 dreamed of on various drawing boards, but it certainly doesn't 

 expect that the war will have brought no progress." 



Rich agreed that some manufacturers will have no chance 

 to retool before peace, and some must resume production of 

 1942 models in order to bridge the gap and avoid unemploy- 

 ment. But he added that "this should be a stop-gap policy and 

 manufacturers should disown any desire to capitalize on a 

 sellers' market." 



He suggested that 1942 models be labeled "temporary" or 

 "victory" models and that new designs should not have to 

 wait until the market for these is exhausted. 



Other commentators argue that when peace comes there 

 will be few if any automobile tools or dies on hand to pro- 

 duce 1942 models. They say that now is the time for the 

 industry to redesign an entirely new car. It is agreed that 

 industry should swing into action quickly to prevent mass 

 unemployment after the war. But the point then is made that 

 consumers may sit tight and refuse to buy a 1942 model car, 

 after having heard of the "big things" to come. Critics of the 

 stopgap production plan also warn that if the automobile 

 companies don't step out with new models other competitors 

 may beat them to it and cut into their market. 



Competition between airplane and automobile companies 

 will speed the development of a new and better automo- 

 bile. Teamwork on war production has put plane and auto 

 companies in one another's "back yards." They may stay 

 there when the war is over. Airplane engineers may want to 



