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White made both passenger cars and trucks until the end of the War. The War brought it big orders and a reputation for performance. In the Battle of Verdun the only White trucks to break down were those disabled by shells. 'The result was that 2,500 of them received the distinction of France's Croix de Guerre. Geared to truck production, White decided to specialize in it after the War, just as Packard decided to specialize in passenger cars. The White line is now complete, from light city delivery wagons to heavy duty trucks, patrol cars, armored cars, busses. Last year it sold $23,000,000 worth of trucks compared to Mack's $27,600,000. For White, Studebaker plans to give $5,800,000 worth of its own stock. $16,250,000 in 6% notes, $3,250,000 cash. For each White share stockholders will get $5 each, $25 in two-year 6% gold notes, one share of Studebaker common.
Under Studebaker, White will be run as a separate unit, just as are Fierce-Arrow and Rockne. Economies will be made by joint purchases of raw materials, by White's use of the big Studebaker sales organization. Studebaker's truck business, hitherto small, will probably be combined with White's. It is thought that the chief White executives will be retained. First among these is Ashton G. Bean who succeeded Mr. Woodruff as president two years ago. He is a forceful, hard-headed executive who has made automobile accessories, automatic telephones, phonograph motors and is still president of Bishop & Babcock, makers of soda-fountain parts. White's chief engineer is Vice President Harold D. Church who was with Packard for twelve years, later with Chevrolet. Secretary of the company is Theodore R. Dahl, statistician and speechmaker, able in combating railroad and tax propaganda for National Automobile Chamber of Commerce.
Simple in set-up is Studebaker. It has two vice presidents—Harold S. Vance (production, also president of Rockne) and Paul Gray Hoffman (sales). Salesman Hoffman last week was hurrying to California to attend the funeral of his father, George Hoffman who was head of Hoffman Specialty Co. (valves & machinery) and who ran it well for years despite the fact that its plant was in Hartford, Conn. and his home in Pasadena. But mainspring of Studebaker is its Mr. Erskine, first citizen of South Bend. He was with the company as treasurer when the present corporation was formed in 1911. In 1915 he succeeded Frederick Samuel Fish as president. Under him Studebaker did its $24,000,000 War business (saddles, wagons, harness as well as cars).
In 1920 the wagon business was dropped and Mr. Erskine, accountant-trained, began cutting down inventories. The result was that the company was not affected by the deflation of 1921, a managerial feat mentioned in many a text book. Studebaker engineers point with pride to the adoption of free-wheeling in 1930, the first convertible top (1924), full power mufflers (which increase horse-power), 90% elimination of motor roar by a carburetor silencer, ball-bearing spring shackles, hydrostatic gas gauges. Figure-wise Mr. Erskine last spring saw that the plants were overvalued, ordered a $16,000,000 writedown (TIME, April 4). Like many another western executive Russel Erskine is at his office before 8 a.m. But he often interrupts the day to play 18 holes of golf after lunch, returning then to his desk.