The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-06-24
Workers Earn the Increase in
Their Pay and the Ford Office
Ledgers Show a
IN Gain
FIVE-DOLLAR-A-DAY WAGE
SCALE TO BE CONTINUED
Why Wages Are Low in Ameri-
ca Explained by Ford
Waste is One Cause
BY OTTO McFEELEY.

heard today, from Henry Ford's
own lips, the story of why he adopt
ed the plan TO give his employees a
minimum wage OF s. day.
Incidentally the plan has now beer
in operation approximately half a
year, and Ford, in positive terms
said that it is great success. He
announced his intention today TO con
tinue the S. day scale in his auto
mobile factories.
came here with Judge Neil, faith
er OF the mothers pension idea, and
IL was during a conference between
Neil and Ford that the latter gave
us the story of the reason for his Sc
a day plan Briefly, Ford proposed
this experiment:
Living wages versus charity
81 believe we should all be pro
ducers.' said Mr.. Ford. Organized
charity and schools of philanthropy
and the whole idea OF giving to the
poor are on the wrong track They
don't produce anything II a railroad
had a bad piece OF track that wrecked
cars every day and piled them in the
ditch, II would cure nothing 10 mere
~ build a fine repair shop. The
track itself should be fixed up. Char
ity and philanthropy are the repair
shops and their efficiency, however
: high, does not remove the cause of
the human wrecks.
II don't believe in charity he con
tinued. 81 don't hike the idea | hope
the excuse for organized charity will
pass away. I'm sure there is no rea-
. son wify.we can't produce enough for
ALL II the right methods are used. In
this business we have proved that so
per cent OF our people can earn IS a
day"
"Why did you decline 10 adopt sci
entihc charity methods? ?" asked Judge
Neil. How were you converted 10
the new idea of IS a day for labor
ers?"
"You can't give any man, any
thing" was the manufacturer reply.
Trying TO help men by handing them
something Is failure. We don't give
our men anything. They earn all they
get. Men must achieve what they
have. They cannot get II any other
way.
Charity societies collect 1000 and
! spend a large amount in office ex-
penses. Experts give advice to poor
people who cannot possibly adopt
the suggestions. because the sugges-
tions cost money they haven't got.
You may want 10 ride on the street
car but you can't unless you have the
fare.
Charity experts have given us a
/, lot OF advice. just as expert automo-
bile manufacturers have given us ad-
vice to change our methods We
have no experts in this shop. We are
mechanics and human beings
How can you pay more than twice
the competitive scale OF wages for la
bor?" asked Judge Neil.
"In the last six months we have
increased our efficiency so that we
are away ahead" Mr.. Ford replied as
IF. L. Klingensmith, secretary OF the
Ford Motor Co. nodded his head as
verifcation of the statement from the
standpoint OF the ledgers.
1--WE are now compelled to build
new plants to do the work that has
been done for us in outside shops.
Then he told OF the great discovery
which all manufacturers may ponder
"Our new efficiency is not gained
by speeding up machines and men. II
comes from minds free OF most Of the
worry that comes from wages so low
that the worker and his family are
poorly nourished, poorly housed, pur