The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-31
FORD,S PROFIT SHARING.
Unsparing Censure Of His Plan and ITS
possibilities OF EVIL"


possibilities OF EVIL
To THE EDITOR OF The suN-sir: I
have been surprised that there has been
| so little comment among your corre-
spondents on the subject of Henry Ford's
unprecedented performance. His propo-
| sition Is 80 weighed down with possible
| ties for evil that II would seem as though
! every man who has the welfare OF his
country at heart would enter his protest
| against II. To my mind Mr.. Ford has
| done more to advance the cause or social
! ism than all the propagandists have been
able to accomplish In the last twenty
years. My chief reason for vcnturing TINS
| assertion IL because his action has led
| me, In common with many others with
| whom ] have discussed the matter. TO feel
| that such Ill considered and irrational dis
| tribution of wealth makes II imperative
| that the individual should be curtailed In
| his power to injure by depriving him or
| or at least limiting his opportunity Tor
acquiring wealth. g.,
Many OF us feel that It would be most
unfortunate II we should have to inter-
| fere by law with the freedom Of Individual
effort and yet II the individual 10 left free
| to acquire wealth and to distribute 1t, and
| he does SO In such an unthinking and
| harmful manner AS Mr.. Ford has done,
there seems to be no way OF protecting
| society except by laws which shall prevent
| the Individual from ever getting into the
| position where he can do such harmful
| act.
Very few OF the newspapers or persons
| that have discussed the matter seem to
have considered the disastrous conse-
| quences which are certain to now from
| this III considered benefaction. And yet,
| disastrous IL n modest term for the Ills
| that are sure to come.
A few of the reasons for this are the
| following:
First and foremost, II Is charity in Its
most unjustihable form: that Is. where
| there was no pressing need Mr. Ford
! has. thrown his money away among his
| employees as truly as though he had gone
| into the streets with a bag OF gold and
| amused himself by throwing gold pieces
among the crowd. ! say that he mas
| thrown II away because they are to do
| nothing In return for the extra money he
has given them.
The result will be about the same In
one case as the other, There will he an
unseemly scramble for the gold pieces.
| Those who get none will go away angry
| and those who get some will squander
| II quickly. Easy come, easy go.
Secondly. he has done something which
| will tend to demoralze the entire auto
| mobile business. nay. all business IT he
| can throw money away among mis- en-
| ployees why should not other automobile
| manufacturers or rather all manufac-
turers do likewise? Some under pressure
| will attempt to do so. with disastrous
| consequences to themselves Others will
| refuse. with perhaps equally disastrous
| consequences TO themselves. His act can
not fail TO make labor disconnected and
to result In demands which cannot be met.
Thirdly. his act will not benefit its in
tended beneiiciaries. IL is the universal
| experience OF mankind that what has cost
| lie appreciafe1 nj ahout that value
| Mr.. Ford's employees are to have their
| wages doubled or trehled or whatever the
| increase may be- without giving anything
| In return for the increase. The inevitable
| result will he that instead Of saving the
| surplus. as perhaps might have been
| done had the money come slowly as the
result OF an appreciation Of increased
! efficiency or faithful service, II will be
| lavishly and quickly spent In extravagant
| living That is, his employees will gain
! nothing except perhaps more stylish
| mode OF living which IL will be extremely
| difficult for them TO forego should disas-
| ter come TO his plant
Fourthly. he has dealt a serious blow TO
| all other labor within the territory In
| which this money will be spent His
| employees In spending their money will
| largely increase the already high cost OF
| living in the section where they live.
| This increased cost OF living will he a
great burden 10 al OlFtT TABOR III tllt VI
| culty which Is not equally well paid and
which circumstances win probably always
prevent from being equally well paid.
| These poor souls In the long run will be
| the most serious sufferers from this sense
less act.
| Filthy, should disaster come to the
| Ford plant from the death of its master
! or from decrease in the demand for au-
| tomobiles or from the invention OF soma
better and cheaper machine. what IL TO
become OF all his employees who have
been led into needless eXtravagance by
| his unwise misuse OF his money
Should his example be followed by all
| other manufacturers. as the labor leaders
| 81 the country seem TO hope, and could
| this be done. which OF course II cannot,
We should be none the better on. Ii would
! he merely like an imitation Of the cur
renCy. we should have twice as much
money TO exprnd. but everything would
| cost twice as much. SO We should get no
more for our money.
No one can do "A needless. thoughtless,
| Illogical and unreasonable act without
enta'l!ng consequences that the wisest can
| no, foresec. Mr.. Ford's act is probably
| now beyond recall and discussion Of Il
so far az he IL concerned Is probably
| fruitless. hut such discussion may deter
others from following his example and
may perhaps provide for forestalling some
| Of the evil consequences OF what he has
| done. W. w. NILES,
New YORK, January so