The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-04-18
Homes Are Carefully Investigat-
ed and Men and Families Are
Taught Right Methods
of Living
WELFARE DEPARTMENT
HUGE ORGANIZATION
Includes 90 Investigators and
Corps of Physicians, Who Are
Kept Constantly Busy

1t is such a huge, many-sided al
fair, this Ford plan OF making hap
pier humanity, that Il Is almost inn
possible 10 give any but isolated In
stances OF the work being done.
Not only are the physical wants
OF the workers being looked after. but
the moral and mental needs are being
administered TO, also. The wreck and
ruin that come TO homes and sends
wives sobbing TO court, the husbands
To jail, the sons TO the streets and
daughters to heaven only knows
where, generally started from flnan
cial troubles, the Ford investigators
have found
In changing the financial condition
OF the ment the moral and mental out
look is also changed and happiness
follows. Now, as has been stated
there is a department in the Ford
plant devoted TO the interests of the
men. Just what u mammoth depart
ment il Is and just how great is the
work and how great the expense are
little known. a single item may give
an idea. The department every
morning starts out 90 Investigators
IN 60 automobiles with to driyers and
al these men and machines are rush
ing here and there about the city to
bring calm where there Is. storm,
peace where there is trial, comfort
where there is misery and truth
where there is deceit
legal department with skilled
lawyers Ms in active operation, and
woe betide the loan shark. the Insurer.
the cheat and the parasite who at
tempts To drain his living from the
Ford employe. Six physicians start
over every morning in six automobiles
10 visit the homes of the men who
have failed TO appear for work. If
they are Ill they are treated, If not
i'll the reason for their absence is
discovered.
John Jones did not appear for work
the other day A physician hunted
him up. John was we'll but his wife
was i'll. She was treated and a re-
port made 10 the investigating de-
partment. John had not qualified for
the profit-sharing An investigator
called. lie found the two and their
children in three rooms over a sec
ond-hand store, on Michigan-ave. John
had been out OF work for long time
before he started at the Ford plant.
'Fhe family had gone down TO low
level and its furniture had been sold
in part to buy food The rooms were
dirty and filthy because the wife was
discouraged and had lost hope and
ambition. The children felt the at.
mosphere OF want and dispair, and
were cross and sullen The father
found anything but comfort at night.
lie was on the verge OF seeking the
saloon for companionship lie was
paying weekly rent and because OF
this was paying SIS a month for
rooms that were not for humanity OF
any sort
The investigator piled John into
his automobile and they went fiat
hunting In as hours they found one.
IL was small but clean and almost
new The rent was but 500 The in
yestigator loaned John the money for
his first months rent, loaned him
money 10 buy furniture. The fam
ily started in new life. The profits
were given John. This was two
weeks ago Today that fiat shines
from top 10 bottom. The wife Is tire
less in her efforts to keep II spotless.
The children are in a similar state.
John, from sullen faced failure, is
happy and his work has increased in
value so per cent. A bank account
will be started this week. They have
the good start Four hopeless units,
one hopeless family has been trans
formed into a dynamo OF energy and
happiness.
William Smith lived in filthy room
with his wife and four-months-old
babe. He was very unhappy, as was
his wife.
They quarreled day and night and
received but 30 cents an hour and
did not qualify for the profit-sharing
His home conditions were of a sort
that forbade the giving of more
money. which would not have increas-
ed the happiness OF the couple. An
investigator called In ten minutes
he found out the trouble Too much
mother.in-law Too many neighbors
who liked to gossip and stir up strife.
William was rushed in an automobile
FIVE miles from his home and shown
a new place. The rent was no more
than where he was living but what
a difference. William cried on the
way over and tried to tell the investi.
gator what he wanted-a home. He
couldn't express -his desires but the
investigator. being a man of wisdom.
understood. lie left William there
and sought the wife. At first she
would not even speak TO the husband,
but the investigator talked for an
hour standing on the sidewalk He
won. The wife agreed TO move. The
mother-in.law was wsrned TO stay
away from the home. This was a
month ago. You should see that
place now. Spotless. clean. happy,
a wife that is all smiles and sun
shine, baby that is always laughing.
a husband that fairly runs to his
home and his wife from work, not
quarrel. not a harsh word-just
peace and content and clean moral
living lie shares in the profits now.
Take the two Slav BOYS who a
month ago went to the department
head to ask why they we're not get
ting their share of the profits. The
man took the two in a car and drove
TO the edge OF the city. A pig pen
stood by the side OF a road and a
great hog wallowed there. He point.
ed at the hog and then turned away.
ON the way back to the factory the
two Slavs talked with each other
The car STONED al their boarding