New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-09
FORD HERE; READY
TO CUT MELON
Says Report Large Number
of Men Are Besieging
Plant Is Exaggerated.
WILL ANSWER
CRITICS TONIGHT
Manufacturer Who Plans to Give
Employees S10,000,O00 Goes
to Auto Show.

Henry Ford OF the Ford Motor car
| Company which is 20 cut 100000
melon for the benefit OF its employees. ar
rived in New York yesterday. Last night
he attended the Automobile ShoH
With Mr.. Ford were his wife and son.
Edse Ford who is also connected with
the management OF the motor concern.
Mr.. Ford senior. said the reports that a
large number OF men were besieging his
works were greatly exaggerated.
AS for his profit sharing plan Mr.. Ford
asserted all the details were included In
his first statement.
Since the announcement OF the PLAN
he added. I'VE have hired few hundred
men, and more viii be taken on before
the first of next month. but there will be
no radical change in the routine Of the
factory on that account"
Edsel Ford is OF athletic build. He did
not appear at all worried over the fact
that his father intends 10 let him shift
for himself
The automobile manufacturer arrived
at the Grand Central Station al 10 O'Clock.
After dinner In the Belmont he and his
son went out for two hours walk.
Il am A great advocate of walking as
an exercise" he said.
Mr.. Ford holds that good wages inspire
good work. Men In the abstract are not
induced to rise above their fellows when
the encouragement of ambition is not
solid. A man who doesn't get sufficient !
wages cannot give his whole thought TO ,
his employer; his mind is on the fact
that he is not getting enough money 10
keep himself. or-if he is married-his
family. The good workman has a free
mind and the good workman can do his !
best only when he has no financial trou- +
BILE to distress him.
In much Of what the automobile maker
said there was a subtle criticism OF en-
ploying millionaires who seek to square
themselves with public opinion by gifts
in the name of charity. Mr.. Fords idea
is that of the man who said he would
rather assist the man living than pile
flowers on the mound OF the man dead.
II have no faith" he said. I'm that
form of charity which does not compre-
bend assistance-justihed assistance-of
men you know are worthy OF it. If your
employee does not do his work properly
you discharge him. The average employer
pays his men not what they are worth
but what the man asks. or in some cases,
demands.
"A man should be paid what he is
worth. 1t is a saving In the end. IL
means better business; you have men
working for -working-working. They
are not trying TO see how little work they
can do for what you give them-they are
giving you everything they can. A man
getting a good salary-an adequate sal
ary-Goesn't need charity
I'm every man in this day there is the
feeling that independence is the essen
tlal. II you pay a man enough he be-
comes independent. My object is to give
contentment."
1T might interest you 70 know that we
have never had any trouble with our
employees. In 1905 the Industrial Work
ers OF the World tried to stir up things
By placing delegates in our factory. They
soon learned that our men were workers
and that persons who didn't work
wouldn't last in the place, so the Indus
trial Workers OF the World gave up tho
job
When the plan was suggested II was
decided to look ahead We weren't going
to spoil anybody with high wages-we
wanted the money we gave 10 go into tho
homes. So we appointed STAFF TO see
how the men lived, and the report they
made was more than satisfactory. man
who IS sick or injured is cared for-and
nobody who isn't sick plays sick. We are
devoting our attention now to devices
that will protect the lives and limbs OF
our workers"