Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1914-01-14

this institution to share our prosper
ity.
We want our employees to have pre-
sent profits and future prospects.
Thrift, good service and sobriety
will be encouraged and recognized
1t is our hope to do still better by
our employees.
We believe in making 10000 men
prosperous and contented rather than
in following the plan of making few
slavedrivers multimillionaires.
Detroit, Mich, Jan. 12-Ten thou.
sand anxious, determined men, some
ragged and unkempt, others seeming.
~ prosperous, this morning fought
for places in the line that stretched
out from the employment window at
the Ford Motor Co., in Highland Park
"a line that continued for many
blocks from the company's factory.
Each man sought to become one Of
the army of $4,000 workers who Will
benefit under the $10,0OO,009 profit.
sharing plan, made public yesterday
by Henry Ford, head of the big com
pany The formation of the line had
started at a. m. today when small
group of the city's unemployed took
up their positions before the big fac
tory gates to await their opening at
z a. m.
An hour later several hundred were
waiting in the bitter cold At 6 a. m.
the crowd had become showing,
jostling, mirthless mob Of men, each
with sole aim to reach the employ
ment window before all of the 1900
jobs. created by the Ford Co.'s shift
from 9 to an hour day, were filed
A squad of half a hundred policemen,
maintained sembIance of order.
Not New Scene.
Ii was not a new scene TO the Ford
officials. Each day for three months
it has occurred-onIy on a much
smaller scale. When first it was cali
ed TO MS attention, Henry Ford de-
termined to seek remedy.
There" said Ford this morning,
pointing to the struggling mass els
probably the chief reason we have
adopted this plan. We wanted to give
employment to more men, SO we re-
duced the working day from g florrs
IL two shifts to eight hours in three
shifts 2
Each man of those who struggled
before the factory gates today, who fs
employed by the Ford company. will
receive not less than SIS per day.
whether he be floor sweeper, janitor,
or mechanics helper. Until the de-
tails OF the profit-sharing scheme
were announced, the minimum wage
had been S2.34. Henceforth. beginning
with next Mondays pay-day-tte
nrst in l914-no man in the employ
or the Ford Co.. who is over % years
OF age. will receive less than SIS day.
This means ninety per cent of the
$4,000 employees.
Mob Storms Gate.
Although informed by company Of
ficials that no jobs would be given
out today the men refused to leave
their posts. Instead they demoiish-
ed posts and fences.
The police maintained semblanee
OF order but a mob of 10000 was at
the factory gates at noon. The depar-
ture of the disappointed was more
than made up by the arrivals Of new
hopefuls.
There was continued cheering for
Henry Ford and demands that he
make speech to the assembled mob.
Despite these demonstrations Mr.
Ford refused to leave his Office.
Justice Begins at Home.
James Couzens, secretary-treasurer
OF the company, who with Ford de-
vised the details of the plan, today
made public the motives that caused
the seven Ford company's stockhoId-
ers vote to permit their employees to
share in approximately one-half Of
the concerns yearly profits.
I'VE believe that social Justice be-
gins at home" Couzens said. I'VE
want those who, have helped US to
produce this great institution and are
helping to maintain it, to share our
prosperity. We want them to have
present profits and future prospects
Thrift, good service and sobriety will
be encouraged and recognized.
i 1t is our hope to do still better by
our employees in the future. We want
them to be in reality partners in our
enterprise. We do not agree with
those employers who declare that the
movement toward the bettering OF g.
ciety must be universal. We think
that our concern can make a start
and create an example for other
employers.
That is our chief object"
Public Won't Pay lt.
Couzens announced that the public
would not be expected to pay for the
increased wages Of the Ford EN-,
pl0yees and that there would be no
increase in the price OF the Ford pro.
duct
Henry Ford refused to add to HI
simple statement, when, in explainins
his motive for creating the prom
sharing plan, he said:
we believe In making 10000 maz
prosperous and c0ntented rather thax
| IN following the plan OF making fav