Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-22
SUPERMEN

BUSINESS has such broad range Of
DmeaninEs from the successful tired
business man to the mind your own -busi-
ness woman, that somewhere or other busl-
ness enters into almost everything. The
sciences, the professions. charities and even
the arts are all being busnessized these
days, or at least. they are paying more at
tention 10 their business and administrative
ends, and with very desirable results
The popular magazines are printing an in
creasing number OF business artlcles-sto-
ries of shrewd and spectacular business
deals, of phenomenal careers. analyses OF
selling psychology, comment on the business
and trust Legislation before the country. Not
counting the special business publications,
there are IA such articles in the current
magazines.
The Business World Department of Cur
rent Opinion prints a delightfully."- human
ana probable business story %:
One morning a man with a handful of pa
pers went into store and said, turning over
MS papers, 'T would like to find out how
huch stock YOU have The boas suddenly
became very busy-so busy he could not stop
TO make a calculation-but volunteered in a
very large way, Well we have got about
$4,000 worth of stock on our shelves" "Yes
ana how many solvent debtors have you?
HOW much is owing TO you that you
slider good?" about $4,000" We'll. how
much do you owe?" Don't owe ANYTHING"
Good" said the inquirer, "Ill see you later"
Ihat afternoon he returned to the store,
and taking out his papers announced, 81
have come to collect your personal property
tax" We'll" said the boss, not remember
ing him, 81 suppose you want to find out
what property | have got" why, no." ex-
planned the caller, 81 was here this morning
and you told me. We assessed you accord
ingly" The boss was angry and said. MY
friend, you haven't treated me right. When
you came in this morning thought you were
a Dun or Bradstreet man."
In spite of the severe criticisms and
prophecies concerning Mr.. Ford. he seems
to be making a success of his quiXotlc
wages and at the same time making a good
thing out of his business. Although there
is much more significance to Mr.. Ford's ex-
pertinent, now that he has given 1t a years
trial, little attention has been paid to 1t
since the first fash of startled publicity died
down. Allan Benson, a New York magazine
writer, has just visited the Detroit fac
tory, and describes the prosperity of both
firm and employees In glowing terms in
Pearsons C2);
Mr.. Ford has distributed among his en-
ployes in 1914 not the $4,000 900 he set out
TO give, but Sl2,O00.000. Beginning August
l. each month he took from profits a sum
which at the end of 12 months will amount
to $lS,000,000. This sum is to be rebated
pro rata at the end of the year to buyers
of Ford cars.
Mr.. Ford's profits in 1914 were, neverthe-
less, precisely what they were in 1913, that
is to say, 10000 900.
Fords force is precisely what II be-
fore his profit sharing plan took place,
few men have gone, a few have come but
the changes are inconsequential 1t is easier
to get a Democratic officeholder to resign
than 1t is to get Ford employe to quit his
job. Eighty -four per cent. of his employees
are on the profit sharing roll.
Twenty eight minutes from the time the
assembling of the automobile began 1t has
reached the end of the platform, and
workman jumps aboard and drives it under
it's own power down an inclined plane and
off into the next shop. Two automobiles are
assembled every minute of a 16-hour day.
The men work in eight hour shifts.
Ford's employees are an astounding illus
tration of the increased efficiency brought
about by paying workingmen enough so that
they have some heart to go about their tasks.
When Ford. In 1918, paid them ordinary
wages, they made 165,419 cars. When he
began to pad their pay envelopes with bills
the same number of men in 1914 made
24S3O7 cars. Nobody is working so hard
that he is inviting nervous prostration.
know because ! went through the plant ana
saw them at work. ! know something about
factory work. When l was 16 worked In