The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-14

supported by actual performances.
Every one Of the $4,000 men comes
under the purview of the sociological
department at least three times a year.
whether he has a bad record or has all
his life lived a decent and respectable
life.
But there is no prying or spying. No
inspector goes about among the mans
tradespeople to find If he pays his
bills or asks his neighbors II he is
beating his wife. The man himself is
seen and questioned, usually in the
presence Of his wife or some other
relative or friend, and always at his
home or boarding house. and his state
ments are taken absolutely on faith,
without doubt or hesitation. unless
there is reason to believe that he is
%concealing something. In the latter
event he is faced with facts or reports
and asked for an explanation.
II he has fallen from grace he Is
encouraged to X a fresh grip On
himself and make another try OF It.
IL he does not indicate repentance FOR
a misdeed or for wrong living he is
punished, but not discharged. How he
is punished will be told later.
It might ne supposed that the men
would object to this constant and per-
sistent watching Of their private lives
and resent 1t. AS a matter OF fact 1
made several trips on trolley cars on
which workmen quitting with their
various shifts were returning to their
homes for the express purpose OF get
ting into apparently casual converse
ton with them n finding out how
they felt about this and some other
matters incident to their employment
in the Ford works. Not II OF the
number to whom l suggested that OBJ
lection might we'll be made failed to
reply that watching certainly was q
good thing for many Of the men, ana
what was good for one was good Tor
all. Probably the boldness and the
of the watchfulness saves 1t
from being ~misconstrued and re-
sented.
OF course the duty of the inspector
goes further thar simply to make a
report. OF the large number OF for
eigners employed in the factory. many
of them ignorant of the English Ian
guage some are bound to be dwelling
amid conditions which DO not Make for
mental and moral Improvement. 1t Is
the business of the inspector not only
to note this but also to suggest, but
never insist, that the man seek other
and more improving quarters and
associates. Congenial and uplifting
environment, socially and industrially.
is the keystone upon which the entire
sociological work in Highland Park is
built. and Mr.. Ford holds that with
both of these no man can go wrong,
Some of the men, both before and
after employment, are found to be
living in novels or herded together in
crowded and %unsanitary boarding
houses and surrounded by people who
have uncertain IDEAS of right and
wrong. They are urged to move and
the way Is made easy for them to do
so. Not with money. but through
steady employment at good wages,
which guarantee to a man an ability to
pay for a fair living amid beneficial
surroundings.
Naturally this has worked wonders
In the style Of living Of the men. A
large number OF them own their
homes. having advanced step by step
from squalid surroundings to dwell
ings. which. both within and without,
make others who are less fortunate OF
less Industrious envious or cumulative.
Some photographs taken by the socio-
logical department showing the i'm
provement In style OF living answer