The Detroit times., 1917-06-04
WAR PROVES
COS THY FOR
FORD CO.
Shortage of Material
Forces Partial
Shutdown
ONE DELAY
COST MILLION
c. H. Wills Gives Inside
Facts of Big
Business

That production limitations, ac-
oentuEted by war time market eondh
tons have forced the Ford Motor
company 70 shut down various de-
partments q their plant tspporar-
ny. ard ia oas ars,s1sScss,onie 1oss
/ tha concern $1,000 .oOo. was the tes-
umony given Monday morning DO
fore Judge Hosmer By c. Harold
wis. factory superintendent Of the
Ford company
wills was again called 20 the
and "a the suit brought by Dodge
Brothers 20 force the Ford com
nam tn dlstrlhuta AhnuI SIS 0nn ono
IN profits 20 stockholders ana 70 re-
Strain Henry Ford from proceeding
With Els plans For The erection Of
ne proposed smelter on the River
Rouge and from duplicating, The
present Hshland park plant
TO produce automobiles In large
quantities We should have from 80
10 6o days supply ~ material on
hand testified Mr. Wills I'VE
have been running with from four
SO 81 DAYS supply only last week
we had 70 shut down our fender dc
partment for two DAYS because We
-ar our OF sheet steel
Before the war we had contract.
"a 'or about 5000 tons of ,thfs steel
FOR years supply Limitations Of
factory space forced rs 10 cur DOWN
ne amount in the last year Then
he war started. and we could get
only a fraction OF the amount We
contracted for We had TO 20 out
on rhe omen market. and il cost us
gI0oo000 over The contract price,
We are hampered BY Transports
zion difficulties sometime cars con
signed 70 us are delayed from TWO
20 four weeks The last report /
have is that We have about $4,000
200 worth OF material on hand We
should have AZ an times no less than
Sooooo0o0 worth ready for use in
our plant
MI walls testimony was given In
response 70 questions By Alfred j.
Lucklng. counsel FOR the Ford com
pany and was Intended TO show
that The Ford company must ex-
pand .ts facilities for production and
must cut down the amount OF I'm
ished parts bought from other
firms, AS recommended BY Mr.. Ford
In The last three Years. Nr. Wills
testified. the percentage OF the re-
serve fund used ir the manufacture
OF one Ford car did not vary great
ly, despite increased production and
decreased sale prices In 1914. he
said. tio3 So or % per cent. on tho
sale price. was spent for he mann
facture ~ one automobile In the
two follow years. tho the output
was greatly Increased and the price
fell ratio OF about 81 FER cent
was maintained. be said
Mr. wills said thar the latest
figures compiled showed that $40
was expended per car in he pur.
chase OF parts from oul side firms
n is Mr Ford's contention thai
these parts should be made by tie
Ford company 70 eliminate profits
paid 20 outside manufacturers
Edsel 2 Ford was recalled 10 the
stand 20 read into the record the
minutes Of a directors meeting held
June g. 1915. when the salaries %
Henry Ford and James Couzens
we're increased by $4,000 10 $4,000
per year, in appreciation OF their
valued services 10 the company.
william Livingstone. president of
the Dime Savings bank. and the
Lake Carriers association. was the
first witness called He testified
that he had assisted Mr.. Ford in
obtaining the governments approval
70 the Improvement OF tho River
Rouge, so that freighters could dock
~ the proposed Ford plant Mr..
Livingstone said the plans had been
approved bF the war department and
other officials They were no,
finally approved by congress, he
said. because oil rivers and harbors
improvements. with the exception
OF those designed FOR national De.
Tense or those which cannot be
halted without great loss OF money
10 the government. were held In
allegiance.