The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-11-18
FORD, FORMER
PACIFIST CHIEF,
PRAISES ARMY
Manufacturer Changes His
Views With Regard to
Military.
EXPLAINS PLANT OFFER
Would Distribute Youths in
- Training on Suitable
Federal Work.
EXPLAINS PLANT OFFER

Henry Ford yesterday gave out .
statement for publication concerning his
onsr to turn over his complete plant to
the Government without prof. for the
sole purpose Of making army trucks. In
his statennepi, however. he, expressed his
views er>the establishment Of a great
national army by universal training, and
ode OF his remarks relating to army Of
dcsrs shows he has greatly revised his
opinion Of them
1t 10 Mr.. Ford's opinion that every
youth in the country between the ages
Of Is and IL should be given a full mill
tary course. but that they should be dis.
tfibuted proportionAtely In various lines
OF work that will aid the Government
wherever their capabilities show that
they are better fitted In this direction
than on the firing line
M. Ford'S statement follows:
The factories and personal ofganixa.
ton OF the Ford Motor Company are at
the disposal Of the URfted States Gov
ernment and its allies. The production
Of automobiles for pleasure must be re-
duced. WShave offered to FOLLOW any
request that the United States Govern
wsnt makes. The idle cars standing
Along any street show that enough au-
tomobiles have been bull, to last for a
while. For farmers who must reach
town, and professional and business men
who 20 to their clients, automobiles are
necessity. The use Of the automobile
has bearing on the food problem A
horse consumes in oats and corn as
much food As several men. and his hay
and fodder might produce milk and meat.
Must save Labor Power.
The United States must save It's labor
power. In the Ford factory a man can
build . car in twelve days. We have
worked ten years TO reduce the quantity
OF material and At the same time give
strength. Light cars save gasolene.
Forty-hve thousand rAen can produce In
the Ford factory q million cars . year.
Transportation for armies and sup
piles 10 . basic need Of wartime. Rail-
roads slone cannot handle the freight
The Germans are reported to have
moved recently an army Of 100000 men
from- tha sAsteEn to -ths .ssastssn- -1rons. ~
autotfucks. The Ford plant can pro-
duce 1,0o0 one ton trucks daily. and It's
production can be increased in a few
weeks to 5000. Each truck can haul
eight soldiers with full equipment Dur
ing the hrst month our shop could fur
nish trucks to haul an army Of $50, 900
men, thereafter for 100000 in each
month. Each workman can manufac-
ture = truck In fifteen days.
We are ready to furnish the Govern
ment these trucks at shop cost without
proht. ! will take no profit from any
thing produced for any Government dur
ing the war. I daspise the profiteer who
makes money out Of war.
Tractor Needs Attention.
The tractor for ploughing needs i'm.
mediate attention. We can save ships
by sending tractors TO plough the land
In Europe to grow the crops there. The
English. French. Italian and Russian
women and children will help II the
heavy work of ploughing is done 70,
them by machinery. Using tractors now
will teach the peoples a great lesson for
after the war
"Our Government must never abandon
the barracks and army camps that are
being built. When peace comes tn.
world will be ready for disarmament
The people will understand the wrong
OF killing each other. The German will
see that the American and the French
man he went out to kill are just as gooc
as he Is. ad the American will feel the
same way about the German. Then We
must develop a great national army fol
training all our young men between tht
ages Of IS and 81. We can bring then
together from farms and cities in tn,
winter time to the barracks and train
Ing places,
Young Americans need discipline. II
this service army the Government car
teach them order and train them t.
work. They should have q few hours o.
gymnastics and drill. and five or 81,
hours Of work in factory every day
Near each encampment there can b,
located a few factories for tractors ano
other implements that farmers need
Our branch assembly plants for moto