The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1919-08-01
HENRY FORD IS
A NATIONAL HELP
FACTS IN LIBEL SUIT
His Great Plants Put Punch In
Nations Great Fighting Force

There are many interesting pages in
1.-The story of how America. turning
from the ways of peace, threw her
sons and her resources into the wav-
ering scales of world combat and in
clined them to the side of Justice and
liberty. No greater record OF acieve-
ment was ever written than this tale,
and no single instance, 1t is safe to
say, Is more striking than that written
in the plants Of Henry Ford.
The story Of how Ford and his vast
army Of workers helped put the punch
behind the mailed fist with which Ann
erica struck at the forces of autocracy
and militarism came out for the first
time in the Ford-Tribue libel suit in
answer to the Tribune's charge that
after the United States entered the
war he Ford Organizations made great
profits at the expose Of the govern
ment.
Edsel Ford, the 25-year old presi-
dent Of the Ford Motor Company, ap-
peared on the stand in the Ford-Trib-
une libel case as a Tribune witness
in answer to subpoena. During his
examination he was subjected to
long grilling on the work Of the Ford
stories during the war. The conten-
tion of the Tribune counsel was that
Henry Ford had made huge profits
from the manufacture Of war materials.
Armed with comprehensive knowled-
&c Of the work Of his concern and
backed by records and figures, young
Ford proceeded to show:
That Henry Ford offered every fac
ulty at his command to the govern
ent when this country broke off re.
lations with Germany;
That Henry Ford was prevented
from turning back all the profits on
government work by the minority
stockholders;
That when he could not get the
minority stockholders to agree to man
\ ufacture war materials without profits,
Mr. Ford turned back his family's
share or So 1-2 per cent.
That the Ford Motor Company de-
veloped new processes which 1t did
not patent but gave to the govern
ment;
That the company broke all produc-
tion records and repetedly made war
material for less than the contract
| price, and that the Company volun-
tarily turned back to the government
the saving thus affected in the cost
Of manufacture.
Cylinders for aeroplane engines.
which formerly cost $40 each, were
turned out by the Ford company for
$S.25 and later for So One million
cylinders were puiti,
A new method OF making bearings
for aeroplane engines was developed.
This method permitted the interchang-
ing Of bearings, eliminating hours OF
hand fitting.
A contract for artillery caissons was
accepted. The government was will
ling to pay $1,000 for each caisson
Ford made them for $500. turned back
the $500 which he saved ind cut his
/ profits from $120 on each casson to
$40.
A contract for finishing 100000
helmets was given to the Ford COM
pany. The contract price was 80 cents
Ford developed process Of using
cork instead OF sand glare and then
turned the helmets out for the gov
ernment at seven cents each.
The armor used on tanks was So
heavy that the machines were hard to
move. The Ford company developed
a new process for making this armor
which cut the weight down so per
cent without injuring the projectile
resisting qualities. 1t built Is tanks
for the government and the perform
ance OF these machines met with such
approval that the government asked
1 for $4,000 more. The armistice put
stop to the work
Henry Ford suggested the Eagle
boat to Secretary Daniels. and in his
firts letter on this subject offered
to build these crafts without profit.
SIX housand tractors we're sold to
the British government at cost
The Ford hospital, sne Of the iarg-
est In the country, was turned over
to tho government for s1O0 year.
Mrs. J B. saylor. who{haa been Wis
| itinR her aunt Mrs Tlavfd fftayio, ~. /, :