Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1919-08-01

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
America struck at the forces Of au-
tocracy and mlitarism came out for
the first time in the Ford Tribune
libIe suit I'm answer 10 the Tribune's'
charge that after the United States
entered the war the Ford organiza-
tons made great profits at the eX-
penSe Of the government.
Edsel Fold. the 25-ycar-oid presi-
dent of the Ford Motor Company, ap-
peared on the stand in the Ford
Tribune libel case as Tribune wit
ness in answer to a subpoena. Dur
ing his EXAMINATION he was subjected
to long griling on the work OF the
Ford factories during the war. The
contention of Tribune council was
that Henry Ford had made huge
profits from the manufacture of war
materials. Armed with comprehen-
sve knowledge of the work of his
concern and backed by records and
figures. young Mr.. Ford proceeded to
show:
That Henry Ford offered every
faculty at his command to the govern
ment when this country broke on
relations with Germany;
That Henry Ford wcs prevented
hon oil a
government work by the minority
stockholders:
That when he could not get the
minority stockholders to agree to
manufacture war materials without
profits. Mr.. Ford turned back his
family's share or 5S " per cent.
That the Ford Motor Company de-
not patent but gave to the govern
ment
That the company broke all pro-
duction records and repeatedly made
war material for less than the con-
tract price, and that the company
voluntarily turned back to the gov
eminent the savings thus affected in
the cost of manufacture.
Cylinders for aeroplane engins,
which formerly cost $40 each, were
turned out b ythe Ford company for
1926 and later for So. One million
cylinders were built.
A new method of making bearings
flor aeroplane engines was developed.
This method permitted the inter-
changing of bearings, eliminating
hours Of hand fitting
A contract for artillery caissons
was accepted. The government was
willing to pay $1,000 for each Gals
son. Ford made them for 500 turn
ed back the $500 which he saved and
cut his profit from 1920 on ecch Gals
son to $40.
A contract for finishing 100000
helmets was given to the Ford COM
i 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
government at seven cents each.
The armor used on tanks was SO
heavy thGt the machines were hard
Ito move. The Ford company de-
veloped a new process for making
this armor which cut the wei(ht
down SO per cent without injurihg
1.-The projectile resisting qualities. It
lbuilt Is tanks for the government and
the performance of these machines
met with such approval that the gov
eminent asked for $1,000 more. The
armistice put . stop to the work.
I Henry Ford suggested the Eagle
boat to Secretary Daniels, and in his
first letter on this subject offered to
build these croft without profit !,
Six thousands tractors were sold to
the British government at cost.
| The Ford hospital, one OF the
largest in the country, was turned
over to the government for 500 q
year. Ford factories and Offices in
many parts OF the country were taken
over by the war department for nomi-
nal rental.
Henry Ford. out of his own pocket,
added $1,SO0.000 to the amount
which the government allowed him
for the building Of the Eagle boat
plant. He has never been reimbursed.
The government has owed Ford as
much as $32.913,32s.9S. AS late as
last February the government still
owed Henry Ford $11.596.375.73. He
did not charge the government inter-
est ON these millions,