South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-07-29
TO REDUCE COST
OF PRODUCTION IN
AUTO BUILDING
Youthful President of Ford
Company Tells of His
Plans.
By EDWARD THIERRY

DETROIT. Mich. July 2s-"Do
it yourself-don't depend on others"
That is the business creed Of Ed
sci Ford. son Of Henry Ford and the
worlds youngest man-with-the-big-
gest job.
This is the first intimate interview
Edsel Ford ever has given. Edsel.
not Henry, is president Of the Ford
Motor company. You have read
much about Henry. the builder, but
little about Edsel-the man at the
wheel
"Edsel is the boss" Henry Ford
had told me while he was camping
with Pres't Harding, Thomas Edison
and II. s. Firestone. mo, I'm not
even chairman of the company, l
haven't got job at all"
Resembles Father.
Edsel Is a quiet, serious faced, Sc
rious-voiced young man. He is only
IS. He looks like his father, with
the same sharply chiseled face, quite
thin, with dark complexion, smooth
face, brown eyes and hair brushed
straight back. He walks with 4
slight stoop and long strides like his
father.
Father put me through the mill,
Edsel told men. Now, I'm at the
wheel 1 have been president two
and a half years. 1t isn't an easy
job.
Il realize my responsibilities
now, and in the future. The hard
est part is finished. It is easier to
run something that has been crank
ed and started and is running in
high gear.
The Ford interests have always
been a one-man proposition And
always will be.
That's why father stepped out
and let mo steer I'm playing his
game-doing things myself when
want them done right.
Complete Industry.
"I will not be satisfied until our
plant is self-suffcient. We make
nearly everything that goes into our
cans and tractors. We will produce
everything ourselves - except tires.
We have good friends who make
tires
Buying the Detroit, Toledo &
Ironton railroad was a step in that
direction. The railroad was an ad-
venture-and it's beginning TO be a
profitable adventure.
ITO get maximum efficiency we
\ will make our own steel. We have
/ our ore mines and blast furnaces
and coal mines. And we are going
into cotton"
To Cut Car Prices.
Edsel sees an even lower priced
/ car in the future I asked him when
reductions might come.
mot now he said But just
wait a few years We haven't got
MISUNDERSTANDING down TO the sci
ence we hope 10 have it. The bot
tom has not been hit yet.
Economy in production is the bis
: thing. That means do everything
Yourself. That's what we're doing
$50 far we have made 100000
cars! And right now production i:
ahead Of all records. I'm proud Of
that-as president OF the company
1880 Cars n Day.
This month we are making 1856
cars a day. And we are doing i
with 5000 fewer men than it re-
qUired 10 turn out $500 cars day
last year. Then we had $1,000 men
When we made out our schedule
of what we wanted 10 produce We
had that many men 20 draw on. And
we foundry close application Of
economy and system-that we coulC
do the work with 10000 men.
NO. we are not speeding up th'
men I think the secret Is tha'
everybody is over the hysteria Of ab
| normal prosperity. We all have OH
hearts in our work.
1--WE are on a sounder basis now
Everybody Is. That's why we wea.
thered what many people though
was a storm. We got along without
Wall streets money-and II Wal
street thinks we put one over oil
them I'm glad OF It.
Building Speed Boat.
The motor car isn't the onl-
thing that keeps me busy. There
the tractor. And the gasoline troll
ley.
And a new speed boat we ar
l building. We are using deralumi