The Connecticut labor news., 1921-08-05
Government Officials Flooded With Peti- tiOns Urging Them to Turn Over to Manu- facturer Large Busi- ness Enterprises.

HcSS EllIcTpTlScS.
 Washington, Aug. 5:;--Jokesmiths will continue to make "flivver" jokes but the world no longer laughs at Henry Ford-particularly that small section of the world known as Wall street. It was about to enjoy a good laugh at the manufacturer expense when something happened-but that part of the story comes later.
 Today Ford is probably the most talked-Of man in the United States because he has increased the wages of workers when nearly every other em- ployer is attempting to reduce them and has decreased freight charges on his railroad, the Detroit, Toledo & lronton, when every other railroad executive in the country has been protesting that this policy would be ruinous.
 He has made an offer to the gov ernment to take over the Muscle Shoals nitrate plant, finance it and produce fertilizer for the American caused Big Business to gasp. The plan is to operate this great enter prise at a net profit of not to exceed
 7 farm organizations to have super vision over accounts, that they may know that farmers are getting exact ly what Ford promises them.
 Want Ford to Manage Roads.
 The result is that President Hard ing has received a petition signed by 400 fruit growers of Oceana county, Mich, asking that the railroads of the country be turned over to Ford The petition states that present freight rates are taking most of the profits on farmers crops, and point out that Ford recently reduced rates on his railroad and thus made conditions easier for those who use his carrier
 Cabinet officers are said to be swamped with messages from farm CTS and farm organizations urging approval of Fords proposal to take over the Muscle Shoals plant The manufacturer appears in the light of benetactor to a majority of the farmers, according to the messages they are sending in to government officials. The approval of the gov ernment of his offer will save hun dreds of millions of dollars yearly to agricultural interests.
 In a notice to employees of the Ford railroad announcing an increase of wages for all workers, a minimum of 50 per day for unskilled labor and increases in proportion as the work requires skill and sponsibility, and the eight-hour day and the elimina- ton of unnecessary Sunday work, Ford says:
 Makes Men as Well as Machines.
 "As in other Ford industries, we are applying the doctrine of making men as we'll as machines, and this change comes not only as a recog- nition of what 'our employees have done in the past, but in the belief that we are increasing .the incentive for better and higher service to the employees themselves, the railroad in general, and above all, humanity
 "The new policy means naturally eight hours of individual thought, in telligently applied to the work ,and wen-directed, unselhsh effort toward betterment of the service.
 "Only through a combination of these elemtnts can this railroad per form its duty to the public and raise the standard of service which rail roads are in duty bound to give.
 ''We are striving for the best and are satisfied the best will come when our men absorb the spirit of real CO., operation.
 "In the introduction of new poli- cies from time to time, we will al ways bear in mind the benefit of ou1 employees, and every effort will be made to improve their working con ditions.
 Workers to Share Profits.
 Each individual D. T. & l. mar should feel a personal interest in the ultimate success of the railroad. Its success is his success, as 1t prosperE he will prosper.
 We expect to present our mer with the details of bonus and invest ment share in the profits.
 "Only with your help can the rail road succeed and justify our policy tc continually reward meritorious serv ice when and where shown. We look portunity and justify the confidence we hay eplaced in him."
 When Ford purchased the D. T. l. he fooled the fnanciers. They i'm agined that he intended to use thu road to carry coal to his Dearborn plants. It has, however, accomplish ed vastly greater things. It assisted the manufacturer in solving his recen financial problems when the wolve of Wall street were pack-hunting hin and were announcing almost dail, that he was about to succumb to hi many difficulties. This Is the stor, of the laugh that never happened il Wall street.
 The Ford difficulties, the manufac turer says, were a heritage of tn war
 "War," he recently told reporte "is not only damnable for the lives costs, but also for it's after effects o society, on civilization"
 How He Fooled Wall Street.
 Obligations amounting to $58,ooo 900 were pending when the depression hit the Ford plants, and Wall stree' with it's control of the Federal Re serve banks, knew all the details Ford never before had gone to NeN York for money, but the Wall stree bankers were sure that this time the had him an dwere ready to make loan on conditions which they be lieved would be the finish of Ford a great independent manufacture They sent an emiSsary to Detrol with a proposition. Ford told thi fellow that it was not necessary 10 him to borrow, but he courteousl listened to the proposition.
 Finally Ford was informed that be fore he could get any money he mus allow Wall street to name his treas urer. That terminated the interview