Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-07-29
FORD TELLS HOW
TOCURE NATIONS
RAILROAD ILLS
Cut Rates, Boost Wages,
Stop Waste, His
Formula
BY E. M. THIERRY

July z9'-"l'm not trying to burgla-
rlze my railroad - I'm making it
serve the public -
This is the boied-down answer
Henry Ford gave when | asked him
to tell his "magic formula" for cur
ing Americas railroad Ills.
Giving two hours out of his vaca-
tion in the West Virginia mountains
with H. S. Firsetone and Thomas A.
Edison, he told me how after pur-
chase he rehabilitated the D., T. +.
railroad. And he declared that ap-
phcation of the same methods would
make all "sick" railroads well.
"We cut freight and passenger
rates" said Ford. "And it won't
take long to reduce the rates so per
cent.
All Could Cut.
Gall railroads could cut their rates
in half We have shown them how
But I'm afraid they won't do it.
"Under Wall Street management
the only way they know to make
money is higher railroad rate -
which is the poorest way in the world
to get business"
Ford said he "wasn't a magician
and "didn't WELD q magic wand"
This is his recipe:
"Keep the railroad busy ana the
equipment busy and all the men on
it Dusy.
"Oa the D. r. & |. We are get
ting along fine - making money
where the road never made money
before, making Il because the men
a pusy an their hearts arc "a
tneir work. .H-
eve eliminated waste and 6rad
wood. All railroads can-and should
-2sdlo-~tl1eeas same thing. ''='-'--
Ford declared he found enough
scrap along the D., T. & to pay for
its purchase.
"What is the first thing you would
do if you were given all the rail
roads to run?" / asked him.
"Slash rates, boost wages, let a lot
Of the men CO." he replied. I'D let
some of the men go back to the
farm-temporarily, They'd be of
more use there.
Thinkers Needed.
"There are too many men rum
ming the railroads who let some
body else do their thinking for them
We want men who can think for
themselves.
"That's why / made my SCR, Ed
sell, president of the Ford Motor
company. He thinks for himself.
"Another thing is that too many
men let title spoil them. That's why
| made myself president OF the d.
T. & |. .., g
.I'm glad to say, the title OF
nresident didn't spoil Edsel."
As a railroad president Ford re-
ceives season passes FROM other rail-
roads, But he dosen't use them
Thev offer to haul his private car
free. he always pays for It.
GAS long "a money As the me-
dunn of exchange" sal1, De-
lieye It ought ID be used. II / want
something and haven't got the mon
ev to buy it l ought not to buy It.
Too bad everybody doesn't follow
that plan" ,on
One of Ford's reforms" on the p's
r. e. / was to take able men out OIL
his motor car industry and let them
run the railroad.
Too Much Tradition.
"a lot of railroads would be petCel
off if they adopted a pot.cy along
that line," said. There is 700 nluen
tradition in the raiIroad&-do'ng
things in old-fashioned ways, ,
"What did we ever know a2out
ra;lroads-except to ride on EN-!
Yet we've got our road organ'zaa 50 "
that inside of year 1T IS making
money. Any railroad could be Put
on it's feet in that time.
sThee old-fashioned method y,
running railroads-and in lots ot
other businesses-is to do as little
as YOU can and get the money as
fast as possible. lit
"I see a new era dawnihg' WIN
this creed. Do as much as you tah'
oct small returns, and serve the
most pcople--and the money Will
come in So fast you won't know
where it is coming 'front.' VIII IN
undate you"
Too Much Manipulation,
I asked Ford what he thougft was
the matter with American railroads.
"Too much stockholder," )" ne re
piled promptly. 81 mean too n'uch
Wall Street manipulation = and TOO
much weight in the rolling stock.
Fundamental principles must be
changed, Designs must be made 1or
lighter rolling stock.
II don't believe in government
ownership, because what is every
body,s business is nobody,s business
There sho lid be private co,ordina-
tion Of all the railroad systems.
Railroads have been managed by
stockholders who only figure how
much they can get out Of them for
the moment-not what they can do
in the future.
aNo, am not against q greas
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