The Connecticut labor news., 1921-06-24
NO EXCUSE FOR
PAY CUT, SAYSF FORD,
AND RAISES WAGES
Auto Maker Not Only Takes in Shop
men But Jumps All on
Railroad.

Detroit, June 24-This Henry Ford
person is a pestiferous nuisance to those
engaged in milking the railroads and
treasury of the United tSates, and his
latest exploit is the worst of all, to hear
them tell it.
Henry bought the Detroit, Toledo and
1ronton about a year ago and when he
took it over the road was losing" $780,
600 a month, which Henry has changed to
a profit even though receipts fell off
100000 per month
The road has nearly four hundred miles
of track employs several hundred work.
erS and after July 1.-THE lowest paid en-
ploye will receive not less than So per
day of eight hours That is the thing
that makes managers of other roads see
red and cuss Henry all over the lot.
Here they have been bowling for years
abodt the prOhteering, Overpaid railroad
employee and demanding that his wages
be cut so that they may show a profit
when along comes Ford and in less than
a year takes a losing road, does less bus
mess during the hard times than was done
on the road during good times, makes a
profit on that reduced business, and raises
wages lust as the Labor Board cuts them
on other roads.
How does he do it? Just by refrain
ing from the practires of those in con-
troll of other roads. Ford owns the
D. T. & l. He is not hired man put
in charge of the road by fnancierS who
own concerns that sell rails, steel, engines,
cars and other supplies to the roads,
neither does he fake expenses nor resort
to bookkeeping" to hide profits. He's
just a plain ordinary citizen who con-
ducts business on the basis Of decency
and good judgment.
He was not raised in-or developed out
of-conditions that made lying, deceit
fulness, willingness to accept brlbe and
general disregard for law and decency,
the requisites for promotion, out OF which
conditions have come the ordinary rail-
road president and manager OF railroads.
Never has he been compelled to admit
bribery, false testimony and skullduggery
before the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion acting as Investigators into dlscr1ml-
nations and illegal and unlawful practices
of railroad arrangements, during winch
Investigations testimony covering thous-
ands of pages, and filling over eighty vol
umes, was taken-any volume OF winch
bears mute but startling evidence OF the
conditions referred to.
All unnecessary Sunday WORK OH llle
D. T. & l., is to be cut out after July l,
and the employees in train and other SER
vice are to have Sunday off wherever
possible thus giving railroad workers a
right enjoyed by the majority and one
long desired by those engaged in that en-
ployment. That, also, is another ad-
vance which is considered by railroad
Arrangements to be deliberate insult to
them.
Wage cutting his never been popular
with Henry Ford. Recently he stated
that he intended to continuously lower
the cost of his product to, the public and
increase the wages of workers, declaring
that to be his conception of his obl1ga-
ton as trustee of great manufacturing
plant.
A short time ago, the big hnanciers
sought Ford's scalp and failed to get 1t
and this taking a practically bankrupt
road, making it pay despite lessened bust
ness and then to raise wages just when
they are claiming less and the need tor
lowered wages-is the cause OF great IN
dignation among the spoilers of the peo-
pie.