The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-21

ect. or at least to modify his plans
HIS old friend. Mr.. William Living
stone. and myself spent the most Of
the night before the expedition sailed
trying to prevail upon him to aban-
don It. II was no use. His reply TO
me was. TT Is right. is 1t not, to
try to stop war;" To this l could
only answer, Yes" We'll" he would
go on, you have told me that what
is right can not fail" And the an
swer to that, that right things at
tempted in the wrong way, had no
assurance OF success. had no effect.
He was following what he calls
"hunch" and when he gets "hunch"
he generally goes through with it. be
1t wise or foolish. right or wrong.
Right and just
But to the credit of Henry Ford Il
must be said that he has done SEN
sational things of a higher and saner
order. He has done a number of
things In industry because he thought
them right and just, and the world
has labeled them sensational But
It was not the thing in itself that
was sensational, but the fact that
he had the courage to do II. 1t ought
not to be counted sensational thing
that a man loves his wife, but in
community where it is supposed no
man cares for his wife, 1t might
CT cate more or less of a sensation
to find one who does. And surely
such man should not be charged
with bidding for notorsety Henry
Ford has done many things in the
handling OF labor which. II all en-
ployers were doing by labor as they
should, would not be counted sem
sational at all.
In 1914 Mr.. Ford agreed with Mr..
Couzens that, in view OF the earnings
of the company, the msn in their
employ should be given an increase
in pay. Mr.. Couzens dared him to
make the minimum pay SIS a day. and
Mr.. Ford agreed. 1t was nothing
more than a company in the finan
cial position the Ford company was
then in should do. Few, however,
do it, Hence the sensation when
Henry Ford did It,
He increases wages and at the
same time reduces the cost OF the
car Sensationall But why should
it be considered sensational thing
to do to give the customer some of
the benefits which the increasing
prosperity OF company makes It
possible to- bestow? Why-except
that few do 1t? Snrewd business?
Good advertising? Certainly, 1t is
all that, and more. There can be no
greater shrewdness in business than
to follow the laws of honest and
just dealing--provided you expect to
remain any length of time in bust
ness.
/ went to the Ford Motor COM
pany with the conviction that 1t pays
in industry in the long run to do
thing right inst and
humane. I left the company with
that conviction more firmly fixed in
my mind than ever. This universe
is one. and the laws in one sphere
of life are not in conflict with those
of another. What is wrong out of
business can not be right within 1t.
There was a time when 1 smiled
skeptically at the Old Testament
teaching that the reward of right
eousness is milk and honey and the
recompense of the God-fearing man
is sheep and camels. 1t did not seem
to me, so far as my observation
went; to work out that way But
have lived long enough to see that
it does work out that way in the
end.
Tendency to Redistribution
Wealth Is created by society, and
joyed by, society. The tendency Is
always in the direction of the re-
distribution of wealth unjustly ac-
quired and held as an individual pos
session In the heart Of every
selfishly made and selfishly con-
trolled fortune there Is concealed this
seed of social and industrial revo-
luton. 1t may be an ugly fact to
face. but 1t is a fact nevertheless.
borne out by the history of centuries.
The day of reckoning may be post
poned. but 1t comes. Dimly society
is beginning to see this, and slowly,
but surely. the time is coming-in
fact, 1t Is now here--when indi-
viduals will be permitted to possess
great wealth only on the condition
that they regard themselves as the
stewards OF 1t. and not owners.
1t pays to give all one can out of
a business and still keep a safe mar
gin on which to continue operations.
Because Henry Ford has done this