The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-08-17

Ford" by Sarah T. Bushnell.
N one could hope to write an ade-
quate review of the development of
Henry F'ord's life and character with
out including some account of the
wife who has meant so much to him
in so many ways from the day he de-
vised the watch with four hands,
through all his struggles, disappoint-
ments and successes, down to the
present time. During all these years
the home life of Mr.. and Mrs. Ford
has been ideal.
= One must know Mrs. Ford init
mately to understand fully her part
in the Ford achievements. She is
thoroughly home-loving, capable and
charming. So considerate is she, so
unpretentious and gracious, that visi-
tors to the Ford home forget that
their hostess is one of the richest
women in the world, owning in her
own right a one-third interest in the
corporation that is reported to pay
an annual tax of eighty millions.
Mrs. Ford dresses in shades OF
brown or blue, and mink and sable
are her favorite furs. She is small
of figure, youthful in appearance,
with chestnut hair and most express
sive eyes. Her voice is low and mu-
sical. We sat one winter afternoon
in the sun parlor of her home
watching the birds about the wealth
er-worn stump on which each winter
day she places fresh grain for her
feathered friends. Beyond, the
river Rouge wound in and out
among tall forest trees, snow COW
cred the ground and the frozen wa
ter was sheet Of gray ice. Behind
us in the drawing room, which is
paneled in French-bleached Ameri-
can walnut and furnished with coy
chairs and heavy velvet draperies OF
mulberry color, long hickory logs
were cracking cheerfully in the
carved white marble fireplace. The
conversation drifted to the part that
woman must take in present day
affairs.
How Women Can Help.
"There are so many demands for
help that it would be unfair to take
them lightly or to consider them in
a haphazard, happy-go-lucky fash
ion," she said softly. eff they are
handled carefully and Systematically
women can uplift, not pauperize,
those they seek to help. Every vii
lage, town, city and state has its
problems to solve. 1t seems to me
that every home-loving woman
should use her personal influence to
cope with all the issues that directly
and indirectly touch her home. II
she does this" she added with
smile, "she will be compelled to take
an active interest in politics. She
may have to get out her school
books and brush up on community
civics and the science of government;
for woe be unto her if she fails to
understand exactly what she is un-
dertaking. Of course" she added
whimsically, cit would be easier and
pleasanter to sit at home by the fire
and knit, or chat idly over our tea
cups: but those practices are slip
ping from u.s. ;
Volumes of Mail.
Mrs. Ford seldom has an idle mo-
ment. Large wealth has brought
her pleasure and privileges; 1t has
also brought heavy responsibilities.
Each day she receives volumes of
mail. Her desk overfows with ap-
peals for help; to answer them per-
sonally would be an endless task.
Her name and assistance are sought
by local, state, national and inter-
national welfare workers. Person
ally she visits the detention homes;
she lunches at the house of correc-
tion; she consults with the womens
police board officials. Each case she
seeks to help is first investigated by
experts through authorized channels.
Some of us know Of thousands OF
families she helped while the fac
tories were closed; many Of those
she visited; to others she sent her
agents. She works constantly for
the Girls Protective League and
other active organizations. For many
years she has been treasurer Of the
Priscilla Inn, a home in Detroit
where girls can lead carefully chap
eroned lives and enjoy comforts not
easily obtained in an overcrowded
monufacturing city like Detroit