The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-24

seminaries. I have met men who
l am sure, are more interesting for
faNing grown up without scholarly
Exhibitions. In the case of Henry
Ford, however, l am inclined to be-
lieve that the gains would have more
than offest the losses
There Is one peculiar danger to
which men of wealth unframed IN
the acholastic sense are exposed!aA
the danger of assuming that be-
cause they have made a great sue
cess and shown exceptional ability
in one field of action that. therefore,
II cir opinions are of equal weight
in all others. 1t does not follow, be-
cause man has worked up from
job as section hand to that of rail
road president, that he is final
authority on beetles and butterflies
Ii does not follow because man
without training has made import
ant scientific and mechanical dis
coveries that he has the last wor1
to say on religion and philosophy.
Mr.. Ford now and then enters fields
of action for which he has not the
special fitness that distinguishes him
in his own particular field. But IL
is human to desire a wider scope for
the exercise of our faculties Even
parsons in some instances feel Pc
culiarly fitted to give big business
men lot of advice.
Not An IIliterate Man
Mr.. Ford is not the illiterate man
that some have maliciously tried to
make him out. His reading is limited,
but he reads--not the heavy tones
of history. philosophy. political
science. and the like. but what for
the want of a better name l would
call the life books. He once gave
me a volume in which he had in
scribed his name. He gave it to
me. he said. because he considered
1t one of the greatest books he had
ever read. 1t was Drummond's
Greatest Thing in the World" one
Sunday afternoon I found him curled
ur on the sofa reading Emerson.
How do you like him?" he was
asked oh" he replied with
chuckle, Immersion is a pup"
why a pup"
WELL" he said. II just get COM
fortably settled down to the read
ing of him when he uses word |
do not understand, and that makes
me get up and look for a dictioa~
ary."
The law of Observation-Disclosures
he got the idea from Emerson or
not, l do not KNOWS a favorite
theme with him. Faith and optimism
are also favorite subjects. He fire.
quently repeats st. Paul's definition
OF faith And faith and optimism in
business have certainly figured IN
his success.
l would not leave the Impression
that Henry Ford is diligent reader
of Holy Scripture, or student of
Emerson. He is neither. AS a man.
ufacturer he is naturally immersed
in sea of practical affairs to the
! surface of which there rises once in
a while bubbles of mysticism. haunt
ing suggestions of 1.-The Plan" A.
shadowy. Calvinistic belief in Fate
or Foreordina ton. the serenities Of
one conscious of being Child of
Destiny. But his vast material in
terests are first. He is more inter-
ested in things than in thoughts. He
perhaps reads a blue print more
readily and more UNDERSTANDINGS
than he reads Tolstoy. Darwin.
Naeterlink ga Emerson. There are
hundreds OF men figuring prominent
ly In the tiness world of no greater
erudition Than he. but on matters
with VIII y. they are not familiar
they have she gift Of silence and
correspondinsSFl low visibility.
0coptinued tnmorrow