New-York tribune., 1922-08-30
Closing Of Ford
Plant No Bluff.
Henry Declares
Hints That Reasons Other
Than Fuel Shortage Fig
nre in Decision Flatly De-
MED by Auto Maker
Far Behind ON Orders
slope That the Situation Nav
Ghange 10 Avert a Shut
Down Regarded as Slim

DETROIT, Aug. 30 BY The Associ-
ated fress).-- Reiteration that Henry
Ford was mot bluffinge in his decision
to shut down his big automobile plants
mere on September 16, as part OF "A
night against what he terms 'hold-
up on tho part Of coal brokers. and
DENIAL of various reports that causes
other than the fuel shortage, we're re-
sponsible for his action, were made to-
day at the Detroit manufacturers Of
fices. Mayor Couzens was quoted as
saying to-day that Fords threat to
close was only bluff
A report that the Federal authorities
were considering steps to provide coal
for the Ford company at the normal
price, brought the statement from
sources close TO Mr.. Ford that nothing
has been done yet to sell us enough
coal to operate at anything but prof.
teering prices" The Ford plant uses
1900 tons of coal day.
One source close to the manufac-
turer, in discussing the report that Mr.
Ford might not find it necessary to
close his plants, asserted the company
had figured ito the hour how long it
could continue operation with the coal
supply on hand and that in sight.
Hope Something May Happen
"Of course we are hopeful that some
thing will happen between now and
! 4
this source said. "But it is mighty
slim hope with things standing as they
are now"
Mr.. Ford, it was reiterated, is firm
in his conviction that for him to pay
increased prices for coal at this time
would have the effect of keeping coal
costs up at the expense of other manu-
facturers and the householders of the
country.
A report from Louisville that when
the $4,000 Ford workers in the Detroit
district were released on September
16 Mr., Ford would advise them to take
employment with the railroads in an
effort to break the rail strike was de-
MED ernphatically. The statement was
termed ridiculous. "There may be in
dividual cases of Ford workers antici-
pating the lack OF employment maxi
ing application for work with the rail-
roads" it was said, ''but MIR. Ford cer-
tainly is not going TO advise the men
to attempt to break the rail strike"
Another report that met emphatic
denial was that lack of business fig
| ured in the decision to close the plants.
Figures were cited to refute it. "When
the decision to close the plants was
| reached" it was explained, 1--WE were
four weeks behind in orders for Ford
! cars and three weeks behind in orders
for Lincoln cars. We had only just
caught up on orders for tractors"
Business Biggest in History
The decision to suspend operations
came, it was reiterated, at q time
| when the Ford company was doing the
greatest business in its history Pro-
duction figures showed 5,100 cars be-
ing turned out daily, against orders
Tor $500 day, it was pointed out.
A statement from Secretary Hoover
that present prices of coal would add
but ,$1.50 to the price OF Ford cars
also came in for sharp criticism, and
the inquiry: a.Does Mr.. Hoover think
we should turn over to the profiteers
from S7oo0,o00 to $1o,Oo0,Ooo that
would be represented in the increased
cost of coal ~ al.t,