The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-01


 had opportunity to verify. or correct my own Impressions
 l have seen Henry Ford at work and at play. I have been with him on occasions when he was facing the ridieuie of the sworld, and again when he was receiving it's applause. But in spite of a long and fairly intimate acquaintance with him, l have not one mental picture of him, as I have already intimated. of which I can say, This is as he Is, or as I know him" There are in him lights so high and shadows so deep that I can not get the whole of him In proper focus at the same time. Pilgrimages to Highland Park and Dearborn are made by people from all parts of the world, They come to learn the truth about Henry Ford. Some of them will tell you that they are bent on making the one true pen sketch of man whose name is associated in their minds with that of Lincoln and-but respect for the one and reverence for the other for bids the mentioning in this connec- tion of the second name. I have met in the past many of these would-be painters of Henry Ford. Now and then one makes his way to my door even yet. 1 know the itin- erary that was marked out for them on their arrival. I know the offices through which they were routed. am familiar with the material that was given them. Now and then a favored individual was given an interview with MT. Ford himself. With rapt attention he heard him express his ideas. discuss his po1l- cies. and unfold his plans and then he went away and made a picture "a mosaic of secondhand mental impressions and of carefully selected facts. I have never seen one of these pictures in which the lights and shadows were true to life. Some were almost all light. and others were nearly all shadow, depending somewhat. I suppose, on the preju- dices and the point of view of the one making the sketch.
 Ford executives-in and out-know that no man can know Henry Ford who has not lived for some time In his industrial family; that no true impression of him can be obtained from one or more formal or infor- nal interviews with him.
 As in every other man, there Is in Henry Ford the mingling of oppos- ing elements. In him, however. the contrast between these clements is more pronounced than In the aver age man. Phenomenal strength in one direction is offset by lamentable weakness in another. Astounding knowledge of and insight into husl- ness affairs along certain lines stand out against bcasted ignor- ance in other matters Sensational achievements are mingled with equally sensational failures. Faith in his employees and. at times, un- limited generosity toward them, are ciouded on occasion by what seems to be an utter Indifference to the fate and feelings of men In his em- ploy. There seems to be no middle ground In his makeup. There Is no unifying spirit in the warning ele- ments of his nature. There is no line discernable. that l have ever been able to detect. that marks the resultant of the opposing forces within him, and to which one may point and say, This Is the general trend of his life.' It cannot be said of him that he is this or that. What must be said Is that he is this and that.
 He has in him tho mental and moral qualities of great character. If only they were properly blended He is neither cratic or unbalanced, as some would have ns believe. The true explanation of him seems to me to be this--his mind has never been organized (due perhaps. in large part to the absence of early educational influences) and his moral qualities and impulses. among which are to be found some of the highest and noblest I have ever known grouped in any one man, have never been compounded and blended into a stable. unified character. One of the most extraordinary and out standing facts in regard to him, the inexpiicable and ironical contra diction, Is that a genius in the use of methods for the assembly of the parts of machine, he has failed to appreciate the supreme importance of the proper assembly. adjustment and balance of the parts of the men tai and moral machine within him. He has in him the makings of q great man, the parts lying about In more or less disorder. If only Henry Ford were properly assembled If only he would do In himself that which he has done in his factory!
 Balance Never Struck
 There are times when I felt that the balance had been struck. when the warning clements in his nature