The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1922-09-08
FANN1NG BOLsHEvIsTIC FLAMES

AC CiIlo SIlClCdl llHlC WIleI d lOIIR-
suffering public is wearied by indus
trial warfare that is for the sole pur-
pose of maintaining d~ictatorial poll
cies and class ~antagonism, Henry Ford
announces that he will close his plants
which employ some $4,000 men, as a
protest against coal prices. He justi-
fies his action on the ground that if
he pays increased prices it will force
other factories to do the same and
hence force up the price to workmen.
Mr.. Ford attributes the deadlock in
strike negotiations to "a plot to I'M
load the demoralized and run down
railroads on the government at their
own price and to mulct the people
through excessive coal prices"
Henry Ford has made a great sue
cess Of his business of automobile
building and his opinions are worth
consideration. His present action,
however, seems to be in line with his
general plan to create sentiment in
favor of government ownership of
large basic industries, always except
ing the Ford interests.
The government is arranging plans
to handle the coal price and produc-
ton situation in an orderly name
without bowling to anarchy and bolshe,
vlsm or without encouraging or incit-
ing a repetition of murders such as
were perpetrated at Herrin, ILL.,, when
some two score non-union workers
were herded together and shot by un-
ion miners, like so many cattle.
Herbert Hoover shows that present
coal prices would mean an increase of
but $1.5O in the production cost of a
Ford car. The balance sheet of the
Ford Motor company, as published in
the papers of August 30, shows a pro-
fit of $240,478,736 for the past wear
as against S1S2, 81 1896 on April 80,
1921, and $165,679,132 for 1920.
Mr.. Ford manages his w business,
sets his W wages and makes the
price on a Ford car to suit himself
unhampered by labor wage boards or
rate regulating bodies to limit his pro-
fits.
Stripped of all it's technicalities and
~camouflage the present coal and rail
strike is being maintained to enforce
the closed shop principle which would
deny any but union men the privilege
OF working for a living in the United
States. This is repugnant to the verv
foundation principles of our govern
ment. No more dreadful crime has
been committed in Russia than the
murder of the nOn-union men at Her
rim. ILL.,, to uphold union supremacy in
defiance of the laws of the nation.
Would it not be we'll for members
OF congress to read the Constitution
OF the United States and then see that
the rights granted to a United States
citizen are enforced to the letter and
that no organization of labor or CAPT.
tai be allowed to interfere with a mans
right to work and earn a living whe-
Their he be union or non-union man, a
day laborer OF a capitalist.
II this is not done, real freedom in
America is ended and we are headed
for a condition of affairs which will
overthrow property rights as we'll as
individual rights and produce economic
a such as we have witnessed in
Russia.
Has Henry Ford any more right to
throw $4,000 men out of employment
than the railroads have to cease oper-
alton? Many of the railroads would
have the justification of long contin-
ued operating losses. Mr.. Ford has no
such justification as he has established
his W rate of profit which runs into
hundreds of millions of dollars.
Henry Ford is adopting a policy
which does not consider taking losses
for even a short time in order to keen
10000 men at work, while railroads
operated over long periods of
years with no profits whatever to the
stockholders.
Is Henry Ford justified in adopting
such a dictatorial policy which pro-
vides capital for the radical strike I
leaders and which will bring misery
md hardship to thousands of people
Is he helping the present situation I