The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-26
al no ask her.

men. You write it in de paper. My
wife find out. and l catch hell. She
no believe me and get jealous. ! no
give my name
Il endeavored to convince him that
he was mistaken. 1t was no use.
He hurried away, looking back occa-
sionally to see if I were following
him.
There was something in the spirit
Of those days that called out Of men
the finest and best in them One
caught glimpse of new era in
industry. And perhaps the dawn is
there-behind the clouds.
CHAPTER xI
The Ford Charities
Mr. Ford hates the word charity.
and all that it stands for. He gives
generously to friends and employees,
but it is in recognition of services
rendered. He gives neither stone
nor money to the man who asks
bread. but a job.
mo man ever helped another by
giving money he insists.
have heard him say that the only
man on whom he ever bestowed a
charity was ruined by it. The amount
given in this case was, as / recall IT,,
about SIT. The investment of that
SIT has saved him millions. Just
another example of a wise use of
money for which he has become IA
nous.
Mr.. Ford has no use for the ordi-
nary channels of charity and phiian-
thropy Such matters are taken care
of by other members of the family
To the Red Cross, to the Community
fund, to people destitute on account
of sickness or the infirmity of years,
and I'd many charitable institutions
Mrs. Ford and Edsel give generously.
Thousands OF people, high and low,
great and small. known and un-
known, make pilgrimage to Detroit
to obtain money for every conceiv-
able object under the sun. Many
thousands more write letters asking
his financial support. 1t is railroad
fare and postage wasted.
A great deal of my time before L
went with the Ford Motor company
and since, has been taken up by peo-
pie out to get money from Mr. Ford,
and who insist that citner ] put
their case up to him.. or obtain for
them an interview in order that
they may plead their own case. AS
a matter of curiosity ] kept for
TIME d ItSOi " tht SUNNI
sought The total WIS close to
81 .000, 900 year.
The requests for money coming
into his own office average, so /
have been informed, over ss,ooc.0oo
a month.
Requests For Cars
One request that frequell y came
under my notice was for a Ford
car The entire output of the eac-
tory, it often seemr1 to me. would
hardly meet The demand if every
request were to be granted. ari-
table, religious ard philanthropic
institutions and organizations were
in need of Ford runabout or truck
possibly two or three of them
right away. Sometimes 1t was a
member of the parish who wanted
to surprise our dear minister by
making him a present of car. Not
infrequently the minister made bold
to state his own needs. one bishop
wrote asking that wo carloads OF
runabouts be sent to hin at once
He had in his diocese a large num-
Der of missions and small number
of missionaries; give each of them
runabout and their work could be
quadrupled. 1t was a fine idea. But
il was not altogether original. We
had been confronted with something
like it before. But it require1 more
than one letter to convince the good
bishop that if the thought was an
inspired one, then inspiratio as to
the value o, Ford runabouts, sedans
and trucks in religious, charitable
and philanthropic work had become
too general TO the Ford Motor com
pany alone to cope will :. 1t was
nece sary to sell few cars in order
to keep going.
Next TO a runabout for the parson
seemed to be the med for "a bell
for our new church." One was al
if every parson had Ford car. and
every church bell, the pressing
religious problems of the country
would be at an end.
A man of wealth is confronted "
no problem more difficult than that
of making a Wise use OF portion
poses. To give to ease ones con-
science, or to avoid criticism. Is not
a difficult mat err. 1t can be done by
man who has plenty of money
without thought of sacrifice
Mr.. Ford once made contribution
toward the furnishing of building
which l was fitting out for crea-
tional purposes. Whan he was MAX
ing out the check for the sum
pledged he paused and looking up
at me. said II might as well make
This ont for iaousand or two more
while I am at it," mo" / replied.
tile amount you are giving is suf-