The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-26

eepted the beggar as a necessary evil,
the outgrowth of a disease in the
industrial order for which there was
no cure
1t will be recalled that the rich
man died and that the beggar died
also, and then the tables were turned.
1t seems that in the hereafter We
live on the things we have laid up
on the inside Of us, not on the things
we have piled up outside. This being
the case. Dives found himself in bad
shape. Spiritually he was in desti-
tute circumstances, and the beggar
was rich. The tables. as I have said.
We're turned, and Dives found himself
begging favors of a man who him.
self had been a beggar.
I am not going to preach a sermon.
j have called to mind the parable
of the rich man and Lazarus because
it will help me to illustrate some
things ! want to say regarding Henry
Ford in his handling of the ne'er
do-wells in whom in the past he has
shown great interest.
Lazarus would not lie unnoticed
very long at the gate of Henry Ford.
He would not be accepted as fixed
part Of the landscape and be per-
mitted 10 remain there. Something
feet. something more than giving
him a crumb or a coin.
Henry Ford does not believe IN
beggars; does not believe in the So
cial and economic order that creates
them: does not believe in the senti-
mental charity that encourages beg
CARS to remain in the business of
begging.
To the beggar al his gate Henry
Ford would say: Millions for work,
but not a cent for charity. You go
to the employment office, tell them
that l sent you there, and that they
are to give you a job. Then go 20
the doctors office and have him fix
you up. If you would prefer work to
begging, you are going to have Your
chance. What follows will be UP to
you"
Would Get job
And so. unless the beggar was one
of the professional sort and belonged
to the ancient and dishonorable or
der of voluntary mendicants, ne
would be given a job-a light job
till he got on his feet and then he
might be transferred to the foundry
Just to see if he really meant bust
ness. really preferred honest work to
begging.
streak, that is, ask for a clerical job
in the main office, or for light
sitting down job in the magnetic de-
partment he would be back on the.
street collectingA pennies in tin
cup in no time at all But il he
showed that he had the right kind OF
stuff in him he would be living in
home of his own in a few years and
paying an income tax along with the
Al Z
day in the Ford factory he is ex-
pected to earn it, and conveyors
tuned I'D to So speed leave little
to the will of the operator It's
great system. but needs careful SUI
pervision By human beings
tlta beggar al me gate of
Henry Ford is picked up and given
!. ,.s. mis- past history is carefuIly
looked into-or there was time
when it would have been. 1t might
be so now. / can not say as to that.
There was a time, however, .wheE
The beggar hired into the Ford Mo-
tor cf mpany; il he had a wife and six
children in Chicago whom he had
deserted long ago, and toward whose
support he had contributed little or
nothing in recent years, would have
been told to bring his family to
Detroit On the next train. or lose
his Job. Mr.. Ford believes the re-
construction of man is not com
plete so long as he neglects his home.
Money would have been advanced to
defray the expense of bringing the
family to Detroit and later ken in
easy payments from the mans wage.
He would have been given assistance
in finding a house in which to make
a home for his wife and children. lie
would have been encouraged TO start
a bank account In case he proved
a little careless in the handling of
his money, his pay wolld have been
turned over to his wife. II the tive
had showed a tendency toward cN-
travaganee, the profits of him who
had been a beggar would have been
withheld until the lesson Of thrift
had been learned. II he were taken
i'll. a Job would have been given his
wife, or a son or daughter, at Sc 4
day until such time as he was able
to return to work
Hospital Care Guaranteed
If it were necessary to send him
to a hospital the cost Of his care
there would have been guaranteed
by the company
If BY chance he received an in
jury while at work he would have
received compensation as required
by law. and in addition to that
weekly allowance equal at least &c
half mis- wage
II at any time he showed signs
Of slipping back into former ways
and habits, IL he were found TO be