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

following the establishment of the
Notwithstanding plan were as sound
economically as they were humane.
Mr.. John r. Lee through the socio-
logical department. worked out a plan
whereby a close friendly, man-to-
man contact was made between the
company and its employees. But the
advisory system, as he established
1t, no longer exits. 1t was criticised
as paternalistic. 1t was not that. 1t
was friendly, fraternal, but not pa
ternal
There were employees who objected
to it as subjecting them to humiiiat-
ing experiences. They said that it
interfered with their personal liberty
ana independence. So far as my ex-
Eerience went l found such com
plants came. from men whose indi-
yidual liberties had been interfered
with, but they were such liberties
as getting drunk and beating up
ones wife, abusing ones family, and
wasting ones money
Recorder Gives View
There were certain men in the city
OF Detroit, not connected with the
Ford Motor company, who were in
position to judge of the value of
this work to Ford employees and to
the coWmunity as a whole. A judge
OF the recorders court wrote in re-
gard to the work done by the COM
pany for its men:
: In my opinion the community has
been considerable gamer, in that
large number of its citizens have
been benefited financially; their
standards of living have been raised,
and the physical condition of the
workers and their families has been
IfnnrnVad ~
moral condition has also been ele-
waited as result of the above and
also from the necessity for the en-
plcyes to conduct themselves in a
proper manner in order to retain
their much priced situations.
Formerly il was no uncommon oc-
currence to hear participants in
brawls and other offenses testify
that they were employees of the Ford
Motor company. OF late it is my i'm.
preston that | have heard this much
less frequently"
From another judge came this:
1 have noticed with sincere pleas
ure the progress and success of your
cooperative plan. Particularly have
l been impressed with the system of
supervision and investigation which
you have established for the purpose
Of making certain that only the
worthy shall participate in the sue
cess of the Ford Motor company The
quality of this service due in large
measure to the painstaking and eff
iicleGt corps of investigators that
you nave gathered together, is an
object lesson in rational Industrial
development
There would be little social I'M
rest. little Industrial discomfort. if
every employer approached the prob
leEi Of bis relation to his EMPLOYEES
not only with your spirit of fair
ness ai!e consideration, but also with
your ss stem of rational supervision
and dire ction."
The commissioner of police de-
clared that the work done BY the
company had decreased in number
the cases against your employees
and that the work done by the So
Geological department very material
~ improved the housing conditions in
this community, resulting in many
thousands of men becoming better
and more dependable citizens"
Spirit is Contagious
The spirit of cooperation and ser
vice was contagious. The doors of
executives were open in those days
to the humblest of employees who
CHANGED TO be in trouble. The desire
to help the other fellow spread
through the whole organization.
The following story told by a man.
who was not in the employ of the
company, will serve to illustrate what
| know was the effect of the spirjt Of
the company upon its employees in
hundreds OF instances:
Beside me in a street car" so tho
story runs, there sat man past 50
years of age. lie was a foreigner.
and by The badge he wore, ] knew
he was Il Ford employee. A woman
entered the car with two small chill
dren. Both children were poorly clad.
Their stockings were full of holes.
their shoes worn. The mother took
the smallest OF the children on her
lap and by so doing exposed two
large holes in the knees of the child's
stockings. She made attempts to
cover these holes. but the little dress
was too short to conceal them. Each
time the mother tried to hide the
holes the old man next to me
shifted rcstl ssly in his seat Pres
emily the woman got off the car and
The old man followed her. Ny Curl
osity was aroused and l also fol-
lowed. \ [ the curb he spoke to her.
! could rot hear what he said. but
from the gestures made toward the
little ones, l gathered that he was
interested in them. After talking
he accompanied her to nearby
store. ! followed and stood at
distance, 50 they would not know