Norwich bulletin., 1922-09-16

manufacturers announcement several weeks ago that he woitid close September Is would stand, unless he altered his plans.
 The railway company it was an nounced. was requested to concentrate it's cars at the Highland Park and other Ford plants at Il o'clock tonight to carry the shifts finishing wok at that hour as well as those reporting for work, to their homes. The day shifts will be dismissed at the end of the working day tomorrow the street railway company was informed. Simultaneously, it was announced a number of smaller manufacturing con- cerns here that supply the Ford plants with parts and accessories will close. These companies employ upwards of &C., 900 men. The Ford workers to be thrown out of employment total approximately 10000.
 Mir. Ford announced several weeks ago that he would close his Detroit plants Sept. 16 because of the coal situation. He denied a real coal shortage existed and ] charged certain coal brokers were de- manding an exorbitant price for fuel. He l said that rather than pay these prices he would close his plants for an indefinite period.
 Ford Motor company foremen received 1 instructions this afternoon to advise all workers under their charge to 'save their money and live as economically as possi- ble' during the suspension. Many work CTS said they took this to mean the shut down might be protracted.
 According to word received by the 1 street railway officials from Mir. Ford practically all operations in the Ford | tNla ternoon tomorrow. Upwards of 40, ,0oO men will be thrown out of employment at the Highland Park plant, largest of the company's industrial enterprises. At River Rouge about IS 900 will be obliged | to quit. About 2,000 men will be kept 1 at work there firing the coke ovens Tc l permit these ovens to grow cold would ruin them, MT. Ford said in his original statement. announcing the contemplated
 shutdown.
 Approximately 12ooo Ford workers are employed in the Dearborn and Worthwhile plants of the company and at the Lin
 coin Motor company plant, also owned by MT. Ford. ..-ee
 Mir. Ford ordered posted in the High. land Park plant late today notices to al
 members of the day shift that they wert to turn in their tools tomorrow, a largt number of employees, including shop fore
 men. told newspapermen. From the same
 source it was learned notices had beer posted announcing the Ford Trade school
 where the manufacturer trains mechan
 ics, would close tomorrow. This schoo
 remained in operation during the Fort
 shutdown of 1920 and 1921
 Mir. Ford and his company executives were in conference late today It wal reported a plan was being discussed
 whereby a part of the tractor plant a !, Dearborn might be kept open but thes, reports could not be confirmed. Ii All attempts on the part of bushes
 men and others here today to obtain al
 official statement from MT. Ford with re
 gard to his plans met with failure E Twenty-Five thousand Ford employe
 scattered throughout the country outsid, of Detroit will be affected by the closini
 order. MT. Ford said in his first statemen
 announcing the contemplated shutdown
 In addition there will be many others h
 said at that time. who will be obliged t lay down their tools or work but par
 time. These are workers employed b, concerns dependent upon the Ford com : pany for business. Those directly an indirectly affected by the closing are vari ously estimated by Ford officials to tota
 between several hundred thousand an
 two million" The estimate was mad
 several weeks ago, when the manufac { turer made his first announcement
 P. G. Liebold, secretary to Mir Fora : said today the manufacturer might mals : public statement tomorrow
 -i Since his original statement announcin : his contemplated shutdown, Mir Ford re J peatedly. in supplemental statements an l interviews, has criticized governmer I agencies for the manner in which the
 haye apportioned coal supplies He als [ has arraigned certain coal brokers whol n he asserts are to blame for the co; -l situation" He charged these broke, c were demanding twice and in some case
 three times the normal price for fuel.