The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-23


and for himself, He has advanced a
good many men on the bases Of the
financial diamond, but 1 do not recall
that he ever did so by a sacrifice
hit.
Lacks Eminence
Henry Ford has attained a remark
able prominence, but he has not
attained that which makes prom
I inenee permanent, namely emlnence.
Prominence may be gained by saying
things and doing things; eminence is
achieved by being. The essence of
eminence is in MANN his mind
and soul. Henry Ford Is an unusual,
most remarkable man, but not
great man-not yet, There are in
him neither that breadth nor depth
Of mind. nor that moral grandeur,
which are the distinguishing marks
OF the truly great. Some men are
born great. some achieve greatness
but no man ever had greatness thrust
upon him, Shakespeare to the con
trary. He may be thrust into prom
inepce, but not into eminence, for
eminenoe is reached by climbing an
inward spiritual ascent
If Henry Ford would Quit watch
Ing the popular winds, take down his
political lightning rod, and devote
himself to the solution of those hui
man problems which press upon him
for solution as an industrial leader,
| think he could attain a great and
enviable reputation. It is in that
direction, / believe, that he will find
the fulfillment of the wish which he
expressed to me when he said, II do
not want the things which can be
bought with money. I want to live
life-to live so that the world will
be better for my having lived In It,"
He has had the vision. He has the
ability and the opportunity.
1t Is unfortunate that he has not
manifested the same sustained in
terest In the work undertaken in be-
half of his employees that he has
shown In some other matters In
some things he reveals an indom-
table will, an unfailing interest. In
other things the will weakens and
the interest dies He sometimes
springs at things with startling sud
denness. And then he drops them as
suddenly as he took them up. 1t re-
quirea stronger will to be than
to do.
Path of 1914
In 1914 he entered with great en-
thusiasm new path In the field OF
social Justice. Tho work he then in
stituted gave promise of a notable
contribution to human progress along
| industrial lines. 1t quickened the
conscience Of the employers. II
reused hope in the ranks OF labor.
1t promised the restoration of that
which modern industry has lost and
which would prove the greatest boon
any man could restore TO it, namely.
personal relation between en-
ployer and employee. That phase of
the work. with some other distin-
gushing features of II are for the
present In eclipse-ouly in eclipse 1t
lis to be hoped
AS to Henry Ford's success in in
dustry, 1t is no mere accident You
can not say that 1t Is a matter OF
luck that a mans boat is floated by
the rising tide, II he has carefully |
calculated the time the tide comes
in and has built his boat where il |
would be caught and carried out to |
sea.
Mr.. Ford anticipated the rising |
tide of the automobile industry He |
must be given credit for that. Credit |
also is due him for the way In which |
he deliberately planned to take the |
fullest possible advantage of the |
tide when it came In. Standardization |
is his hobby. He would have all |
shoes made on one last. all hats
made on one block, and all coats ac-
cording to one pattern. 1t would not |
add to the beauty of life, but il |
would greatly reduce the cost OF |
living.
Fit All Pocketbooks
When II came to automobiles Henry
Ford decided to make them all alike
and OF size that would fit, not
the greatest number of people, but
the largest number of pocketbooks.
Keep your eye on the average pocket
book. That was his slogan Only
few people can buy what they want.
The vast majority buy what they can
afford. No one was ever able 20
shake him in his decision to make
one car, the best of its kind that can
be made for the money, suited to
the bank roll OF the greatest number
of people, standardized so as to ad-
nit of quantity production, and
therefore of manufacture at minimum
cost.
Once he got going he discovered
and put into practice some very
profitable ways of being generous. |
His division of profits with his en-
ployes paid in dollars and cents. That |
fact made 1t none the less a boon 20 |
labor. His policy of sharing some
of his profits with the consumer by |