San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-28

pay an outSlue part OF MS prOtitS.
| For ten years that, suit,was fougl
back and forth in the courts of tn
country. His opponents, besides, d
rected Their concerted competitio
against Ford. Nevertheless, in 100
Ford made and sold 639S cars
Tie next year Fora fulfilled hi
prophecy Of making 10.OOO' cars
year. He turned out 10,6O7.
In 1912, Ford ad brought the Sci
den patent suit to the highest cour
and won it. Automobile manufac
turing was released from the obliga
ton to pay royalties and was free t.
develop on ali open scale. :.
New Era for Farmer Boy.
That was a cue for Ford expansion
which has not been equaled in an,
| other industry. All over the world
| Ford agencies sprang up. Produc
ton increased in Laps and bounds
Prices of his car came down.
At the head of this enormous bust
ness, Henry Ford still kept cool.
calculating head. He was pushing
the production of gasoline farm trac-
tors and had his mind Oh other. great
projects.
The men who had starttd with him
never regretted it; Couzehs. now con-
sidered worth more than $4,000, 900,
had put $1,000 into the company. In
1917, seventeen years later, he had
sold his interest for $30,000,000!
That's a sample of the success 9th
ers, who had taken the first step with
Ford. made. Ford himself rose to
financial heights that even rivaled the
Rockefeller millions.
The Ford millions have been in
creasing faster than any other for
tune. In 1920, for instance, bonus
checks to his employees alone amount
ed to S7,O0O,00O.
Expansion into other fields. all to
help his production of the Ford mo-
tor car and tractor, also has helped
increase his forturr. He has safe
guarded his demands for timber and
iron by the purchase of $4,000 acres
OF land i'll Upper Michigan. He went
into Kentucky and bought coal mines
and then took over the Detroit. To-
lelO Il 1ronton Railroads. 4G2-mile
road that brought his raw maa,rial
direct 10 his plants.
Fails as Peace Emissary.
He showed a railroad could be run
oh a Ius piSlSs LIt put tnt ~. L
& !. on that basis, after it had been
a 5000 ,O0O-a-month loser.
Later he took over the plant of
gan producing tbcse high-pria d cars
to offset the manufacture; of his ia
nous Fords.
Fords mind still turned to greater
things.
After the war, the great govern
ment nitrate plant Mt Muscle Shoals.
Ala. was looking for purchaser.
1t was Il 800, 100000 white ei plant
to the government.
Ford said he would buy it and
transform it into one of the greatest
power projects in the world. But
politics interfered and his offer was
turned down by the S.nate Commit
tee on Agriculture.
Outside his immediate interests.
Ford's ideas were exceptional. The
war had hardly started when in the
fall of 1915 he announced his plan to
get the boys out of the trenches by
Christmas. He chartered a ship and
invited many peace advocates to ac-
company him on the expedition to in
duce European diplomats to end the
war hmm diately.
The peace expeditions noble
thought-was sad failure.
Ford returned. resolved that hos
tilities would have to be stopped by
all means.
When the United Stah,s entered the
conflict. Ford offered his manufacture
ing facilities to hclp America win.
He built Liberty engines and charged
no rental for the us" of any factories
the government needed.
Swing to Thirps Political.
During the war. the Chicago Trib-
une called him anarchistic. Ford
sued for S1.00000O. The suit ended
IN 6-cent verdict But Ford's tcs-
timony had given his opponents seed
for many a haranguc against his
sincerity. his patriotism and his
knowledge of events.
Instead. Ford had another nlan
for tho exchange of credit. He prom
isel 10 introduce it at Muscle Shoals.
if he got the site.
1t was system Of the exchange
of energy units, with the worlds
natural wealth rs security. Bankers
laughed down the idea. Many finan-
cial students still believe it feasible
Even politics did not escape Ford
ambitions. In 1918, he ran for United
States senator against Truman II
| Newbcrry. The vote was so close
that it resulted in contest Of the
election which had been given to
Newbcrry. Tho Senate committee,
after considerable investigation, gave
the seat to Newberry.'
That did not deter Ford. The
Henry Ford for President Club was
organized in 1921. Branches were
formed all over the country.
Now the "flivver" manufacturer
= looked unon again as White
\ House possibility.