The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-31

sthe Ford factory window ten years ago to startle the business world. Mir Ford said he would pay more for his labor than the market rate demanded, and sell his products moHe cheaply than competition necessitated, writes Will liam l.. Chenery in the New York Times.
 With these unique departures from conventional management he coupled an elaborate plan for looking after the welfare of his employees plan that many persons called dangerously paternalistic." When partners opposed his new way of doing business he bought them out.
 It is disclosed that the underlying policies adopted ten years ago have not been seriously changed. Ford still pays more for his labor than do his competitors, and he still sells his com modities very cheaply. The purpose sought in his welfare work among em- ployes remains what it was at the start, greatly modified.
 Mir. Ford at Work.
 The Ford company has sought to promote human welfare. take it, ever since it grew rich enough to pay attention to anything other than keep ing alive in a field of unmerciful com mercial rivalry. Now, after twenty one years of life, it has arrived at what is probably a healthier conception of individual liberty than was entertained at the beginning of it's experiments. Hu- oftRaa fe kafkov, YtnIApakAaI haps, and there is a greater willing ness to let men work out their des- tinies without too much assistance from their employer.
 Henry Ford maintains his office at the far end of one of the large build ings at Dearborn. The Ford Motor company is located fifteen miles away, at Highland Park, and the new Rouge industries which fill so much of the thought of the founder of the motor company are six miles distant in an- ether direction. Experimental work and the publications alone remain at what is still the rural community of Dearborn.
 Henry Ford ia on very good terms with the country folk at Dearborn, and many of them drop in upon him as casually as if he were merely the cross roads storekeeper. In fact, hia own comings and goings are not more for nal.
 When I asked him how many of the policies that have made his or- ganizatiop notable had endured the stress of time and circumstance, was invited to go through the plants and to ascertain at first hand. Then he added:
 Our job here is to furnish employ ment. More than anything else peo pie want the chance to work. It does no good to carry them on your back.
 If there is any sin worse than an. other, it is in not using all the facul- ties you possess. We have had the good fortune to keep busy"
 The Ford Motor company is ope- rating on a five-day schedule during holidays in June, July and August are counted as vacation and are paid for, Whether the company will resume 2 Esix-day week in the autumn is ques- tion much discussed in the automobile centre. Mir. Ford himself expressed uncertainty over it, saying:
 "We often shut down for two weeks or more during the summer months. This time we have experimented with the five-day week. would like to continue it as a permanent policy. Peo- pie need an extra day of rest so that they can be fit to enjoy Sunday. l think 1t would be good for business, too. If people are tired out on Sat urday, or if they are worrying, they cannot buy from the merchants. The whole market might be helped if five day week were practiced. But I am not certain yet. I don't know what we shall do.''
 Business Improving.
 Mir. Ford expressed the opinion that business conditions are improving and will continue to get better. He men, tioned the rising prices of agricultu- ral products as an indication that the consuming public will be in a favorable position to finance purchases for au- tumn, and he indicated complete con fidence in the future of the automobile industry.
 The wheels of this appalling large OEkdHIZdLIOu ulu UOI BlOW UOWu DC- cause the owner wanted an outing, The young men were not less busy. was invited to go through the va rious establishments to see what there was to discover.
 Of the two Ford policies, regard for the consumer and consideration for la bor, the second has attracted more at- tention. although low prices have cer- tainly not been less important in the growth of the business than high wages. Both of these policies have been con tinued The attitude toward labor has changed most in detail, yet even thi: Is essentially as it was before the World war, when Henry Ford first be- came known as a social and industrial innovator.
 Detroit, like most communities, likes to gossip, and much of its idle talk concerns Henry Ford. One rumor spoke of an alleged rule by virtue of which Ford employees were fobbidden to purchase motor cars costing more than $1 ,000. The allegation has not q shred of truth in it. .A
 The old sociologiq department has been reduced in size asked higher of ficials and those immediately in charge