The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-02-02
RADICAL" PLAN
OF FORD DOESN'T
FOOL FORD LABOR
BOnfield's Praise Only
Gives Her Away
(By a Worker Correspondence

My W VI hCl correspondent
In a series of articles written for
the Herald-Tribune recently, Henry
Ford, in discussing problems concern
ing the community socially, main
tanned in a somewhat hazy manner
that citizens, of course not excluding
native-born workers, are entitled to
certain prerogatives in relation to the
social product" created by the COM
munity. The tone in which these
problems" were presented create a
misguided impression that Henry
Ford is radically inclined"
BondfieId Likes 1t.
Not only are great masses Of work
ers obssessed with this false notion,
but even prominent labor leaders, both
here and abroad tend to cling to this
illusion. Margaret Bondfield, British
laborite and conservative trade-union
leader, speaking before New York
audience a short time ago stressed
this radical plan on the part of Mr..
Ford. The automobile king came in
for a great deal Of praise by Mrs.
Rondfield and the Ford plan to her
seemed very progressive" step in
the automobile industry. Whether OF
not this plan is of material benefit
to the thousands of workers employed
by Ford was not brought out, but
Observation-Disclosures have their own
peculiar method of overlooking such
a trifle!
Preaching-and Practice.
However, to get back to Mr. Ford's
thesis on the "social product" In one
article of the series he said:
"What is created by the commun-
ity belongs to the community, for the
purposes of the community. Every
citizen as a joint partner in the COM
munity has a REAL and ASSERTIVEl
right in the social product as in his
individual product and he may de-
mand an accounting"
It's the Bunk.
How far these brilliant sentiments
operate in the automobile industry
particularly in all of the Ford shops
in Michigan, is a question that can
find an Undertaking answer from any
of his oppressed wage slaves. Bunk"
unquestionably would be the reply.
If Henry Ford firmly and unreserv-
edly believes in the citizens right to
a share in the social product, does any
substantial part of it go to the auto
mobile worker? To begin with, this
assertive right entities the many
slaves in Ford's plants to the priv
ilege of unionization, which, of course,
he does not recognize and vehemently
opposes.
Won't Let Go.
Secondly, this guarantee if it means
anything should be expressed in terms
Of more of the surplus wealth created
by the Ford workevs. to be returned
to them in the forv. of higher wages.
But of course theI : again Ford would
strenuously object.
The intolerable working conditions
prevailing in all of the Ford shops
cry aloud for amelioration. Not only
is the monotony of turning out ma
chimes in a manner that kills the soul
in these men unbearable, but the ever
increasing danger Of being thrown
out of work for reason too numerous
to mention increases the worst fears.
Only by Own Efforts.
All this merely proves that Ford is
q liar and hypocrite, and that if the
Ford workers expect to acquire real
and assertive rights, they must union
he the Ford industry. And it is up to
the workers themselves to do this.
Fellow workers in the Ford plants
and shops, your own united strength
sOlidified by your willingness to de-
riand your rights is the only solution
to your immediate needs.