Evening star., 1928-04-24

Henry Ford, travelling abroad. has
made himself a subject of comment
back home In two ways. The brevity of
his speech at British banquet~-29
words--is accepted as again emphasiz-
ing his unique character. while his
statement. In the course OF con-
troverSy with the Irish Free State that
import taxes should be removed, pre-
cipitates mild political discussion.
Commenting upon the fact that MIR
Ford has gone abroad and announced
for free trade" the Kansas City Jour-
nal Republican, observes, The argu~
ments he uses are familiar, indicating
that he has reached the sophomore
stage of his new culture. which he has
been steadily seeking to acquire since
his examination on American history in
a famous trial showed that he had
overlooked certain matters others
deemed important. through his concen-
tration on mechanical problems. II is
regrettablc that Mr. Ford did not
make this announcement earlier, at
least early enough TO let some other
candidate for President file in the
Michigan primary against Mr.. Ford'3
fayorite, MIR. Hoover. But prob
ably Mr. Ford has acquired his new
views independently OF the views OF MIR.
Hoover"
Henry Ford knows more about the
building Of automobiles" declares the
Binghamton Press independent Repub~
iican), than he does about govern
ment economies. Free trade might be
all right for the Henry Ford industry
today but there would be no Henry
Ford industry had II not been for the
American protective tariff. The great
Ford plant Is really product OF the
protective system. whether Henry Ford
realizes IL or not. To find him adyocat-
ing free trade In one breath and de-
claring In the next for Herbert Hoover,
who. we may believe, stands four
square for the American protective sys-
TEN. is one OF the new and strange In
constituencies of American politics. 1t is
an inconsistency 10 be compared with
the inconsistency OF many thousands
Of Americans who vote dry and live
wet"
"Mr. Ford would lose no sleep and no
money" says the Asheville Times I'm
dependent Democratic). however, IF
the tariff walls around his particular
industry should be razed over night.
Why Is this2 The answer Is that Henry
Ford has developed his industry to the
feet and look foreign competition IN the
eye without fear, What he has
done Mr.. Ford believes that other man
ufacturers could do. Would this doc
trine, applied. end In the destruction OF
the American high wage scale, with the
consequent decline OF American buying
power2 On the contrary. Mr., Ford
warned his British friends that low
wages are brakes on the growth OF in~
dustries"
III he shuns Ireland like plague
because Of her poor little. whimpering
import duties. which Ireland denies
having levied" the st, Louis Post-Dis-
patch independently asks, what might
not this yiruent free trader from De-
troit be- moved 10 do II some scandal
mongering foreigner should hand him
an unabridged edition of our Fordney~
MeCumbeF customs LAVE" The Louis
vile Courier journal independently re-
marks; mot always convincing, MIR
F'ord's discussion Of Free State duties IL
both a demonstration OF and an argus
ment against the hurtful effects Of pro-
lection and fetailhtory tariffs" That
paper also points out that "the leading
manufactures of pr0teGti0nist America
finds that protection Ia serious oh"
stacle 10 competition"
what bothefs Henry Ford" suspects
the Dayton Daily News independent
Democratiel, lis that European enin-
tries are now putting up bars 10 protect
their automobile manufacturers and
employees from the competition OF Henry
Ford and the 'pauper labor Of Detroit,
Europe Is determined to maintain a
European standard 0f living az against
The competition NJ American quantity
production Henry F0rds How times
and slogans do changel" The havnn-
nAh prsaA SpsmoeEAslsl apggssA lnas