Evening star., 1932-02-11
BY JAMES sWEINHART.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
DETROIT, February II N.A.N.A).-
Whats Henry Ford going to do?"
The automobile world has been asking
that since the Spring Of 1890. when the
industrial paralysis Of the world de-
preston began to be felt seriously.
Here's the answer:
i. As Mr.. Ford's major offering for
the season now opening he is building
new model with a new eight-cyhnoer
V-shaped motor.
2. He will continue building four
cylinder cars, an improved model "A.
3. Both V-Gs and model A As VIII
have roomier bodies Of wholly new de-
sign, longer wheelbase, lower-hung
chassis and heavier frsme than have
yet appeared in Ford models;
4 The cost OF the 10 models to De
produced will continue in the low-price
S. The chassis is so built that eight
and -four" engines. may be inter-
changed at will.
Showing in March.
6. Production will start some time
this month, with the first public show
ing early In March. t-.
The question no longer Is what Ford
is going to do''-hes doing 1t now. on
a mighty and rapidly increasing scale.
A new pulse beats through the vast
Ford organization-it's everywhere evi.
dent. in the laboratories, the works and
the shops.
Henry Ford has again become the
direct-driving, supervising, creative
force behind the engineering undertak-
ings Of the Ford Motor Co.
He, personally, is making the supreme
effort of his career Ito produce" as ne
expressed it today, what these new
times reQuire"-the most advanced form
Of transportation, at the lowest cost
buyers ever encompassed by the plans
Of any one motor manufacturer.
The Birthday Of Edison.
And it may be that the date Of Mr.
Fords big uncement-February II
has sentimental significance. For
that is the birthday anniversary OF
Thomas A. Edison, whom Mr. Ford Sc
admired and loved.
This sudden, tense atmosphere OF big
things afoot-I asked Mr.. Ford about
it. He had come into a laboratory Of
fee to sit for a moment while some
thing was got ready for his eye or hand
in the workshops. He was smiling
alertly active, mentally and physically
looking "fit as a fiddle" He disposed
Of my question with a wave OF his
hand.
"Oh! That's nothing" he said, I've
just got back my old determination
That's all"
ITO do what?" I asked.
ITO get the price of an automobile
down to where the public can buy. The
public will always come half way to
meet q man who does his part to meet
the public's demands. I've always found
it so"
Mr.. Ford moved his chair around
one foot on the edge Of the desk, went
on.
You know" he said, "the public has
suffered lot. Everything We do now
must take into account the peoples
pocketbock. We developed a corking
good four and we're all ready to let
it go, but we found it was not the new
effort the public IS expecting. That's
why we're bringing out the eight now.
The Public's Pocketbook.
you see, the public has its part in
these matters. 1t instinctively knows
when the time is ripe for something
new. And even after the industry has
produced its best design and developed
its best manufacturing method, that
amounts to only about 80 per cent ol
the completed Job. The public con-
tributes the remaining 10 per cent in
its actual use of the car in road ex-
perience. Now the public has suffered
a lot and has been very patient. 1t
deserves a lot from the manufacturer
From now on the public's pocketbook
sits in at every conference.
An here's something I wish you'd
make pretty strong. It's for the raw
material supply men. If American
manufacturers do their utmost to start
the wheels Of industry, and the ma
terial men begin to raise prices, the
whole effort may be throttled. In times
like these every one has to take some
risk, make some sacrifice, and even be
willing for time to do business with
out profit to start the normal processes
Of industry and business again"
That was Mr.. Fords way Of dispos-
ing of a titanic situation. The hrst
engines Mr.. Ford ever made had only
two cylinders. Then he made -four. u
The foundation of his world wide in
dustry was the success Of the old model
T -four" The evolution Of his "V-type
eight" now, is not to Mr.. Ford the
epochal event it may seem to others.
To him it's just another form Of his
old ideal.
1t occurred to me he might regret
abandoning the -four" model. said so.
Two "Fours" Put Together.
But we're not abandoning the
-four" Mr. Ford answered, either in
principle or production. We're going
right on making fours' for all who
want them-and the eight why that s
just two 'fours' put together"
The idea Of building an eight" has
been in Mr.. Fords mind a long time,
but it must have been q great event
throughout the company plants the
day Mr.. Ford, personally and alone,
decided to bring out an eight"
I remember seeing in the Summer
of 1921 an "8" working on the testing
block in the experimental room OF
the old tractor plant On the floor
nearby. idle, was "a" On a pedestal
not far away was an x-shaped "a
All were multiples OF the basic -
And when in 1927 model T was aban-
doned and the model A brought out,
1t, loo, was a -four" But 1t did not
appear until the results of renewed and
extensive experimentation and testing
with an ''8" had been laid aside.
During late 1880 and early in 1881
experimentation with the 's" again
went forward. The work was done In