Evening star., 1936-10-23

a co.defendant in q Federal Govern
nent suit to collect $30.85l .659.52 In
back taxes from him and other minor
ity stockholders OF the Ford Co.
Favored High Taxes On Rich.
The Government was unable to
collect in this instance, but the
Croesus of the Senate has ever been
in favor of high taxes on great wealth
On June "a of this year he urged
Senator La Toilette. almost q twin
with Couzens in political thought. to
offer an excess profits tax on corpora
tions. After reading Of President
Roosevelt's then embryo revenue pro-
gram, Couzens, from a Detroit hos
pital. wrote La Toilette:
"Any wealthy man who faces the
facts will realize that he cannot in
definitely continue to hold more than
he can use of the Nations wealth
while others are crying for enough to
support their families decently. The
country just won't stand for It."
He lived here in luxurious home
on Woodland drive with his wife and
young daughter, Betty. He had an
other home in Detroit and Summer
place on the shores of Lake Michigan,
but to the best of his ability he spent
wisely and. as fast as possible, his
accumulating wealth.
Gave $25,000.000 in Is Years.
His gifts to charitable interests and
public institutions during the last IS
years are said to have totaled $25,000,-
900. His principal interest was chill
dren and their welfare, and in 1929
he created the $l0,000,000 childrens
fund of Michigan, to promote the
health, welfare, happiness and devel-
opment of the children Of the State
of Michigan and elsewhere throughout
the world"
This stormy petrol Of the public
world knew no party line. He was
named police commissioner Of Detroit
by q Republican administration and
elected mayor himself two years later
on Republican ticket. He ostensibly
had been q Republican since he en-
tered the Senate in 1922 to succeed
Truman Newberry, but he had long
been a thorn in the side Of the old-line
G. o. P. led by Andrew w. Mellon and
his followers, with whom Couzens had
waged long dispute.
He was SO well liked by President
Roosevelt and the New Deal that he
was selected by the White House as
member of the American delegation
to the London Economic Conference
of June, 1888, which ended without
accomplishment.
Was Born in Canada.
James Couzens was born in Chat
ham, Ontario, August 26, 1872, the
son Of James Joseph and Emma
(Clift) Couzens. His father operated
a soap factory and was none too rich,
so, at the age Of l6, after one year OF
high school, he began to hawk his
magazines and candy on the Michi-
gan Central trains running between
Sarnia and Rondeau. Ontario.
Two years later he turned OF Detroit
to seek his fortune, which he found
soon after. He spent five years as q
car checker, went into the Offices Of the
Michigan Central and then took a
job as a coalyard bookkeeper under
A. Y. Malcomson. Malcomson was
the good angel in his life. for it was
through him that Couzens and Henry
Ford were brought together.
In later days. when the Government
had instituted its $4,000. .000-tax suit
against the Ford stockholders. an early
associate said Of Couzens:
TT was due to his efforts that the
company became a success. The team
work of him and Mr. Ford contributed
to make bigger success than would
have been possible had either gone on
alone. Mr.. Couzens gave the best
part Of his life to the company"
+ Given 50 Per Cent Of Credit.
I Another associate said that so per
cent of the success of the Ford Co.
| was because of the efforts OF Mr..
] Couzens. This man added:
HE was a hard-headed financial
manager, and his integrity and ability
were never questioned"
The industrial. epic Of Detroit. now
q queen among American cities but