The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-04-20
DO MACHINES MAKE JOBS?

The question captioning this article IS
asked by w. j. Cameron of the Ford Motor
Company, in discussing a subject which
has been written about and talked about
i'm late years by those who have argued on
one side or the other of the economic prob
lem as to the general effects of this ma
chine age OH the condition of the people of
this country and the world.
The value of machine production has
been approved and praised by many and
criticised and condemned by others. Long
arguments have been advanced to sustain
both positions. Mr.. Cameron's statement
of the case is reasonably brief and is con-
crete example of the practical application
of machine production and the general re-
suits which have followed in nearly all
eases in this countrys experience in indus
trial production under modern conditions.
Mr.. Cameron takes and defends the view
that industrial machinery creates employ
ment, that it makes jobs, and that 1t en-
ables manufacturers to produce and mar
ket commodities at prices which place
them within reach of the purchasing power
of millions of people; whereas, under the
conditions of hand production, costs and
selling prices would average so high that
only a fraction of the population Of the
nation could afford to buy products which
are now most widely distributed. These
have ceased to be classed as luxuries and
are known as necessities even among
groups of citizens with low income. The
wonders of modern inventions and produc-
ton methods have made possible such
prices for the products Of American fac
tories as are. indicated in the story Mr..
Cameron tells of the manufacture of auto
mobiles.
Believing Mr.. CamerOn'S article is Of un-
usual value as presentation of this view
of national industry, and that no other per-
son has succeeded in putting the case as
briefly and impressively, this newspaper
gives space here to his answer to the ques-
ton, do Machines Make Jobs?":
Recently an eminent British scientist advised
q mortarium on invention; society, he thinks, is
lnVentlng itself into unemployment and other
difficulties. One Of our Congressman has intro
dueed . bill to prohibit labor-saving and labor
serving machinery. Another Congressman urges
that machines be heavily taxed to discourage
their use. To expose the absurdity of such ideas
they should be applied first to the two most COM
, mon Of our inventions and machines-the wheel
/. harrow and the clock.
At Dearborn We are working on an exhibit for
the New York Worlds Fair next year to visual
ne this ancient controversy between hand work
\ hair
ment. A very simple object has been chosen for
The illustratiOn-the inner shell Of the hubcap of
Ford car. This article, made by machinery
costs characterization cents. But the dies to
shape 1t cost $l3328, and the automatic press
To stamp 1t costs $50, 77O--a machine costing
S44,USS TO make l2-cent article. That is mere.
~ the cost OF the press, it does not include the
cost ol the factory space to house it, of gener-
atihS the power to operate it, expert service
ana requirements TO maintain it, To pound out
that inner shell by hand would cost only $24 for
tools So, in the Ford exhibit, an expert hand
worker will be installed and press will be in
stalled beside him that will turn out 2l6O of
these shells in the time it takes him TO make one
The machine method and the hand method will
thus appear in dramatic contrast Those who
view the exhibit will naturally think of the eff
feet Of machinery employment And that is
the intention. What is the answer?
The hrst part of the answer is that machinery
begins to create employment before ever it goes
INTO production. Take this press. Divide its price
by Il days wage of, say, $7-for every dollar of
material cost is ultimately reducble TO someone's
work At this rate the press and dies represent
''"oo days work, which, at five days week, SO
: weeks year, amounts to "a years, two months
! and two weeks of work. You may divide that
:: amongst as many men you please but total