Evening star., 1942-06-14

output of gigantic bomber planes II
a factory of stupendous proportion.
built to accommodate the Job he
projected.
He Is Charles E. Sorensen, vice
president and manufacturing genius
of the Ford Motor Co.: the factory
from which huge four-engined aeria
battlecraft estimated to cost in ex-
cess of 100000 apiece are to roll
out on volume basis Is Willow Run
west of Detroit.
Henry Ford visualized Willow
Run; Sorensen laid it out in the rough
Tor the architects. Through nearly
40 years Of close association with the
noted industrialist he has been doing
exactly that. utilizing an amazing
capacity to put into actual practice
ideas that develop in the Ford mind
Miracle Accomplished.
The Sorensen influence in de-
velopment of the Ford empire is tc
be seen on all sides of the assembly
plants, the blast furnaces, the steel
mills, the forging departments ano
Ford factories scattered throughout
the world But nowhere is the evil
dence more tangible than at Will
low Run, where in just little more
than a year an industrial miracle
has been wrought.
A mile-long factory and an ad-
jacent landing field of equally gi-
nrnYnrttnr,c
brought into existence where but a
little more than a year ago was a
group of farms operated as one OF
the Ford boys camps.
Sorensen, who will be 81 years
old next September T. was born in
Copenhagen and was brought to the
United States by his parents wher
ne was 4. The family settled in Buff
!alo, where the younger Sorensen
went to public school and his father
became superintendent of a stove
factory.
Under his fathers direction, So
rensen learned all branches of the
foundry business, specializing in pat
tern work.
He came to Detroit in 1900 to work
In the plant of a firm of custom
foundry men. Here he undertook tc
make patterns for cars of Henry
Ford's early design.
Stands Closest to Ford.
Although through nearly four dec
ades he has been closer to the motor
magnate than any other individual
in the great Ford organization, he
invariably addresses him as "Mr
Ford"
To the Ford company Sorensen
brought and developed a passion for
casting Motor blocks, cam shafts
erankshafts, gears and scores of
other items that went into motor
and motorcar construction were cast
because Sorensen believed it was a
better way than forging. Moreover
1t reduced machining operations
many fold.
Sorensen, of slightly more than
average height, is broad shouldered
and possesses enormous capacity for
working.
Himself master worker, it has
been said that Sorensen has little
patience with half measures. Off,
setting this is the equally oft-heard
comment that where a worker con-
tinues to try earnestly and honestly
Sorensen always is ready to help him
even if the progress is slow.
The towing of the automobile
chassis on rope to prove that car
assembly operations could be timed
to the minute was characteristic of
Sorensen. AS patternmaker, he
wants to see what he is undertaking
Before he starts any sizable produc-
ton job he insists upon "mockup'
model.
Thus he has a wooden model oil
the giant 12-cylinder aircraft en-
gine he began experimenting with
some months ago. In his Office al
River Rouge are wooden models OF
q tank, of the Rouge plant and OF
the Willow Run factory itself-all
complete to the last detail.
Unless you can see a thing you
cannot simplify it." he asserts. AND
unless you can simplify it, it's q
fairly good sign that you cannot
make It,"
Supervises Millions.
It long has been a part of Soren-
sens Job in the Ford organization tc
supervise the expenditure of the
Ford millions each year for build
ings, materials and equipment, but
it's form of spending that differs
materially from the popular concep-
ton Of that practice.
Spending money" he says
sounds easy, because there are sc
many ways to lay out large sums
But spending the money in the Ford
Motor Co. way is not so simple
When I get it spent, the Ford Motor
Co. must still have it," Ford hold;
that the only right use for money
is to capitalize industry.
Many millions are being spent te
complete Willow Run, and the philos.
Ophy may not hold gOOQ IN tnat un-
dertaking. But when the spending
is completed productive results be-
yond anything any engineer coulo
have foreseen two years ago viii
have been achieved.
Sorensen is not speculating much
upon what is to happen in the post.
NOR reriod although he expresses
great sympathy for "the man who
has to write the peace" Right now
there is a production job" to be
done and Sorensen knows it.
And it may be that there is some.
thing symbolical in talking about
Willow Run and peace. Ford anc
Sorensen believed the war will be
won by the great bombers that car
do upward of 300 miles an hour anc
carry as much as four tons o
bombs.