The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-02

er. following his release from the
Navy, began to make things hum.
His first major act was to re-
place the almost legendary Harry
H. Bennett, long known as Hen
ry Ford's man." Bennett followed
into retirement such figures as
Charles E. Sorensen, noted pro
duction genius; 80 years with
Ford; r: R, Rausch, also a pro-
duction expert; P. E. Martin, a
vice-president who joined Ford
soon after the company was form
ed; A. M. WHEEL, long time pur-
chasing agent; Laurence Shell
drick, chief engineer for many
years: William J. Cameron. for
two decades Ford spokesman
and others associated with the
earlier regime.
Because of the known sharp diff
ferences of opinion among some
of the old timers the upheaval
that saw many of them retired
was referred to at the time as a
''palace revolution"
It. often had been said of Ben
nett that when the elder Ford
wanted something done in a hur'
ry he had merely to remark thai
"somebody ought to do some
thing" about this or that and Ben
nett usually got it done overnight.
The personnel retired by young
Ford represented upwards of a
million dollars a year in Salaries.
It soon became evident, however,
that the reorganization was not
lust an economy move. He want
ed, he said, to regain for his COM
lpany the first place hono@s in
production and distribution which
it held for many years prior to
1880.
To help in this objective he has
created a highly efficient - and
high salariedA policy committee,
consisting of himself, his brother,
Benson Ford, and these vice-pres-
idents: Ernest R. Breech, exec
utive: H. l.. Moekle, in charge
of finances; Del S. Harder, opera
tons; John S. Bugas, industrial
relations; Lewis D. Crusoe. plan
ming and control; Albert j.
Browning, purchasing; Harold T.
Youngren, engineering; j. R. Da'
Wis, sales and advertising: NJ. l..
Bricker, manufacturing, and Will
liam T. Gossett, general counsel.
Industry quarters generally ex-
pect more vice-presidents to be
named, but with very decided re-
sponsibilities to the youthful presi-
dent, who once remarked that no
one man alone could handle the
tremendous job of directing the
Ford Motor Co.
Certainly, Benson Ford, a direc
tor as well as a policy committee
member. and another brother,
William. will have high posts in
the great empire Henry Ford
founded in 1903 with a paid-in cap
ital of only 500, coo.
Henry Ford II stands high in
the esteem of his fellow ear man
ufacturers, trade authorities and
the industry's chroniclers. All like
his willingness to talk frankly
about the problems facing the
Ford company and the automobile
industry in general.
They credit him with tremen-
dous progress in the short time
he has headed the big industrial
organization. Besides placing each
phase of its operations on a highly
efficient basis, they say, ne also
has set up an entirely new idea
of labor relationship between the
Ford management and its approx
imately 1O4, 900 hourly-rated work
ers.
One of his favorite assertions is
that mo wage is too high as long
as it is earned
Yet to be learned definitely are
the exact circumstances attending
the complete retirement Of tine ell
der Ford and the turning over OF
full authority to his grandson. Il
has been reorted, but without
confirmation, that the action was
taken at the insistence of the wild
ow of Edsel Ford.
Sometimes described now as
one of the most powerful figures
in the company, she is said to
have insisted upon the reorganiza
ton and demanded that her son
be president in fact as we'll as in
name. The stockholdings she con-
trolled and the possibility she
might put them up for sale are
said to have given weight to her
demands.
The younger Ford rarely holds
a press conference at which some
body does not ask about reports
that stock in the Ford company is
to be placed on public sale. Al
ways he denies them unequivocal-
ly.
What the vast change in the
ord organization is 10 achieve in
the production and merchandising
of motorcars is yet 70 be shown.
Plagued by strikes and materials
shortages Ford last year produced
slightly under three quarters OF a
million cars and trucks. In 194l
with the famed elder Ford still in
the saddle output totalled 1909
$50 units.