The Wilmington morning star., 1947-04-09
Henry Ford

keteers," and in sooth they were not
dissimilar to Dumas tabled trio in the
closeness of their friendship and asso-
citation. But their activities had nothing
to do with fighting. Instead their
whole thought was to do something -
something more - to improve the
state of the world.
It would take volumes to tell the
whole story of this friendship and its
accomplishments. Suffice for now to
note that the last has answered the
final call.
Henry Ford is dead.
Ford, Edison, Firestone all old
men and well beyond the temporal and
financial cares that infest the days
of most of us, but always busy plan
ming industrial developments for the
better success and more comfortable
living of humanity - all are dead.
How great a loss the world has sui.
fered may not be appraised. All that
we may be sure of is that their own
success brought easement Of the wor-
ries of many persons throughout the
world. To paraphrase Lowell's fine
lines inscribed on the walls of the
Library of Congress: GAS one star
lights another, nor grows less, so sue
ces enkindleth success"
Now Ford has Joined Edison and
Firestone. The third grave is opened
and soon will be sealed. He will be
known, we believe, as the father of
mass production which revolutionized
the automotive world and set a new
standard for industry generally.
Of a mechanical turn of mind from
boyhood, he deserted his fathers farm
and found a job at the munificent
wage of $3.50 a week in a Detroit ma
chine shop. Casting about in his fer
tile mind for an outlet for his energies
and administrative capabilities, al
ready budding, he first thought to
start a watch factory, chiefly, we may
imagine, because as a boy he had torn
a watch down and put it together again
SO that it would keep time accurate
ly. But when he discovered the volume
of Ingersoll sales he concluded there
was no chance for him with his few
pennies Of capital. 1t was then, after
he had left the machine shop and had
gone to work for the Edison Illumi-
mating Company, hat he helped organ
ize the Detroit Automobile Company
which finally became the Cadillac Au-
tomobile Company, and began to think
Of production in terms of thousands
instead Of tens, and was rebuffed by
his associates.
In 1893 he produced his first "horse-
less carriage" a spindling thing
with bicycle wheels. By 1902, after
building and racing cars of his own. he
was ready to form the Ford Company.
In his first year he turned out 1,7O8
cars. In 1908 he became famous. and
rich, with his model T. It was this
car, which came from the assembly
line in unprecedented numbers and
sold at prices within the incomes of
just plain people, that actually caus-
ed a revolution in industrial process
es.
In two decades he had produced
fifteen million Model rs and scared
wall Street out of a years sleep. The
%tlnanciers could not have an interloper
In their midst. But here too he was as
successful as in production, enjoying
the rare distinction Of beating Wall
Street at it's own game. When World
War II came along he had already
manufactured thirty-one million cars
and trucks.
In the coming days much will be
written of Ford's Peace Mission dur
ing the First World War, of his propos-
al to operate Muscle Shoals, of his offer
to manufacture an unheard of number
of war planes when this nation faced
certain involvement in the Second
World War, of his restoration of Dear
born, his efforts to perpetuate early
American customs, including dances
and the music of them, of the vast
amounts of money he spent on SYM
phony concerts over the radio.
Rut the hast atnrinc To he ~exnectad