THE GOSPEL OF HENRY FORD

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2666, 1 December 1923, Page 3

THE GOSPEL OF HENRY FORD

SERVICE AND EFFICIENCY. 5? Those who have read that remarkable book “My Life and Work by. Henry Ford,” and we have met many who have read it and recommended their friends to do likewise, must have been impressed with the conviction that here is a man with a message for his time. The work is advertised as “the book which converted Robert Blatchford from Socialism.” We do not quite accept that. The great English writer, Robert Blatchford, is one whom, like many' others, mistook wide human altruism for Socialism and only put aside the Socialist creed on realising that it is really a hard political partisan and dogmatic set of doctrines which do not work out in practice except largely in the way of class hatred, strife and much of destructive rather than constructive operation. Yet Blatchford comraends Ford’s work thus: “I am an old Socialist, and spent many years trying to find a way out of our industrial morass. Mr Ford has found a better way. His way is in closer touch with human nature, is more harmonious with the facts.” That certainly is very high praise from such a man. The questions arise: 'What is the better way Mr Blatchford refers to?” ‘What is the message Henry Ford has to deliver?”

The first chapter of his book is headed “what is the idea?” After careful reading we discover that the way is just the old but. ever new one of virile, personal initiative. Instead of looking to the collective machine in the form of some idealised political system, which is the wav; that Socialists have always gone, Henry Ford looks to the individual, personal, human being, just as he is, as the way and means to meet human wants, overcome human difficulties and bring about the better conditions we all hope for. though we fail to work out our hopes. Virife, intrepid, personal humanity, instead of waiting for a lucky stroke, dependence on some abstract system (like gamblers at- Monte Carlo) or reliance on an imaginary almighty political state such is the way which Blatchford rightly says is.“in closer touch with human nature and more harmonious with the facts of life.” The message delivered is that the two things that count in industry, and should count in all business, are service and efficiency.” Henry Ford’s gospel is “give service.” It is the same gospel as the Rotarian Clubs of America, Britain, and New Zealand are

carrying into the business world. In giving service let it be of' the best — efficiency and still greater efficiency all the time —this is the further JpftH of the message. In his works Ford has demonstrated that lmman beings may be. taken as they are. The charity which is destruction of character by inducing indolence so that it becomes twice cursed, doing harm to those who give and those who receive, can be out, right out, and service and independence secured for all. By scientific organising of administration the halt, the maimed, blind, deaf and crippled, can be fitted in, each to a service of economic value in industry of value to themselves and society. To serve the greatest number of hu-man-beings with the most efficient production and distribution of commodities should be the dynamic principle of all industry, trade and business of every kind. Where energies are directed in channels which hamper and dislocate the free flow of effective service to men, women and children, call it what you will, it is bad business, indeed it is not business at all. It can more rightly be called greed, selfishness, prejudice, stupidity 7 or other like term. The only reason for business at all is to serve human wants and where that fails business has ceased. This idea of service is undoubtedly the rock upon which we must build if we are to make good either for ourselves or others. There are those who are swayed by dreams —of the past and of the future —instead of grappling with the actualities of the present hour and day. Individuals who live and spend time, money and intellect to induce others to live a hundred years ago or a hundred years hence are a positive social nuisance, Henry Ford calls these reformers, we call them reactionaries and revolutionists. Ford says “both are nuisances” and we echo “right.” The man who calls himself a reformer wants' l to smash things; he is the sort of man who would tear up a whole shirt because the' collar button did not fit the buttonhole, it would never occur to him to enlarge the buttonhole. A reformer cannot keep his: seal at white beat in the presence of a fact, he must discard all facts.” There is also the other sort who say “why enlarge the buttonhole and wnar a collar, my grandfather wore no collar, why should I? Of these two classes we are fully cognisant. They are with us in this Dominion and exercise so much power that the people who ask for sane living are called upon to fight constantly against the forces of reaction and revolution,. The false lights of past and future "blind us to the truth that we live now and now is the time to order our affairs of living. Our industries, we know, cannot be carried on without capital and l_abour and all know that without production and distribution we " cannot live. Were all then imbued, with the idea of service should not the owners of capital be regardful of the interests of Labour —their partner —and those who control la-bour-power respect the other partner in the business of industry. The

conflicts of capital and labour are to some extent suicidal. What is wrong with our applied sociology is, we think, indicated in this book of Henry Ford. The weakness is that we lack the necessary courage to plaee service first. The general disposition is to put getting before giving. Workmen, guided largely by social theorists, want the services of capital but scarcely recognise capital’s right to exist, and employers want the services of labour but forget all too often, that labour is human with wants and aspirations calling for satisfaction. More oxless we all want to get before giving. Heni-y Ford’s gospel is that if our concentration is fixed on giving the fullest, widest, and best of service, wealth will come ixi retuni and life itself be enriched by the activities' engaged'in. This doctrine argues a union between the moral and economic law. Some will say it is good ethics but not safe business. Who shall say? The teacher in this instance seems to have applied his own doctrine with resultant material success. Some say it is luck, others that it is genius, whatever the cause it claims attention. The call to sei*ve first is certainly a good message for our time. In the present state pf the world’s affairs who shall say if this after all is not the gospel of social redemption, that instead of acquisition being the motive principle of our human activities, that with faith and courage we take the way of placing service ever first and steadily creating the most perfect efficiency of constructive means to the end of supplying all human needs. It is an idea all would do well to seriously consider.

(Contributed by the N.Z. Weifai’e League).