Biography of Henry Ford

        Henry Ford was one of the most brilliant entrepreneurs in 
creating the automobile assembly line, it was his controversial 
characteristics  and unorthodox approach towards administrating the 
Ford Motor Company which resulted in the conglomeration of one of the 
most successful corporations in the world.  At the turn of the century 
everything was booming!  The growth of the economy and stock market 
increased the job opportunities as well as morals.  As a result of 
this industrial revolution, out of the woodwork came a humble yet 
driven man, Henry Ford.  Between the five dollar/day plan, his 
policies on administrating the company, and his relations with his 
customers,  Ford was often presented as a suspicious character.  This 
controversial behavior epitomized the success of the company, it did 
not lead to his own downfall as many suspect.  The Anti-Semitic 
accusations, and the belief that Ford was taking advantage of his 
customers, were by  far overshadowed by his brilliance and strong hand 
in running his company.
        Of course, there were not always supporters of Henry Ford.  If 
fact, there were many critics, critics who believed that Henry Ford 
was so controversial that it prevented the potential of Fords from 
becoming greater than it is today.  By the mid twenties the Ford’s was 
already the worlds most successful automobile company, but their great 
reputation would soon decline.  Fords $5/day plan for all employees 
signified the overwhelming success of the company.  Many believed this 
success was short-lived with the new policies dealing with the workers 
which soon followed.  With the need to increase production and lower 
costs, in the mid 30’s Ford cut all Ford worker’s wages in half.  
Workers were expected to work faster, and harder.  Department heads 
were ordered to ban all talking and whistling while work was in 
progress.  All of this was a ploy by Ford to make sure he knew every 
move of his workers, he was very possessive.  Secondly, Ford began to 
fire older workers and hire younger workers.  His ideology was that 
the younger workers could work more productively and more efficiently. 
 Which in turn would send more money flowing into his pockets. What 
resulted was quite humorous in fact.  Black hair dye became a hot 
seller in the Detroit area .  Older workers tried to disguise their 
age by dying their hair black.  Ford’s manipulation of his workers was 
immoral and unjust.  There was no industrial democracy, workers were 
forced to do what they were told or would be out of a job.
        Henry Ford’s controversial behavior reflected badly on himself 
and on the Ford Motor Company.  The Anti-Semitic views expressed by 
Henry Ford could never be denied.  It was common knowledge in fact 
that Henry Ford was prejudice.  He wrote an article in the Dearborn 
Independent expressing his ideas that Jews were the cause of many 
peoples problems.  Henry Ford was sued by a man by the name Aaron 
Sapiro in the early 1930’s.  Sapiro had evidence that Ford threatened 
himself with Anti-Semitic sentiments.  Ford was recorded as saying, 
“Sapiro is a shrewd little Jew.  The bible says Jews will return to 
Palestine, but they want to get all the money out of America first.  
Sapiro should be kicked out because he is trash..”   The result of the 
trial was humiliation for the Ford company and Henry Ford himself.  
After a hung jury in the first trial, the case was dropped when Ford 
wrote a lengthy retraction and apologized for his statements.  Ford’s 
was declining in profits and production among the  worlds best.  All 
as a result of Henry Ford’s ego.  Thus, by 1931 Ford lowered in the 
ranks, controlling only 28% of the market 2nd to GM with 31%.
        Henry Ford was the godfather of the automobile industry in the 
early 1900’s.  The development of his River Rouge plant was considered 
a “industrial
Cathedral.”   Hundreds waited month after month in front of the 
employment building hoping to be hired.  To foreign immigrants it 
meant hope and a successful future.  The River Rouge plant employed 
over 50,000 employees.  Pols, Lithuanians, Germans, almost every 
western Europe country could be represented at the Ford Plant.  Like a 
father Henry Ford began educational programs, teaching his illiterate 
employees how to read English.  Company picnics, and dinners were all 
part of Ford’s policies that were so unusual, yet so brilliant at that 
time.
        Of the most controversial actions of Ford was his hiring of 
criminals.  In fact it was said that, “thousands of former criminals 
were taken on the Fords payroll over the course of the years, all at 
Mr. Fords Requests.”   Not only was this a highly questionnable 
decision, but it startled everyone.  It was odd, especially when there 
was such a demand to work at Fords.  Why would Henry Ford want to take 
the risk of hiring potentially dangerous felons?  Nobody would be able 
to answer this question better than Ford’s right hand man Harry 
Bennett.  Bennett has said that Henry Ford was very sympathetic 
towards criminals, even that he would try and, in a sense, 
rehabilitate them.  Not only did the new workers please Henry Ford, 
but they also helped the company itself.  Ford’s controversial new 
policy of hiring criminals not only surprised the River Rouge workers, 
but it swept across the nation.  Many news articles were printed 
concerning Ford’s policies.  In effect Ford was receiving  free 
advertising.  Whether it was his intent or not, Ford’s ideas, 
sometimes eccentric helped market the company for the good.
        In 1914 Henry Ford hired John R. Lee to update the companies 
labor policies. $5/day was to be split into half wages and half 
profits.  Ford employees would only receive profits when they met 
specific ezdards of efficiency and were cleared by the sociology 
department. 
        On January 5, 1914 Henry Ford’s  announcement of the 
incredible $5 dollar/day plan swept the newspapers across the nation. 
The Detroit Journal announced, The surprise of the labor leaders and 
the consternation of manufacturers,, Henry Ford announced on Jan 5, 
1914 that a minimum wage of $5 dollars/day would be instituted 
immediately in the Ford plants, along with a profit sharing plan for 
all male employees. 
        Not only did Henry Fords new deal shock the nation, it  sent a 
tremendous number of workers to Detroit.  For the next ten years 
people would do anything to become a worker of one of Henry Ford’s 
plants.  It was unheard of to be offered $5/day by any automobile 
company.  In fact the average salary for most was a mere $2.50/day at 
GM and Chryslers.   But Henry Ford’s $5/day plan was truly an 
illusion, it allowed for greater control of his workers.  It was said 
that “The 5 dollar/day plan was an important early attempt at 
implementing a corporate welfare program.”  Ford wanted to see his 
company prosper, his employees were a part of this company.
        The development of the Sociology department would allow Henry 
Ford to exploit his employees private lives.  “Employees were advised 
by investigators on how to live in order to receive his/hers share of 
the profits.”   The result of this was a tight knit community with no 
corruption.  This department also monitored the daily happenings in 
the plant.  In fact, the department had over 1000 informers who would 
notify the department if any stealing or illegal plans were taking 
place.  Social workers conducted extensive interviews on subjects 
ranging from household finances to sexual patterns.  It was stated at 
that time that, the intrusion into workers lives, in the minds of Ford 
officials, was a small price to pay for increased wages, efficiency, 
production, and in the end profits for the Ford Motor Company.  
        Many felt that this socialist system was infringing upon the 
democratic rights of the workers specifically the right to privacy.  
Observers claimed that workers were forced to act like robots in order 
to keep their jobs, but this was not the case.  Henry Ford created the 
stability and order that any corporation needed to succeed in the 
early 20th century. Some may say that Ford was a sort of father to the 
workers he employed.  After all, a father is always harshest to the 
ones he cares for most.  And that was what Henry Ford was.   
        The financial success was extraordinary.  By 1914 Ford’s had 
over 600 cars daily rolling off the assembly line.  Between 1914 and 
1921 earnings soared from 25 million to 78 million.   All of Ford’s 
effort’s and expectations came to a pinnacle when, “at the close of 
1923 there were 6,221 passengers cars in the city of Detroit, one for 
every 6.1 persons.  Of these 6,221 cars, 41% were Fords.” 
        Henry Ford was not a greedy man, his sometimes unorthodox 
behavior  and policies epitomized the success of the company.  
Throughout the depression he offered a sense of hope for his 
employees.  By offering jobs to outcasts he became very controversial, 
but he had reasons.  Ford wanted his workers to be moral citizens, 
people that could offer The Ford Motor Company  loyalty, leadership, 
and trust.  A result of this was the financial success of the company. 
 Henry Ford knew what he had to do in order to accomplish his goals.  
Ford knew he might not always be accepted in the community, he also 
knew that this was the risk he had to take. It was all clear when he 
said,” We’re going to expand this company, and you will see it grow by 
leaps and bounds.”   How amazing that his prophecy has came true!

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Bibliography


American Decades 1910-1919 New York: Gale Research Co., 1996.
A contemporary survey on the backround of Henry Ford, and the Ford 
Motor Company.

Collier, Peter.  An American Epic.   New York: Summit Books Co.,1987.
A chronological study of the political and financial success of the 
Ford family.

Lacey, Robert.  Ford, The Men And The Machine.  New York: Ballantine 
Books Co., 1986. A more personal study of the Ford family and the 
contraversy surrounding the success of the Ford Motor Company.

Marcus, Paul: Ford: We Never Called Him Henry.  New York: Tom Doherty 
Associates Co., 1951, 1987. A primary piece of literature related by 
Harry Bennett offering personal insights in the life of Henry Ford, 
including conspiracy and controversy.

Primary Source
“The Annals of America.” New York: Encyclopedia Britannica. Co., 1976.
A primary source referring to the financial success of the Ford Motor 
Company as well as the financial policies administered.

Video
“The Great Depression” (no other info available)An interesting 
presentation offered by past employees of the Ford Motor Company 
re-telling the triumphs and demise of the Ford Motor Company.