Friday, November 18, 2005

Our Friend Henry Ford

Part 3 of this series on Anti-Semitism.

Mr. Ford had very strict ideas on how people should behave and took steps to make sure other people did as he wanted. In 1914 he instigated a profit sharing program in his auto plants called the 5 dollar a day program. Men who were over 22 years of age, had worked at the plant for more than 6 months and conducted their lives according to Ford's standards could qualify for an 8 hour work day and $5.00 per day in pay (instead of 9 hours and $2.34). He created a Sociological Department of 150 investigators and support staff to administer the program.

In 1915 Ford arranged a trip to Europe to visit various officials in an attempt to end World War I.

1919 Ford started a Newspaper known as the Dearborn Independent. It ran for 8 years, during that time Ford contributed several articles (though they may have been written by others) spelling out his own social theories and his firm belief that wherever there were problems in America, you would find the Jews. The paper also reprinted the Protocols of the Elders of Zion in 1927 and a four volume set entitled "The International Jew: The World's Foremost Problem". You could pick up a copy of the set at any Ford dealership.

Henry Ford was a big supporter of Nazi ideology. There is some evidence he may have provided the financial backing for some of Adolph Hitler's early political career but a Congressional Investigation in 1933 couldn't find any paper trail so the only evidence is anecdotal. He did, however assist Germany in the building of a factory that produced trucks and track vehicles (using forced labor) in 1938 and he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the German Eagle for his efforts, along with a personal congratulatory message from Adolph Hitler himself and a portrait of Ford was in Nazi headquarters in Munich.

In 1942 Ford wrote a letter denouncing Anti-Semitism and apologising for his earlier writings and statements but some believe it was a PR move and not a sincere statement.

He was adamantly anti-union (probably believed it to be a Jewish plot, per the Protocols) He hired an Ex-Navy boxer to be the head of the plant's security department. In 1937 union organizers and security personnel got into a big bloody brawl known as the Battle of the Overpass.

3 comments:

The Moody Minstrel said...

My Japanese wife owns and drives a Ford automobile. Granted, she's not a Jew, but she is a Jap married to a (more or less) WASP.

Henry, oh, Henry, what would you think of that?

Anonymous said...

Fix Or Repair Daily

The Moody Minstrel said...

That pretty much describes my wife's car after the warranty expired.

wfifwfwp - One of Don Martin's rejected sound effects.