PAOE TEN
BEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD. OREGON. SUNDAY. OCTOBER 30. 1938.
The Fords Tell Their Plans
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Henry an J EJscl Ford, oh the occasion of the tftb anniversary of the founding of the ford Motor Company, June 16, 195S
for 1939
If WE KNEW anything better we could do for the country
than make good motor cars, we would do it.
By every one doing his best in the job he thinks most use
ful, this country is going to regain its momentum. We have
tried to do our best in our job.
When business was suddenly halted in its recover)' more than
4. year ago, we determined that we should keep going anyway, if
not at full-volume motor car production, then at getting ready
for greater mptor car values that would help future production.
EXPANDING TOR THE FUTURE
We began to build 34 million dollars' worth of new plants and
equipment. We felt that if we could not employ all our men
building motor cars, we would employ as many as we could
building better production facilities.
We were told, of course, that this was no time for expan
sion, that a wiser business policy would be to "hold everything"
which means, stop everything. But no one ever got anywhere
standing still.
Besides, we are not defeatists. We do not believe this country
has seen its best days. We believe this country is yet in the
infancy of its growth. We believe that every . atom of faith
invested in our Country and our People will be amply justified
by the future. We believe America is just beginning. Never yet
have our People seen real Prosperity. Never yet have we seen
adequate Production. But we shall see it! That is the assurance
in which we have built.
Business is not just coming back. It will have to be brought
back. That is now becoming well understood in this country;
for that reason 1939 w'ill be a co-operative year. Manufacturers,
sellers and buyers will co-operate to bring back the business that
is waiting to be brought back.
This construction program is almost completed. It has
increased activity and payrolls in a number of related indus
tries. It has given us better facilities for building better cars and
trucks, and eventually our new tractor which is being perfected.
THIS MEANS MORE VALUE
The current program has provided a new tire plant, which
will turn out a part of our tire requirements ... a new tool
and die plant that will help us cut the cost of dies . . . and a
steel-press plant that will enable us to make more of our own
automobile bodies. These are in addition to the plants we
already had for producing glass, iron, steel, plastics, and
many other things.
We don't supply all our own needs, of course, and never
expect to. The Ford engine is one thing that no one's hand
touches but ours. Of nearly everything else we use we build
some quantity ourselves, to find, if possible, better and
mo.rc economical ways of doing it. The experience and knowl
edge we gain arc freely shared with our suppliers, and with
other industries.
We take no profit on anything we make for ourselves and
sell to ourselves. Every operation, from the Ford ships which
first bring iron ore to the Rouge, is figured at accurate
cost. The only profit is on the finished result the car or truck
as it comes off the line. Some years, there is no profit for us.
But we see to it that our customers always profit. A basic
article of our business creed is that no sale is economically
constructive unless it profits the buyer as much as or more
than the seller.
Our new plants have helped us build more value into all
our cars for 1939. That means more profit on the purchase
to the purchaser.
We have not cut quality to reduce costs.
We simply will not build anything inferior.
NEW TESTING EQUIPMENT
While we were putting up new plants to produce cars, we
constructed new equipment to test them. The first weather
tunnel of its kind ever built for automobile research went into
operation at our laboratories this year.
It makes any kind of weather to order.' The weather it
delivers every day would take months to find : 1 Nature.
Our cars arc weather-tested to give you good service in any
climate anywhere.
In other tests, every part of the car is punished unmerci
fully. Then our engineers tear it down to see if they can find
abnormal wear or any sign of weakness.
The money we spend on tests saves you money on repairs.
And your family car is safer and more dependable when we
put it in your hands.
THE NEW CARS
We have two new Ford cars for 1939 better cars and better
looking but we also have an entirely new car.
It's called the Mercury 8. It fits into our line between the
De Luxe Ford and the Lincoln-Zephyr. It is larger than the
Ford, with 116-inch whcelbase, hydraulic brakes, and a new
95-horsepower V-type 8-cylinder engine.
We know that our 1939 cars are cars of good quality. We
think they're fine values in their price classes.
With new cars, new plants, new equipment, (be whole Ford
organization is geared to go forward.
FORD MOTOR COMPANY, DEARBORN, MICHIGAN