Letter to Henry Ford from the Wife of an Assembly Line Worker, 1914

Letter written to Henry Ford from the wife of an assembly line worker, January 23, 1914. The woman writes asking Henry Ford to investigate the situation on the assembly lines in the factories with regard to working conditions. She is angry about the treatment her husband receives on the job.

The complete text of the letter follows:

January 23, 1914

Please pardon the means I am taking of asking you for humanity's sake to investigate and to pardon my seeming rudeness but Mr. Ford I am the wife of one of the final assemblers in your institution and neither one of us want to be aggitators [sic] and thus do not want to say anything to make anyone else more aggrivated [sic] but Mr Ford you do not know the conditions in your factory. We are all sure or you would not allow it--

Are you aware that a man cannot 'Buck Nature' he has to go to the toilet and yet he is not allowed to go at his work-- He has to go before he gets there or after work. The chain system you have is a slave driver! My god! Mr. Ford-- Couldn't there be a man ready to step in and releive [sic] a man when Nature calls-- All it needs is a personal investigation on your part Mr. Ford of a couple of hours and I'm sure you wouldn't allow it.

Also when you are working-- working-- working & have to keep a it & yet don't feel well-- Have the grip-- as my husband has & instead of being home where he should be he is working would you stand for a foreman 'God daming' [sic] you to hurry-- slave driving you-- God's name should be used in reverence instead of curing these poor men. That $5 a day is a blessing-- a bigger one than you know but oh they earn it-- How much luckier you are that God has given you what he has instead of putting you in one of these men's places-- Please investigate and thank you Mr. Ford--

P.S. Could you please investigate this also. My husband is furnished with tools (special) & then its deducted from his wages--Then the tools with his overhauls [sic] are repeatedly stolen because they have no lockers. They have to just throw their overcoats & overhauls [sic] anyplace. Not even a place to hang them & his lunch in consequence has been stolen time and time again. Please