Evening Star Newspaper, October 23, 1936, Page 4

T Py e - BODY OF GOUZENS | WILL LIEIN STATE Leaders Pay Tribute to Senator as Funeral Is Set for Monday. 8> the Assoclated Press. DETROIT, October 23.—The auto- motive capital moved today to pay public tribute to James Couzens, whose poor boy-to-millionaire career was ended by death late yesterday. Henry Ford, with whom Couzens Joined to produce a mdtor colossus, described the United States Senator today as a man “moved by a desire to see things right in order that he might do them right.” For four hours tomorrow Couzens' body will lie in state in Detroit’s City Hall, in the mayor’s office, which he occupied from 1918 to 1922 and which his son now holds. Black crepe and American flags will drape the front of the structure. Only a week ago the Senator, ill with a kidney malady that had trou- bled him for several years, left a hos- pital bed to appear on a platform beside the City Hall with President Roosevelt, whom he had crossed party lines to indorse for re-election. Ford Issues Comment. Ford, whose company produced the ‘wealth that made Couzens' personal fortune, issued the following comment today: “The much regretted death of Senator James Couzens closes an active and useful life. He was closely associated with me in the Ford Motor Co. for 13 years, and for 3 or 4 years longer, he remained as a stockholder ©of the company. “Mr. Couzens was of great help to us in the beginning of things. He developed political aspirations and in that field he found, I believe, con- siderable satisfaction. He was always a hard worker and a man of strong convictions, upright in his dealings, and moved by a desire to see things right in order that he might do them right. He was a congemal host and I always liked to be with him. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.” Couzens, after appearing with the campaigning President a week ago, returned to his hospital room. Died After Operation. ‘There he died at 4:30 p.m. yester- day, shortly after an emergency op- eration. The Ontario-born multi- millionaire, who had served in the Senate as a Republican since 1922, was 64 years old. Public funeral services will be held at 2 pm. Monday at the Couzens home in Bloomfleld Hills. Burial will be in the family mausoleum in Wood- lawn Cemetery. In Washington, Senate attaches said a committee of four Senators, headed by Senator Vandenberg, Re- publican, of Michigan, would be named to represent Congress at Sen- ator Couzens' funeral. Other mem- bers of the committee will be an- nounced late today or tomorrow. Speaker Bankhead named a com- mittee of four Michigan members to represent the House at Couzens’ fu- neral. They were George G. Sadowski and Prentiss M. Brown, Democrats, and Carl E. Mapes and Earl C. Michener, Republicéns. Senator Couzens entered politics After seeing an original $2,500 invest- ment with Henry Ford pyramid to millions. Although a Republican, he slienated himself from many party leaders by his persistent independence, and was defeated for renomination last month after giving an unqualified in- dorsement to President Roosevelt. Out for Roosevelt. In a statement typical of his man- ner, Couzens said then “the most im- portant matter confronting the Nation | 15 the re-election of President Roose- | velt. I intend to support him. The| outcome of my own candidacy for the Benate is neither important to the Na- | tion nor to me.” Philanthropies of the Senator amounted to millions of dollars, much | of it devoted to crippled children. His charitable bequests recently were esti- | mated at $25,000,000. Senator Couzens supported much of I the New Deal legislation in the last Congress, and when President Roose- velt visited Detroit a week ago insisted | on leaving the hospital to dine with the President and be with him at two appearances.for speeches. President Roosevelt, informed of his death, said: “In the death of Senator | Couzens the Senate of the United States and the people of Michigan and ! the Nation have lost a leader whose convictions were a part of the best that America aspires for and whose courage | was a match for his idealism.” | Couzens’ death came as a shock to his friends in Washington despite the recent reports of his serious illness, because of the frequency with which he had pulled through similar crises in the past. Senator Couzens was a “great Amer- — WHERE TO DINE. We take great pleasure in inviting you to the inauguration of our Saturday Afternoon Cocktail Hour from two-thirty to five p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, 1936 during which time we will announce all football scores coming to us over our direct wire, ‘Also from 9 P.M. to 12 Midnight we will have Music and Entertainment Foods and Beverages of all kinds served NO COVER CHARGE RUTY'S 524 Eleventh Street N.W., corner F in Moses Building . ROAST CHICKEN DINNER __ With Mrs. K.’s Wild Grape Jelly Pumpkin Pie OTHER DINNERS: Steaks—Chops— Leader Dies & SENATOR COUZENS. ican,” Secretary Ickes said in Wash- ington on his return from a campaign trip. . “In the death of Senator Couzens, the Nation has lost an outstanding statesman and a clear-thinking and able legislator, whose independence meant more to him than any gift within the power of the people. “What particularly impressed me about Senator Couzens was the fact that, although reputed to be the wealthiest man in the United States Senate, he never hesitated to place the welfare of his fellow Americans above his own personal interest. As-a Sen=- ator his voted his conscience and not his bank account. He was humane and generous, just and understanding.” Secretary Perkins sent the following telegram to Mrs. Couzens: “You and your family have my deepest sympathy. was an outstanding citizen and states- man and his death is a loss to the Nation which he served with such dis- tinction s a member of the United States Senate since 1922." Other comment included: Secretary Morgenthau—The passing of Senator Couzens came to me as a tremendous personal shock. He pos- sessed an independence and a breadth of vision that made him outstanding in the public life of hls day. His death will be a loss to his country, but his work and influence will long re- main, Administrator—The State of Michi- gan and the Nation have lost a great humanitarian in the death of Senator | Couzens. Surviving Couzens are his widow, | the former Margaret A. Manning of Detroit, whom he married August 31, 1898; a son, Mayor Frank Couzens of | Detroit; two daughters, Mrs. William R. Yaw and Mrs. W. Jeffries Chewning, and an adopted daughter, Betty Couzens. Another son, Homer, was killed in an automobile accident in 1914, Career Like Story Book. Senator Couzens, richest member of | theSenate, who started his business life as & news butcher on an On- tario accommodation train, leaves be- hind a story book career intertwined with the rise of that marvel of the industrial era, the Ford Motor Co. and colored by a ceaseless Mberalism. Serious, blunt-spoken, the most lavishly philanthropic member . Con- gress has ever known, Couzens, even after he entered the hospital for his last iliness, carried on his battle against privilege which long ago had put him well to the left in Republican councils. The erstwhile $40-a-month freight- yard car checker was catapulted to such financial success that he became Using S-W Enameloid is so fasci to spank her offspring for the sparkling color is long wearing solid—one coat! 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After readiog of President Roosevelt’s then embryo revenue pro- gram, Couzens, from a Detroit hos- pital, wrote La Follette: “Any wealthy man who faces the facts will realize that he cannot in- definitely continue to hold more than he can use of the Nation'’s wealth while others are crying for enough to support their familles decently. The country just won't stand for it.” He lived here in a luxurious home on Woodland drive with his wife and young daughter, Betty. He had an- other home in Detroit and a Summer place on the shores of Lake Michigan, but to the best of his ability he spent wisely and, as fast as possible, his accumulating wealth. Gave $25,000,000 in 15 Years. His gifts to charitable interests and public institutions during the last 15 years are said to have totaled $25,000,- 000. His principal interest was chil-| dren and their welfare, and in 1929 he created the $10,000,000 children's fund of Michigan, to “promote the health, welfare, happiness and devel- | opment of the children of the State of Michigan and elsewhere throughout the world.” This stormy petrel of the public world knew no party line. He was named police commissioner of Detroit by a Republican administration and elected mayor himself two years later on & Republican ticket. He ostensibly had been a Republican since he en- tered the Senate In 1922 to succeed Truman Newberry, but he had long | been a thorn in the side of the old-line G. O. P. led by Andrew W. Mellon and his followers, with whom Couzens had waged a long dispute. He was so well liked by President Roosevelt and the New Deal that he was selected by the White House as a member of the American delegation to the London Economic Conference of June, 1933, which ended without accomplishment. Was Born in Canada. James Couzens was born in' Chat- ham, Ontario, August 26, 1872, the son of James Joseph and Emma (Clift) Couzens. His father operated a soap factory and was mone too rich, 50, at the age of 16, after one year of | high school, he began to hawk his | magazines and candy on the Michi- gan Central trains running between Sarnia and Rondeau, Ontario. Two years later he turned ot Detroit | to seek his fortune, which he found | soon after. He spent five years as Ii car checker, went into the offices of the | Michigan Centrai and then took a job as a coalyard bookkeeper under A. Y. Malcomson. Malcomson was | the good angel in his life, for it was | | through him that Couzens snd Henry Ford were brought together. In later days, when the Government against the Ford stockholders, an early associate said of Couzens: | “It was due to his efforts that the work of him and Mr. Ford contributed to make a bigger success than would | have been possible had either gone on alone. Mr. Couzens gave the best part of his life to the company.” _ Given 50 Per Cent of Credit. Another associate said that 50 per | cent of the success of the Ford Co. | was because of the efforts of Mr. Couzens. This man added: “He was a hard-headed financial | manager, and his integrity and ability | were never questioned.” The industrial epic of Detroit, now & queen among American cities but inating, mother can't take time out jam he’s in. Enameloid’s bright, and 5o easy to apply. it covers ks—dries in four hours. It brings 49¢c value anly . . .29; ‘{one to a customer) | Utility Paint (S-W Roof & Bridge Paint) Handy for outdoor odd jobs. Bkl e et iz, $1 5] ¥ 1009, P:m Linseed Oil Soap o or eve i wen't cicespos s 1. 27: DYEB BROS., . St. N.W. Phone District 1130 PAINT HEA DQUARTERS had instituted ts $30,000,000-tax suit | company became a success. The team ||| then a small town devoted to manu- facturing buggies and farm imple- ments, begap in 1903 with the meet- ing of Ford and Couzens. Malcomson offered to advance Ford some capttal to start his third auto- motive adventure, but stipulated that he was to name a representative in the management. The man he picked was James Couzens, who by this time was runniug a coal yard for Malcom- son in Toledn. It was Couzen's duty to see that the $3,000 Malcomson hat promised to advance was not needless- ly dissipated. Couzens became secretary of the company, but to the men who worked in the plants he really was regarded as general marager. For 13 years he was the ousiness brains of the great- est of motor factories. Concern Success at Once. The company bounded into imme- diate financial success. In its first year it paid out $12,000 in dividends. Couzens originally purchased 25 shares at $100 a share, paying $1,000 in cash snd giving notes for the re- mainder. He later acquired 85 addi- tional shares and when a stock divi- dend of 1,900 per cent was declared he came into possession of a total of 2,180 shares. It has been held largely due to Couzen’s keen financial administra- tion that, up to the time the stock of the minority shareholders was taken over by Henry and Edsel Ford in 1919, total dividends paid out by the company amounted to $96,290,~ 385.96. That was 16 years after the company was organized. Couzens sold his 2,180 shares to the Fords, father and son, for $29,308.- 857.90—the original investment of $2,500 having increased to that sum. But he put more than money into making Henry Ford the most famous industrialist in the world's history, for hard work had turned his hair gray before he was 40. An interesting phase of the Couzens career was written in his own finan- cial affalis as they developed with the Ford Motor Co. When Mr. Couzens started as secretary of the company his salary was put at $200 a month. After Mr. Ford had pur- chased the Malcomson stock, in 1906, d | thus obtaining majority control, Mr. Couzens was made & director and treasurer to succeed Malcomson. A few months later Mr. Couzens wrote Mr. Ford asking for an increase in salary. “I think you are fully conversamt,” he wrote, “with the amount of work and responsibilities involved in my work, and particularly during the last year as well as the present time; also that -the compensation is not in ac- cordance with what others in lke positions in other compauies are re- ceiving. You sald I should receive $10,000 per annum and an amount on each car sold.” He asked 90 cents on every “Model N” sold, and $3 for every “K Model” delivered. His request was granted. A year later the salary was increased to $25,000 a year, and in January, 1908, stockholders voted to increase Ford's and Couzens’ salaries to $75,000 a year each. When Mr, Couzens left the company in 1915, following the dis- agreement with Mr. Ford, his salary was $150,000 a year. “I had disagreed with Mr. Ford's utterances on finance, unpreparedness and about everything else of late,” he was quoted as saying. “I was quite wiling to work with Mr. Ford, but not for him.” The split, though final, seemingly our Constitution? Bureau advice to . - 'OCTOBER 23, 1936. did not result inrany permanent bitter- ness. Left to himself following his resig- nation from the Ford company, Mr. Couzens found management of hir affairs together with his public ser- vice apparently sufficlent to occupy all his energies. He had establisheo & bank and was a director in many other enterprises. Mr, Couzens' first public office was that of street railway commissioner Later he became police commissioner and then mayor of Detroit. It was a3 street rallwsy commissioner that be conceived the thought of municipal ownership of the city’s sireet rallway system, and it was under his ad- ministration as mayor that the city finally took over the privately-owned traction system. Untll he hecame police commis- sioner, Mr. Couzens never had been in s police station. He even had to ask what & “handbook” was. Yet as police commissioner, he was respon- sible for the elimination of organized vice in Detroit. When in November, 1922, after Tru- man H. Newberry bad resigned from the Senate, Mr. Couzens was appointed to succeed him, it was over the protest of Detroit civic leaders who argued with. Gov. Alex J. Groesbeck that Mr. Couzens’ value to the city as mayor ‘was of paramount importance. In the Senate he soon brought down upon himself criticism from various quarters by coming out for modification of the Volstead act. To the storm of protest he replied with numerous :::echel advocating “old-fashioned r ‘Then followed the controversy with Secretary Mellon that brought sh: words on both sides. It eonum:z after Mr. Couzens was elected in 1924 to serve the full term, and probably This is Number 4 in the Washington Better Business Bureou'’s publicity series of meaningful thoughts gleaned from the decisions of eminent jurists and the works of inspired writers. “The Constitution of the United States does not secure to anyone the privilege of defrauding the public” So often, when brought to justice, schemers and swindlers make blatant protestations about their “Constitutional rights being violated.” What of they whose money, or time, or talents such persons have taken . . . have they no rights or protection under Our courts have held that they have, and have made their decisions according to the promptings of Justice. But even Justice and court action ofttimes comes too late. Au- thentic, authoritative information is available for your guidance BEFORE it is too late, if only you will follow the Better Business “Before You Invest, Investigate” $ The appearance of this publicity is evidence that this paper co-operates with the Better Business Bureau for The Better Business Bureau of Wash- ington, D. C., Inc., does not charge members of the public for the service it renders, your protection, Room 534 Better Business Bureau Evening Star Building MEET. ROBERT TAYLOR OFF THE SCREEN What kind ‘of ohap is this new Hollywood heart- breaker? Where does he come from; where did he jre that “way with the women”; how did he the grade in Hollywood? Robert Taylor has told all to “This Week’s” movie re| d Jim tells you all in “This 't miss it! ¥R < rter, 1m ‘eek” Sun-§ r ORDER YOUR SUNDAY PAPER NOW-~~TELEPHONE NATIONAL 5000 t had its final outburst in March, 1928, | $2,000.,000, and prom: more when Mr. Couzens introduced a reso- | need arose. Whan.hl:dlm. :‘fl‘:‘: lution in the Senate demanding Mr. | set off an explosion that wrecked the Mellon's resignation. The resolution | school house ot Bath, Mich. and was pigeon-holed. killed 44 children, Mr. Couzens Free-handed Couzens, cold of eye | promptly rebullt it at & cost of :nu‘?:flot beart, was one of the | $75,000. | donors to the Community | In the lobby of this house Chest in Washington. He gave hun-| had erected a statue .:nhox:. idea 2? dreds of thousands annually to or-|girlhood—the form of a smiling girl, l-v::mw ln: children’s hospitals | eloquent of happiness in her face and nurses’ homes. To the Chil- ture, holding a kit! dren’s Hospital of Michigan he gave E m . e G @%@& Out é[/vct o‘lmdvatmv ear RALEIGH HAS THE KNOX* HAT for YOU! %Knox hats, like men’s heads, are made in three types of ovals . . . Long, Wide and Regular . . . and again like men’s heads, Knox sizes step up, not by compromise eighths, but in exact sixteenths. 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