Machine Master Or Slave (1941, sound)

the America is busy now factories hum and millions of men formerly idle now work night and day on tanks airplanes defense orders but what about tomorrow tomorrow when the defense emergency is over can we keep these men employed making Goods people need for living new labor saving machines will be invented must they again throw out of work or can we use the new machines to make more Goods more jobs [Music] hey Tom I just heard a rumor there's going to be a layoff think there's anything in it we've heard that kind of talk before don't think pay any attention to it we've been here for 4 years now we ought to be good for another four years at least I sure hope so comes the L looks worried I'm as much concerned over laying the men off as you are bars but I don't see how we can avoid it I hate to break the news some of these men have been with us for 10 years and more going to be awfully hard on them and their families but this decision wasn't reached overnight the Ford's been discussing it for months we have finally decided to put in in the new labor saving Machinery costs will be lower and production greater that will be good news for the stockholders if it works but there Still Remains the question of the men by the way how many men are there in Department 5 64 64 but I'm sorry to give you these instructions bonds but the Machinery will be ordered it will be delivered next week and that means a man in umire will have to go I'm sorry I Told You So [Music] Tom highp speed Machinery goes in but men like you and me go out yes machines come in and men go out everywhere the same story these Hing Wheels spinning faster ever faster a mighty Crescendo of production they typify a constantly changing industry an industry that ever seeks to do its appointed work cheaper and quicker and [Music] better [Music] he [Music] you sent for me Mr farmer oh yes Colby I'm Glad You Came that will be all miss Warren something I want to show you look at those goods piled up over there you know I'm worried let's go back to the office and talk this thing over uh we've got to do something I'm worried here we are we've got the new machines and they doing even better than we expected they've not only cut production costs but they've increased output over 50% but we're not selling this additional product inventories are piling up now what are we going to do about it it seems to me we've got to change our plan completely the trouble is we've always cated to a fairly small class of customers at a good price sales have come pretty steadily and fairly easily now that we're increasing production we've got to put on more pressure work the territory more intensively you mean uh more advertising an increased sales force additional dealers yes start an aggressive selling campaign right away tell the people more about the advantages of our product use Billboards magazines radio sell the dealers on the plan in advance and have them well stock that will relieve our inventories and get the goods into the hands of the consumers well I'm not sure the plan will work but it's worth trying I'll take it up with the executive committee tomorrow meanwhile suppose you work out a rough estimate of the cost of the campaign and let me have it tomorrow I'll do that have a busy day there so so did you have any luck today Tom same old story all over again no jobs no luck well never mind honey you'll get a break soon Alice there's something I want to talk to you about the streets of this city to iine know every building by heart hey there just aren't any jobs to be had it's the same story everywhere new machines highspeed production fewer jobs and 10 men for every job that can be had you're just tired dear please let me finish Alice about a week ago I wrote to cousin Martin I told him what we were up against so I asked him if he could possibly find a place for us on is far well I got an answer today he wants us to come out and live with him he says I can be of some help to him and he's sure that Jane could find a lot of work for you to do we can go right away but the campaign advocated by the sales manager fails the great middle class he sought to reach cannot buy at prevailing prices people stop at Windows look and pass by yes the campaign failed it failed in the city and in the country too let's look in at a typical Country Store anything wrong with a bill Martin no no it's just just a bit higher than I thought that's all there I guess I guess that'll take care of it all right that's right thank you Martin how about taking home that gas engine you want it don't you sure sure there's a lot of things around here we could use but price is still too high that's one of the things I guess we'll have to do without for a little while longer well it'll be here when you're ready all right goodbye goodbye well it comes right to this gentlemen we have made a large investment in labor saving machinery is giving us a bigger output at a large saving in labor costs the sales campaign was well enough done I'm sure of that our advertisements are appearing everywhere and our Salesforce is on the job but the fact is we are not selling the additional output the new machines are giving us our inventories are mounting and that cannot continue long if we are to remain solvent the truth is I guess that the people just can't afford to buy they can't afford to pay our price there's only one thing to do now as I see it and that is to reduce our price this would I believe give us a larger market and bring us many new customers who can use our product but who cannot afford to buy it now that doesn't always work I'm also a director in a food company and I know very well that a lower price doesn't always sell more food it will reduce your price anyway Bill a lower price on some things helps the people to buy other things and that helps the rest of us maybe but it doesn't help our food company well now let's see even if the price reduction plan did work it would reduce our profits drastically and make it more difficult to pay a fair dividend wouldn't it not necessarily a profit on each article would be less of course but if we succeed in expanding our Market efficiently we might sell so many more articles the total profit would not suffer in fact if the plan worked out real well we might even have to buy more machines and re-employ the men who were laid off because of new equipment total profits might then be greater I'm afraid of it price reduction is dangerous you can reduce prices easily enough but you can't get them back again to the old level if you have to at the same time I do think the key to the problem is to expand our Market in my opinion though that will only happen when we get a little more prosperity and wages go up all over the country then most everybody could afford to buy our product Why not start the ball rolling by raising wages in our own PL right now why bring that up again it wouldn't be a drop in the bucket besides we'd probably go broke whatever we do I for one I'm convinced that we've got to expand our Market by getting more people to buy our product yes I know well I know these men are the strategists of business throughout this broad land they seek constantly to solve this puzzle to untangle the web of prices and buying of costs and income of machines and of men how shall these conflicting factors be arranged to provide Better Living more enjoyment of the good things of life and abundance for all la and so we we find our problem at the crossroads broad highways leading in all directions which way shall we [Music] take