Preface
The American automobile industry is an obvious and attractive subject for historical study. Given the vital place of the industry in the American economy, the pervasive influence of the motor vehicle in American life, and the intense interest of most Americans in cars--the latest model, the jalopy, the hot-rod, or the antique--inevitably many books have been and will be written on this subject. It may be, however, that some explanation is needed to account for this particular volume, and there is a reason for its existence besides an interest in history combined with a desire to write about automobiles.

The book grew out of a study of the role of engineers--or, more broadly, of men with some type of technological training--in the organization and the management of American business. When I attempted to investigate the extent to which such men had become business leaders and to determine whether their training had discernably influenced decisions on business policy, I found that these questions led into the general area of the relationship between technological change and industrial advance. This relationship in turn has to be considered in the light of other factors such as sources and availability of capital, accessibility of materials and markets, business organization, labor supply, and others. To bring these various elements into some degree of order, it was clearly necessary to focus on some one phase of industrial development.

For this purpose, the automobile industry has provided an admirable case study. It is of recent enough origin so that ample information about it is readily available, and at the same time it has been in existence long enough to justify drawing conclusions about various features of its growth. Its rapid pace of technical change has given technology a vital place in policy considerations. Moreover, since leadership in the automobile industry has been exercised by individuals with an astonishing variety of backgrounds and training, it is possible to compare the technicians with the nontechnicians and arrive at some of the reasons for success or failure.

In the task of writing the book I have received help from a great many sources--so many, indeed, that it is difficult to make adequate acknowledgment. The study received its initial impetus and encouragement from the Research Center in Entrepreneurial History at Harvard, and my first indebtedness is to Dr. Arthur H. Cole, formerly Director, and Dr. Hugh G. J. Aitken, formerly Executive Secretary, of the Center. Among present and former colleagues at M.I.T. who have assisted in various ways are Dean John E. Burchard of the School of Humanities and Social Studies and Professor Howard R. Bartlett, Chairman of the Department of Humanities, who have helped me to find time and money for my research; Professors Alfred D. Chandler, Jr., Lynwood S. Bryant, E. Neal Hartley, and Robert S. Woodbury of the Department of Humanities, who have given much sound advice; and Dr. Vernon D. Tate, former Director of Libraries, and Mr. Robert E. Booth, former Associate Librarian, who greatly facilitated the task of locating materials.

I am equally indebted for advice and assistance to Dr. F. C. Bald of the Michigan Historical Collections, Dr. Henry E. Edmunds of the Ford Archives, Mr. John Gantt of the University of Michigan Library, President T. Keith Glennan of Case Institute of Technology, Mr. John W. Love, business editor of the ClevelandPress, Mr. Robert Lusk of the Automobile Manufacturers Association, Professor Ray O. Miller of Wayne State University, and Miss Maud E. Payne, Curator of the Automotive History Collection of the Detroit Public Library. Mr. Christy Borth of the Automobile Manufacturers Association is entitled to special mention for reading the manuscript and giving me the benefit of his extensive knowledge of automotive history and personalities, as well as some invaluable criticism.

I should also like to acknowledge, generally the co-operation I have received from the staffs of the M.I.T. Libraries; the Baker and Widener Libraries at Harvard; the Case Institute of Technology Library; the Detroit Public Library; the Library of Congress; the Ford Motor Company Archives; the Michigan Historical Collections; the Technology Division of the New York Public Library; and the Western Reserve Historical Society. I am especially grateful to those who have given me permission to use documentary collections, in each case without restraint or qualification: Mrs. Frank Briscoe and Mr. John D. Briscoe; Mr. Henry Cave; Mrs. Roy D. Chapin and Mr. Roy D. Chapin, Jr.; and Mrs. Henry B. Joy. Many others who have present or past connections with the automobile industry have been most helpful. Their contributions are acknowledged at the appropriate points in the notes and the legends. I wish to express my thanks and to emphasize that in every case I have been left completely free to use these materials according to my own best judgment. These contributors include Mr. Robert F. Black, Mr. David Edwards, Mr. Frank R. Fageol, Mr. Henry Ford, II, Mr. David Howie, Mrs. Wilfred C. Leland, Mr. Alfred Reeves, Mr. Henry R. Selden, and Mr. Alfred P. Sloan, as well as the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the several automobile companies...