TOYOTA ROAD USA

ITS HUGE MID-AMERICAN EXPANSION PROJECT IS PART POLITICAL, PART ECONOMIC--AND ENTIRELY WELCOME IN TOWNS ALONG I-64

George Taylor fought the Empire of Japan as a U.S. Marine in World War II, and he still has bitter memories. But now as mayor of Princeton, Indiana (pop. 8,100), he gladly put them aside last spring when Toyota unveiled plans to build a $700 million pickup- truck plant in his economically sagging town. "I've changed my mind a little bit," Taylor, 74, says. "The way I look at it, the Japanese are coming over here and giving American workers good jobs, while American companies are closing factories and taking work overseas for low wages." In a sign of appreciation, Taylor...

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