The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-03
DIDN'T DESERT
PEACE ARC0SY,
FORD DECLARES
Detroit Manufactures Reaches
New York, Travelling
Under Alias.
HIS OPINION ABOUT
WAR MUCH CHANGED
Ready to Go to Europe Again
If Necessary, He Tells
Friends.

r
started for Europe on Dec. 4 aboard
the Oscar II, to get the soldiers on
Of the trenches by Christmas, returned
to this city yesterday on the Der
gensfjord, apparently little the worse
for his experiences, Notwithstanding
lated concerning his health. He elud
ed the newspaperTnen when the nnel
docked in South Brooklyn at 8:4(
O'Clock in the morning, but was found
three hours later at the waldorf
In the afternoon Mr.. Ford granted
an interview in which he denied thai
the peace expedition which he father.
4 ed was IN danger of a complete col
lapse. He had only begun his work
for peace, he said, and would returr
to Europe If his presence there sIaet1ld
be demanded He denied there had
been serious dissension among the pill
griTns on the peace ship
Mr.. Ford wound up a busy day by
holding a long conference at night al
the waldorf with William =. Bryan,
who hurried on here from Washing
ton to see him. He and his party
probably will leave for Detroit at 5
o. clock this afternoon.
On one point the automobile maker
was very emphatic. He had not .de-
serted's his peace party. he said, and
had not returned home because OF dis
sensions or a conviction that all his
efforts had come to naught. He did
not count cent of money spent on
the expedition as wasted, and he felt
that the good already accomplished
had been purchased ait bargain figures.
Els Health Restored.
While he admitted that an attack
of grip had FASTENED his return by a
few days Mr.. Ford said he had in
tended in any event to take a steamer
which sailed week later than the
Bergensfjord. because his. wife, his
future peace plans. and his business
demanded his presence here for q time
1t least. He said that he had recov-
cred his health, and felt very fit, ex-
cept few s.pains in the bones.'AS He
looked the part for he had a good
color and acted like anythin gin the
world but sick man.
The elaborate preparations made to
get Mr. Ford on the Bergensfjcrd
paper men before the ship reached
port lent an air OF mystery and the
spectacular to his homecoming. He
sal dthat he wished to avoid an army
Of reporters and photograph hers, and
therefore sought the ssec1usfon of the
waldorf instead OF going to the Bf1t-
more Hotel where, he had said gon ar
irving at Quarantine. he wohld STOP
Mr.. Ford was accompanied by Dean
Samuel Marquis of Detroit. At a late
hour 1T was reported that because OF
his dlInessss and his semi-ofncial CA
pacity as member Of the Naval Com
su1ting Board, one Of the vessels in
the neutrality patrol had been placed
at his disposal by Collector Of the Port
lIaIcne with the consent Of secretary
Of the Treasury McAdoo. The Coast
Guard launch Guide left the Battery
at lis o'clock in the morning. carry
ing Mrs Ford EdseI Ford her son;
fxyfr1 fr1Tl nm &C re- of HFvv
Ford in his automobile business; Mrs
MARQUIS, wife of the Dean. and two
secretaries, who had come on from
Detroit yesterday In the heavy fog
the launch missed the BergenasJord
at Quarantine, and Mr.. Ford was car
RED after all to the company, 5 docks in
South BROOKLYN
Taken on the Bergensfjord
when the coast guard cutter calu-
met, with reporters. photographers
and moving picture operators, arrived
alongside the BergensfJord. which was
being warped into her pier, Mr.. Ford
went to the rail and called out, Good
morning, boys He wore a dark fur
trimmed coat and a derby hat.
A 25-foot ladder was raised from thef
upper deck Of the cutter to the rail of
the liner, and Mr.. Ford clambered
down to JOIN his wife, who wasl on the
Guide, outside the Calumet. He posed
once for the photographers. but when
asked to talk about peace replied, TOO
bad it is raining. but it will be fine
tomorrow. Goodbye He boarded
the launch, and met his wife and son
in the cabin.
The Guide steamed to West Forty
second street, whence the party, in
several taxieabs, were driven to the
waldorf. Once in the hotel, they
went immediately TO the suite and
even: had their meals served in the
rooms.
Mr. Ford at nrst said heswonld have
no statement to make for "a hours.
But this attitude gave rise to such
gloomy rumors about the reasons for
his return, the fate OF his expedition.
and the condition of his health that he
changed his mind. Once started, he
talked freely
whole affair he said my wife
doesn't like the criticism to which ]
have been subjected. My son holds a
different and doesn't mind it.
like It; 7 hope it won,s stop. You
know the best fertilizer in the world
Mr. Ford smiled and turned to more
serious tfsrgs
CHANCES Viewpoint of War.
"A marked change has come over
my whole viewpoint since I went
a4zay away. he said Before going
to Europe held the view that the
bankers mfIitarists. and 1nunftfon
manufacturers were responsible
come back with the firm belief that
the people most to blame are the ones
who are getting slaughtered. They
have neglected to select the proper
heads: for their governments-the men
1Fo would prevent such chaotic COM
ditions. In the great majority OF cases
the people select their rulers and then
are afraid of them. They don't write
enough letters to them and let them
know their views
Asked If he thought a republic was
not a more advisable form of govern
nlents than a monarchy, the pacifist re-
piled:
Yes, I think that is SO. But France
is republic, and 1t doesen't elect the
r,..a.rnr,t ti.r,