Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-01-06
Would-Re Pacificator Says Now
That the People and Not the
Rulers Are Responsible for
the Great Slaughter.
He CR|T|C|sES REPUBLICS
Even the United States Lets It's
Public Servants Swcrvc from
Their Duty-Mr. Ford Still
Confident in Ultimate Success
of His Mission.

Nc" York. Jan. 2-JIle,,ry Ford. ~ no
Ied IN" p"acn expedition which loft horc
I'oce'nTr on the steamship Oscar IT
Tor Copenhagen in the hope Of bringing
about y conference of neutral nations
fhnt would end tho war; arrived here
,o-hlght on tho steamship Ecrgcnsfiori.
He confirmed cable reports that his ro-
turn had been hastcncd b. illncas. hut
said il made u differences Of ONLY a fcw
days, ~ Tho intcnd"d when he left to
come back this month.
Mr.. Ford declared his vlcv1 regarding
tho cause Of the war have undergone n
marked change When no lott. lie said.
nc was of the opinion that bankers. man
ufactnrcrs of munitions and armament
were responsible, hu; he returns with tho
belief that II is the people themselves
those now being slaughtered. who arc
responsible. Tho mon doing the iChtng
nave been too content TO Lei those who
rulc them do their thinking and they
have not taken advantages of their divine
right Ia say for themselves what they
shall do and think, the pacinst asserted
'RcpubliCs arc no better than monar-
'hies I'm this respect" he said. Even in
the United States we let those whom
we have elected to office be ewcrvcd
from thcir duty. We do not assert our
selves Personally I have been a voter
81 years and in all that time ! have
voted only six times, and then because
my wife made me-
OF the eventual success Of the mission.
Mr., Ford declared he had no doubt
The movement is now organized and
under way. People are talking about it
and while some critcise when people
talk they think. and when they think.
they think right"
Mr.. Ford's future plans with respect
10 the peace expedition were uncertain.
he said. He left tho party in charge Of
CASTOR Plaintiff he stated, in accordance
with his original plans. and. despite all
reports to the contrary, when the party
left tho Oscar RI il was as harmonious
could he desired
THE main idea of the mission" contin-
ucd Mr.. Ford, was to crystalline into
concrete form If possible, the various
ideas and hopes for peace which prevail
all over he world.
Those who accompanied me on the Osca,'
II were az fine a body of peopl" for that
particular mission as 7 could ask and The
tiana were all good men. / am simply
bic the work set under way last year at
the meeting at The Hague of the Wom-
ans International Peace Congress This
work ultimately will bring Europe to its
senses and stop the war
IF what / have done will bring peace
only one day nearer shall be more than
1.ar, mi En,+ 81, ..I.a 4
will save 3o,oH lives and 20 900 livea will
mean much coward restoring order and
normal conditions
IF necessary I will again 90 to Europe
and if it will help matters will charter
another ship. am not doing il for per
sondl glory. gain or advertising. | have
more money now than | can use. and T
feel ! am simply custodian of what I
have. II was entrusted to me by the peo.
pie, some of whom are to-day lighting
in the trenches"
Commentn" on the r!"paredness Issue
in President Wilson's message Mr. Ford
said:
! am against preparedness. as pre-
paredness mean war. No man will
arm himself unless he means 20 attack
Even When he takes fork ~ his hand
he is preparing to attack an oyster or
n becfstcak
1T would be better for the cdminis-
tration to find out first if the people
themselves want armament. If they
90, they VIII eventually get what k.u-
rope is getting now. As to other feat
uros of President Wilson's message.
especially with reference to trade and
a greater merchant marine. we ale all
with him on that"
New York, Jan william Jennings
fryan conferred for more than an hour
here tonight with Henry Ford. who re-
turned this morning on the steamship
bergensfjo:d from his peace pilgrimage
to Europe
Mr.. Bryan declined to "eNeal the nature
or the discussion but said he had come
I" New York from Washington upon ~
cclpt of a telegraphic raGues, from Mr..
Ford.
Mr., Bryan denied that he would sail for
Europe on January /, as previously plaI-
ned, declaring that he has more impor-
tant work 10 do here for the present"