Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1916-01-03
FORD, ON return,
BLAMES PEOPLE
FOR PART IN WAR
Declares They Are Responsible
for Leaders Elected-Con-
fers With Bryan.

NEW 1Oftk, Jan. 3.-Henry Ford,
who led the peace expedition which
left here December 4 on the steam
ship Oscar IL. for Copenhagen in the
nope of bringing about a conference
OF neutral nations that would end
the war, arrived here yesterday on the
/ steamship Bernsfjord. He confirmed
cable reports that his return had
been hastened by illness, but said il
made difference of only few days
as he intended when he left to come
back this month.
Mr.. Ford declared his views re-
garding the cause of the war have
undergone q marked change. When
he left, he said, he was of the opinion
that bankers, manufacturers of mu-
nitions and armament were respon-
sible, but he returns with the belief
that 1T Is the people themselves, those
now being slaughtered, who are re-
sponsible. The men doing the fight
ing have been too content to let those
who rule them do their thinking and
they have not taken advantage of
their divine right to say for them
selves what they shall do and think,
the pacifist asserted.
Republics are no better than
monarchies in this respect" he said.
Even in the United States we let
those whom we have elected to office
be Sweryed from their duty. We do
not assert ourselves. Personally, |
have been a voter thirty-one years
and in all that time have voted only
six times, and then because my wife
made me-"
Sees Success of Expedition.
OF the eventual success of the mis-
sion, Mr.. Ford declared he had no
doubt. "The movement is now or
sanized and under way. People are
talking about it and while some cri-
ticize, when people talk they think,
and when they think, they think
right"
Mr.. Ford's future plans with re-
spect to the peace expedition were
uncertain, he said. He left the party
in charge of Castor Plaintiff, he
stated u. accordance with his original
plans and, despite all reports to the
contrary, when the party left the
! Oscar II. it was as harmonious as
could be desired.
"The main idea of the mission" said
Mr.. Ford, "was to crystalize into con-
crete form, If possible, the various
ideas and hopes for peace which pre-
vail all over the world
"Those who accompanied me on the
Oscar ii. were as fine a body of people
for that particular mission as / could
ask and the interested delegates that
met us at Christiania were all good
men. ! am simply financing; and
carrying out as far as possible the
work set under way last year at the
meeting at The Hague of the
Woman's international Peace Con-
gress This work ultimately will
bring Europe to its senses and stop
the war.
"If what have done will bring
peace only one day nearer 1 shall be
more than repaid Every day the war
is shortened will save $4,000 lives and
10000 lives will mean much toward
restoring order and normal condi-
tions.
/ IF necessary I will again go to
tEurope and IL it will help matters
will charter another ship. ! am not
doing it for personal glory, gain or
advertising. ] have more money now
than / can use, and feel / am simply
custodian of what / have. 1t was en-
trusted to me by the people, some of
whom are today fighting in the
trenches"
Commenting on the preparedness
issue in President Wilson's message,
Mr.. Ford said:
"I am against preparedness, as pre-
paredness means war. No man Will
! arm himself unless he means to at
tack. Even when he takes fork in
his hand he is preparing TO attack an
oyster or a beefsteak.
"It would be better for the adminis-
tration to find out first if the people
themselves want armament. If they
do. they will eventually get what Eu-
rope is getting now. AS to other fea-
lures of President Wilson's massage,
esnecially with reference to trade
and a greater merchant marine, we
are all with him ON that
William Jennings Bryan conferred
for more than an hour last nignt WITH
Mr.. Ford
jure of the discussion, but said he
had come to New York from Wash
ington UPON receipt of telegraphic
request from Mr. Ford,
Mr.. Bryan denied that he would sail
for Europe on January 4, as previous
ly planned, declaring that he has
more important work to do here Tor
the present"
~ Asked what he thought of the Ford
neace mission, Mr.. Bryan said he be-
lieved it had achieved partial success
''even before 1t started. The mere
discussion of peace" he added, is IN
itself an advantage, and the presence
of the peace party abroad VIII stiinu-
late discussion there.
mo doubt the members of the party
will get information while in Europe
which. will be of advantage to them
here. There is an advantage in the
very fact that a man in Mr.. Ford's
position should devote himself SO
fundamentally and dsinterestedly to
a movement of such Importance"