davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-06-30
Square Pegs in Square
Holes

n TR. WILLIAMS-I am little bit tired
AvA of this constant profteering. AL
though I disagree with the Senator
from Utah with regard to his vote upon this
particular bill, do agree with him in the
substance and the meaning Of what he said
States wants "a raise" out Of the govern
ment somewhere or somehow. Men in civil
Office come begging it hat in hand; the Civil
War veterans come begging it hat in hand;
the men who are engaged in ordinary gov
ernment or commercial employment come
begging it hat in hand; the men who are
selling bananas come begging it hat in
hand; the meE who are selling cotton come
begging it hat in hand; the men who are
selling wheat come begging it hat in hand;
New-York tribune., 1918-06-30

the men who are employed as stenographers
come hat in hand asking of the government
81 1,400 year, when the Senate is paying to
stenographers only $1,000. I for one have
grown tired of "patrioteering" when it is
synonymous with "profteering." deny
the right of any man to say that he shall
serve the Republic only upon the condition
that he gets as much as he could get some
where or somehow else.
1t is for me matter of honor as we'll as
a matter of pleasure to denounce and defy
and even insult people who think that in
war times, when the whole Republic is at
stake, they or others for whom they speak
must be as we'll off as they were in peace
times. / am not as we'll off. You are not
as we'll off. The ordinary citizen is not.
The government is taking its share of our
share of the general profits, and the govern
ment ought to take it. If you cannot put
your life in the trenches, then you have got
to put your pocketbook there, and there
two ways of putting your pocketbook
there. One is to pay taxes as far as the
necessities of the government demand their
levying, and the other, If you are a govern
ment employe, is-and it iu just as impor-
tant-to live, if possible, on what you are
already earning, without asking the govern
ment for any more. I am disgusted with
the conduct Of the civil service employees of
the United States government in the city Of
Washington, who are asking more an more
and yet more, like that woman in the Bible
who never was satisfed-many of these
people are earning more now than they ever
earned in their lives before. Even the SEN
ate and House employees are in this great
movement. Everybody wants something
more.
Why, I heard not many weeks ago that
there would be movement to recoup Sem
ators and Congressman, because of the
per cent tax they paid by increasing their
salaries. Of course, it amounted to nothing.
OF course, you could not get half dozen
men in either house to stand for that sort
of disloyal proposition; but the mere fact
that it was mentioned shows the general
tendency to spoliate the government We
have given to the President power to put
square pegs in square holes and round pegs
in round holes.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-30
Of Course, He Might Not
~ Be So Oratorical

On the other hand there are raised
mere and there few voices, in addition
70 those already noted, advocating Mr..
Ford's election to the Senate. "The San
francisco Bulletin" writes:
it IS doubtful, perhaps, If he will make
'he oratorlcal showing that many less gifted
and less useful men are able to make
Lodge or J. Hamilton Lewis will out
SHINE him every time in debate. Ford
Is rather shy man. His fame caught him
unaware while he was tinkerinp with an
automobile engine; he washed the grease
on his hands at the end of days wors
such as thousands of American mechanics
are putting IN and discovered that he was
millionaire. The several stages by which
most public men become accustomed Il, tho
fierce light Of public life-the talk around
the crackerbox In the grocery or in front
OF the piate-glass mirror in a city saloon
the ADDRESS to the jury, the local political
campaigns, the states caucuses, the lower
house Of Congress all are unknown n
Henry Ford. Possibly he has made speeches
IN his life; if so, the fact has not been
prominently recorded. But despite the re-
1usaI OF the majority in the Senate to put
time limit on their speeches. talking is
less and less an important part of their work
There is vast amount. of work to be done
IN committee rooms. There is O. vast amount
OF studying and investigating for Senator
to do who is really anxious to represent his
constituents. This will be Henry Fords
forte"
Henry Ford, It is true" admits ~The
Daily Clarion-Ledger"-
financed great peace expedition, and
while he might have been mistaken in
choosing the time for such q movement, no
was sincere, but since he found there was
no chance for peace on honorable terms he
has devoted his entire time, his great manu-
featuring interests and his abilities into
hammering the Hun into submission, ana
should he be honored with place in the
Senate there is little chance that he would
ever stand with those 'wilful mem who
would rather see Germany triumph than the
policies of the President prevail"
At any rate, concludes "The Detroit
. News" ''he would be Different
New-York tribune., 1918-06-30
W]hat if Both Parties
w Should Choose Him?

Quite true, echoes "The Kansas City
journal" Mr.. Ford's Republicanism-
As not of the stalwart kind which inspires
torchlight professions, and his conversion to
the sort of Americanism which is behind the
war programme of America was notorious
ly sudden. That he is now in hearty ac-
cord with the Administration, as is every
true American, may be taken for granted,
and the effective service which he has al
ready rendered must not be disputed. But
It is possible that, even in Michigan, there
will be found few Republicans who will
De Of the opinion that, if the President
was seeking for an opportunity to show
now non-p partisan he. was and that politics
has in very truth been adjourned, he
snould have selected more unequivocal
Republican than Henry Ford"
But now. What if Mr.. Ford should
De nominated by both the Democratic
And Republican parties? 1t would be
quite possible, as "The DETROIT News"
points out, for Mr.. Ford to run on both
uckets in the primary, "but once the
vote is cast, if he happens to be nomi-
mated by both parties, he must say
which nomination he accepts and de-
cine the other" For "he cannot run
against himself for election. If he is
enosen by both, one ticket must be va
eant" "The Hartford Courant," max
sng an identical analysis, reaches more
Y1eeaic conclusions
New-York tribune., 1918-06-30
The Blow Upon the
Warlik'e Head

FR. STANDARDIZATION will be stated
lVl with blood. A surfeit of war will
have turned the hearts of men tow
ard the basis Of a permanent peace. The
domestic problems, the economic questions
and beliefs, however radical, however reac-
tionary, however wise, may be relegatcd to
the civil authorities and the parliaments Of
a free people. This colossal danger must
not be confused or aggravated by seeking
to use it to promote favorite reforms, how
ever ardently hoped for by their disciples.
Now is the time effectively to see clear~eyed
and with unity Of purpose. With fight
New-York tribune., 1918-06-30
The Golden Book of Congress

paid to American ship owners to maintain
and support our own ships, flying our own
flag The prime purpose Of this act of
Congress is to take over all of the shipping
and to control foreign shipping in all
American ports.
The prejudice against ship subsidies has
largely disappeared We are going further
now than any subsidy ever went. Our gov
ernment is not only building and operating
its own yards, but owns and has requisi-
toned and operates practically all the ships
that sail the seas outside of those of our
allies. This policy is bringing into exist
ence rapidly and with increasing speed a
splendid merchant marine, sailing the
American flag and manned. and offcered by
American seamen.
Believing as l do that this bill will en-
courage the great feet to carry our vast
commerce during the war and to carry COM
merce of every other nation when the war
il over, am willing to support this bill
The President has written letter asking
its passage, and am supporting the Presi-
dent and supporting my country when
support this bill. After the war is over and
these shipssare released from carrying the
grim freight of war and have returned our
victorious troops to their native land, under
the beneficent clauses of this bill, which
will remain in force for six months after
the war is over, the true mission of our
merchant marine will become apparent, not
only to our American people, but to the ma
tions of the world, and that mission, Mr.
Chairman, is the complete commercial do
minion of the high seas. Then again will
the American flag be seen upon all of the
seas, and then again will American COM
merce have its ancient and right place at
the front and head of all the commercial
nations Of the world. This is our destiny,
and this is the purpose Of this act of Con-
gress that we will this day place upon the
statute books Of our national legislature.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-30

HR. ROBBINS-Mr. Chairman, am
|N in favor of this bill. Stringent,
4 Il farreaching and arbitrary as its
provisions are, it Is aimed at
the profteering on the seacoast by owners
of vessels, whether individuals or corpora
tions, that have large freights, craft, and
which is levied not only on the Federal gov
eminent, but on all business enterprises
seeking and requiring ocean transportation.
I am in favor Of every move that will as
sst the President and our government in
the transportation of troops, equipment and
supplies to Europe, and in the prompt re-
turn Of our sick and wounded soldiers to
their native land.
Mr.. Chairman, we are building rapidly an
immense ocean tonnage. During the month
of May seventy-one ocean-going steamers
of various sizes were launched. Scarcely q
e that there does not glide from
ways into the sea q new ship from some of
the ma shipyards on the Pacific or Allan
tic coast. If the war lasts another year the
United States will have at least 100000
tons Of shipping aAoat more than we have
now. We will, in fact, own and control one
third Of the entire ocean-going traffic Of the
world by the end Of 1919. This splendid ac-
complishment Of American energy and
American industry, now engaged in the con-
struction Of ships, must be protected and
encouraged in every way, if Congress can
protect and encourage 1t. There was q
time, gentlemen of the House, when the
American ships sailed every sea, when the
Stars and Stripes foated to the breeze in
every port. In those days the commerce Of
the United States was carried in American
bottoms, upon ships commanded by Ameri-
can officers, manned by American seamen.
That day, alas, was prior to the Civil War;
but after the close Of the war our shipping
went rapidly into decline, and at the out
break Of the present war our merchant
marine feet was by far the least of the
great commercial nations. We were paying
hundreds Of millions Of dollars year to
foreign ship owners for the transportation
Of American goods which should have been
New-York tribune., 1918-06-30

rENRY FORD is up again-this
- time for admission to the
Senate of the United States.
On June 13 he issued the fol-
Iowing statement:
"a. President Wilson's request have
,..;ded to accept the nomination for Sen
s..r from Michigan if rendered to me-
p..Ijzing that there are exceptional op-
S.r.un;ties for service to our people DUR
ne the present and coming readjustment,
!, am ready and willing to do everything
,ossibly can to assist our President in
ni. great work. Every man must expect
:. make great future sacrifices and be pre-
s.red to serve wherever the greatest need
sxists."
At the same time it was announced
,ron, Detroit that conference of Mich
;.an Democrats indorsed Mr.. Ford, Re-
cublican for nomination to this Office.
And, Furthermore, these Democrats
adopted resolutions inviting the Repub-
Iran State Central Committee to urge
osher candidates to withdraw and unite
With the Democrats in supporting Mr..
Ford.
But this invitation was not received
with favor by the Republican State Gen.
tral Committee. Indeed, the committee
came out with the blunt assurance that
It certainly would not indorse any such
nomination at all. "The interference by
the real head of the Democratic political
organization in the country, in an effort
to control the Republican party's affairs
in a state 100000 Republican. will not
affect u.s. declared the Republican State
Central Committee, which added that
"the Republican primary will continue,
Of course"
New-York tribune., 1918-06-30
IF Only More Would Follow
i His Example,!

"The Topeka Capital" commends Mr..
Fords zeal to serve, and adds:
III good many hundred others do like
wise the after-the-war Congress may not
be as easily dominated by the President or
any President as the last Congress has
been, but it will recover some Of the pres
tige that Congress in late years has lost"
After all, asks "The Des Moines Reg
ister," "is there some special training
we should demand for service?" and then
goes on to say:
"1n the case of Henry Ford, we have this
reinsurance, that while he is by instinct
and training man of peace, and while his
opportunities in life have been limited to
speclnc activities, he has shown the most
unusual capacity for organizing national in
dustries for war. Probably no man has
offered more workable suggestions for
mobllizing American resources on a bip
scale than he. What he could thus sud
denly do in war he might as reasonably be
expected to do in the larger affairs of do
mestic politics"
But, cries Chase Osborn, former Gov
ernor OF Michigan and one of the .Repub-
hcans seeking nomination at this time.
Henry Ford is just "a rubber STAMP"
"Mr. Ford says he will move his whole
1oreeato Washington. But Washington ia
now overcrowded with rubber stamp forces
his whole force is needed right where it is
now." ~ 40
True, agrees "The New York Tines
IL would be great pity if the government
were TO lose the benefit of Henry Ford's skill
ana ability, as it would do if he were to be
elected to the Senate. Mr.. Ford would have
TO give up all his contracts with the govern
ment. he would have to stop doing all the
work that he is 80 we'll qualified to do 90
qualihed above other men.
III the government were TO sacrifice all
Inls ior greater gain it could be endured
put there would be no greater gain to Offset
IL. inere would be gain at all. There
would be loss. Mr.. Ford is man of low
able qualities, but there are many men of
iovaole qualities who are not qualified for
the United States Senate; and Mr.. Ford ;s
oisquailfied by possessing a kind of mind
wnlch. no matter how we'll he might apnlv
himself to the study, would leave govern
ment and politics sealed book to him all
MS days. His entrance into the Senate would
create vacancy both in the Senate and in
the automobile business, and from the Iatter
Mr. Ford cannot be spared"
New-York tribune., 1918-06-30
Is Mr.. Ford Republican
! or Democrat?

Such then, was the situation present
ed to the country. So far as Michigan
is concerned, the case is said to be "un-
paraleled." At any rate, the press at
large has been finding it sufficiently ex-
traordnary to warrant the expenditure
of some very sprightly and frequently
quite extended comment.
The most interesting question arising
out of the issue seems to be this:
"What is Mr.. Ford? A Republican?
A Democrat?"
Mr. John D. Mangum, chairman of
the Republican Committee, announced
that
"the people of Michigan have been looking
up the record of Henry Ford as 'Repub
ican,' ard they assert that 'Mr. Ford has
not voted for Republican candidate for
President in the last twenty years, and in
that period, they assert, the only candidate
of any party he has voted for is President
wilson"
"The New York Evening Post" which
feels that "Henry Ford's announcement
of his willingness to accept nomination
for Senator from Michigan is the most
sensational political development in the
national field since 1916" explains that
really Henry Ford "is a man without
party" For one finds that
@by Democrats he is officially credited to
the Republicans, who are visibly embar
fassed by the honor. He returned from
Europe a laughing stock by the failure
~ E fhaf foil -nfh h
idea of getting the boys out of the
trenches by Christmas Two years later
he is one of the most conspicuous and en-
ergetic supporters of the war, with poll
ticians of all shades displaying nervous
ness at the mention of his name. Michi-
gan Republicans who ordinarily would re-
gard their primary as settling the ques-
tion of who is to be the next Senator, have
feared nothing so much as that Ford would
be put up, with or without his consent, not
as Democrat, but on non-partisan tick
ct. Nothing could better illustrate the
chaotic state of parties than the uncer-
tainty in which this possibility has been
holding men who in the past would have
ridiculed the threat of non-partisan' oppo-
sition'
"The Indianapolis News" thinks that
Mr.. Ford Ought to be competent wit
ness as to his political affiliations. AS
a matter of fact
there has been a rumor for several years
that Mr.. Ford was Republican. Yet we
have his own statement that he had not
taken sufficient interest in local, state or
governmental affairs to vote. He did say
that he had voted twice, or something like
that. During the last Presidential cam
paign he was such a stanch Republican
that he supported President Wilson for re-
election He spent large sums of money
in payment for advertisements on behalf
Of the Democratic candidate. Of course,
there are Republicans who do not always
vote their own ticket, and there are Demo-
Gratis who go outside their own party occa-
sionay, but, as a rule, they are fairly
regular in their party fealty."
New-York tribune., 1918-06-30
"Henry Ford Is Good Man, but oh. That

eff the Republicans and the Democrats
should both nominate Henry Ford he will
choose the Democratic ticket and then there
will be no Republican ticket for the voter"
Well, pursues "The Detroit News"
after ali doesn't this tempt one to ask:
care parties crumbling with a new force
in politics to take their places or are they
merely dormant waiting for some vital
izing issue to awaken them?
at would be hard to find any man less
interested in party politics than Mr.. Ford.
1t would be hard to imagine him conscious
ly working in the interests of any one
party if elected. If asked whether he were
a Republican or Democrat Mr. Ford might
we'll counter with request for their diff
ferent principles and the questioner would
be stumped to show clear line of cleavage
between them"
This paper thinks it possible that Mr..
Ford might eventually say to both
parties:
Here is my creed If you feel that you
can adopt it and vote for me for the Office
of Senator, I will accept I know nothing
OF your parties or your party politics. I
hold views that, acceptable to you, will
permit me to be your representative"
"Tke Milwaukee Sentinel" observes
that the Republican party would natur-
ally "want to do its own picking" And
"the state generally will hardly relish
the idea of turning popular elections
into Presidential selections"
OF course, the angle suggested by
this last clause has by no means es-
capped press comment. "The Kansas City
Journal" decides that eff politics ever
really adjourned, in the Presidents
felicitous phrase, it has reconvened."
This paper suggests that
probably it merely took recess to dis
cuss ways and means of securing a Demo-
cratic Congress this fall and another Dem
ocratic Administration two years hence.
Republicans who allow themselves to be
fooled by the painted trees which mask the
hidden batteries are decidedly gullible-
and whosoever is deceived thereby is not
wise'"
A paper in the far northern reaches
of the state in which this interesting
drama is being staged, "The Daily Min
ing Journal" of Marquette, goes so far,
indeed, as to say that the
"non-partisan camoufage must be torn
from Mr.. Ford's form and it must be
shown, as it can easily be, that if there
ever was a thoroughly partisan Admins
tration it is that which has been actuated
by Mr.. Wilson for the last six years."
In "The Hartfort Courant" one finds
expressed the opinion that
"the Presidents backing will doubtless
swing many Republican votes to him, al
though Republicans all know that Mr.. Will
son regards himself as the head of the
Democratic party as we'll as chief executive
OF the nation. In his administration of
public affairs Mr.. Wilson is prone to get
the two positions mixed. but he will get
large following for Mr. Ford, nevertheless.n
"The New York World" sees in the
present an occasion inviting criticism of
the very primaries by means of which
so anomalous and, to many, so ominous
a situation has been rendered possible:
More and more the primaries are being
regarded as dangerous institution. When
tney offer an opportunity for an upstart
like Henry Ford to inject himself witbout
New-York tribune., 1918-06-30

wild and woollies ploughing on to Swe-
den"-an expedition which, had it been
encompassed, would have delivered the
world over to the German in toto" And
while engaged in this supreme folly"
observes "The Minneapolis Journal;
while "chaperoning and financing ship
load of visionaries like himself'-while
all this was in progress "he admitted
that he knew nothing whatever of his
tory or of politics." "As for perfecting
himself in the understanding Of govern
ment matters" observes 1.-THE Macon
Telegraph" this could hardly be accom-
plished by one who has "his name on the
radiator of the worlds greatest selling
motor vehicle"
If Henry Ford were running in Wis
consin, "The Milwaukee Journal knows
what its own verdict would be:
"Mr. Ford is not our kind of American.
There is no doubt about his loyalty. He
has proved that well enough. But there is
considerable doubt about his qualifications
for the Office of Senator. Like Mr.. Lenroot,
he lacks vision in our opinion. To-
is supporting the war in admirable fashion
His record, however, is against him. There
is no telling when he might get off the
track again. He is not the man for Michi-
gan to send to the Senate"
Unable to forget that dreadful peace
ship, "The Outlook" declares:
"Mr. Ford has shown himself unable to
ofpn fdo rJc af \ S.. Io11
at this critical period of the worlds his
tory, and he has shown an almost pathetic
readiness to believe that the great moral
forces of mankind can be directed to what
he"ralls good ends by money in the hands
of the inexpert."
William Marion Reedy in his mirror"
writes:
"Now, Mr. Ford is a great automobile
manufacturer and we'll meaning man. We
all admire him. But, with all due respect
to him, be it said he has not revealed
qualities of mind that mark him out as fit
for the Senatorship. If he has any general
ideas they are not, so far as we have been
able to discover, those of farseeing states
man who understands great questions or
appreciates the philosophy Of government.
He would be an excellent head for a de-
bilization, but he would not be world or
nation-v -visioning Senator. Henry
Ford is good man, but oh, that peace
ship!"
'The New York Times" caught the
prospective candidate in a little matter
Of shaky memory, which, in the opinion
Of this paper, must stand as an i'm
portant item in the sum of his qualifica-
tions-or, rather, disqualihcations. Mr..
Ford is quoted as saying:
years ago, when I was just past my
twenty-frst birthday, my father said to me:
Henry, you are a man now and a citizen,
and it is time for you to vote.' He took me
to the voting place and advised me to vote
for James A. Garfield for President. I
did so.''
But see here, says "The Times'-
"Mr. Ford was twenty-one on July 80. 1884.
1t he voted the Republican ticket, he voted
for Mr.. Blaine. The depth of his interest
in politics is shown by this anecdote, II
will not do to attribute the mistake to a
freak of memory. There are some things
not forgettable while memory holds her
seat. In all these United States is there
another person of sound and disposine
mind and memory who doesn't remember