The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-06-28
FORD RAPED SEVERELY
BY CHASE OSBORN

i he following STATEMENT was given
out by Chase S. Osborn Saturday
while in lower Michigan.
1t is reported in the press that the
official representatives of the Demo-
cratic party at Lansing June 18th en-
dorsed Henry Ford for United States
senator and made proposal to the
Republican party also to endorse Mr..
Ford before or after securing the with
drawal of myself and other Republic
can candidates. / would not even
seriously consider withdrawing for the
following reasons:
(1) / do not consider Mr.. Ford a
fit person for United States senator.
(2) His presence in the United
States senate under present condi-
tions would be in violation of a Grim
inal law of the United States.
(3) l charge him with being con-
sciously untruthful deceitful person
and call attention, among many other
instances, to a promise he made to
Olivet college and his refusal to full
fill the same.
(4) Because of his great wealth he
is more dangerous than LaFollette.
Wisconsin has experimental with a
freak in the United States senate, and
her experience should be warning
to Michigan.
(5) Up to the time the United
States proclaimed that state of war
existed Mr.. Ford was not only paci-
fist, but consciously or unconsciously
a willing instrument of German pro-
paganda, as witness his ridiculous
"Peace Ship" enterprise, which was
criminal if done for advertising pur-
poses and insane if sincere; in either
case disqualifying him.
(6) Because he is reported to have
said without denial on his part that
the flag of the United States is only
rag to rally around and that he would
not fly it except in obedience to an
emotional public sentiment.
Gu When the Canadian and other
British financial commissioners visit
ed this country for the purpose of
negotiating loans, he is reported with
out denial on his part, to have said a
can should be tied to them and then
they should be dropped in the river.
For this his business was practically
driven out Of Canada and persons rid
ing in Ford cars in Paris were stoned.
81 So great was his pro-German
influence that Theodore Roosevelt was
induced to come to Detroit to denounce
Mr.. Ford and clarity the situation in
order to remove the menace of De-
troit becoming a disloyal city.
(9) Because during the cruel Ma
tional campaign when the Democratic
party created false hopes for votes by
declaring "Wilson kept us out of war;"
and implied that he could continue to
do so, Mr.. Ford spent thousands of
dollars for hysterical advertising in
support Of this false representation.
All this and similar previous acts aid
ed in the creation Of public sentiment
that retarded preparations for war
and caused our belated participation,
thus leading to the sacrifice of thous-
ands of our men who would have
been saved to US, if we had gotten in
earlier and particularly before the
Russian debacle.
(1O) Mr.. Ford has been a profiteer
before the war and since. He has used
his great influence to secure unfair
advantages in transportation for his
products across the seas in lieu of
food and munitions; has peglected to
secure coal and used his influence to
secure disproportionate and unfair al
lotments at the expense of other man.
ufacturers.
I'D He has been driver of men.
His wage increase so much heralded
was made because it cost him $50 a
man for $4,000 men in order to keep
1000 steadily employed.
He hit upon the fiat $500 plan as a
cheaper method and it has worked.
He even makes profit on the houses
he builds for his employees.
(12) He was tax dodger and prob
ably is now. When / was governor of
Michigan he tried to give me nickle-
plated Ford car at time when was
particularly engaged in an attempt to
equalize taxation in Michigan. / re-
fused to accept the car, naturally.
His offer was in bad taste, if not
worse, and / was Disguised with him
and have had no use for him since the
episode. He afterwards gave cars to
Mr.. Edison, Senator Smith and others,
as if to make it appear that the pres
entation by him of cars was a COM
mon practice. -,
(13) The Democratic proposal has
for its purpose the disintegration Of
the Republican party in Michigan.