The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-08-29
FORD

Every loyal American citizen in
Michigan should read the last two
numbers of George Harvey's ."War
Weekly" In these numbers there are
quotations from Henry Ford's speech
es, made two years ago, and again
since we entered the war. Mr.. Ford
has not que/oned the accuracy of
these quotations given by Mr.. Har-
vey.
The sedition act, approved by Presi-
dent Wilson, inf1icts maximum pun
ishment of 20 years in the peniten-
tiary for any man who, while we are
at war, utters Language intended to
bring the flag Of the United States in
to contempt or disrepute." During
the last year, many poor and ignorant
men have been convicted and sem
fenced for using language. thus for
hidden by law. In my view, the fact
that Mr.. Ford is an enormously
wealthy man ought not to give him
immunity from the law, if he cannot
show that he did not use the language
quoted in the "War Weekly"
The man who does not believe in pa
triotism is not fit to live in this coun-
try, still less to represent it in the
senate.
Mr.. Ford has been given immensely
valuable war contracts of the govern
ment. No doubt he has executed them
as we'll as the thousands of other con-
tractors who now render service to the
P,,f
he ca nthus render the government
can offset the frightful damage he
did our people by the lavish use he
made of his enormous wealth in gil
gantic and profoundly anti-American
propaganda against preparedness and
against our performance Of interna-
tional duty during the 21a years be-
fore we entered the war. This cru
SADIE against righteousness included
the sending of the ridiculous "peace
ship" to Europe.
This particular manifestation was
too absurd even to do harm, but so
far as it had any effect at all, it en-
couraged Germany to believe that we
were as neutral between right and
wrong as Pontius and that as far as
we were concerned she could safely
proceed with wrongdoing because we
held the scales of judgment even be-
tween the wrong-doer and his victim.
The crusade also included an extra
ordinary series of advertisements is
sued long. after the Lusitania was
sunk, in which Mr.. Ford violently op-
posed and denounced preparedness,
advocated and approved the McLe-
more resolutions, and announced that
it was our duty to keep out Of war
and not merely himself kept silent
about the wrongdoing of Germany
but assailed those who set forth this
wrongdoing on the ground that they
had "bred racial hatred by the print.
ing of incendiary news stories and
articles" 1t may we'll be doubted
whether this propaganda did not dc
more damage to the American PEG.
pie than the propaganda carried on
by Ambassador Bernstorff at the
same time.
If we had seen our duty and had
fully prepared during these 2k years
either we would never have had to en-.
ter the war or we would have brought
it to close Immediately after we en-.
tered it. The best and bravest of the
young men Of the nation are now pay.
Ing with their blood for our unprepar.
edness, and therefore for the pacific
propaganda quite as much as for the
pro-German propaganda carried on ir
this country during the 21s years be.
fore we entered the war. But wealthy
Mr.. Ford's son is not among these
men. He is of draft age. He applied
for exemption. The local board re-
fused his application. He applied tt
the president. The president did moi
act for two months. Then the revised
draft regulations were promulgated
and Mr.. Ford was excepted under the
deferred or exempted class which in.
cluded a married man with a child
however wealthy that man might be
he has exercised his legal right.
Very many thousands of young
Americans, men of small means who
clined to take xysru0oNf !breoao-Y
are not sons of multimillionaires, have
declined to take advantage Of this lie.
gal right. They have left their wives
and babies to go to war for a great
ideal, for love Of country, for love OF
liberty and of civilization. But Mr.
Ford's son stays at home. These 9TH
er young Americans face death and
endure unspeakable hardships and
misery and fatigue for the sake of
America and have surrendered all
hope of money getting or comfort an
of safety. But young Mr.. Ford, in
ease and safety, is in the employ of
his wealthy father.
In private relations, l understand
that Mr.. Ford is an amiable man.
But l am not dealing with him in his
private relations. l am discussing
him as candidate for high office. We
are bound truthfully to set forth what
we believe will be the effect of his
election, and therefore we are bound
to say that it would be damaging to
the United States and would be en-
couraging to Germany. No patriotic
American would support Mr.. Ford
Theodore Roosevelt.
--RUY W. S. s.
Premier Clemenceau, of France,
sends out very optimistic opinion of
the war. He says that a complete
triumph will be won during the pres
ent year by the arms of the entente
allies and that the war will have end
ed before another year has passed.
Premier Clemenceau pavs hiphs tri-