The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-07-31
NO SWIVEL CHAIR !
FOR F0RD'S SON
STAYED At HOME DURING WAR
TO HELP IN PLANT-REFUsED
To.rAkE UNIFORM.
WAS RESPONSIBLE
Declares He Told .EdseI That War
Work In Factory Needed Him
Would Not Accept Safety
v First Commission.

during the last hour Of his seven days
on the witness stand, took occasion
to claim full responsibility for his son,
Edsel Ford's, claim for exemption from
the selective draft. "He wanted to
enlist" said Mr.. Ford, but l told HIM
that he could do more good where he
was. He was offered several commits
sions which would have permitted him
to wear q uniform and stay right in
the factory, but he wouldn't accept
them"
Having made their decision, it was
shown, both Mr.. Ford and his son re-
fused to camoufage it behind j
swivel chair commission carrying
boots and spurs. ....:...
This subject, the introduction Ut
which has been awaited yer since
the trial opened, did not develop along
the lines which had been generally ex-
pected. Mr.. Ford's inclination to
shoulder full responsibility, his state.
ment that his son was absolutely
essential to the war work being done
in the factory and his revelation OF
the fact that Edsel Ford turned down
several offers Of a commission, dis
armed criticism. The charges, spread
during a political campaign, and 70
Gently repeated or the floor Of the
United States senate, to the effect that
the young president Of the Ford Motor
company had shirked his duty were so
fully refuted that Tribune counsel aid
not pursue the point. g. ~
It was the first time that q full ex-
PLANTATION Of the facts in connection
with Edsel Ford's war work has been
made public and it was easily the
feature of the eleventh week Of the
trial.
Henry Ford spent seven days on the
witness stand and of this time he
gave less than two hours to his owl.
lawyers. AS long as counsel for The
Tribune was hammering him Mr.. Ford
sat quietly in the witness chair an
swer1ng the constant fire of questions
with great patience. But the instant
his own lawyers took him in hand his
attitude changed. He became self.
conscious and difident. He would mot
accept the efforts OF his counsel to
provide him with an opportunity to
reveal the full extent Of his patriotic
work during the war, his humanitart-
Al views, or his advanced ideas Of the
relations which should exist between
capital and labor.
1T is all in the records" said Mr..
Ford. II have told it all here once"
He avoided, with care, anything that
verged on boasting. He would not
even describe the extent of the war
work which his factories did and when
record breaking performances in tho
production Of munitions was mention.
cd he declared, I'VE did all we could,
let 1t 60 at that. I want to forget
al shout it I feel just as the sol.
d1ers feel. l don't want TO talk about
my wal work"
The witness did, however. after be.
ing pressed, explain that his son had
bought out the minority stockholders
of tie Ford Motor company because
these integ ests had insisted on Mr..
Ford squeezing the last dollar out Of
the public, the government. the work
err and the product. He wanted tc
out loose from his associates, he said,
10 that he could carry out his ideas
Of the distribution Of profits to en-.
,ployees through increased>wages and
to the lblic through lower prices.
Il was either buy OF sell and MI. Ford
had con dered selling and organising
o new company. His SON, however,
took ur the task Of buying out ha
minority stockholders and succeeded,
dispite the general belief IN the imam.
dial world that this stock could not ba
purchased.
One Of the most interesting develop
;msnts OF Mr.. Ford's testimony came
ont when it was testified that the only
legislation Re has ever sought ,wla
tAat for the pro.ection Of birds. Otns1
mon Of millions, 1t was shown, keen
lobbyists in the national and state
capitol to urge and work for special
privileges, but the one favor that Mr.
Ford has ever asked from the law.
makers lad nothing to do with hts
cwn In erests. It was q curious bit Of
testimony and LETT q deep tmpresai IN
on the audience In the court chamber,
J.he subject was q result OF ques'
lions concerning Mr.. Ford's list o.
f1isnds He named Thomas Ndiscu
and John Burroughs. the naturalist, ..
his best friends outside 81 his I'm,
mediate associates.
litigation 81 which Mr.. Ford has
been interested was another subjec,
Of interest. i was shown that when
tAs automobile business was Ia the
nrst years Of It's growth III manufac
tursrs Of motor ears were compelled
10 pay tribute 70 what Wa known Al
the Selden patent On internal eombus
,tion engines. Mr.. Ford fought THU
!, patent for seven years and won and By
his victory freed the entire industry
Il 4zaE 49, MANA