The Era-leader., 1919-07-31
LEAGUE OR WAR
DECLARES FORD
MANUFACTURES MAKES ~
CLEAR HE BELIEVES CovEN.
ANT is GREAT STEP. >.
DECLARES WAR IS MURDER"
WhrIwind Of Questions Fall to SNAKE.
composure Of Man Who sues Tor
Million Because He was
Called "Anarchist'

:
. Million Because He Was !;
: Called "Anarch'st" !
Mt Clemens. Mich.-The hlsn
,dealism of Henry Ford has freshened
the proceedings OF the Ford'Trioune'
libel case and has brought into the,
vearisome arguments of counsel and
the dull repetition Of cross'examlna'
tions, new quality.
: For week the man who has been;
described as everything from an an
archist" to the greatest, patriot OF MS.
day. has been on the stand facins q;
merciless fire Of questions.
During the reading Of an article
written by John Reed on Henry Ford
and published in the Metropolitan Mag
azine, the audience in the court cham
Der violated all precedent by breaking
into applause and Mr.. Ford, visibly en-
barrassed, raised his hand in protest.
Tribune counsel had endeavored TO-
quote paragraphs from the Reed arti'
Gle but had been compelled, by objec'
ton of Ford attorneys, to Introduce
the interview in its entirety. In he
main 1t was highly complimentary 10
Mr.. Ford.
make Farrnsr independent"
What I want to 'do," Mr.. Ford was
quoted as saying, lis to make the farm.
or as independent as / am; independ-
ont Of the banks, independent OF the
trusts, independent Of the railroads"
The audience. many OF them from
the surrounding farms of this commr,
nifty, showed visible evidence of Its ap.
probation Of that ideal.
Twice Mr.. Ford, wearying OF tho
questions having to do with his knowl.
edge OF history, said "oh, Ill admit
that I'm an ignorant idealist II you
WISH"
What is an idealist7' Queried Tri'
bune counsel.
The innate goodness Of the man
lighted up his kindly eyes with new
light, as he leaned forward and an
swered slowly. Il think an !dealtst Is
ono who tries to make people happy
and prosperous. I think I do that a
httle."
Quiet, unassuming, courteous and
patient, Henry Ford made deep i'm
preston on the audience. Not once
did he lose his temper under the heck
ling of opposing attorneys, even when
their questions verged on the edge OF
insult. But when the examination
touched on subjects which are close te
his heart, the League Of Nations, wal
and the happiness and prosperity o1
humanity, counsel found him eagerly
alert.
l. A League of Nations, or prepared
NESS up to the hilt.
IL That Is the way he sees the situa
!tipn today. I'VE must either" he said
::"accept the covenant Of peace or dem
ocTacy must arm and stand guard for
ever at the threshold of liberty"
"War 10 Murder"
He hammered that fact home ani
with It he always added, "War is mur
der"
II was murderer he said, II wa
% helper Of murder. When the crisi
t came we all took hand. But it Is al
the same. War Is murder"
What do you mean by murder"
IT mean killing people"
killing people to protect the inter
D ests of the people?"
l. "Killing anybody or anything.
don't know what else war Is. War
! murder. There is far better way.
:. What Is the better way7"
"Why, to educate people. To teac
them to think for themselves
|: A long examination was conducte
d which sought to quiz Mr.. Ford concern
nj ing his views on history, based on
remark which he once made that &
9 wouldn't give five cents for all the hi
tory ever written"
h II don't think much more of 1t no,
u than l did then," testified Mr.. Ford.
"The war showed us that histor
didn't last week. All the things the
told US would happen didn't happsl
q They went ahead, knowing what we
meant, and made the same mistake
u all over again. The history we wri,
today Is the thing that counts. II
q rot interested in yesterday"
II The Flag Of Nations.
The much discussed flag Of a Leagr
Of Nations, which 1t has been state
y Mr.. Ford was having made in his ia
tory before the United States entere
:" the war, was brought into court. I'll
is testimony developed the fact that NJ
!. Tord did mt nr}pinafa %ho dosi.,