The Garland City globe. (Garland, Utah) 191?-1925, 1919-08-02
NO SWIVEL CHAIR
FOR FORD'S SON
STAYED AT HOME DURING WAR
TO HELP IN PLANT-REFusED
TO TAKE UNIFORM.
FATHER WAS RESPONSIBLE
Declares Hs Told EdseI That War
Work In Factory Needed Him.
Would Not Accept Safety
First Commission.

| Mt Clemens, Mich.-Henry Ford,
| 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 seiective draft He wanted 10
enlist said Mr.. Ford, but told him
| that he could do more good where ne
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. II was
shown. both Mr.. Ford and his son re-.
fused to camoufage II behind 0
swivel chair commission carrying
boots and spurs.
This subject, the Introduction Of
| which has been awaited ever since the
trial opened. did not develop along .he
| lines which had been generally ex.
| pscted. Mr.. Ford's inclination to
| shoulder full responsibility. his state
ment that his son was absolutely
| essential to The war work b, ing done
| In the factory and his revelation OF
| tho fact that Edsel Ford turned down
| several offers OF q commission. dis.
| armed criticism. The charges. spread
| during q political campaign. and re-
| Gently repeated on the door OF the
United States senate, to the effect thai
| the young president OF the Ford Motor
| company had shirkcJ his duty were 30
fully refuted that Tribune counsel did
not pursue the point.
Il was the first time that full ex-
| PLANTATION OF the facts In connection
with Edsel Ford's war work has been
made public and Il was easily the
| feature Of the eleventh week Of the
trial. ~
| Henry Ford spent sevon days on the
witness stand and OF this time he gave
less than two hours to his own law
yers. A long az counsel for The
| Tribune was hammering him Mr.. Ford
sat quietly In the Witness chair an.
sweYing the constant fire OF questions
with great patience. But the instant
his own lawyers took him In hand his
attitude changed. He became SET
conscious and difndent Hc would nct
accept the efforts Of his counsel 20
provide him with an opportunity &c
reveal the full extent OF his patriotic
work during the war. his humanitarI-
an views, or his advanced Ideas OF the
relations which should exist between
capital and labor.
1T 10 all In the records" said Mr..
Ford. 81 have told It all here once
He avoided. with care. anything that
vsrged on Boosting. He would not
even describe the extent OF the war
work which his factories did and when
record breaking performances In the
production OF munitions was mention.
cd he declared, I'VE did, all We could.
lot II 90 At that. l want to forget
about Il. I feel Just as the soldiers
feel. don't want to talk about my
war work"
The witness did. however. after be.
| Ing pressed, explain that his son had
bought out the minority Stockholders
Of the Ford Motor company because
| these interests had insisted on Nj
Ford squeezing the last dollar out of
the public, the government, the work.
srs and the product. He wanted TO
cut loose from his associates, he said,
so that he could carry out bis ideas
OF the distribution Of profits TO >m
pioyees through increased wages and
10 the public through lower prices.
| Il was either buy or sell and Mr.. Ford
had considered selling and organizing
new company His son. however.
took up the task OF buying out tho
minority stockho lders and succeeded,
despite the general belief In the fnun.
cial world that this stock could not be
purchased.
One OF the most interesting develop.
msnts of Mr.. Ford's testimony came
out when II was testified that the only
| LEGISLATION he has ever sought was that
for tho protection Of birds. othvr
mon OF millions. Il was shown. kssp
lobbyists In the national and state
capitol 10 urge and work for special
privileges, but the one favor that Mr.
Ford has ever asked from the law
makers had nothing to do with his
swn interests. II was a curious hit
Of testimony and lst . deep inprss.
sion on the audience In the court
chamber.
The subject was . result Of quss-
lions oonosrnins Mr.. Pord's list Of
friends. He named Thomas Mason
and John Burroughs, the naturalist, o.
his best friends outside OF his i'm.
mediate associates
Litigation in which Mr.. Ford has
been interested was another subject
of interest. II was shown tAat whom
the automobile business was In the
nrst yssv Of its growth all msnufac.
turers Of motor oars wore compelled
TO pay tribute TO what was known az
the Selden patent on internal combus.
ton engines. MT Ford fought tnis-1
patent for seven years and won and ny
his victory freed the entire industry
from its shackles and made possible |
the wonderful growth which has mark.
- 10. Il. - A.