Belen news. (Belen, N.M.) 1912-1947, 1919-07-31
NO SWIVEL CHAIR
FOR FORD's son
STAYED. AT HOME DURING WAR
TO HELP IN PLANT-REFUSED
TO TAKE UNIFORM.
FATHER / WAS RESPONSIBLE
Declares He 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 Fords, claim for exemption from
the selective draft. He wanted to
enlist said Mr.. Ford, but told him
that he could do mare good where ne
was. He was offered several commits
sions which would have permitted aim
to wear 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 canroufage it behind
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 The
lines which had been generally ex-
pected. Mr.. Furd'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 commission, dis
armed criticism. The charges, spread
during a political campaign, and re-
Gently repeated on 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 did
not pursue the point
1t was the first time that a full ex-
PLANTATION of the facts in connection
with EdseI 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 70 his own law
| yers.i AS long as eeunsel for TINS
| Tribune was hammering him Mr.. Ford
sat quietly in the witness chair an
| swering 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 diffident. He would mo-
| accept the efforts of his counsel II
provide him with an opportunity tt
reveal the full extent Of his patriotic
work during the war, his humanitarl
an views, or his advanced ideas of the
relations which should exist between
capital and labor.
! "It Is all in the records" said Mr.
Ford. 81 have told it all here once.
He avoided, with care, anything tha
verged on boasting. He would no
even describe the extent of the wa
work which his factories did and whel
record breaking performances in tht
production of munitions was mention
ed he declared, eve did all we could
let it go at that I want to forge
about it. l feel just as the soldier
feel. I don't want to talk about m.
war work"
The. witness did, however, after be
ing pressed, explain that his son hat
bought out the minority stockholder
of the Ford Motor company becaus
these interests had insisted on Mi
Ford squeezing the last dollar out o
the public, the government, the worl
ers and the product He wanted t
cut loose from his associates, he said
so that he could carry out his idea
Of the distribution of profits to em
ployees through increased wages an
to the public through lower prices
1t was either buy or sell and Mr.. For
had considered selling and organizin
a new company. His son, however
took up the task of buying out tn
minority stockholders and succeeded
despite the general belief in the finar
cial world that this stock could not b
purchased.
One Of the most Interesting develol
ments of Mr.. Fords testimony cam
out when 1t was testified that the onl
legislation he has ever sought was this
for the protection Of birds. Othe
men of millions, it was shown, hee
lobbyists in the national and stat
capitol to urge and work for specis
privileges, but the one favor that M
J Ford has ever asked from the Law