South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-07-31


ions on matters OF public policy. and educate PEG
pie" regarding theu,-even though ne hires a
dress his opinions up entertaining style for
reading-that we have seen the trial OF the
Tribune suit began. the Tribunes criticism
Of him. involved m the suit itself Wherein is il
out "the inventors manufacturers" line.
press his opinions public matters? Did he lose
his citizenship by becoming inventor and manu-
facturer" any than did Charley schwab,
Thomas A. Edison. or scores of others? our Cleve-
land friend seems to overlook the distinction be-
tween a democracy and patent Office But he goes
farther.
The lawyer @ newspaper editor merchant
would be criticised II. without any training in
mechanics ne set about educate the public
in regard 10 AUTOMOBILES. The automobile
pert deserves even More criticism when he I'M
dertakes. with such obvious lack of qualifca-
ton, 20 instruct nation and shape its opinion
on public affairs Of the highest Importance, at
critical time"
That ought to make Us throw out our chest;
counted among the LAWYERS and newspaper editors
and merchants whom take it, have sort Of
exclusive right 10 pass upon-"educate the public
ON questions involving mechanics and automo-
bles. editor. know Cleveland
friend. however would like ask him if Mr..
Ford isn't in about the same hundreds of
other men Of wealth, including newspaper
owners who hire other men TO put their ideas down
cago Tribune employs half dozen editorial writer's
All Mr. Ford needed then a fundamental
conceptions Of war the causes and effects and he
has much RICH. a American citizen
these ideas worked and put before the world.
even b.; a hired writer the of the Chi
cago Tribune, or the Cleveland Plain-D Dealer has
Ald this
Let the shoemaker stick to his last a great
deal Of mischief is done, right along in Ameri-
~ f~e bt hing a1lob hmm
the utterances OF brilliant specialists out
side of their specalties. The profession Of
the publicst which many rush into
lightly, is calling particularly for long train
ing wide knowledge and special fitness"
So there is now such thing profession of
publicists" and the American citizen should
all educational propaganda to that profession
should il? In other words, lead. and all
others follow: seemingly the Chicago Tribune idea
when it called Mr. Ford anarchist because he
disa greed Zine general policy" which
it was pursuing. Men have no right to think pub
lie questions until .hey have consulted "pubIicist"
by long training, wide knowledge and specia!
ftness."-to tell them how think Nothing could
be more subversive of democracy than such a pro-
cess
Had Mr. Ford attempted tell Gen. Pershing
how to conduct his expedition into Mexico or into
France or how to fight the battles of Chateau
Thierry. Argonne forest, or BaIlou wood, there
would be some serse in talking his special
lied ignorance" There would be some compari-
son between such an attempt. and attempt of
lawyer. or newspaper man. merchant without
any training in mechanics" attempting to
the public in regard TO automobiles" Warfare is
something o. science that calls specialization.
but public opinion in America is the average opin
ion Of all Americans and the more ignorant con-
tributes his mite just properly as does the
brilliant. There is arstocracy of the brain
in America that does not level to the democracy
of the soul
Mr. Ford wouldn't need than Fl vague mo
ton of what the war was about" or the most sal
lent facts connected with it," and whether
the Mexican unpleasantness of 1915, or the in
Europe 1914-191S. have known pretty
much about it as the most of the rest Of us There
has been a whole lot of specialized ignorance"
spilled about those affairs and by the wisest Of
Much Of it has enlanated too from men who think
they specialists, Henry Cabot Lodge for in
stance. and Hi Johnson Borah. Phil.
Knox, and Jim Reed. "et cetera and the
paper editors who have disseminated and supported
their gospel
Indeed, no Mr.. Ford far have
heard never asked Uncle sam 10 let him replace
Gen. Pershing send him to France with a divi-
sion to engage in the technical making.
In advance of the war he had his opinions about
war the causes and effects of them, and he had as
much right to express them as anyone else had.
When the came he threw his inventive and
manufacturing genius into it. and helped fight it
as he was especially fit; worked instead of follow
ing the 'publicist" game of shooting off his mouth
which is one cf the main differences. perhaps.
between the value of his contributions to public
opinion. and those of his critics.
21,,- -,,-[, - ,v,,Trr,D