Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1919-07-24
LEAGUE OR WAR
DECLARES FORD
N A FACTUR r MAKES u
CLEAR HE BELIEVES COvEN.
ANT is GREAT STEP. &.
DECLARES WAR IS MURDER
WhlrIwind Of Questions Fall to Snake
Composure Of Man Who Sues tor
Million Because He Was
Called "AnarchiSt."

Mt. Clemens, Mioh.-The high
ddealism Of Henry Ford has freshenet
the proceedings of the Ford Tribune
libel case and has brought into the
wearisOme arguments OF counsel anu
the dull repetition Of cross-examlna-
tons, a new quality.
For week the man who has been
described as everything from an an
arohist" to the greatest patriot OF his
day. has been on the stand facing
merciless fire of questions.
During the reading OF an article
written by John Reed on Henry Ford.
end published in the Metropolitan Mag
azine, the audience in the court cham
Der violated all precedent by breaking
into applause and MIR. Ford, vislbly EN-
barrasaed, raised his hand in protest.
Tribune counsel had endeavored TO
quote paragraphs from the Reed ar.l-
Gle but had been compelled, by ob1ec-
ton of Ford attorneys, to introduce
the interview in its entirety. In the
main 1t was highly complimentary 70
Mr.. Ford.
make Farmer independent"
What | want to d." Mr.. Ford was
quoted as saying lis to make the farm
er AZ independent as l am; independ-
ent Of the banks, Independent. OF the
trusts, independent Of the railroads.
The audience, many OF them from
the surrounding farms OF this commu-
city, showed visible evidence Of It's ap-
probation OF that ideal.
Twice Mr. Ford, wearying OF the
questions having to do with his knoWl-
edge Of history, said "Oh, I'll admit
that I'm an ignorant idealist If you
Wish.'
What is an idealist?' Queried 1ri-
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 idealist is
one who tries to make people happy
and prosperous. l think / do that
little"
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 to
bis heart. the League Of Nations, war
and the happiness and prosperity OF
Humanity, counsel found him eagerly
alert
A League of Nations, or prepared,
ness up to the hilt.
That Is the way he sees the situa-
ton today. I'VE must either" he said,
accept the covenant of peace or dem
oeracy must arm and stand guard for
ever at the threshold of liberty
"War Is Murder"
He hammered that fact home and
with 1t he always added, War is muir
der"
I Il was a murderer" he said, 81 was
q helper of murder. When the crisis
came we all took a hand But it u all
the same. War is murder"
What do you mean by' murder"
Il mean killing people"
killing people to protect the inter-
4 ests of the people,"
a killing anybody or anything. l
, don't know what else war is. War is
murder. There is a far better way
What Is the better way?"
why, to educate people. To teach
- them to think for themselves
y A long examination was conducted
which sought to quiz Mr.. Ford concern
n ing his views on history, based on a
d remark which he once made that :!
: wouldn't give five cents for all the his
tory ever written"
=. II don't think much more Of 1t now
than did then" testified Mr. Ford.
"The war showed us that history
didn't last a week. All the things they
j. told US would happen didn't happen.
: They went ahead, knowing what war
), meant, and made the same mistakes
: all over again. The history we write
: today Is the thing that counts. I'M
not interested in yesterday"
/, The Flag Of Nations.
S The much discussed flag Of League
: of Nations, which it has been stated
s Mr.. Ford was having made in his fac
e tory before tho united States entered
i the war, was brought into court. The
O testimony developed the fact that Mr.
Ford did not originate the design OF
tho flag and had never seen the ban
ner itself He saw small drawing
e az 1t once in st. Paul's Cathedral, De
e troit, he said, but had never heard Of
: It again and knew nothing about 1t.
S He denied emphatically that he evel
:! said he would raise this flag above
the stars and Stripes, and said thu
statement that he reverenced this ban
ner above the nag of his country was