Cottonwood chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1917-current, 1919-08-01
NO SWIVEL CHAIR
FOR FORD's. son
STAYED AT HOME DURING WAR
TO HELP IN PLANT-REFusEp
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 fron,N
the selectiVe draft. HE wanted toh
enlist said Mr.. Ford, "but told him
that he could do more good where he
was, He was offered several commits
sions which would have permitted him
to wear uniform and stay right IL
the factory, but he wouldn't aecepi
them"
Having made their decision, it wa
shown, both Mr. Ford and his son re
fused to camouflage 1t behind a
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.. Ford'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 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 ex1
PLANTATION of the facts in connection
with Edsel 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 to his own law
yers. AS long as counsel for Tho
Tribune was hammering him Mr.. Ford
sat quietly in the witness chair am
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 ditfident. He would not
accept the efforts of his counsel To
provide him with an opportunity to
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 be.
tween capital and labor.
aft ia all in tho raonrdo snE5 NJ.
Ford. ut have told it all here once
He avoided, with care, anything that
verged on boasting He would not
even describe the extent of the war
work which his factories did and when
record breaking performances in tho
production Of munitions was mention.
ed he declared, I'VE did all we could.
let 1t go at that. want to forget
all about it. 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 Mr.
Ford squeezing the last dollar out Of
the public, the government, the work
ers and the product. He wanted to
cut loose from his associates, he said.
30 that he could carry out his ideas
of the distribution of profits to EN-.
! ployees through increased wages AMI
to the public through lower prices.
1t 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 the
minority stockholders and succeeded.
despite the general belief in the fnau.
cial world that this stock could not be
purchased.
One of the most interesting develop
mentS Of Mr.. Ford's testimony cams
cut when 1t was testified that the only
legislation he has ever sought WIS
that for the protection Of birds. Other
men Of millions, 1t was shown. keep
lobbyists in the national and stato
capitol to urge and work for special
privileges, but the one favor that M.
Ford has ever asked from the law.
makers had nothing to do with hts
own interests. 1t was a curious bit
OF testimony and left q deep impress
sion on the audience in the court
chamber.
The subject was a result of auen-
lions concerning Mr.. Ford's list of
friends. He named Thomas Edison
and John Burroughs, the naturalist, as
his best friends outside of his i'm.
mediate associates.
Litigation in which Mr.. Ford has
been interested was another subject
OF interest. 1t was shown that when
I the automobile business was in the
FIRST years Of its growth all manufac-
turers Of motor cars were compelled
to pay tribute to what was known as
the Selden patent ON internal combus-
ton engines. Mr., Ford fought this
patent for seven years and won and by
his victory freed the entire industry
from its shackles and made possible
the wonderful growth which has mark
ed the last few years.