Oxford eagle., 1919-07-31
NO SWIVEL CHAIR
FOR F0RD'S SON
STAYED AT HOME DURING WAR
TO HELPIN PLANT-REFUeED
TO TAKE UNIFORM.
FATHER WAS RESPONSIBLE s
Declares He Told Edsel That WaH:
Work In Factory Needed Him :.
Would Not Accept Safety
First Commission.

}bn the witness stand, took occasion
Ito claim full responsibility for his son.
}Edsel Ford's, claim for exemption from
}khe selective draft. he wanted -
tsnlist." said Mr.. Ford, but told MIN
that he could DO more good Wnere ue
}was. He was offered several commls'
5stons which would have permitted ann
Ito wear a uniform and stay right III
sthe factory, but he wouldn't accept
them"
{, Having made their decision, 1t was
shown, both Mr.. Ford and his son re-
fused to camouhage 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 me
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 OK
the fact that Edsel Ford turned down
several offers Of a 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 thai
the young president of the Ford Motor
company had shirked his duty were so
fully refuted that Tribune counsel did
hot pursue the point.
1t was the first time that full ex-
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
Mitness stand and of this time he gave
Hess than two hours to his own law
Eers. As long as counsel for The
Friburie 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 not
accept the efforts Of his counsel to
provide him with an opportunity tc
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.
"Tt is all In the records" said Mr..
Ford. 81 have told 1t 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 the
production of munitions was mention
ed he declared, I'VE did all we could,
let it go at that. / want to forget
about it. l 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,
ers and the product. He wanted to
cut loose from his associates, he said.
10 that he could carry out his ideas
Is th&sdistrtbution Of profits to am
ployees through increased wages and
to the public through lower prices
It was either buy or sell and Mr. Ford
had considered selling and organizing
q new company. His son, however.
took UP the task Of buying out the
minority stockholders and succeeded,
despite the general belief in the finan.
cial world that this stock could not be
purchased
One of the most interesting develop.
ments of Mr.. Ford's testimony came
out when it was testified that the only
Legislation he has ever sought was that
for the protection of birds. Other
men of millions, 1t was shown, keep
lobbyists in the .national and state
capitol to urge and work for special
privileges, but the one favor that Mr..
Ford has ever asked from the law.
mdK0TE udu uOtuAA6 " Wv WAtA AA0
own interests It was curious hlt
of testimony and left deep impress.
> sion on the audience in the court
chamber.
The subject was result OF Ques-
ltions concerning Mr.. Ford's list OF
friends. He named Thomas Edison
and John Burroughs, the naturalist. as
lis bsR fr1tnds outside of his i'm
mediate associates.
Litigation IN wAiAA Mr.. Ford has
been interested was another subject
Of interest. It was shown that, when
the automobile business was in the
f,rst years of its growth all manufac
turers of motor cars were compelled
To nav tribute to what was known 40
the Selden patent on internal combus
ton engines. Mr.. Ford fought this
patent for seven years and won and ~
his victory freed the entire industry
from It's shackles and MADE possible
the wonderful growth which has
a the last few ysars.