The Prescott daily news., 1919-08-12
FORD CASE IN
 CLOSING HOURS
Final Addresses to Jury Begin Hear Eloquent Arguments Attorney Scores the Tribune's Policy.

] Mt. Clemens, Mich, Aug. s.-6rgu.
 menus Tn the Ford-Tribune libel case
 began Thursday morning before a
 sweitering jury in a crowded court.
 room Shirt sleeves were the rule ex. Icept in the jury box On the judges
 bench and at councils tables. spec.
 tators,/ court officers and stenograph.
 CTS availed themselves of Judge
 Iucker's permission to divest them. serves of coats, vests and collars. l Attorney William Lucking opened TOT MT. Ford. He read the editorial
 Ford is an Anarchist" and pointed out the several statements which Ford l councel contend are libelous. He de- i clared that the position of the Trib- une now stands fully exposed. l First he stated, the Tribune was notly in favor of intervention in Mex. aco although the president was against such intervention and although the people of the United States felt it would be folly to embark on such a war while Europe was in confiagration and while Germany was hoping that this country would take some such step as the Zimmerman note after. wards proved.
 Intervention, said Attorney Lucking, meant conquest. He pointed out that the Tribune's advice was We ought to Take Mexico" and that Tribune writers on the stand had declared they felt war with the republic to the South would mean financial gain for he country.
 The Tribune, said the attornen, saw in the mobilization of the guard on the border was the first step towards intervention and just then it found it's path blocked by Henry Ford, who sug- gested instead of the subjection and exploitation of Mexico policy of as- sistance and development. Henry Ford then became the Tribune's point of attack. It tried to sweep him out of its way to crush his influence, to , destroy him with it's editorial pen and stigmatize him forever us an anarchist and enemy of his country. The attorney reminded the jury that at this time the Tribune Fan- py" interests had $15,0OO,O00 worth of Bisal in Mexico and that other inter- ests of the Tribune Family were ;v Cto~Aoc1 n;r ..xL.zL urally found attractions in the rich oil wells of Mexico.
 Weymouth Kirkland, of counsel for the Tribune opened for the defend ant. In speech filled with force and Ire he addressed himself directly to the charge that Henry Ford was an anarchist.
 MT Ford's attitude changed when The United States broke off relations with Germany, said the attorney. He argued, however, that this should not be allowed to cloud the right of the Tribune to describe Henry Ford as he was in 1916. To find that Henry Ford was an anarchist in 1916, he said, does not necessarily mean that Henry Ford will be stigmatized as an anarchist all the rest of his life. What the pub lie thinks of your verdict does not in- ierest you," said Attorney Kirkland. What Henry Ford has done in war work does not affect the matter. It ls not the Tribune's fault that he is here on trial for being an anarchist He brought the lawsuit"
 The attorney held also that if the Iury was convinced that Henry Ford was an anarchist then the case was ended No matter how much malice .he Tribune may have displayed in at lacking that appelation, the truth. he said, is complete defense.
 Thhe attitude of the Tribune and President Wilson on preparedness was entrusted with that of MT. Ford. The former two were as much opposed to war as MT. Ford, said counsel as they recognized the dangers to which pre- paredness exposed us while MT. Ford lid not. {
 Although libel had been charged on fix counts he said they could all be included in two counts, first that Henry Ford was an ignorant idealist" md second that Henry Ford was "An Anarchist"
 MT. Kirkland held that the examin- nation of MT. Ford on the stand had proved him to be ignorant. That he was an idealist in the less desirable sense of the word, the speaker claim ,d uoc nroved hy his "Peace ShiD"