The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-16
FORD DECLARES
FOR WORLD WAR
IF LEAGUE FAILS
Strong Now for Prepared
ness and Settling Peace
for All Time.
GRILLED AS A WITNESS
Soldiers Murderers, History Is
Bunk and He Denies He Is
Ignorant Idealist.
GRILLED AS A WITNESS

Special DespcfcA to TIE Sun.
MOUNT Cl.ENDSs, July Is. - Henry
Ford occupied the witness chair the
entire day tn his suit against the Chi
rago TSfbunc for an alleged libellous
eoitort:i which that paper published
more than three years agn and for
which ar. Ford asks $1,000. 900.
To-day proved TO be hard ono for
the automobile builder, for he was
asked to explain many OF his sayings
which hcve been published and paid
Ter by Mr.. Ford. as we'll as those Of
newspaper and magazine writers.
At tho opening of court the much
talked OF world Dag of humanity de-
aigne.l ir M. Ford's Detroi. factory
was exhisitsa to the court and jury
and. with the exception Of Mr.. Ford.
was the principal attraction.
Attorney Stevenson Of the Tribnne's
counsel was at his best. The star
witness was before him and he lost but
little time in starting a withering fire
Of questions, many Of which Mr.. Ford
chose not to answer II he could avoid
doing SO. He was protected as far as
possible by Attorneys Lucking and
Murphy. who offered objections and
took exceptions to nearly every ques-
ton put to their client.
ga Theodore Delavigne,- a~Une~ time
peace secretary" to Mr.. Ford, proved
TO be the goat" and time after time
Mr.. Ford got away from vexing ques-
tions by stating that "Delavigne said
that: didn't read It,"
"Murderer" Fl Times in 1 Article.
Mr.. Ford was questioned at great
length on his campaign against pre-
paredness. why he antagonized even the
President of the United States while
that official was preaching prepared
ness his opinion of soldiers in general
and Of army officers In particular in
branding them murderers. In one arti-
Gle. that of Edward Marshall, the word
murderer" appeared no less than
twenty-one times. and IL was In this
interview given by Mr.. Ford that he
said the word murderer should be
embroidered across the breast Of every
soldier and sailor.
Greatly to the surprise OF everybody
II was disclosed that Mr.. Ford not only
favored Marshall with an interview. but
also paid him well for his time. and to
seeing that the interview was given pub
licity. Mr.. Stevenson got from the wit
ness an acknowledgment that the gift to
the author was nothing more than q
check for $4,000.
Marshall wanted to start a syndicate
In Europe" said Ford, "and l gave him
that check to get him started" The
article was not more than $500 words
IN length.
Mr.. Ford admitted that he knew the
President as early as December, 1915
and as early as 1916 was making a
preparedness tour of the country and al
time the Ford anti-preparedness cam
paign was being conducted. He ad-
mitted that he personally was responsi-
BILE for the published utterances con-
tnined in his paid for programme against
preparedness.
You were willing TO spend a million
dollars for advertising and ten million
TO educate the people against prepared.
ness?" asked Stevenson.
I'll admit the $l,00O,000 item, bu,
don't seem to remember the SIC, 900, OoC
item" replied Ford.
Right now" said Ford, I'm strong
for prepaI Ndness unless We get League
Cf Nations We might use the prepared
ness we have and end war for all time
- come"
Conscripts Are Not Murderers.
On the murderer" question Mr.. Fore
aid he did not regard conscripted sol
diers as murderers. but regarded pro
fessional soldiers as such He said h,
Cid not know whether Gen. Pershing wal
a professional soldier or not, but did no
doubt but what that gentleman woult
admit that he had murdered severa
men. When the direct question was pu
70 him whether or not he believed al
professional soldiers were murderers Mr.
Ford replied,
II don't know what else 1t is"
What do you mean by MURDER
killing people" said Ford.
DO you believe u country has a righ
to defend itself?"
''Yes, sir. by getting prepared up t,
date"
The fundamental principles OF govern
ment, he said, are liberty and Justice
The government. lie declared, Is funda
mentally the people.
Against violent objections by Attorne
Lucking. Mr. Ford was asked about rev
olutionaEy wars. He said that he ha
directed his attacks on advocates o
war and over preparedness" as "apos
ties OF murder" and newspapers that ad
vocated preparedness as "toolR."
Some time was aiken up by the Ques
Continued ON Et0hth Pdoo