New-York tribune., 1919-06-21
Ford's Words Used
By Expert to Prove
He's an Anarchist
They Carry Ideas Expressed
by Gardner, Rudolph, Toll
stoy and Others, Profess
sor ]. N. Reeves Testifies
Specie, Correspondence,

Specie, Correspondence
MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. June 20.-In
an attempt to prove that Henry Ford
was an anarchist in 1915, s.The Chicago
Tribune" attorneys to-day began quot
ing from the utterances Of the manu-
facturer. To that end they put on the
stand Professor J. N. Reeves. Of the
University OF Michigan faculty, quail
fed as an expert in "isms." including
socialism, anarchism, BoIshevism and
syndicalism. He WAS quite familiar
with the teachings and principles OF
anarchy and also with the interview of
Henry Ford written by Edward Mar
shall
Attorney Stevenson, for the defence,
asked Mr.. Reeves if he found the prin-
ciples of well known and recognized
anarchists in Mr.. Ford's published
statement.
This set off the daily fireworks, and
heated wrangles began between op-
posing attorneys; the Ford counsel
mission of such testimony, and Mr..
Stevenson, for the defence, announced
that he would show Mr.. Ford TO have
been an anarchist, by reason of his ad-
vocating the fixed principles of anarchy,
and the court ruled with Mr.. Steven
son.
Found In the Article
Such principles, said the witness,
were found by him in the article under
discussion, and he was asked 20 point
them out-which he proceeded to do
He declared that Mr.. Ford theory that
"One country. state or city is not of
paramount importance, was the theory
held by such anarchists as Gardner,
Rudolph, Tucker, Tolstoy, and others of
that faith. Ford was quoted as having
said There is no such thing as inde-
pendence; there is only interdepend-
ence; we want talk about the world;
world patriotism is what we want to
glorify."
That" said Professor Reeves, ais an
anarchists idea-a world brotherhood
instead Of national patriotism"
Other quotations from the interview,
such as: Why do men allow them
selves to be marched off to slaughter
for no good purpose except to crafty
the greed of money lenders ?" Human
ity can make mistakes, but can do no
worse" Il don't blame men for refus-
ing to enlist" Why should a man who
does not want to be a butcher become
a soldier by force ?" and others, Reeves
SAID, were anarchistic sentiments.
Attorneys for the plaintiff asked that
they be given until the first of the
week to cross-question Mr.. Reeves, and
their request was granted.
How It All Started
W. J. Avery, former city editor of
The Chicago Tribune" testified that
he sent a telegram to p Whitcomb
Williams, the Detroit representative of
The Tribune" asking for the Ford
plan for caring for employees who
went to the border. It was upon the
statement made by the Detroit CORE
spondent, after being informed by a
Ford official what the plans were, that
the alleged libelous editorial was writ
ten. That reply quoted T. L. Klingen-
smith of the Ford executive force as
saying that the company would not
pay employees while they were in the
government service; that it would not
care for dependents of such men and
would not hold their sobs for them
1t was upon the receipt Of this mes
sage from Detroit to 1.-The Tribune"
that the oliver Patriotism" article
containing not over half q dozen
lines-was written, and from that
short article grew the "anarchistic"
editorial which developed INTO the mil
lion dollar libel suit, which up to date
has cost practically that amount in
cash, and already consumed six full
weeks of time The probability is that
at least one more month Will be neces~
sary before a verdict is reached.