The daily morning oasis., 1919-08-13
FORD CASE in
=
CLOSING HOURS
Final Addresses to the Jury Begin
Eloquent Arguments
Are Heard.
SCORES TRlBUNE's POLICY
Attorney VIM. Lucking Says by
Its Own Admission Paper
Wanted War With Mexico.

wanted war WIN mexico.
Mt. Clemens, Mich, Aug. 8.-Ar-
guments in the Ford-Tribune libel
case began Thursday morning before
a sweltering jury in crowded court
room. Shirt sleeves were the rule eX-
cept in the jury box, on the judges
bench, counsels' tables and specta-
tors. Court officers and stenograph-
ers availed themself of Judge Tuck
er's permission to divest themselves
of coats, vests and collars.
Attorney William Lucking opened
for Mr.. Ford. He read the editorial,
"Ford Is An Anarchist" and pointed
out the several statements which
Ford counsel counted are libelous.
He declared that the position of the
Tribune now stands fully exposed.
First, he stated, the Tribune was
hotly in favor of Intervention in Mex
leo, although the president was
against such intervention, and al
though the people of the United
States felt it would be folly to en-
bark on such war while Europe
was in confagration and while Ger
many was hoping that this country
Zimmerman note afterwards proved.
Intervention, said Attorney Luck
ing, meant conquest. He pointed out
that the Tribune's advice was, 1--WE
ought to take Mexico" and that
Tribune writer's on the stand had de-
clared they felt war with the republic
to the south would mean financial
gain for the country. The Tribune,
said the attorney, saw in the mobiliza-
ton of the guard of the border was
the first step towards Intervention
and just then it found its path
blocked by Henry Ford, who sug-
gested, instead of the subjugation and
exploitation of Mexico, a policy of
assistance and development. Henry
Ford then became the Tribune's point
of attack. 1t tried to sweep him out
of it's way, to crush his influence, to
destroy him with its editorial pen,
and stigmatize him forever as an
anarchist and enemy of his country.
The attorney reminded the jury
that at this time the Tribune Fam
lily" interests had SIS, 900 worth
of sisal in Mexico, and that other in
terests of the Tribune Family" were
concerned in Standard Oil, which nat
urally found attractions in the rich
oil wells of Mexico.
Weymouth kirkland of counsel for
the Tribune opened for the defend
ant. In a speech filled with force
and fire he addressed himself directly
to the charge that Henry Ford was
an anarchist. Although libel had
been charged on six counts, he said,
they could all be included in two
counts: first, that Henry Ford was
an Ignorant idealist," and second,
that Henry Ford was an anarchist"
Mr.. Kirkland held that the examina-
ton of Mr.. 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
claimed, was proved by his peace
ship" 1t was a beautiful ideal, said
Attorney Kirkland. but so hopelessly
idealistic as to have become gro
tesque. The attorney held also that
If the jury was convinced that Henry
Ford was an anarchist then the case
was ended. No matter how much
malice the Tribune may have dis
played in attacking that appellation,
the truth, he said, is complete de-
tense.
The attitude of the Tribune and
President Wilson on preparedness
was contrasted with that of Mr.. Ford.
The former two were as much op-
posed to war as Mr.. Ford. said coun-
sci, as they recognized the dangers to
which unpreparedness exposed us,
while Mr.. Ford did not. Mr.. Ford's
attitude changed when the United
States broke off relations with Ger
many, said the attorney. He argued,
however, that this should not be al
lowed to cloud the right of the Trib-
une to describe Henry Ford as he was
In 1915. To find that Henry Ford
was an anarchist in 1916, he said,
does not necessarily mean that Henry
Ford will be stigmatized an anarchist
all the rest of his life.
What the public thinks of your
verdict does not interest you," said
Attorney kirkland. "What Henry
Ford has done in war work does not
affect the matter 1t is not the Trib-e
une's fault that he is here on trial
for being an anarchist He brought
this lawsuit; we did not"