The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1919-07-05

49, HA
archist-and what is anarchy?
The Chicago Tribune, which called
Henry Ford an anarchist, and was
promptly sued for 81, 1000, 900 as a re-
suit, introduced an expert witness on
anarchy in the trial now going on In
Mt. Clemens, Mich. in an effort to
establish definitions of anarchy and
anarchists which would convince the
jury that there was no libel in the
newspaper attack on the manufac-
turer.
Prof. Jesse B.. Reeves, head of the
department of Political Economy of
the University of Michigan, was IN
gagged by The Tribune to support its
contentious by his testimony.
Under direct examination by coun-
sci for the Tribune, Professor Reeves
declared that the views credited to
Mr.. Ford by journalists who had in
terviewed him were identical with the
views held by such we'll known an
archists as Emma Goldman, Tucker,
Proudhon and Tolstoi.
The Tribune introduced as evidence
of Henry Ford's anarchy the following
quotations, attributed to him in ar
ticles which have appeared in news
papers and magazines:
Fundamentals Of Anarchy.
ITO my mind Humanity may
make mistakes, but cannot do any
thing worse. | think that every
thing tends toward good. Even
this great and bloody war is help
ing toward permanent peace"
Il think war is largely the re-
suit of greed on the part Of those
who profit by it."
1.-THE moment we get people not
to acquiesce in war, refuse to go
to war, there will be no more
war"
These views, Prof. Reeves testified,
were found In the works of every an
archist of international reputation
and were, in fact. fundamental prin-
ciples of anarchy.
Thereupon counsel for MI. Ford
took the witness.
Professor Reeves, said counsel,
was Benjamin Franklin an anarch-
ist?"
NO"
"He said, There never was a good
war, or a bad peace Was he an an
archist because he said that?"
Certainly not"
ftDr0foaaar 10 thu idao that Human.
ity is IN the upgrade, as Mr.. Ford be-
lieves, a fundamental of anarchy"
Eyes, anarchism holds that Human
ity Is all right, it only needs to be let
alone and it will work out its own
salvation"
Were They Anarchists
yet this idea was held by Emerson,
Whittier, Bronson, Abbott, William
James, John Fiske, Oliver Wendall
Holmes and James Russell Lowell.
Were they anarchists because they be-
lieved this?
NO"
isn't it true that many wars in the
past, not all but a majority, were
brought on by the q%uarrels, greed and
avarice of rulers?"
81 think many wars have been
brought on, l think this war was"
DO you agree that it is very foolish
for the people of the countries involv-
ed to allow themselves to be slaugh-
tered in such wars?"
"As we look back on 1t now, yes, we
would say that"
well, that is precisely the senti-
ment you call anarchy in Mr.. Ford"
Much testimony having been offered
20 show that Mr.. Ford held jobs open
for employees who were called into
the armed forces of the nation and
that he also provided aid for their
dependents where the latter were IN
need, The Tribune, which originally
charged that Mr.. Ford would not do
m of these things, is now attempting
to prove that the assistance which he
gave was late and was a result of the
Tribune's attack.
Checks Produced.
Counsel for Mr.. Ford has produced
stacks of cancelled checks showing
that regular monthly allowances were
sent out to soldiers dependents who
applied for aid, beginning as soon as
the case could be investigated and
the records made. and continuing unf
I'll the husband returned to work