Evening star., 1919-08-15
editorial headed Ford Is an Anar-

Editorial writer's of the Tribune
testified that they had followed Mr..
Fords pacifistic propaganda. but had
not recognized it as real danger TO
the country until a news item was
received from Detroit that Mr.. Ford
was trying to discourage the recruit
ing of the guard which had been or
dered to the Rio Grande. The item. au :
thenticity of which was denied by
Ford witnesses, stated that the Ford
company would not pay the salaries
of employees who went to the border,
bold their places for them nor care
for their dependents.
Called Ford Ignorant Idealist."
It was then that the editorial was
written. 1t called Mr.. Ford an 'ig-
norant idealist" and remarked that his
views on disarmament might be d1ner-
ent If his factories were on the Rio
Grande instead of the peaceful Ca
madam border.
Counsel for the manufacturer at
first filed suit in the federal court at
Chicago. but later withdrew it and in
stituted proceedings in the state court
at Detroit. Here the Tribune applied
for change Of venue and Judge
James G. Tucker of the circuit court
of Macomb county. at Mt. Clemens,
was agreed upon to hear the case. Sc
lection Of a jury began May IL. 1t
consisted Of eleven farmers and one
roadbuilder.
A feature of the case was the pro-
duction by the defendant of more than
twenty witnesses from the Mexican
border to testify to raids, murders and
other acts which to the mind Of Trib-
une counsel established the fact that
there was a condition of anarchy along
the border.
Prof. Reeves of the University of
Michigan, appearing as an expert, tes-
titled that many Of the Ford utter
ings of well recognized anarchists. He
gave a definition Of the word IAN
archist.' which contained no refer
ence to bombthrowing. but which
denoted one who works to overturn
the government.
that government exists only so far
as 1t can enforce its DEGREES and pro-
tect the lives and property of it's
citizens, that without force there can
be no government and that where
there is no government there is an
archy. Therefore. they sought to es-
tablish that in opposing the recruit
ernment itself, and, by the same
token, sought to establish anarchy.
Hence Ford is an anarchist" they
said. The defense throughout was
one OF justification and the right of
fair comment.
Bishop Williams Testifies.
copal bishop Of eastern Michigan. was
one Of the principal witnesses for the
plaintiff. Many of Mr.. Ford's utter
ances, which the defendant had
called anarchistic. he said, also were
to be found in the Scriptures and in
the writings OF non-anarchistic philoso-
piers. AS to the Ford propaganda.
might mistakenly advocate policies
which would result in anarchy, with
out himself being an anarchist. II his
object was to establish anarchy,
then he could be characterized as an
anarchist. Mr.. Ford's object. it was
stated, was to establish universal
peace.
Counsel for Mr.. Ford attempted to
prove that the editorial was written
in malice-specif1c malice-as well as
the malice assumed in the mere pub
lication of the editorial To this end
pro- German and. that its advocacy OF
Intervention in Mexico was a mask tc
hide friendship for Germany. The
theory advanced was that by inter
vention American munitions would be
diverted from the enemies Of Ger
many.
Mr.. Ford did not accept the dehni-
tions Of anarchy given by Prof
Reeves. He personally, as a witness
and by other means. insisted that by
anarchist the Tribune meant the old
fashioned bomb thrower of the Hay.
market Square variety. That. his
lawyers asserted, was the Impression
that Tribune readers would get from
the editorial. fes
The hearing was one Of the longest
on record, according to counsel. Tran
script Of testimony approximated
100000 words.