The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-24
CHARGES FORD
u'o GERMANS
This as Counteracted, Says
Y mess, by Employment
EJf American Leaguers.
PLAN OF INVESTIGATION
Head of Educational Depart
ment Explains System
of Employment.
PLAN OF INVESTIGATION

Mount Clemens. Mich, July "a
Approximately 500 men whose sym
pathies were believed TO be pro- Ger
man were at work in the Ford Auto
mobile company's plant during the
war, according to testimony given at
the trial of the Ford Tribune $1,000
900 libel suit today by Edwin G.
Clemmett, one OF the heads of the
educational department of the plant
Thirty five men OF German nativ-
ity, Clemmett said, were refused per-
mits to work in the plant because 1t
was not considered safe to employ
them where munitions were being
made.
Counteracting the alleged pro- Ger
mans, Ciemmett declared, were four
hundred members of the American
Protective league who were employed
in the plant. These were instructed
to keep their eyes open" and report
anything derogatory to Uncle Sam.
The name of Carl Emde, an execu-
tive In the Ford establishment who
was named in an investigation con-
Quoted by Charles Evans Hughes,
was again mentioned today Glenn
NETT said that many high officials of
the Ford plant had thought Emde
should be dismissed, but that Ford
retained him. In his testimony sew
eral days ago Ford characterized
Emde as a good and faithful SER
want"
Emde was the head of the draft
ing department and a report made
to the head of the company, Glenn
nett said named six other employees
of that department as having Ger
man sympathies.
One American Protective Lacquer
reported that the tool room was "too
pro-German" for him to remain at
work in ii.
The name of certain Bittman, an
interned German, was mentioned in
one of the reports.
WAS he Ford employer" Glenn
nett was asked.
YES" was his reply.
did he have TIM plans Of the de-
partment when caught ~ vas the
next query.
i believe so" Clemett answered.
Il was designated, "Clemett testified,
10 interview all men of German ma
tirity TO determine whether il was safe
to allow them TO work in the factory
where munitions were being manufac-
tured
II refused to give thirty-five per-
mits'
Did Henry Ford delegate you to
make the investigation" inquired At
torney Stevenson.
No, Dean Marquis" the witness
answered. ]. Fred Murphy, of counsel
for Ford, cross examined Clemett He
went into details concerning the Amer
ican protective league system OF fer
reting out pro-German propaganda.
Clemett stated that there were tenta-
cles of the S. A. P. L. organization
reaching into every department.
Their instructions were" said the
witness Ito keep their eyes and ears
open and listen for everything derog-
atory to Uncle Sam When reports
came to me l would Immediately in
vestigate. Reports also We're sent to
the American Protective league"
Was your system adequate" in
quired Murphy.
Yes" said Clemett
Were copies of the reports sent to
the department Of justice in Detroit?"
was the next question.
Yes, Mr.. Colried reports too said |
Clemett, "and copies of the report were
also sent to the justice department of
the army at Washington When we
suspected an employe we placed an A, |
p. L. operative at work on the same !
bench. We followed every dictate of |
the government and did our utmost" |
Through Clemetts testimony it was
brought out that an employe of the |
Ford plant had been discharged for !
using profane languae in connection |
with President Wilson. The man later |
was heavily fined in court. |
Horace II. Esselstyn, formerly COM |
mi Missioner of public works of Detroit, |
also was a witness today. He attend |
ed a dinner at which Mr.. Ford and Mr.. |
Henry A. Wise Wood were present. !
The witness could not recall certain |
attributed to Mr.. Ford, which said
''If there was an invasion in this |
we would not make one dollars |
worth of munitions for the government |
that is. for profit"
Did Mr. Ford add that last phrase,
that is for profit?" attorney Steven
son asked.
II can't recollect that" the witness !
said. However letter written by !
Mr.. Wood, who also heard the remark, |
quoted the slogan minus the profit"
e ,peTater llcted atde- drA