Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1919-07-18
TRIBUNE EDITORIAL WRITER
TESTIFIED PAPER THOUGHT
INTERVENTION WOULD
BE PROFITABLE.
NINTH WEEK OF FORD CASE
Famous Million Dollar Libel Case Con.
tinues in Mt. Clemens-Edsei
Ford is Called to Stand
- by Newspaper.

the Witnesses produced by the defense
during the ninth week of the Ford
Tribune S1,000000 libel case.
Tiffany Blake, chief editorial writer
OF The Tribune. was one of the most
interesting witnesses. Mr.. Blake tes-
tined That he had deliberately permit.
ted The Characterization Of Mr.. Ford
as an anarchist because it seemed TO
him to sum up Mr. Ford's activities.
He testified at length, under eross.ex.
animation, concerning the attitude
which his paper took in favor Of war
with Mexico but against war with Ger
many, aud admitted that The Tribune
mad in mind the material benefits
which would accrue to the United
States in the event Of Intervention,
and the fact that no such gains could
be reaped from war with Germany.
Ford Was in the Way.
During the course of his testimony
Mr.. Blake characterized the utter
ances and the attitude of Mr.. Ford as
notorious" Ford counsel took the
stand that Mr. Ford's position could
not have been notorious to readers of
The Tribune because The Tribune new
or referred to the alleged statements
which 1t is now using as a means of
justifying Its attack. Its attitude to-
wards Mr.. Ford, counsel attempted to
show by questioning the witness. was
based upon the fact that Just when 1t
seemed that the papers long campaign
for war with Mexico was about TO
bear fruit. and troops were being hur-
ried to the border, It suddenly found
Henry Ford In It's way.
Submarine warfare. In the estima-
ton OF The Tribune, the witness said.
was never sufficient cause for war. Mr..
Blake admitted that the newspaper
ola not demand armed redress after
the sinking OF the Lusitania. and that
when the President used the Sussex
case as a test, The Tribune continued
10 declare that the submarine Issue
was no cause for war.
An editorial from Tie Tribune was
introduced and Ford counsel proceed
ed to read from 1t. III we win in Ger.
many, what do we win -
Eyes. what do We win.o lnterjected
the witness.
Blessed II we know"-continued
the editorial.
Yes, blessed II we know" broke In
the witness again, I'VE don't know to
day"
You stated" said Ford counsel
that when the government finally de
cided on Its position that you sup
ported |! and stopped argument
,, against var With Germany. Do you
consider that when the President bad
presented an YtimstuR and BROKEN Of
diplomatic relations that you @efs
supporting him and the nation by con
tinuing to tell the people that the
President had no ground for war with
Germany?'
Yes, because the submarine issue
was not good ground for war"
We'll. when the President broaden
ed the issue by telling the country
that We must enter the war to make
the world safe for democracy, did you
argue for war on these broader
grounds?"
mo, we did not"
Overlooked Ford's OFFER.
Did you know, Mr.. Blake. that MT
Ford was the first person in the Unit
cd States to offer himself. his ability
his factories and all he had, to assist
the government in the event of war
did you know that?"
mo, did not know that"
"Your perusal of The Tribune did
not give you that information about
MIR. Ford?"
NO"
r. r. Mccormick, president of The
Tribune company, and one of the ed.
tors OF the paper, was another wit
ness. Mr. Mccormick testified that
The Standard Oil and International
Harvester interests, in which Tribune
stockholders have holdings. never IN
any way directed the policy of the pa.
per towards Mexico. His testimony
also touched the matter of salaries.
which The Tribune cut off as soon as
men entered the service of the nation
n the great war, although 1t had cen.
dnued salaries when Its employees
we're called to the border. The fact
that the army pay had been doubled,
hat married men were discharged
rom the guard and that CONSUMPTION
had been put in force, caused the pa
Per to change its policies. Mr.. McCor.
mick stated.
+. G. Liebold, general secretary to
Mr.. Ford. and Edsel Ford, the presi-
dent of the Ford Motor Company, were
called to the witness stand by rhe
Tribune late In the week. Mr.. LIebold