Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-16
RuffIed, He Admits Being
ignorant One, But Later
ReverSes Statement.
TRAITOR is worker
AGAINST GOVERNMENT"
Manufacturer Described Benedict
Arnold as "a Writer" in Testify
ing in Libel Suit.

BY the Associated Press.
MT. CLEMENS. Mich, July 16.-In
moment of petulance while on the
witness stand today Henry Ford,
plaintiff in s1.000.000 libel suit
against the Chicago Daily Tribune.
admitted that he was IAN ignorant
idealist" Subsequently he reversed
his statement.
This was one of the alleged hbeious
charges made against him in the Trib-
Une editorial Attorney Elliott q.
Stevenson, for the Tribune. had been
asking questions to establish if pos
sible that Mr.. Ford as a matter of
fact was ignorant. The witness said
that he made the admission merely
to stop the examination. Later when
formally asked to admit that he was
an ignorant idealiSt" he declined to
do So
In the course of the examination,
MIR. Ford defined a traitor as "one who
works against the government; an
make profit and. evidently with
Arnold Bennett vaguely in mind, de-
scribed Benedict Arnold as "a writer"
Never Read of Arnold.
Mr.. Stevenson repeated the story of
Benedict Arnold and his attempt to
betraS his country, and of the British
spy, Maj. Andre. through whose cap
ture the Arnold plot was disclosed. but
Mr.. Ford said he had never heard or
read of it.
DO you understand that it is the
duty of a man who undertakes to edu-
cate the people as you did to pacifism
tc be educated themselves" asked the
lawyer.
Ford.
Witness said he knew what the Dec
laration of Independence was, but did
not recall details.
Il could read it. if 1 wanted to
know" he said.
by the way, what was the United
States composed of before the revo-
lution?"
Land. guess" smiled the witness.
In opening the examination Mr.
Stevenson quoted the phrase same old
scarecrow talk and asked who was
meant Mr.. Ford returned his familiar
reply, "Delavigne wrote that" He add
ed that the "scarecrows" were the pro-
fessional agitators for preparedness.
''overpreparedness" Again.
"Your position was that they were
advocating preparedness in order to
profit by munitions?"
"Overpreparedness, yes"
'"Oh, You are still talking of over
preparedness. ! think you defined that
yesterday as anything in addition to
what we had in 1915 or 1916" remind
ed the lawyer. He then referred to the
use the word ''murderers' as applied
by Mr. Ford to professional soldiers
and those who make money out of war.
well, you were a murderer in 1917"
suggested Mr.. Stevenson.
''Oh. no." replied the witness, quick
"; that was during the war;
Admits Being Ignorant Idealist.'
Mr.. Stevenson precipitated a torrent
of objections by asking the meaning
of the word traitor" in the course
Of which Mr.. Ford interposed:
'Tll admit I'm an ignorant idealist,' :"
Why. Mr. Ford said Mr.. Stevenson.
in surprise. If you admit that 1 shall
not have to ask you any more ques-
tons along that line"
I'll admit it if it will close this
talk. 1t is for the jury to decide,
anyway
But if you admit it there will be
nothing for the jury to decide. The
admission settles it,
Predatory to this outburst by the
witness. who was plainly nettled by
the examination. Mr.. Stevenson ex-
planned to the court: Your honor. the
alleged libelous editorial in the
Tribune referred to Mr. Ford as an
ignorant idealist.' The questions are
10 show that he is in fact ignorant.
and il he is an idealist, and doesn't
know the meaning of commonly used
words. he is plainly an ignorant
idealist."
1t was at this point that the manu-
facturer burst out with his angry ad !
mission, which. despite efforts Of his
lawyers, he repeated.
The Tribune lawyer seemed content
with Mr.. Ford's declaration. and
asked him a number of questions as to
what ne knew of the size, equipment
and distribution Of the American
Army in 1915 and 1916, the witness
having said yesterday that he con-
sidered the force at that time ade-
Quate for defense.
Questioned as to History.
DO you know how many troops
were in the Philippines"
No"
I'm Alaska
NO"
In Porto Rico'"
NO"
BY the way what are the relations
between the United States and Porto
Rico?"
Judge Tucker suggested that this
line had been followed far enough.
But this man sets himself up as
an educator and wanted to go to the
United States Senate"
Mr. Ford interrupted to saw. ..I
can get a man in five minutes to tell