The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-17
He So Figures, Comparing
Factory Output With Pres
ident's Speeches.
ALL WAR SYSTEM MURDER
Admits He Is "Ignorant Ideal
ist"-knew Little of His
Own Literature.
Special Despdfch to TIE SuS,

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. July 49,
Henry Ford continued on the witness
stand this morning under cross-exami
nation of Elliott G. Stevenson Of tn,
Tribune. counsel in the Ford Tribun,
million dollar libel suit. Considerabl,
time was spent by the attorney il
questioning the witness on politica
economy and history. Ford wa
anxious and willing to answer all ques
tions to the best of his ability, al
though many OF the answers were di
rectly opposite what the crowded
courtroom expected them to be.
Twice during the day Mr.. Ford ad
mitted he was an Ignorant idealist"-
one OF the charges contained in thu
editorial for publication Of which Mr.
Ford asked a verdict Of one millior
dollars. To-day his admission. frs
qualified, was later repeated undel
such circumstances as indicating tina
he wanted it distinctly understood tina
he really considered himself an igno
rant idealist. Later he defined al
idaaIist as "one who wanted TO make
everybody prosperous"
Then followed a few lessons in his
tory, Mr.. Stevenson assuming the posi-
ton Of teacher. And give them he die
despite strenuous objections Of Ford''
counsel. The longest lesson was or
the subject of Benedict Arnold, wht
Mr.. Ford said was a writer, but whose
writings he confessed he had not read
At least two hours of the days ses
sion was devoted to the reading o.
President Wilson's addresses on pre-
paredness, which Mr.. Ford admitted NJ
antagonized with his anti-preparednes'
propaganda, which he distributed broad
cast throughout the press of the countrs
in the form of paid advertisements
During the reading of the.lo speeches
Mr.. Ford was allowed to leave the STAND
and he and his attorneys left the cour
house and took a walk.
Mr.. Stevenson took up the testimony
where he left of Tuesday.
@. I called your attention yesterday
Mr. Ford, to part of a paragraph neai
the end OF your interview OF Septembe
s, 1915. published In the Free Press, II
which this language was referred to:
''It Is the same old scarecrow tall
by the same old lazy vultures who maxi
human lives, seldom their own, the stalk
in their so-called battles Of brains"
Whom did you have in mind or in
tend your readers to have in mind re
ferring to the same old scarecrow talk
A. Well, Mr.. Delavigne wrote that
and I don't remember much about it
@. Isn't It a fact, Mr.. Ford, that yo'
had reference to the people who wer'
advocating preparedness. the same OLE
scarecrow talk, and that is the way tina
you characterized them?
A. Not people that were advocating
preparedness.
O. You characterized people gener
ally who were advocating preparedness
as endeavoring to instil fear In th'
hearts Of the people that they Nigh
sell their wares-that was your argu
ment generally. wasn't IL?
a. TCOplo VIM AiauO hiOHcS Jul "
war, yes. sir.
q. And you generally referred to al
people who were making money out o
war as people who were advocating
preparedness, didn't you?
A. War as a system: who advocated
war as a system.
The Witness-My reference TO 'laz.
vulturesH has always been the man -
Lasy vultures Defined.
Q. am not speaking about 'laz
vultures" now. ask you generally
Your argument was that the advocate
oil preparedness were trying to inst
into the minds and hearts of the peopl
tho fear of threatened danger. fear o
the danger and they were doing tina
for the purpose OF making profit out o
tho selling Of munitions. That was you
general argument.
A My view OF the lazy vulture Is tn
fellow that makes money out of war.
Q. Pardon me. I am not asking yo
about lazy vultures now.
A. It seems to be in the article.
OIL am asking you as to the genera
effect of your Views, as you understoo
II, when presented to the public, II
was not that the advocates OF prepared
ness were trying to instil In the mind
and the hearts Of the people fear Q
danger that did not exist in order tina
they might sell their munitions an
make profit out OF IL,
A. The advocates OF overpreparednes,
O. Well you call II overpreparednes
again this morning?
A. don't see what else It Is. w
were prepared. We were thorough
prepared, in my estimation.
q. Tou explained yesterday what 20
meant by overpreparedness?
A. Yes.