Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1919-08-22
LEAGUE OR WAR
DECLARES FORD
M A N U FAcTuRE R MAKES IT
CLEAR HE BELIEVES coVEN-
ANT Is GREAT STEP. 4.
DECLARES WAR IS MURDER"
Whirlwind Of Questions Fall to Shake
Composure of Man Who Sues for
Million Because He Was
Called "Anarchist."

luSdilSm VI henry fOru mas lTeSnencu
the proceedings Of the Ford-Tribune
libel case and has brought into the
wearisome arguments of counsel and
the dull repetition of cross-examina-
tions, a new quality.
For week the man who has been
described as everything from an AN
erchist' to the greatest patriot Of his
day, has been on the stand facing a
merciless fire of questions.
During the reading of an article
written by John Reed on Henry Ford,
and published in the Metropolitan Mag
azine, the audience in the court cham
Der violated all precedent by breaking
into applause and Mr.. Ford, visibly EN-
barrassed. raised his hand in protest.
Tribune counsel had endeayored to
quote paragraphs from the Reed arti-
Gle but had been compelled. by objec-
ton Of Ford attorneys, to introduce
the interview in its entirety. In the
main it was highly complimentary 10
Mr.. Ford.
snake Farmer independent"
What l want to do" Mr., Ford was
quoted as saying, lis TO make the farm
er as independent as l am; independ-
ent of the banks, independent of the
trusts, Independent OF the railroads"
The audience, many of them from
the surrounding farms of this commr-
nity. showed visible evidence Of its ap-
probation of that ideal.
Twice Mr.. Ford, wearying of the
questions having to do with his knowl-
edge Of history, said "Oh.. I'll admit
that I'm an ignorant idealist If you
wish"
What Is an idealist?" queried Tri-
bune counsel.
The innate goodness of the man
lighted UP his kindly eyes with a new
light, as he leaned forward and an
swered slowly, Il think an idealist is
one who tries to make people happy
and prosperous. l think 1 do that a
little"
Quiet. unassuming, courteous and
patient, henry Ford made a deep i'm
preston on the audience. Not once
did he lose his temper under the heck
ling of opposing attorneysreven when
their questions verged on the edge of
insult. But when the examination
touched on subjects which are close to
his heart, the League of Nations, war
and the happiness and prosperity of
Humanity, counsel found him eagerly
| alert.
A League of Nations, or prepared.
| ness up to the hilt.
That is the way he sees the situa-
ton today. I'VE must either" he said.
accept the covenant of peace or DEM
ocracy must arm and stand guard for
ever at the threshold of liberty"
"war Is Murder:.
He hammered that fact home and
with it he always added, War Is muir.
der"
Il was murderer" he said, 81 was
a helper of murder. When the crisis
came we all took hand. But 1t is all
the same. War is murder"
What do you mean by murder"
Il mean killing people"
killing people to protect the inter.
ests of the people?"
killing anybody or anything. |
don't know what else war is. War is
murder. There is far better way"
What is the better way?"
"Why, to educate people. To teach
them to think for themselves"
A long examination was conducted
which sought to quiz Mr.. Ford concern.
ing his views on history, based on a
remark which he once made that 81
wouldn't give five cents for all the his
tory ever written"
| II don't think much more of it now
than did then" testified Mr. Ford.
1.-THE war showed US that history
didn't last week. All the things they
told us would happen didn't happen
They went ahead, knowing what wal
meant, and made the same mistakes
all over again. The history we write
today is the thing that counts. I'm
rot interested in yesterday"
The Flag Of Nations.
The much discussed flag of League
Of Nations, which 1t has been stated
Mr.. Ford was having made In his fac
tory before the United States entered
the war, was brought into court. The
testimony developed the fact that Mr.
Ford did not originate the design OF
the flag and had never. seen the ban
ner itself. He saw small drawing
Of 1t once in st. PauPs Cathedral, Do
troit, he said, but had never heard Of
it again and knew nothing about 1t.
He denied emphatically that he evel
said he would raise this flag above
the Stars and Stripes, and said the
statement that he reverenced this ban
ner above the flag Of his country wal
"a terrible thing to say about an Am
erican."