The sun., 1919-07-24

1
that the company should engage in war
| work without proflts7
A. We talked II over in n general way.
O. The only stockholders that you re-
/ ferred to in that connection was the
| Dodge Broa did you ever talk with
them about IT.
A. don't think 20.
Dodge Bros. Litigation.
Q. They were the only ones that you
had any litigation about7
A. Yes, sir.
Q. The only question, Mr.. Ford, In that
| case, was as TO whether you should DO
compelled TO pay dividends, wasn't It?
A. The only question with me was go
ing on with Il
Q. Very briefly. let me bring this to your
| attention. In 1916 the profits of the
company were seo.o0o,0oo?
A. Yes.
q. And at the end Of the fiscal year for
1918, which was about August 1, you
had s52,000.00O on hand?
A. / think 40, yes
Q. At that time you made the an
| nouncement that you were not for the
present going to pay any more special
earnings back into the business and en-
large the business
A. Some OF II. yes
q. And Dodge Bros insisted that
you should divide at least so per cent OF
the cash on hand. didn't they?
A. I guess that IL all Of record.
@. They commenced a lawsuit to COM
pei you to, and It was tried in court in
the regular way. and before Judge
Hoamer he ordered that?
A. Yes.
Q. And you took an appeal to the Su-
preme Court and the Supreme Court af-
| firmed that?
A. Yes.
Had to Pay the Dividends.
Q. And you have since paid That $780,
100000 in dividends, which was half
the money on handf
A. Yes
Q. You knew that they asked for the
distribution of fifty per cent Of the cash
on handi
A. Yes.
Q. Finally you had to pay It!
A. Yes. we paid It
Q. Now, Mr.. Ford, asked one general
question that Mr.. Lucking thought ought
to be more specific. Perhaps 1 ought
to call this particular thing more specifi-
cally to your attention. You said that
give out a statement or to make a state
ment that the company would not take
the men hAck who went with the Ma
tional Guard, that nobody was author
lied TO do that Do you mean by that
that Mr. Klingensmith was not author
lied to say what the policy of the COM
pany was?
A. Not by me.
Q. He was vice-president Of the COM
pany, wasn't he?
A. Yes, he must have been, l guess.
at that time.
Q. You never responded to inquiries
over the telephone. did your
A. Not very much. no SIR.
@. And Mr.. Kllngensmith was the per-
son to whom anybody wanting informa-
ton for publication communicated with,
wasn't her
A. Well, yes, In general, yes.
Q. He drew a salary of $4,000 a year,
didn't he?
A. Yes, sir. I think so. don't re-
member what II Is
FIivver Patriotism.
| Q. $4,000, just one-half OF your SAL
| airy, isn't TT
A. Well, I don't know exactly, but /,
| La all in the record.
wanted any information about what the
| policy of the company was going to be
! or what II was going to do to in
Quire Of Mr.. Klingensmith?
| A Yes
Q. They had a right to assume and
rely on what Mr.. Klingensmith said to
that.
A. Yes.
! Here Mr.. LuckIng again examined Mr.
Ford
Q. Counsel has asked you the ques-
ton, told you that no other thing was
involved in the Dodge suit, except divi-
dendA Isn't It a fact that the Judge
! of the lower court entoined you from
going on with the blast furnaces?
| A understand 90. yes.
O. And enioined you from any further
expansion OF the Highland Park plant
A. Yes
] Q. And directed that the corporation
! should not Increase or expand any fur
Their Its business?
| A. That Is my understanding, yes.
q. And that It was enjoined by the
lower court from any further accumula'
tion OF means with which to expand 1t.
business or hire more men3
A. Well, I guess that all went together
Every Ruling Reversed.
@. Now, Mr.. Ford. the Supreme Court
of Michigan reversed every proposition
that Judge Hosner or the law court lntt
down except the distribution of soms
surplus money. Is that not so7
A That is my understanding.
Q. Did not the plaintiff in that cast
lay down. as the basis of their claimi
against you, the published statement
that your ambition was to spread tn,
Dement'S OF the institution and emplo,
more men at good waSesH
4 A don't know what was laid down
It is all IN the record.
Q. Do you remember the substance o
that being charged against you?
A. / remember that in the record
Q. Do you remember that they wer,
against your expanding. increasing ant
hiring more men
A Yes. I do. I remember they wer
against expansion. yes, sir.
Q. Cutting the price OF cars. Do yo,
remember that they prayed for relic
in that case.
A. aid at the time, II is all o
record.
Q. And you gave a s1o,Ooo.ooo bon.
did you not do you remember that7
| A. Yes. sir.
Q. IN order to get the opinion Of tn
Supreme Court upon whether you SHOULD
be allowed to proceedt
A Yea
Q. The Supreme Court reversed all O
these provisions except the matter o
the distribution OF some OF the surplu
money; Ii not that sof
A. Yes,
Q. You have been asked whether yo
could have gone on with any work az
| ha