The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-07-09
Henry Ford's Amende Honorable

Henry Ford's retraction and apology to the Jewish
race confirm what we have suspected since the first
Dearborn Independent was published eight years ago
last month, namely
That as an editor Ford is a great maker OF auto
mobiles.
Several other incidental morals adorn the piece
the most important beng-"Stick to your own line"
Being genius in one line does not make a man
adept in another.
And a review of Henry Fords career shows that
whenever he has departed from the course OF his real
genius, he has stubbed his toe.
His peace ship venture his journey into politics.
and his editorial excursions have all been as con-
spicuous in their failure his automobile making
career has been conspcuously successful
Back in May, 1920, the Dearborn Independent
Fords sidetrp into journalism opened its attack on
the Jews A whole was indicted, despite the well
known maxim that you cannot indct even whole
nation
Henry Ford had assumed the highly hazardous-in
fact the impossble-role of publicist by proxy
A conoueror in the automobile industry, he had
viewed ,the journalistic pasture over the fence 1t
had looked green and inviting and he had answered
to the lure.
He became the angel for a weekly magazine.
knowing absolutely nothing about the publishing pro-
fesscn he delegated to agents the authority TO sgn
as it we're, his literary check
And he apparently forgot the very important role
which he had always applied SO consistently in his
automobile business that principal is responsible for
the acts of his agents.
Now if there is one thing more important than
enythng else in the occupation of publishing, it is
tnat the only way to edit is to edit Also that be-
ing an editor at least as highly skilled occupation
as assembling motor cars and still further that ed-
torshp by proxy involves the same dangerous pitfalls
as would beset the path of Arthur Brisbane if he
tried to design drive shaft or make carburetor.
Accordingly the inevitable happened.
Having wandered into unfamiliar fields, Henry
tripped and fell
To one who has spent lifetime at newspaper
work the nervousness of his retraction is little
short of fascinating.
ITO my great regret he says, Il have learned that
Jews generally and particularly those of this country,
not only resent these publications as promoting anti
Semitsyn, but regard their enemy. ! This has
led me to direct my personal attention to this subject
in order to ascertain the exact nature of these articles
AS result, confess am deeply mortified
Imagine publisher letting seven years go by be-
fore directing his personal attention to what was
being printed in his paper!
The arlessness of the apology is rivaled only by the
old old stcr41of the Babes in the Woods.
But after all is said and done, and nevertheless
and however Henry Ford is great man. Few, if any.
will question that
And belated as his amende honorable is, it demon
strates one true attribute of real greatness-the
courage to admit mistakes. 4..@
BY his apology, Ford has proved that attribute to
be his And the process of eating ones words is not
pleasant one especially if at single sitting, seven
years accumulation of vitrioic verbiage must be
masticated
We are glad both for the sake Of the Jewish race
and of Henry himself, that the job is done.
The Dearborn Independents position was unten-
able and unjust from the start
It now has been abandoned.
So may it rest.