New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-03-31
REED and SAP|R0
IN Battle Of WITS
Sparks Fly Several Times Dur
Ing Today's Questioning

b'Llp4tr -hAiAu d W. W VI ~
wide cooperation OF growers Of sta
pie products was the dream OF
Aaron Sapiro, h. testified today in
his S1,oOn9OJ libel suit against
Henry Ford, confined to a hospital
as a result OF an automobile crash.
\ clash with Senator James a.
Reed OF Missouri chief Ford coun-
sal. marked the first f.w minutes OF
standardization. The senator was
attempting to learn from Sapiro the
intrjcaCtas Of cooperative marketing
organization
SHARP Rctorts Made
\ short answer from Sapiro, who
claims his reputation was injured
az an organizer OF cooperatives, by
articles in the Ford owned Dearborn
Independent. drew protest from
the attorney
Il am just trying TO get this
straight" he elarcd.
And I am trying to help YOU"
was the sharp reply.
Reed asked Sapiro II h. had not
planned worldwide cooperative as
/ sociations Of wheat. apple, cotton
and potato growers. The witness
said he would not 20 so far as to
say that hc had planned them, but
/ lie certainly had hoped for them.
II always have advocated con-
troll OF farm products by farmers"
said Sapiro.
Little Interest Today
( For the first time during the trial
many seats in the courtroom We're
vacant. interest having suddenly
| dropped when it became known
{ Henry Ford had suffered an acct
, dent while driving small coupe.
Sparks few when the senator
read into the records telegram
/ sent by Sapiro March Is, 1921, to
/ Charles c. Jewett o. Spokane.
4 will ask the senator to read
the telegram correctly Sapiro in
terrupted. half rising from his chair.
1.-THE message says adapt not
adopt"
1 The witness dirferentiates be-
tween the two words?"
Yes indeed, any man does Sa-
! piro replied.
Senator Reed Questioned Sapiro
as TO his activities in getting loans
for the organizations he formed.
Did you ever discuss with Eer-
nard Baruch the raising Of money
for these associations:
Yes"
s2piro said he also had talked
with Eugene Meyer Jr. and had
many trips to Washington to see
| the war finance corporation in re-
/ gard to loans. He succeeded IN get
I ting a loan for the Northwest Wheat
/ Growers association, composed Of
growers in Idaho, Oregon. Montana
and Washington.
A total Of 100000 was obtain
I'd for lie northwest growers, Sa
pro sail.
For appearing before the war
finance corporation at Washington
and making trips to New York in
the interest OF loans for tho north
| west growers, Sapiro testified he
asked a fec OF $4,000. The grow
ers offered him $4,000, however, and
| he accepted after some correspond
! ence.
Reads Resignation
Senator Reed read Sapiro's reSig-
nation as counsel for the Northwest
| Wheat Growers association. in
which the plaintiff referred to at
tacks on him because he was jew,
The document was dated Dec, II,
1922.
rs that association dead or
allve?" asked Reed.
Not dead, because il was taken
into the American Wheat Growers
association, covering larger terri
tory"
Reed drew from the witness the
admission however, that after head
quarters had been moved to St Paul
from Spokane and the name chang
cd, the Northwest Growers con-
tinued to function as a branch I'M
der its own name.
ut is now defunct, IN debit"
Reed asked.
Sapiro, for once, hesita'ed full
moment before replying.
Il am not familiar with the status
Of the organization, he said guard
eddy,
"Yes." the senator said emphati-
cally.