Evening star., 1938-12-05
Cough|in Says Ford
Was Misquoted in
Statement on Jews
Put Words Into Mouth
Of Manufacturer
He Charges
Dy the Associated Press.

DETROIT, Dec. 5-The Rev.
Charles E. Coughlin said yesterday
in his weekly address that recently
published statement by Henry Ford
on the persecution of Jews in Ger
many was gigantic attempt to
put into the mouth of Americas s
foremost manufacturer words he did
not say"
Rev. Father Coughlin said the
statement wa written by Rabbi Leo
M. Franklin of Detroit after a con-
ference with the motor manufac-
turer and lit was the rabbits con-
cept of not what Mr. Ford actually
said, but what Rabbi Franklin would
prefer he said"
The Ford statement said admis-
sion of Jews to the United States
under immigration quotas would
constitute real asset to our coun-
try" and remarked that a decora-
ton conferred recently upon the
manufacturer by the German gov
ernment had no particular signifi-
canoe.
The Ford statement said also Mr..
Ford had found Jewish workers
loyal and able.
Bennett Affirms Statement.
Harry Bennett, Ford personnel
director, affirmed the priests asser-
ton that Rabbi Franklin wrote the
statement. Mr.. Bennett said Mr..
Ford authorized it and that I'VE
agreed" when the rabbi suggested
that it be put in the first person.
Rev. Father Coughlin described
Communism as the cause of
Naziism' and suggested that in
view of the magnificent publicity"
given the persecution of Jews in
Germany the present would be an
ideal time Ito amalgamate the forces
OF a sympathetic world against all
persecution, be it that of Catholic
or Protestant, Jew or Gentle"
Coughlin Gives Version.
The priest said that Mr.. Bennett,
speaking officially for the Ford
Motor Co. and in the presence of
Mr.. Ford-the same Harry Bennett
who arranged the meeting between
Rabbi Franklin and Mr.. Ford-per-
mits us to say the following in a
signed statement:
"1. The direct quotation carried
In the paper "a Detroit neWspaper)
is totally inaccurate and was not
written by Mr.. Ford. but was COM
posed by Rabbi Franklin.
80. Rabbi Franklin came to see
Mr.. Ford to ask him if his factory
would assimilate Jewish refugees,
the result of Nazi persecution. Mr..
Ford said that he believed there
was little or no persecution in Ger
many; If any, it was due. not to the
German government. but to the war
mongers, the international bankers.
"Would Not Be Content"
Moreover, while Mr. Ford ex-
pressed his humanitarianism for all
people, yet he believed that Jews
wouldn't be content to work in fac
tories. -"
Mr.. Bennett said last night that
the statement attributed to him by
Rev. Father Coughlin was correct
except that he had not used the
phrase totally inaccurate" and had
not said that Mr.. Ford said that he
believed there was little or no per-
secution in Germany"
'Mr. Ford did not attack the Ger
man government and did not men,
ton Naziism," Mr.. Bennett said.
HE said that he did not know
whether there was any persecution,
hYlf fhot If thoro hn didn't
believe the German people or the
German government we're respon-
sible, but an organized few, the war
makers and international bankers"
Mr.. Bennett said that Rabbi
Franklin had called on Mr.. Ford to
ask about the possibility of Jewish
refugees being employed in the Ford
plant. Mr.. Ford authorized a state
ment, he said. This was written by
Rabbi Franklin, Mr.. Bennett ex-
planned, and was approved by Mr..
Ford.
Later Rabbi Franklin called and
asked permission to change the
statement into the first person, and
we agreed to it," Mr.. Bennett said.
The revised statement was then
submitted to Mr.. Ford and author
lied and released to newspapers, Mr..
Bennett explained.
After that two reporters from
the Social Justice Magazine Father
Coughlins periodically called on me
and asked me if the statement at
tributed to Mr.. Ford was accurate. I
told them that the statement was
not totally inaccurate, but that the
way 1t was used was inaccurate. They
asked me to sign a statement and I
did"
Rabbi Franklin said that he had
no statement to make.