[The purpose of the Digest is informative. Preference is given to papers not generally accessible to our readers. Quotation does not indicate approval.-Editor.]
What is the opinion of people in Detroit, the home of Henry Ford, on the subject of his recent accident, the mystery of which has not yet been cleared up? According to Reuben Brainin, whose impressions of the Ford-Sapiro trial are published in the “Day” of yesterday, the general view in Detroit is that the Ford accident is “a mystifying legend.” Mr. Brainin observes:
“Sensible people in Detroit doubt the whole story of the accident. No one is allowed to come near Ford and no one has seen him hurt.
“One thing is certain: Ford is hiding from the court. It is said that he becomes hysterical at the mention of the trial. He dreads the fate awaiting him there. for he has no proofs, nothing definite with which to substantiate his absurd libels, furnished him by his hirelings who knew that it was all a lie.”
The assertion that Ford has hired “perverted mentalities” to conduct his paper, the “Independent”, is contained in an editorial of the Council Bluffs (La.) “Nonpariel” of March 31. The paper has the following to say, in part, on the subject of Ford’s anti-Jewish campaign which gave rise to the Sapiro libel suit:
“The folly, the injustice, the absurdity of Henry Ford’s obsession concerning the Jews of this country is manifest the moment the subject is investigated.
“The Jew today in civilized lands is a free citizen and because of this dark background wherever the Jew finds a government that gives him liberty and opportunity he returns loyalty and faithful support. The whole background of Jewish history moves these people resident in America toward a loyalty to the country of a character not surpassed even by those of revolutionary ancestry.
“Henry Ford is quoted as saying that ‘history is bunk.’ Henry’s knowledge of history is limited. This is not unusual. He is like other people. He has his limitations. He has failed to inform himself on this subject. His mind is controlled, therefore, on this line, by his prejudices. He has made a mint of money in industry. He can afford to hire perverted mentalities to operate a magazine and stand heavy losses.
He is trying to make the American people believe that their liberties are endangered by 2 per cent of their number which for reasons noted heretofore probably would run a higher average of patriotic loyalty to the country than any other racial element in our population.
“Facts are that Henry Ford’s theories are pure bunk for they are not supported by either history or reason. The most harmful people in this country are those who go about cultivating prejudices among our people against each other. Ford has classified himself on this line.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
