Along with his other hideous qualities, Henry Ford was the most prominent purveyor of anti-Jewish hatred in the English language. His newspaper, the Dearborn Independent, was a virulently anti-Semitic dealing in every trope and inventing new ones (“jazz is a Jewish-communist conspiracy to promote miscegenation”). In this nuanced and critical take, the editors of the Messenger take the Jewish press to task for not taking the threat of Ford seriously, and more importantly, not refuting Ford’s accusations with a critique of capital.

‘Henry Ford and the Jews’ by A. Philip Randolph and Chandler Owen from The Messenger. Vol. 3 No. 3. March, 1921.

FOR several months Henry Ford has been waging a campaign against the Jews. He maintains that his object for the campaign is to show the menace of the international Jew to world peace. To quote him directly on this subject we take from his interview in the New York World of February 17th, the following:

“You know, back in 1915, I said I was going to devote my life and fortune to bring about an end to war. That was not just talk. I meant it then and I mean it more than ever now. In studying the possibilities of permanent world peace from every angle, I studied also the causes of war, and I am convinced that nearly all wars are caused so that some one would profit, and those who have profited and are profiting now are the international financiers–the Jews, with possibly among them a few Gentiles with Jewish connections. They are what is called the International Jew, German Jews, French Jews, English Jews and American Jews.

“I believe that in all these countries except our own the Jewish financier is supreme. He is not on top here because there has always been a strong group of Gentiles in this country awake to the situation. But the Gentiles of America must be kept informed of what the International Jews here are trying to do. They would control America, as they control the Old World countries, if they could. Therefore, it is a duty to open the eyes of the American people to the danger they are in.”

“How do you think the International Jew started the World War?” was the next question the inquirer asked.

Mr. Ford replied: “By arousing national passions, that ts, by propaganda which set one people against another people. These dangerous groups profit before a war by making munitions of war, during a war by national loans, and after a war, as they are doing now, In the free-for-all grab which goes on. All nations that fight have to use materials that are controlled by the Jews–copper, for instance.”

Much detailed writing has been done by Ford’s Dearborn Independent to sustain these as well as other allegations to the effect that the Jews control nearly every line of industry, manufacturing, banking, motion pictures and the press. The charges have provoked rather heated counter-charges and denials from prominent Jewish scholars, editors, publicists, lawyers, business men and others. For instance, note the following:

“Too much attention has been paid the Henry Ford incident,” says Isaac Rosengarten, associate editor of the Jewish Forum. “He is not yet assimilated into Americanism and should be dismissed from the American mind, as well as the Jewish. He is evidently the victim of anti-Semitic propaganda. On no other theory is it conceivable that a naturally good-hearted man should consent to participate in a movement which is the very negation of humanitarian notions.”

In an editorial captioned “Ford the Liar,” the Jewish Daily News to-day says, in part:

“Ford is a crass ignoramus, yet it is impossible to believe that he places any credence, as he says he does, in ‘The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.’ No matter how little sense a man may have, it is impossible to believe that he thinks the Jews conspired to seize the Governments of the world. It is characteristic of anti-Semites that they ever simulate friendship for Jews. They would hold up their hands in horror if anybody called them anti-Semites; they only disseminated lies about Jews–the very same thing Ford is doing now.”

Oscar S. Strauss is inclined to ridicule the entire affair and suggests that Mr. Ford be thanked for his benevolent consideration for the welfare of the Jewish people.”

Ford Kaiser’s Disciple

“According to the Ford philosophy,” Mr. Straus goes on, “the Kaiser made war to save mankind. Ford, his most faithful disciple, sent him his peace ship to persuade the nations to make a generous peace. As an earnest of his high purpose and as a patriotic American, he secured the discharge of his son from the draft, so he might not discourage the Kaiser in carrying out his benevolent will.”

Dr. Nathan Mosessohn, editor of the Jewish Tribune, does not think that Mr. Ford is sincere in his belief that Jews are attempting to seize the governmental power of the world, but is moved by “a deep-rooted hatred” of the race. If he is sincere, however, Dr. Mosessohn can explain his credulous acceptance of “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” and any other evidence he may have as the mark of a simpleton.

“I am for letting Ford alone and allowing him to go as far as he likes,” said William J. Solomon, editor of the Hebrew Standard. “If he gets enough rope, eventually he will hang himself. The boost in the circulation of the Dearborn Independent from 50,000 to 302,444 last week is significant. It shows what Ford is pandering to.”

Makes Himself Ridiculous

Abraham Cahan, editor of the Jewish Daily Forward, merely says the Ford statements are “perfectly absurd. Mr. Ford puts himself in a very ridiculous position.”

In an editorial which the Day will publish this afternoon, amazement is expressed that influential newspapers should even publish interviews with Mr. Ford and give him that opportunity to disseminate his propaganda. The Day points out that “if you throw enough mud some of it will stick,” and goes on:

“As Americans who are considering the Jewish question not only in the light of Jewish interests, but from the standpoint of American freedom, it appears to us a dangerous symptom of a disease which is beginning to spread in this country. It shows that the wells of public opinion, the basis of American life, are to some extent already poisoned by the alien propaganda fostered by Mr. Ford.”

The Zeit Promises Exposure

To-day’s issue of the Zeit promises an exposure of the elements that are controlling Mr. Ford in his campaign, and denies emphatically that there is any Jewish “International,” save one which has been organized to support the widows and orphans left after the massacres of Jews, which were the results of agitation by the Fords in the various countries.

“We believe we have discovered the truth about his agitation. In a series of articles we shall prove that he does not stand alone, that he is being driven and led by the nose. We shall prove what part the Russian emigres have in his agitation and we hope to discover the other evil spirits also.”

Morris Rothenberg, Executive Chairman of the Provisional American Jewish Congress, characterizes Mr. Ford’s explanation of his stand as grotesque.

“Were it not that such a charge adds to the all but insupportable burdens under which so great a part of the Jewish people are suffering it would be ludicrous,” he said. “Mr. Ford says his present campaign against the Jews is designed to bring about peace. The world has already had very clear evidence of Mr. Ford’s ability for peace making.”

In addition to these replies, a rather hectic retort emanated from Samuel Untermyer–a retort which did not bear the stamp of either the dignity or accuracy which we would have expected from so reputable, able and dispassionate a lawyer.

We have given a rather careful and dispassionate examination to Ford’s allegations as well as to the evidence submitted in corroboration or substantiation. We find most of the charges true, but highly immaterial. Nor are the charges peculiar to the Jew. It is the same situation which the Negro frequently faces. The whites charge Negroes as a whole with being ignorant, poor, uncultured, highly tubercular, and addicted to a high death rate. Superficial Negroes and alleged Negro scholars reply that it is not so. Yet it is unquestionably true. The real answer is best expressed by George Frazier Miller: “They predicate of one, to the detriment of that one, what is true of all.” For it is undeniable that most of the people of all races, nationalities and colors are ignorant, poor, uncultured, highly tubercular and addicted to a high death rate.

Now back to Henry Ford. He says that he is convinced that nearly all wars were caused so that someone would profit. That is sound philosophy but dangerous ground for Ford to be tramping since he was one of the chief profiteers of this war. Few men earned as much as he did. Most of the Jewish capitalists would readily exchange places with him. Ford, Morgan, Schwab, Gary, Carnegie, Frick, Rockefeller, hold enviable positions as war makers and profiteers.

Ford further maintains that those who profited were the international financiers. That is sound. The international financiers profited–whether they were Jews or Gentiles. In Germany the Jewish Rothschilds profited hand in hand with the Gentile Krupps and Kaiser; in France the Jewish Eugene Schneider and Rothschilds profited locked arms with Gentile Millerand; in England the Jewish Rothschilds united in the holy wedlock of gain with the Harvey Munitions Trust, Balfour, Landsdowne, Chamberlain, and scores of smug English gentiles; while in these United States millions of trusting gentiles were gouged by puritanic gentlemen without a sign of Semitism about them. In other words, incidentally the Jews were heavily represented among German, French, English and American profiteers, but profiteering was by no means peculiar to them. Again no difference is discernible in the gentile profiteering of Morgan, Schwab, Carnegie, Frick, Gary and others. It was a fault peculiar and common to all capitalists regardless of race, nationality or creed.

All made munitions of war before the war, and a Ford automobile is as much a munition of war in modern warfare as a cannon or a torpedo boat. All groups made national loans thru Liberty (?) loans and other methods. (We are sure Mr. Ford purchased quite a few liberty (?) bonds.) This “free for all grab” which goes on after the war is not a game whose participants are Jews only. The shrewd French Gentiles, the tricky and subtle Englishmen, the crafty Japanese, the “grafty” American gentiles are well represented at the chess board. The capitalists–Jew and Gentile–everywhere-are exploiting the worker–Jew and Gentile–everywhere.

We think the Jewish editors and publicists need to explain this. It is not possible to wave aside a well organized, insidious campaign, thoroughly financed by a multimillionaire like Ford. It is dealing with the situation too lightly when Abram Cahan. replies “perfectly absurd”; Morris Rothenberg, “grotesque”; Oscar Straus, “Ford is Kaiser’s disciple”; Samuel Untermyer, “Ford is an ignoramus.” As Lester F. Ward says, nothing is too absurd to be believed if only one side is presented and its refutation excluded. Or more simply presented in the legal rule: A lie repeatedly stated gets to be believed. Nor is it true that lies tend to die of their own weight. The war just passed proves what ridiculous, absurd, grotesque and ignoramus propaganda will be believed when the other side is prohibited from presentation.

Lastly, most of the matter presented by Ford does not reflect upon the Jews at all. Tremendous envy and jealousy, however, will be aroused by showing how the Jews dominate every field–especially the economic and industrial fields. Ford should not be allowed to win his case by default. Much less should able scholars indulge in ridiculous denials and counter-charges. What is needed is a barrage of facts of interpretation, a wealth of clear cut exposition and a well organized counter-campaign for the dissemination of sound opinion.

The Messenger was founded and published in New York City by A. Phillip Randolph and Chandler Owen in 1917 after they both joined the Socialist Party of America. The Messenger opposed World War I, conscription and supported the Bolshevik Revolution, though it remained loyal to the Socialist Party when the left split in 1919. It sought to promote a labor-orientated Black leadership, “New Crowd Negroes,” as explicitly opposed to the positions of both WEB DuBois and Booker T Washington at the time. Both Owen and Randolph were arrested under the Espionage Act in an attempt to disrupt The Messenger. Eventually, The Messenger became less political and more trade union focused. After the departure of and Owen, the focus again shifted to arts and culture. The Messenger ceased publishing in 1928. Its early issues contain invaluable articles on the early Black left.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/messenger/1921-03-mar-mess-RIAZ.pdf