The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-04-23
FORD VOTE ALARMS
BOTH THE PARTIES
Michigan Primary Results Were
Considered Joke, 1T Ne.
braska Is Different
tcontIrl,ed from First Page,

a safe depository.
In short. there were Just two ex-
cuses for anybody voting for Mr.. Ford.
One was that he II an advocate OF
peace at any price, and the other that
everybody In the United states knows
his name and business.
One OF the curious facts about the
Ford vote In Nebraska 10 thgt II has
scared both the Republicans and the
democrats. The Democratic politicians
insist publicly that the Joke II on the
Republicans. but In the confidence OF
personal interchange. q good many OF
them guess that Il BODIES no good to
Mr. Wilson. This 10 the way they
the FORD vote in Nebraska was a
Dse ySts t bss snDTs sns in n shs
state. The peace question pein8 new
one ana outside the range OF ordinary
pslltlcal divisions, the existence OF so
Republicans would suggest also that
there IL probably about similar pro-
portion OF Democratic pacinsts.
May Profit by II.
The Republicans have got their warn
ing; probably they will be able to profit
by l., and to trim their sails accord
ingly.
But the Democr, q have their course
laid out for them In advance. There
IL nothing for them to do but to nomi-
nate Mr.. Wilson. and II Senator cum
Minis didn't look good to the paeihst
Republicans OF Nebraska. II can hardly
be expected that President Wilson viii
look any better to the pacihst Demo-
Gratis OF the State.
an Ha-Q
large in Nebraska was. in fact, divided
very much rs was the Republican vote.
President Wilson, II IL true. had no OPP
position. and, therefore. there Is Moth
ing in tho returns by which to judge
now the voters feel toward him and his
policies. But Mr.. Bryan, who stands
for almost exactly the same views
about war and peace that Mr.. Ford
entertains, was a candidate for dele.
sHic-at-iarge, and was regarded as tine
Icr<-iost Democratic opponent OF WIZ
crns international policies.
Mr.. bryan seems to have got just
abcct the same proportion OF the Demo
cratic strength as Mr.. Ford got OF the
Republican strength. Neither Bryan
nor Ford won; hut each OF them got 90
large vote as to indicate the possi-
billy Of a vety heavy detection. IN each
party on this International issue.
There 4 an ominous amount OF spec
ulation about the possibility that
reace party will be organized to appeal
TO the class OF Democrats who are sup.
porting Bryan. and also TO the class OF
Republicans who are voting for Ford.
Both Factions Warned.
OF course II Is impossible to guess
whether such a party would draw more
strength from Democrats or Repub-
iicans.. But It requires no skilled In
vcstisator to discover that both Demo-
Gratis and Republicans are Intensely
worried about the possibility. The best
Judgment 10 that In such an event the
whole Presidential campaign would be
q conundrum until the votes were all
counted.
Democrats protest that on the whole
they could stand the losses better than
the Republicans could, because in any
evert the detection Of Democrats would
not he sufficient to interfere with tho
solid South remaining solid: Wilson
would have that big block Of votes safe
merely have to add to It enough from
other parts OF the country to push him
over the majority goal line.
In both Michigan and Nebraska. Il Ia
declared. the Germans very generally
voted for Ford: and the German vote Is
eral other mid-Western States, II Will
son be nominated by the Democrats he
will have no chance whatever with this
German vote: all the Democrats admit
| that.
But II some man shall be nominated
by the Republicans who stands for lust
| as much preparedness. Just as much or
| more vigor In foreign policy as Wilson.
the German vote will likewise refuse to
stand with the Republicans. There will
| be nothing for II but stay at home
or else attach itself to some minor
party.
Germans have not been enamoured Of
the Prohibition party. and they don't
| like the Socialist party any better.
They aen't popuhstic by disposition.
| There Ia. In short, no minor party now
in. existence for them to espouse. They
will have to discover some reason. not
now very apparent. for preferrlng the
| Republican party. or else mock to a new
organization: for It Is certain that they
will not give Wilson any support
| One Of the interesting facts to which
many politicians testify is that Roose-
welt has q widespread support among
| Germans. As he has frankly and per-
sistentiy expressed anti-0erman opin-
ons, this astonishes most observers. In
fact. however. II Is easily explained.
Want Vigorous Policies.
| German believe In vigorous policies
A surprisingly large share Of them do
clare that Rooseelt's vigor would put
an end TO national drifting. which they
believe 10 all toward war. They would
rather have an anti-German who would
keep us out OF the war. than a neutral
who would let us drift In.
This feeling among the Germans hal
been showing more strongly since tn,
Michigan primary. Many public mer
predict that II will now be re-enforcet
because OF the Nebraska result. IL so
the situation might yet'be presented
OF the Germans demonstrating such
preference for Roosevelt rs would z,
far to ristate his nomination by tn
Republicans.
One more element in the Nebraska
result must bel
1t Is the large vote polled by Mr.. Jus
tice Hughes despite the fact that hi
name was not on the ballot, and re
quired to be written In by the individua
voter.
This is explained on three grounds
First, Mr.. Hughes has positive strengt
all through the country. and especiall
the midwest Second, there was a we
organised newspaper campaign In Ne
braska to induce people to take tn
trouble to write In his name. He ha
more machinery actually working 10
him, despite the fact that his name wa
not on the ballot, than Cummins an
Ford taken together.
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