The diamond drill., 1918-07-06

the automobile business; and from
the latter Mr.. Ford cannot be spared" !"
But whatever his reason, Mr.. Ford
is convinced that he either can not
or should not help himsef.
FOrdism and kaIserism.
II Mr.. Ford Is right. no citizen OF
Michigan should refrain from vot-
ing for him. II 1t is reasonable or
disloyal or unpatriotic for Mr.. Ford
to refuse to run for the senate against
his own wishes. II must be equally
reasonable. or disloyal or unpatriotic
for any citizen Of Michigan to refuse
10 vote for him.
That being the case, 1t is for the
republican party and its candidates TO
abdicate in favor OF the democrat can
didate as suggested by the democrat
leaders and approved by the democrat
president.
II this Is good American doctrine
in time OF war It ought to be good
American doctrine In time OF peace,
and will enable us eventually TO elm
mate elections for the senate alto
gether. filling all vacancies by presi-
Dental request. or command, or
ukase.
The extension OF the same system
TO our house OF representatives would
OF course be the next logical step,
with the ultimate election OF the pres
ident for life Thus can we arrive at
political dictatorship, with its inev-
table accompaniment OF militarism
and initiate the kaiserism we now aim
to destroy.
The Usefulness OF American History.
"And now" declares Mr.. Ford, with
pardonable pride In his accomplish
ments, now we shall see whether
can build anything but automobiles,
tractors and ships" No demonstra-
ton Is necessary. III there is one
thing that Mr. Ford's critics have con-
ceded far and wide 1t is his ability to
achieve great things in industrial
construction. He could no doubt build
locomotives, or railroads, or aero
planes, or skyscrapers, or balloons
he ought to be very good at balloons
and build these things and many
other things, as well as he built the
things he has already tried. But new
er in Gods good world will he be able
to build, or rebuild, American democ-
racy until he learns more about civil
liberty, its past growth and its pres
ent pitfalls, than he has exhibited in
his explanation OF his senatorial can
didacy.
Some OF his many good friends
should take him by the hand, as his
father did in 1884, when, according
to one OF Henry's latest senatorial in
terviews. he was led 10 the polls for
the first time, and voted for Garfield,
who died in 1SS1-take him by the
hand, we said, and find out when he
first voted and for whom, and help
him to remember II, and then gently
lead him through subsequent events
of political history, which are OF some
Importance in senating, and on which
also he may be somewhat confused,
since in spite OF his recent explanation
that he has always tried to vote for
the best man" he has confessed to vot,
ing only two or three times in the last
twenty years or thereabouts, and
could not be expected to remember
much more about II than he remem-
bers about his vote for president.
Senator Ford ought TO know some
thing about history, in spite of his ex-
pressed aversion to 1t, especially mod
ern history, If he is going to be OF as
much service as he expects to be in
meeting what he well defines as "the
great constructive problems of hui
manity" in the next six years. or
course II will help some IL he should,
as he suggests. move my whole force
down there" for he has some very
bright men on his force-so bright in
fact that We suspect they would keep
him out OF the senatorial race If
friendship could do II. Mr. Ford's
whole force cannot sit in the senate.
There is only one vacant chair for
Michigan. We cannot elect syndi.
cate 10 the senate And then there Is
the added difficulty that Mr.. Ford will
not take his forces advice after he
gets II 10 Washington. since he ig-
nores II on important occasions when
he chooses, and in fact has boasted
that he never changed his mind more
than once in his life.