The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-08-10

If the peace ship injured tn pres
tige of Henry Ford the effect was not
apparent in his native state in 1915,
for in that year the delegation sent
to the Republican national conven-
tion at Chicago was instructed to give
him its complimentary ''favorite son
vote. Mr.. Ford has none of the char
acteristics of a statesman, or even
nolitician. and does not yearn for pub
lie Office, but he has more men work
ing for him than there are people
living in Nevada and Wyoming; he
has been marvelously successful In
his conduct of immense business un-
. dertahings, and it would seem that
he must be capable of filling place
in the senate of the United States
not as a statesman or politician, not
as an orator or social leader, but as
a hard working, successful man who,
always has the interests of many peo-
pie at heart.
In Michigan, where rhe is best
known and most esteemed, many cit
izens were eager for him to be their
senator, as William Alden Smith had
announced that he would not be
candidate to succeed himself. Mr..
Ford was urged to make the race on
the Republican ticket and although
the nomination would have been
equivalent to election he refused,
partly because he did not want the
Office and partly because he did not
want to take the time away from
his business. Then the Democrats
appealed to him to become their
standard bearer. "Michigan," they
told him, ''is overwhelmingly Re-
publican. You are the only man who
can make the race as Democrat with
any hope of election. At this criti-
cal period, the president needs the
support in Washington OF every
friend he has"
Conferred With President.
About this time the president sent
for >NIr. Ford to come to Washing
ton for conference. They discuss
ed the submarine detector on which
MIR. Ford himself had been working.
From that the conversation turned
to the coming senatorial campaign.
Partisanship did not enter into the
conversation, but the president said
that he needed Mr.. Ford in the SEN
ate and gave as his reason that he
was flair minded and had no party
prejudices,' and he added: s'No one
knows as do the work that you and
your son are doing to help win the
the war. No one knows better than
I know the heartaehe, the sacrifice
that you are putting into it. But l
hope you will put aside your person
al feelings, make this additional sac
rifice and be candidate
Mr.. Ford was touched by the ap-
peal, but his reply was characteristic
of the man. 81 cannot leave Detroit
he told the president. Il cannot
take my eyes off the plant. No mat
ter how many officials I may have,
must be there myself. I am, around
my factory all day and every day; l
am there very often at night. I've
gotten out of bed many time to drop
in on the night shift and see how
things were moving along. I've
worked right along with the men on
the submarine detector and we have
just completed it,. 1 cannot take
time to make the race. Moreover,
I have so much to do at Detroit that
/ could not spend enough time in
Washington if I were senator. Be-:
sides, l can't make speeches and l
have not he'patience to sit around
and listen to folks who liken to talk"
Mr.. Wilson put his hand on Mr..
Ford's shoulder. "The country needs
you," he said. eve are being
swamped by waste; we are being
hampered by various combinations. 1
need your aid in this time OF stress.
I know your obligations and I real
ize that am asking more than you
feel you can give; but need YOU
need you more than you know"
And when Henry Ford returned
to Detroit the same argument was
advanced from every side. THE
president needs you. You are the
only man in Michigan that can be
elected on the Democratic ticket"
= Pick Newberry.
Meanwhile the Republicans, alarm
ed by the general talk of Mr.. Ford
as the Democratic candidate, cast
about for the strongest man they