Evening star., 1922-12-17
FIGURING ON POSSIBILITY
OF A DEADLOCK in 1924
Party Leaders See Chance That Even in
the House President Could
Not Be Elected.

1t will not be before February, 1925,
and in the meantime much may hap
pen, or be made to happen.
The new Congress coming in March
4, 1923, as the record now shows, will
have twenty-three states casting a
republican vote and twenty states
casting democratic vote. This in
cludes New York as a democratic vote
because there are twenty-three dem
ocratic representatives and twenty
republican representatives. The po-
litical sharps figure that there is a
chance to change New York over from
a democratic vote to a republican
vote. The twenty-tirec democrats
include one vacancy through the
death of a democrat-elect in the 18th,
but here Walter VI. Chandler, repub-
lican, is strong, as shown by the fact
that he ran ahead of his ticket. In a
by-election that strength would be
manifest and probably would result
in his election. That would make the
New York delegation twenty-five
democrats and twenty-one repnbli-
cans-a narrow margin of one for
such big state. which might quite
conceivably be tied and so have no
part in the House election of the
President.
Part. Leaders Here.
Lots of things are apt to happen
between now and then. especially in
New York, where they play the game
III har
party leaders today are scheming and
conniving and cogitating and con-
sulting to make this big delegation
republican on the one hand, or to
hold it democratic on the other. Po-
litical leaders from New York have
been at the Capitol during the last
week discussing some of the schemes
they have been Matching.
Now let's swing back to the situa-
tion in the House, where the repub-
licans have twentythree and the
democrats twenty states, with ive
states not voting, and majority re-
ouired by the Constitution for cleo
ton of a President.
It would be quite possible for some
state, say Wisconsin or Minnesota or
North Dakota or some other which
has recently been showing decidedly
radical tendencies and running ram
pant in an effort to be recognized as
figuring in on the balance of power.
TO throw its strength TO third part.
which would result in deadlock
between the republicans and the dem
ocrats.
Unless the situation is relieved by
breaking the tie in a sufficient manner
Of those five equally divided states. so
as 70 give ore party safe and sure
majority over all, there would be the
extremely interesting situation Of the
House being unable to elect a President
by March 4.
Senate Elects Vice President.
The Senate would have TO elect
Vice President from two and not three
candidates, as is the case in the House
vote for President There is very re-
mote possibility of there being a, dead
lock in the Senate. Whoever would be
elected Vice President by the Senate
would automatically become President
on March 4, in the event that the House
failed 10 elect "A President by that date
Another sidelight-and an important
considerations the effect of a reap
portionment. The census committee mas
under consideration a reapportionineni
bill, BY which New York and other
states would get an increase in the mum
Der of members of the House, which
would have decided effect on the pres
ent situation and might entirely turn
over the House majority. when the vote
is taken by states.
The reapportionment bill is being de-
layed because some astute and sagacious
political leaders see an opportunity
through reapportionment to make the
House safe for their party candidate in
the event the election is thrown Into the
House. They are busy, meanwhile. hs-
uring out the possible maneuverS that
should be taken in this direction.