Evening star., 1923-06-27
Politics at Large
By N. o. MESSENGER

the assent expressed by Henry Ford
to a movement in Savannah indors-
ing him for the presidency. 1t is
regarded as coming near being in fact
an official declaration of his candidacy
! for the nomination. A letter Mr.
Ford's secretary wrote to the movers
in the enterprise said. I'm view Of
the interest displayed Mr.. Ford can
| have no objection to their further
activities in this direction. Thanking
you for your interest, we are" ETC..
Only a few days ago Mr.. Ford gave
an interview which seemed to de-
preciate such activities as those
| undertaken by the Savannah demo
| Gratis. but 1t was not accepted as the
last word on the subject of his pos
sible candidacy, by long shot. That
skepticism of it's flnality is now Justi-
fed. In fact. there has been no doubt
| in the minds Of leading politicians in
both parties for months back that Mr..
Ford has his lightning-rod up for the
presidential bolt.
The main interest in connection
| with his candidacy, now taken as
tassured. is whether he will run as
an independent or seek the democratic
nomination. He apparently doesn't
worry the republicans much as
threatened candidate on the republi-
| can ticket. But 1t is said he is dis
turbing the serenity of a number Of
aspirants who are after the democratic
\ nomination
* y X
President Harding in his Denver
speech on enforcement of law is re-
| garded as having taken the disguise
off of those who are trying to use
| the issue of state rights as a stalking
horse for the wet movement and
| weakening Of enforcement Of the Vol
stead law. Gov. Smith of New York,
| In his memorandum accompanying the
signing Of the bill repeating the pro-
hibition enforcement act of New
York, made a point OF claiming that
he was defending state rights.
President Harding said that when
| the implications of this strange pro-
posal are fully understood by people
and parties devoted to preserving the
rights of the states. the new null
| lificationists. i venture to say, will
discover that they have perpetrated
what Is likely to prove one or the
historic bIunders in political manage
| ment." He elucidated his suggestion
by going on to say that 1T Is curl
!
| some people have proposed as a
means to protecting the fullest rights
of the states that the states should
abandon their part of enforcing the
prohibitory policy.
That means simply an invitation to
the federal government to exercise
powers that should be exercised by
the states. Instead of being an as
sertion of state rights II is an aban-
donment OF them; it is an abdication;
it amounts to confession by the
state that it doesn't choose to govern
itself, but prefers to turn the task or
| a considerable part of 1t over to fed
eral authority. There could be no
! more complete negation Of state
rights"
Politicians regard President Hard
ings Denver speech as definitely
| mailing the republican party to the
dry mast. Not. however, that there
has been any real question as to the
drift Of sentiment among the leaders
| as to which policy the party will
adopt in the next national convention.
He expressed the conviction that
they are a small and a greatly mis-
taken minority who believe the
eighteenth amendment will ever be
repealed" He is quite cognizant OF
the movements afoot whose ultimate
aim is the repeal of the eighteenth
amendment, but it is doubtful If you
can find a man of Importance in the
/ republican leadership who does not
[ agree with him as to the fallacy Of
such a hope.
| The Presidents further remark,
| "Details Of enforcement policy doubt
less will be changed as experience
dictates" is not to be construed as
| holding out a hope to the near-wetS.
1t will be observed that he uses the
\ words enforcement policy" which is
| to be taken as meaning carrying out
| the spirit of the eighteenth amend
ment. Changes" might be taken to
1 imply amendments to the law such
| as are obviously needed in such crises
as now exists with regard the medic
\ inal and crew supplies Of foreign
ships temporarily in our ports. He
| gives no hint of amendment to the
Volstead law to authorize light wine
\ and beer.
Some of the correspondents accom-
panying the President on his trip take
| the view that the reception he re-
| ceives may sway his determination as
| to whether he will be a candidate for
denomination or not. That there is
;
| for reelection is not the view of his
close friends in Washington. They
think that he Is already determines
| to accept renomination. and that he
1 would be dissuaded only by signs OF
a storm of opposition, and that he is
| not likely to get anywhere.
| The prevailing opinion of politicians
| is that President Harding is as good
| as renominated now, that all that he
\ n y
| toward election day in 1924. and his
| efforts will be for the good of the
party and the ticket all down the line
| X X x
| Some of the correspondents who
we're at French Lick with Gov. Alfred
| E. Smith of New York are saying on
their return that, in their opinion
there is no doubt that Gov Smith is
intent upon entering the contest for
the democratic presidential nomina-
tion. They have no authority from
| r i'm to say so, they admit. But they
have means Of deduction and analysis
which lead them to the conclusion
It is reported that he will late in the
1 summer or early in the fall accept
/ opportunities presented to him to
make several addresses outside the
state, to, let the people become ac-
| uuainted with him.
X X X X
/ Friends close to Gov. Smith declare
that the public would be surprised to
know the number of letters from
other states which the governor has
received urging and encouraging him
to announce his candidacy for the
nomination. It is said they are not
all from "wet" admirers, either, and
that many are from influential demo-