Evening star., 1923-05-30
Politics at Large
BY 4. o. MESSENGER

During the past few days there has
been a notable increase in the dis
cussion OF Henry Ford as a possible
candidate for the presidential NOM
ination in a vein of seriousness which
is classed asxindicating that political
leaders of importance realize that he
is factor to be reckoned with in
presidential politics in 1924. The dis
cussion as it progresses does not al
locate Mr.. Ford as possible candi-
date on the democratic ticket, but
takes into account the possibility of
his running as an Independent can
didate. The opinion is held, how
ever, by many prominent democrats
that If Mr.. Ford should set out with
the announced determination to seek
the nomination of the democratic
party, his chances of obtaining it are
as good as or better than those OF
any candidate now in the field. They
admit that as the candidate of the
democratic party in the election he
would attract large independent
vote as well as votes from the re-
publican party which would not be
negligible.
One development of the week in the
speculations was a special dispatch
to the New York Herald from
Wichita, Kan, which quoted citi-
ben as saying, Il was talking with
Edsel Ford just before l left for
Wichita. Edsel says his father is
seriously intending to go into the
race and actually intends to seek the
nomination"
Judge William +. Connally. demo
cratic national committeeman from
-. I-.xI e trn~ x~f
the executive committee of the national
democratic committee last Saturday, is
quoted as expressing the, opinion that
Mr. Ford will not file for the democratic
nomination.
William II. Hearst in an interview
in New Orleans. announced that he
would support Mr.. Ford as an indie
pendent candidate for the presidency.
should he decide to run as such. 1t
is noted that there is an increasing
volume of discussion of the possi-
bility of a new party movement in
1924. outcroppings Of suggestion of a
third-party movement. This is in
direct contrast with the situation six
months ago.
After the elections of last fall
which resulted in such a close mar
gin between the democrats and re-
publicans, expressed in the repre-
sentation of the two parties in the
next House and Senate, the consensus
of opinion among democratic and re-
publican leaders was that there would
| be no room for a third party in 1924;
that the two old parties, looking
forward to an epochal contest for the
presidency and the Congress in 1924,
with the prize fairly open to each,
yNnnih y
to the mat with each other alone.
Signs of an impending change in
the spirit of the voters have been
apparent for the past two months or
| more. Evidences Of dissatisfaction
with the two old parties have been
observed by thoughtful politicians
and expressions of the same have
been uttered by men who are in the
political limelight. There have been
ndications of a progressive outbreak
in the republican party against the
old-line policies and methods, going
as far as to well nigh amount to
threats of radicalism. AS to the re-
| publican progressives, no political
leader believes that faction intends to
nominate third party ticket in event
that the republican platform fails to
| be as radical as they desire. But in
such a case. il third party should be
| set with an attractive figure at its
| head. when it comes to election day
| in next November-well, that is
| something else yet" 1t is said.
| X X X
If Mr.. Ford should run on the demo-
i cratic ticket or as an independent
| candidate with Il distinctively Ford
! platform, he would, the politicians
| say, present the spectacle of the
richest man in the world appealing to
| the class which is supposed TO most
bitterly oppose plutocracy.
I = X X X
! AT the annual session of the lnde.
! pendent Order of Birth Abraham in
! Atlantic City last Monday a resolution
was unanimously adopted declaring
! that the delegates assembled con-
| denim Henry Ford for his attitude
! against the Jews as un- American anC
| that his candidacy for the presidency
| is an insult to the fundamentals upon
4 which this country is based" The
! resolution also accused Mr. Ford OF
/ being the financial hacker of the Ku
| Klux Khan The acting grand master
| OF the Jewish order said the order would
/ join with the Catholics in fighting Ford
! y x x
| The National Monetary AsSociation
4
has invited Mr.. Ford to speak at its
/ annual convention in New York June
! Z, and present his views on finance
| The president of the association de-
| clared that while it was not designed
| to give the impression that Mr.. Ford's
\ financial views were approved by the
association, 1--WE do wish to have a full
discussion of the money problem anG
1 would like to have his views.
He will be asked to speak on the
| stabilization of price levels and iniia.
! tion and defiation with their bearins
upon the present building trade diff
| Guilty"
| Mr. Ford has at times given evil
; dence of holding some unique and
| individual views on finance. IL he
can find it convenient TO engage In
the economic discussion at the coming
| meeting, and further eIucidate his
opinions and policies, IL would attract
| increasing attention to his suggested
presidential candidacy.
! X X
Further entries and Withdrawals oi
candidates for the nomination for the
United States senatorship in Mime.
sofa serve to draw attention to the
stirring political contest scheduled te
come off in that state between now
and July 16, the date of the specia
election called by Gov. Preus. Tht
primaries for the selection of candi
dates will be held June Is. leaving
but a month for the campaign. That
consideration has caused Represents
tive Knutson to drop out of the race
for the republican nomination. AT TIL.
| same time former Gov. Burnquist an
nounced his candidacy ON the repub