The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-10-25
Ford Must
Act Now on
Third Party
Has Entire Ability Needed to
Put Over Boom for Presi.
dency, Observer
Says.
Eyes Of Capital Peeled
BY MARK SULLIVAN


Washington, Oct.' 24.-Washington
read with interest but not with ex-
element the Detroit dispatch saying
that a convention Of Ford clubs is
TO be held In that city December IL
with the object of organizing a Ford
third party and to plan for a conven-
ton next spring to put Ford in formal
nomination on a third ticket.
Experienced observers assume that
the purpose OF this move, so far az
it has carefully thought out political
purpose, is to serve definite notice
on the two old parties that Ford is
going to be put into the race, to give
each of the two old parties the op-
portunity to take advantage Of Ford's
political capital by adopting him as its
own candidate; and by the same
token to give each Of the two old
parties both the opportunity and the
reason to pause and consider what ef
feet Ford running on a third ticket
would have on the respective
strengths If the two old parties.
Washington. which keeps fairly
careful tab on Ford's moves and the
activities of the I'VE Want Henry"
clubs, is pretty sure that Ford per
sonally Is not among the promoters
of the move announced in the dis
patch. Washington also observes
that no person of sufficient political
Importance to be seriously menacing
IL to be found among the numbers
of the sponsors of the proposed con-
vention.
Nebraskan Backs Ford.
In the whole Ford movement, no
far, your correspondent has heard
of only one state, namely Nebraska.
where a political leader OF any size
able skill and experience has identi-
fled himself actively with the Ford
movement.
There Is good evidence that Ford
personally is keeping his hands on
the third party movement and taking
little interest In IT. He has 50 COM
pletely ignored his own local home
town ordfor President club, that
some amusing stories have come to
Washington about the difficulties II
has had in continuing to exist. This
proposed convention may have the ef-
feet Of compelling Ford to show his
hand. In the case OF almost any
other man of Ford's standing, 1t GER
tainly would.
Such third party conventions As
this are prbne to attract among the
many home persons who are perfect
" good and sincere. but otherwise
have rather unusual views about di-
verse subjects When they get to
resoluting in a convention they oc-
casionally do extraordinary things
Ford runs some risk that when
they get through handling his name
IL may not look quite the same as
II did before they took hold OF 1t. III
Ford recalls the embarrassments that
came to him out OF his peace ship
adventure he may conclude that he
had better pay some attention TO
this third party movement, and put
his mind on Che whole subject OF
his relation TO national politics.
Success in Either Party.
Washington does not underesti-
mate the potentialities OF the Ford
sentiment Washington admits both
the number and the high quality OF
the mass of the persons who would
like to make Ford president. In
short one might sum up such amount
as Washington has OF information,
Judgment and surmise about Fords
political position In a few brief sen
tences:
Most of Washington believes Ford
could be elected IL he could get the
nomination OF either party. 1t be-
lieyes Ford would be glad TO have
the republican nomination. would be
willing to take the democratic NOM
nation, but isn't much Interested In
any third party nomination. Wash
ington believes firmly that there isn't
the faintest possibility of Ford be-
ing nominated by either tho demo
Gratis or the republicans because the
leaders don't want him. no matter
how large a popular following he has.