Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-07-15
FORD hackers OUT
TO WIN PRIMARIES
~
Main Drive for Presidential
Nomination to Be in Demo-
cratic Contests.
ny ROBERT II. SMALL.

Information received here last week
leaves no further doubt that the name
OF Henry Ford will be presented as a
democratic aspirant for the nomina-
ticn at all Of the presidential pref
erence primaries held next spring.
Following the methods employed In
the Michigan senatorial primaries,
when he ran against SenHtor New
berry. Mr.. Ford's name may also be
presented on the republican ticket at
some of the presidential primaries.
but 1t is evident that most Of his
ardent hackers feel that his best
chance for one OF the old party nomi-
nations lies in the democratic fold.
Spur Rival Candidates.
Acting, therefore, on the old political
maxim that you can't beat somebody
with nobody. democratic leaders
everywhere are urging the obvious
contestants for the presidential nomi-
nation to take the field against Ford.
They frankly fear the delay in check
ing what is undeniably a drift toward
the Detroit manufacturer in demo-
cratic territory. They want counter
irritants at work. If 1t be true, they
say. that Ford sentiment Is sweeping
the west like prairie fire, every
rule of political safety calls for the
traditional setting of back fire.
Consequently in New York last
week there was a meeting of the
hackers of William Gibbs McAdoo
and the foundations Of a nationwide
organization were laid
Here in Washington the hackers
OF Senator Oscar w. Underwood OF
Alabama are perfecting the pre-
liminaries Of their organization and
are awaiting only the psychological
moment when the. senator will give
the word to Ego"
smith Admirers Active.
In New York also the Tammany
hackers Of Gov. Al Smith will not
agree he. has no chance for the
nomination. despite the fact that the
ravaging old political cry of rum.
romanism and rebellion" has been
hurled at the governor by some of
the reform organizations who resent
his approval of the repeal of the
state dry law.
Among the other democratic presi-
Dental possibilities 1t is very evil
dent that former Gov. Cox Of Ohio
Is unwilling at this time that an Or
ganization should take the field in
his behalf. Gov. Cox feels that his
record is clear and If the party de-
sires him again as a standard bear
or. this is one of the times when a
bravo man can wait to be drafted
rather than to volunteer.
So far there has been no evidence
OF an organization being formed in
behalf of Senator Ralston Of In
diana, although he Is admittedly in
the first rank OF the possibilities.
Hunt for Delegates On.
There are two schools of thought in
the democratic ranks. One Of these
holds that presidential delegates do
not grow on trees, waiting to be
plucked- by any aspirant that comes
along. Delegates must be cultivated,
say the members Of this school, and
the cultivation cannot take place
without organization and certain
legitimate campaign funds. The cost
OF gathering a crop of delegates has
grown prodigiously since the state
wide primaries were established in SO
many parts of the country.
The necessity for early and wide
organization in behalf of an aspirant
for the presidential nomination is
further stressed by those who say
that the preference primaries will be-
~ oA L., hSr
virtually all the various -asptrants
They still recognize the courtesy of
one candidate not going into the
state of a "favorite son. to contest
his home delegation with him, but
otherwise they believe there should
be the widest possible. participation
in the primaries.
Discount Primary Results.
The second and older school of
thought believes that the preference
primaries can never send a, man to
a democratic convention with the
two-thirds vote necessary for the
nomination. Therefore 1t is held that
the nomination always will be
thrown on the floor of the conven-
ton. and thus far history has shown
that the man with the greatest num-
Der Of preference delegates does not
get the nomination.
The reason for this is that he has
had too much of fight on his hands
gathering In the delegates and has
created innumerable animosities.
These all tell against him when the
time for compromise and agreement
is reached in the convention.
This Is what history shows, but
Henry Ford says "all history is
bunk" and there you are.