Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-22
Leaders in QuandarY

Leaders In Quandary
Leaders of both the old parties
will frankly admit to you in conf
dence that they do not know just
how to go about fighting the spread
of the Ford sentiment. They have
found that sentiment in unexpected
places. They looked for it and were
prepared to discount it in some
sections, but they find that the Ford
bug" or whatever it is, has spread
far beyond anything they had sus-
pected. There is no reasoning with
it. When a man says I'm for Hen
ry Ford" he just keeps on being
for Henry Ford no matter what ar
guments you may. bring to bear
against his choice.
Conscious of the rise of the Ford
tide, the old party generals never
theless are afraid to attack him
openly lest they bring the movement
to a focus and start the formation
Of a machine which might assume
OfOl nALCA1hlAI5 PIOPOt llOllS NY lHC
ides Of 1924. It is a batting situa-
ton; one that is trying the ingenui-
ty of the men whose craft and
leadership have brought them to the
top councils of their respective par
ties.
The Ford boom was worriSome
enough to the politicians even be-
fore Senator Pat Harrison came in
like young Lochinvar from the west
and announced that Uncle Henry
was very much on the political map
and was factor to be dealt with
in all earnestness in connection with
the next presidential campaign.
FOrd's Name Creeps In
Senator Harrison's report, which
merely conceded with other infor-
nation reaching the capital, never
theless sent cold shivers down the
backbones of the political bigwigs.
1t so happens that important confer
ences both of Republicans and DEM
ocrats have been held in Washing
ton during the past week. One OF
the gatherings was at the White
House; the other centered about
William Gibbs McAdoo, who cane
to Washington to attend the unveil-
ing of statue at the treasury de-
partment, over which he once pre-
sided, but who remained to talk
turkey" with some of the mon who
attempt to shape the affairs of the
democracy. Both conferences tried
mighty hard not to even think of
Henry Ford, but both failed.
1t is considered a foregone con-
clusion here that President Harding
will be re-nominated by the Repub-
licans, if he still wants to make
the race when 1924 arrives. There
Is plenty of organization work yet to
be done il the president is to get
the nomination without an unseemly
struggle, but work on an organiza-
ton has been begun and will be car
RED forward with full realization
OF the extensive labor involved.
Farmers Strong for Him
The Democratic race, on the other
hand, is an exceedingly open one,
and therefore just to the liking OF
the men who would like to see
Henry Ford nominated. There was
nothing new in Senator Harrison's
statement that most Of the delegates
from the southern states might cas-
lily turn to Henry Ford at the Dem
ocratlc convention. This has been
true ever since Ford offered to take
project and make fertilizer for the
farmer at rate lower than he has
ever known before. 1t is no argu- |
ment with the southern farmers tol
say that Ford can't do it." They
say he can and that ends the ar
gument. The southern farmers BE-
over the Muscle Shoals government |
lieVe that Ford has been mistreatcd !
at Washington about the Muscle !
Shoals project. They have not ex-
amined the details of his offer; they |
have made no, study of the gov
eminent obligations or the econom- |
les involved. They only believe in |
the magic of Henry Ford
This belief in Ford's ability to !
do things, however. is not confined
to the south The state Of Michi |
gan gives him permission to appro-