Evening star., 1923-10-24
Ford Seen as an Independent
In Race for the Presidency

Dental campaign are efficiency in
COVE eminent and reduction of taxes.
save as unmeaning shibboleths. To
Henry Ford and those who believe in
him they have real import" Whether.
however. "the genius of Ford would
function equally well in all lines of
human endeavor," Is question in the
ocratic), but it feels "his phenomenal
success and his established habit of
making the service OF the public his
first consideration makes IL worth
while to hear him when he has any
thing to say"
AS for the Muscle Shoals situation
itself the Nashville Banner (inde.
pendenD believes Congress will be
called on to take action and to say
whether the fertilizer trust shall be
maintained in, its monopoly or Ameri-
can farmers be released Of the load
by giving MFR. Ford the chance he
wants" That also Is very much the
opinion of the Green Bay Press-Ga-
zette Independently. which insists
there Is hardly any doubt that the
farmer would gain through obtaining
his soil restoratives at a lower price
Mr.. Ford has long passed the point
where mere mercenary ends can hold
any attractiveness for him." 1t Is the
op nion OF the Roanoke Times that
"Ford's statement will impress thou
sands of people In way that BODIES
no good for the administration.
That an investigation ultimately will
Whether 1T will definitely settle any,
thing one way or the other is not so
certain" The Chicago Tribune Gin
dependent republican, argues the
Ford offer was inadequate and he
rasked the government to break its
own laws and it's own pledge" while
the Bristol Herald-Cou-ier (inde-
pendent democratic) feels Weeks
offer to place all facts before a
proper tribunal would seem to be
necessary, as the public would like to
have all the facts and hear them
The Ford attack on Weeks has a
political cast" the Newark Evening
News independently points out, and
holding that, ''willy-nilly. the Ford
candidacy, however unavowed' Is
brought sharply to the fore by this This
Ford's hat had been catapulted into
the political arena even though 1t be
by the winds of circumstances" Yet.
as the Milwaukee Journal fndepend-
ent) anaiyzeS the SITUATION, Ford
allegations and the Secretary's an
swer are adequate reasons to have
Congress 'pry off the lid. Muscle
Shoals, like the Dome oil lands, is
public property. and the public is
entitled to an accounting of the gov
ernment's stewardship. There has
been no explanation that explains the
way the whole thing has been ham
died" This position, however. is as
sailed by. the Philadelphia Bulletin
independent republican,. which In
sists the Ford allegation has all the
earmarks of a campaign document
and La to be excused, eff any excuse Ia
| admissible for Its blatant demagog-
, uery. as piece of campaign litera-
ture In which bunkum sometimes Ia
carried to- the point of libel" Yet
as the Syracuse Herald independently
points out, "in the sphere of national
politics there are at present many
symptoms OF an indifferent, or rest
| less, or rebellious attitude toward the
two leading parties among formidable
sections, or cross sections, of tht
electorate, especially in the west and
southwest 1t Is by no means pre-
mature to say that these uncertain
elements will be gripped by the Ford
candidacy Summing 1t all up
therefore, the Roanoke World News
| insists rthe public has reasonable as.
surance that II will hear grea;
deal more about Muscle Shoals anc
Henry Ford from the next Congress-.