The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-07-06
FORD MAY
BREAK UP
MAJORITY
Auto King Must Be indie
pendent Candidate if He
Gets Into Race.
BY JOHN CARSON
Times Staff Correspondent

Times stan correspondent
" AsHINGTON, July 6.--Henry
M Ford cannot win the Demo
cratic or Republican nominal
ton for President. He has to be an
independent candidate if he gets into
the final race at all.
If Henry Ford is an independent
candidate, it Is possible and even
probable no candidate will get a ma
jority of the electoral vote and then
the House of Representatives will
have to choose the President. In
that case the Democratic candidate
will have the advantage.
These are the conclusions of the
wtsest of Democratic and Republican
national leaders. Facts and figures
support them. And with these con
illusions, the problem of both party
leaders is fixed. The Democrats want
Henry Ford in the Republican con-
vention and the Republicans are NOV
ing every effort to get him into the
Democratic convention. The reason
for this strategy is the following con-
clusion:
VIII Hurt G. o. p.
If Henry Ford is an Independent
candidate, without convention fight
behind him, he will hurt the Repub-
leans more than the Democrats, be-
cause his strength is conceded to be
greatest in farm sections and States
where the Democrats are weakest.
If Ford gets into the Democratic
convention, there is a possibility he
may be the majority candidate for
xxvf4t y r.
ination. Fear is Expressed in the
Democratic camp to have Ford killed
off after he had been the majority
candidate, might hurt the Democratic
cause.
To win the Democratic nomination
Ford would have to get two-thirds OF
the convention delegates or about 730
votes.
Conceded Solid South
Even with Ford an independent
candidate, the Democrats are conceded
the solid South. In addition, chances
are they would be assured of Ken
lucky, Maryland. Missouri and Okla
hcma. Out of ia list of doubtful
States" the Democrats insist they
would capture New Jersey, Indiana,
Arizona, Colorado. Nevada and New
Mexico. But that would make only
PIG electoral votes and 26S votes are
needed to win.
Give the Republicans such States as
Connecticut. Delaware. Illinois, Maine,
Massachusetts. New Hampshire,
Pennsylvania. Vermont. California.
Idaho. Utah. Rhode Island and they
would have 1873 electoral votes. The
fact is, today, several of these States
are doubtful and Repubhc1'. Senators
from the East contend President
Harding cannot carry them. Give
b Harding the best breaks and the votes
from Ohio. Kansas. Oregon, Washing
ton and West Virginia In all Hard
ing would have only 1877 electoral
votes.
Ford as conceded the best chance
to win Iowa. Michigan. Minnesota,
Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and
South Dakota.
These figures put New York, Wis
consln and Wyoming in a doubtful
list. Give them to either OF the can
didates and no choice would result.
The election would go to the House
of Representatives.
Democrats Count Chances
In the House, each State has one
vote. The majority in the State dele
cation in the House decides on this
one vote. Therein the Democrats
count their chances. Ford will not
have Independent House candidates
in many States. He would not have
great support In the House once the
House was convened It would be
Republican or Democratic and the
Democrats insist the States that went
for Ford would be more likely to sup
port the Democratic than the Repub-
lican candidate. And there is con
siderable silent agreement among the
| Republicans on this score
These calculations probably will be
upset through the work of the next
Congress with a Ku-Klux Khan fight.
a soldier bonus fight, railroad fight,
a tax flght-more or less certain
and with a world court fight always
III the background. They arc, how
ever. the figures which constitute the
political map today.