Evening star., 1944-06-18

The political strategy now being prac-
ticed by anti-Roosevelt Democrats in
some of the Southern States could re-
suit, conceivably, in the election next
January-January, not November-of
Republican President and Democratic
Vice President. Or there could be 4
deadlock over the presidency that would
make the Vice President the acting head
of the Nation.
These interesting possibilities grow
out of the scheme In the South-Texas.
South Carolina, Mississippi and perhaps
other States-to name Democratic elec-
tors who will vote in the electoral college
for some other person than the party
nominee unless the national Democratic
platform meets certain specified condi-
tions: Support of the poll tax and the
Souths traditional views on the race
question. The scheme may or may not
come to fruition. If it does, the choice
Of a President, as has happened on two
occasions in our history, might be
thrown into the House of Representa-
tives through the failure of any presi-
Dental candidate to receive an electoral
college majority.
The election of Republican as Presi-
dent might well follow, for it appears
likely that unless the Democratic NOM
inee wins in sweep, the House will 60
Republican. There could, however, be
deadlock in the House beyond the
date, January 20, of the beginning OF the
new presidential term, and in this
event the Vice President would
act as President until a President had
qualified
Why the likelihood of a Democratic
Vice President to serve, possibly, with a
Republican President, If the action of
the rebellious Southerners prevents q
decision in the electoral college? Be-
cause the Constitution provides that the
choice of Vice President in that case
shall rest with the Senate, and the /,
Senate with at present 5S Democrats,
81 Republicans and Progressive) prob.
ably will stay Democratic no matter how
the November elections may go in other
respects.
Discussed In 1924.
Back In 1924, our, antiquated electoral
college system came in for the same sort
of scrutiny 1t Is receiving today. There
were three candidates for the presi-
dency-Calvin Coolidge, John w. Davis
and the late Robert M. La Toilette. As
the event showed, Coolidge was never
in tianger, but early in the campsi9n
there WIS Widespread fear on the payt
Of the Republicans that La Toilette
would get enough votes to keep Coolidge
from . majority-266 votes-in the elec-
toral college and so throw the election
into the House.
The lineup In the House at that time
was such that = deadlock for an in
definite period might have resulted In
the Senate. sit appeared highly possible
that through combination Of Demo
cratic and insurgent Republican .d,a
would be won by the Democratic nom
inee, Charles w. Bryan, brother of Will
liam j.
This-in the Republican view--hor-
rendous chance that Charlie Bryan
would become Acting President of the
United States was exploited to the limit
in COP propaganda and undoubtedly
had something to do with the poor
showing of both Davis and La Toilette
at the polls.
The Constitution provides (twelfth
amendmenD that when q presidential
election goes into the House, the voting
there shall be not by individuals, but
by States. Each State has one vote, so
that Nevada, for example, with only
one Representative, has exactly the
same power in the balloting as New
York. with As Representatives
Is Needed for Choice.
The House must choose among the
three candidates with the highest votes
in the electoral college and a majority
OF all the States-or 25-is necessary to
choice. How a State would vote
would depend on which party controlled
its delegation. If State was repre-
sented in the House by, say II Republi-
cans and 10 Democrats and all voted
on party lines. the vote of that State
would go to the Republican nominee.
How this arrangement would work out
in practice was the subject of endless
speculation in 1924 The regular Re-
publicans controlled 20 delegations, the
Democrats 20, and La Toilette l, while
In five there was tie between the
Democrats and the Republicans. AS
long as the tie lasted these delegations
would be out of the voting. Neither
party could count Immediately on the Is
votes necessary to choice. The chances
for trading were obvious. Deaths or
designations in the tied DELEGATIONS