Evening star., 1952-11-29
The Political Mil
Many Plans to Change e
Electoral Setup Likely
But It's Doubted If Any
Will Be Passed in Congress
By Gould Lincoln


BY Gould Lincoln
Now that the Republican Party has
nominated and the American people
have elected new President Of the
United States, a plethora of proposals
to change the methods by which presi-
dental candidates are nominated and
elected may be expected. These pro-
poSals will take the form of bills intro.
duced in the SD Congress and resolu-
tions proposing amendments to the Con-
stitution. That any will be successful Is
extremely doubtful.
The national political party conven-
ton for the nomination Of presidential
and vice presidential candidates. in use
Tor more than century, was attacked
during and Immediately after the Re-
publican and Democratic national con.
ventions last July. The convention sys-
tenn, 1t was said, was unfair to the peo-
pie and gave the party bosses and ma
chimes complete control. An incumbent
President may force his own renomina-
ton. Yet the two conventions nominated
presidential candidates of the highest
caliber-Gen. Eisenhower and Gov.
Adlai Stevenson of Illinois. They were
widely so hailed, even by members Of
their opposition parties.
Before the Republican convention. IL
was insisted that the party bosses, DOM
mating the convention and its dele
gates. would nominate Senator Taft Of
Ohio, not Eisenhower. 1t didn't work
that way. In the Democratic convention.
Senator Kefauver of Tennessee was re-
garded as the peoples choice" The
Democratic Party was greatly divided,
however, with the Southern Democrats
on a rampage and supporting Senator
Russell OF Georgia. In the end the in
f1uence OF President Truman and some
OF the leading party bosses forced the
nomination of Gov Stevenson.
His great ability and popular appeal
We're demonstrated during the succeed
ing campaign. The widespread demand
that he be a candidate for the Demo-
cratic nomination in 1856 justifles his
nomination last July-by the convention
system.
Primary Elections Urged.
Those who do not like the convention
system talk of primary elections for
presidential nominations. Some would
nave all States hold individual primaries
and some would have a Nationwide
primary. In some cases. it Is proposed
That the Federal Government bear the
expense OF the prenomination campaign
and candidates be allotted their quo
tas. Charges of excessive expenditures in
favor OF candidates are one of the
serious criticisms Of the convention
system.
The primary system is used in sixteen
or seventeen Of the States-though not
unlformally--for the election of dele
gates to national political conventions,
some of whom are pledged to various
candidates. At one time it was believed
this system of selecting delegates would
spread to all 48 States. But several Of
the States that adopted it later dis
carded the presidential primary.
The principal point of attack in the
system of electing a President is tho
electoral college. It's frequently been
called fifth wheel and unnecessary.
Nevertheless, 1t has served useful pur.
poses in the past and may do so again.
The people cast their votes for "elec-
tors" under the Constitution-not
directly for presidential candidates. The
electors then vote for President Today
they are bound by precedent or State law
to support the candidates of their po-
Itical parties. AS the Constitution il
written, however. they may vote for
any one they desire.
Critics of the electoral college system
point out that the candidate who re.
ceives majority of the electoral votes,
necessary for election, may receive q
minority-or mere plurality-of the
popular vote. This has happened on
several occasions in the past. For ex-
ample. Hayes, Republican, the elected
President in 1876, did not receive as
many votes as Tilden, his Democratic
opponent; and Benjamin Harrison, Re-
publican, did not equal the vote cast for
Democratic opponent, Cleveland, in 1888
but received majority of the electoral
vote, cast by States electors. In 1912,
woodrow Wilson's total popular vote was
far short Of the total popular vote cast
for his two opponents, William Howard
Taft, Republican. and Theodore Roose-
velt, Bull Moose candidate. President
Truman's popular vote in 1948 was a.
105,812, while his three principal oppo.
nents, Dewey, Republican; Thurmond,
States Rights Democrat. and Wallace.
Progressive. totalled 24.296,258 In both
the Wilson and Truman cases, however.
the winner had q great lead in the
electoral vote.
Wide Range of Demands.
Demands for a change range from
direct election of a President on a
Nationwide scale-the totals only to
count and with plurality governing if
no candidate has majority of the vote
cast-to direct elections of presidential
candidates in each State and the States
retaining the number of electoral votes
under the present system.
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts,. Re-
publican. and Representative Gossett of
Texas, Democrat. sponsored in their
respective houses constitutional
amendment which provided for "pro-
portional" division of the electoral votes
Of each State between the presidential
candidates. 1t was adopted by the Sen
ate in the last Congress, but failed in
the House.
Representative Coudert Of New York,
Republican, introduced in the present
Congress an amendment which pro-
vided for the election Of presidential
electors in each congressional district
and two at large in each State. Under
the present system, all the electors in
a State are chosen at large. A candi-
date who has majority of the vote cast
in State-no matter how snall-takes
all that States electoral votes.