Evening star., 1952-07-30
To the Editor Of The Stor:

~ tuS 6OuOG OF i ne St0Fs
TN VIEW of the approaching election
l. campaign, the attention of Americans
everywhere once more will be turned
toward the mechanics of our electoral
process. Frequently, and especially dur
ing presidential campaigns. one hears of
the need for reform of an institution
unique among democratic countries of
the World-the American electoral col
lege. However, once the elections are
over, the hue and cry for such reform
are quickly forgotten and the admitted
inadeQuacieS of our ELECTORAL system are
permitted to gather dust for another
four years.
There have been many proposals made
for the reform of the electoral college,
but the more constructive of these lead
to it's abolition and substitution of a di-
rect election of the President. Ger
tainly some reform Is necessary because
a brief review of the Presidential elec-
ton figures of '1948 proves conclusively
that such an outmoded and undemo-
cratic institution has no place on the
American scene.
1t is possible to examine the electoral
college from a historical standpoint.
Such examination indicates that it was
not designed as democratic process,
but instead was created as an indirect
method of election whereby the highest
Office in the land would not be subject
to the choice of the electorate at large.
History will also demonstrate that the
intricacies of the electoral college have
led to the election Of at least one Presi-
dent who was not the most popular
candidate. However. a historical con-
cept in the interest of change appears
futile because of tendency among
Americans to leave undisturbed the work
of the founding fathers. Pointing out
the inequities of any election in the dim
past is also of little value because the
casual observer-the average voter
feels a curious detachment from the
past as if such circumstances could
never be re-enacted.
To offset this combination of awe for
the wisdom of the trainers Of the Con-
stitution and the failure of most people
to recognize the reality OF history, it is
only necessary to turn to the presiden-
tial campaign Of 1948. This election and
the surprising turn of events with which
it was concluded are still fresh in the
minds of most adult Americans and
therefore offers fertile ground for examl-
nation of the electoral college in COM
paratively modern light.
The electoral college is composed OF
53l delegates. This figure equals total
representation in Congress. For example.
if State "a" has 8 Representatives
and 2 Senators-it is entitled to IL
electors. In order to be elected Presl-
dent it is necessary for candidate to
receive at least 266 of these electoral
votes. In 1948. President Truman re-
ceived 303 electoral votes and Gov.
Dewey, l89. The remaining 80 were
accounted for by the Dixiecrat defec-
ton.
At first glance, the winner appears to
have secured an impressive victory. and
it is rather difficult to believe that the
election results could have been easily
and quickly reversed by three key
States! In addition to this, all reason
able predictions indicated that these
three States could have been in the
Republican camp. Finally 1t must be
said that II less than 10000 voters in
these three States had shifted their
vote to Gov. Dewey-he would have won
the election through the electoral col
lege-even though President Truman
would still have had substantial
majority of over 2 million popular votes!
The three States in question are Ohio,
California and Illinois They are con-
sidered as key States because of their
comparatively large populations and
therefore large electoral vote. They also
represent good cross-sections Of Ameri-
Ia AR <3AS9
interests In farming, manufacturing
and commerce.
Ohio, the State Of Senator Taft, fell
to the Democrats by 7,l07 popular votes.
with President Truman receiving 1882
791 and Gov. Dewey l 1,445 ,684. Ohio had
Is electoral votes.
California, the State of the 1948 Re-
publican candidate for the vice presi-
dency, gave the Democrats Is electoral
votes President Truman received 1,913,-
1874 popular votes and Gov. Dewey
1895 ,269 the difference being 1855.
In Illinois, with % electoral votes,
the difference of 1852 popular votes
was somewhat wider margin but this
State offered the strange paradox of
defeating the Democratic majority lead
er in the Senate while supporting the
President. Popular votes for President
Truman were 1,994.715 and 1861 ,103
for Gov. Dewey.
AS rule, statistics are rather boring
but the possibilities Of conjectures with
those given above are enormous, and
furthermore, are well within the realm
Of reality.
For example. If the Republicans had
been able to muster 7.108 additional
votes in Ohio and 1896 additional votes
in California, the SO electoral votes of
these two States would have gone to
Gov. Dewey. Under our electoral sys-
tenn, the victor would have then had to
be decided by the House Of Representa-
tives because neither candidate would
have had the necessary 266 votes for
victory. The House, at that time was
part of the so-called "do nothing 80th
Congress and there can be little ques-
tion as to what its final verdict would
have. been.
Additional popular votes to the tune