The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-25
From the New York Globe.

n
 Globe Bureau,
 Washington.
 A NICE, round faced, good natured A looking man walked down the 4 x aisle of the House the other day, between sessions. Just behind him walked sreaker Champ Clark, who is neither round faced nor perennially good natured. MT. Clark was loudly saluted by all the democrats there gathered together-but the same democrats tried to catch the eye of Oscar W. Underwood That's just the difference between them. MT. Clark will swallow fire, chew glass. and double Tn brass. MT. Underwood will stick around with his tatting and tat something sub stantial.
 1T done watch them two great men, Misteh Clark and Misteh Underwood said a southern visitor to the House re- gently, "an' got an endurin' admiration for both. Misteh Clark can certainly TO like a lion He can point out the way that leads to damnation as loud and thrilln' as I ever heard 1t done. But Misteh Underwood-Misteh Underwood he jes naturally leads you down that way if you cross him. An he does 1t in 
 whisper"
 Underwood is the real boss of the House He is chairman of the ways and means committee-which means that he is most of the committeeman that com mttee is the committee on committees. Under the new rules the real boyer which was vested in the speaker of the House in the past fias been conferred upon this body. Speaker Clark can still refuse to recognize some completely negligible con- gressman who wants to speak in negli- gible way on a negligible bill, but when a bill of real importance comes up he must recognize it's proponent. And all the time MT. Underwood Is sitting in the wings-but not too far back in the wings pulling the strings that make the speak CT dance. Every one recognizes the fact. Both MT. Clark and MT. Underwood know it perfectly. No one who knows either one thinks that there will be any serious difference of opinion between them. Mir. Clark will continue to absorb the spot light and MT. Underwood to press the but tons. Both seem to be suited.
 Underwood says he will not be czar
 
 going smooth-spoken gentleman. who likes to get his own way, but likes to get it in the easiest way possible. For years he has been recognized as the democrat of at least second importance in the House organization. When James Richardson was leader of the insane asylum that was then the House minority Underwood was his understudy. When John Sharp Will Hams became floor leader he feared Un- derwood, and made David A. DeArmond the assistant floor leader, and Underwood remained in eclipse during Williams term in power. Then Clark was selected to lead the democrats. and Underwood came into his own again. When the rules were changed at the last session, both gentle men recognized that the chairman or the ways and means committee would be the power behind the parliamentary throne. But Clark preferred to be speaker, be- cause of the future possibilities 1t held. Maybe he could not have become chair man of the ways and means anyhow. Underwood wanted 1t.
 He is a southerner to the core, bland and quiet and courteous. His speech is
 
 accent. Born in Louisville in 1862, his family removed to St. Paul when he was but three years old. because his mothers health demanded colder climate. He graduated from the University of Virgin ia in 1884. and then, with his credentials as a lawyer, went to Birmingham, Ala. He recognized it as a growing communi- ty, for one thing. and his family wished him to remain a southerner. for another. There he has been successful, both in law and politics. He has been a member of Congress since 1894, and although he has never been regarded as particularly bpi- liant, all have chased his attachments as particularly solid. With the possible ex- ception of John w. Fitzgerald of Brook lyn, he Is the best parliamentarian in the