The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-07
HENRY GEORGE, IR., ON MR. UNDERWOOD Gives His Views in the New
 York Herald
 IS A CALM LEADER
Has Courage of His Convictions and Refuses at All Times to Cater to Any False
 Popularity

Publishes the folloWlnB copy i7 ii'N" article by Henry George, Jr., democratic representative in Congress from New Yorks
 Who is oscar W Underwood-the real intimate, eye-to-eye man?
 Look in the congressional dictionary in the biographical part. and you Will find but four and half lines apout him. Presumably he supplied the mat ter. and It's length indicates one of the characteristics of the man-modesty.
 He is the candidate of four southern states--Alabama Georgia, Florida and Mississippi-for the presidency. and al- though he is a typical southern man there are a great many people in the United States who believe he Will De the republics next President.
 Another of his highest qualities IS courage. In my brief experience as ,nan,ber of the House l have seen this quality revealed by him many times both in the regular sessions of the House and in party caucuses, where the expression of opinion IS freer than on other occasions. because or us prl- yacy.
 Example of Underwood's Courage
 An instance of this was to be seen in the "Phossy Jaw bill." as the Hughes bill. penalizing by taxation the making of phosphorous matches has been called There was not the remotest chance that that bill would not pass the House. If had come np Tn the ways and means oornmittae and in opposition to MT. IInderwdbd's expressed views ma 1oritv voted to report it to the House.
 The debate on the floor seemed to be pretty much one way, to pehaliHe the business. owing to the hideous dis ease Of the jaw that arises from US nursuit But just before the close or inc debate MT. Underwood took the floor and made a 10-minute speech Tn opposition, .,,o.
 He said that he was conscious that most of his colleagues on the commit lee differed from him; that he must nevertheless. state his position ana op nose inc passage of the bill. He Of coursa would like to get rid of the bideous disease. although he would Tn dicate that the hearings before the committee had developed the fact that its prevalence was far less than miSnt | be supposed from the statements made about it; but he said he was opposed TO using the taxation powers or the | federal government in this way sihce if elashed with state functions.
 A few moments after the conclusion l of this little speech a vote was taken | and was overwhelmingly In favor Of the passage of the bill
 Seeks No False Popularity
 MI Underwood was an announced candidate for the democratic nonllhar tion for the presidency cahuluatss usually are very reluctant 10 cross n,blic opinion They feel that they must be ''popular' at all hazards This was not a big bill, but it was the kind of bill that might cost hima some sup | norters in places that would count. Yet. inst to be square with his own code Of principles, he ran counter to the cur rent.
 He is the leader of the House, and fl Is not good for the prestige or | leader to be beaten. It would nave | been an easy matter for him to have | stayed away. or discretion might have | whispered that the polite thlng TOT him to do then was to yield at this point and vote, for this little measure and to be strong" on some other oc- casion when that Wouiu V'"n' o more" to do it this way. He stood up, stated his principles and voted accordingly as part of the days work.
 Who could help liking-no, more than that-admiring a man Of that klhdF Ahu in truth he is one of the most admired men in the House; admired even by those who differ from him in policy admired even after floor and committee dinerenees; admired for his manhood, for his quiet strength. for his calmness in the moments of general excitement
 Is Resourceful and Calm Leader
 MT. Underwood had the kind of congress sional training that would make for re- sourcefulness as well as calmness in parliamentary jangle. This is his ninth Congress, and he got his early tralnins under James Richardson, who was one of the most adroit and resourceful par lamentary leaders the democrats ever had. MT. Richardson took fancy to the young MT. Underwood and taught him with a keen interest with result that Oscar w Underwood is a match for any one member of the big republican br- eade of tacticians that for so many years sweep everything before them in the House.
 Tt Is perhaps this combination of skill, courage and calmness, going with his naturally sedate and reserved manner, that gives him the reputation of being a very conservative man. Outside the House he appears to be ranked as s.oonsery atfve" democrat.
 It is true that Mir. Underwood would preserve the constitution of the fathers and would make changes only after the ,:tmost delberation and with the great est caution. It is also true that he has announced repeatedly from the public ros- rum within the last few months his oppo- eition to the initiative, referendum and re- call principles which have made such ex- traordinary advances over the country west of the Mississippi and inroads upon the states north of the Ohio and through New England.
 Has Progressive Views on the Tariff
 But as to the tariff question. which he believes should be the chief issue in the coming Presidential struggle, he Is for all intents and purposes a radical. or, to use a word which I think he perhaps wouli prefer. a progressive democrat He believes in a tariff for revenue only, and on those lines he will fight with all his power and resourcefulness.
 To my view the man who will fight against the protective principle-and Mir Underwood is absolutely against that principle-is radical enough, considering that question alone, for all intents and purposes. at this time in the tariff war The British chancellor of the exchequer, Lloyd George. a consummate politician, waged war against British landlordisin, entrenched for thousand years. by lit- fle budget proposition amounting to one fifth of one per cent
 It does not matter how much or how little MT. Underwood would reduce the tariff at this stage The one thing i'm portant is would he fight against the tariff? As to that his record is clear He is the democratic leader, and a superb leader on the floor of the House of Repre- fentatives against protectionism.
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