The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-06
ROUGH STUFF MEANS
 WIDENING OF RIFT
 BETWEEN PARTIES
Bull Moose Will Not TOler- ate Root-Alabama Re- publicans Uncertain as to Their Course
By HUGH. W. ROBERTS.

Chicago, June 5.-(Special.)-The atti. tude of the progressives towards the re- publicans, as concisely stated this even- ing by Judge oscar R. Hundley of Ala bama, serving at present as a Roosevelt lieutenant. follows:
 "If Roosevelt Is nominated by the re- publican convention, there will be re- united party certain of success.
 If the republicans nominate Hughes, the nomination will be indorsed-possibly. It will all depend on the manner pur- sued by the republicans in nominating the justice. If rough tactics are at- tempted in the hope of eliminating Roosevelt, why, the progressives might not patiently swallow the medicine.
 ROOT IS TABOO
 'If Root is nominated the progressives will ndorse Roosevelt, and make the fight for him right up to the November election.
 We want Roosevelt First, because he is Roosevelt; second, because in our opin- ion he is more certain of success than any other individual.
 Ut is our opinion that only two men have chance to defeat Wilson-Roose welt and Hughes.
 '"The progressives in convention will mark time. and thus withhold their ver- dict until after the republican conven- tion has formally spoken
 THE WHIP HAND Judge Hundley's statement is especial ly significant because by virtue of his intimate and hourly association with George W. Perkins. he knows whereof he, 1 speaks. From the foregoing. one may reach his own conclusions. It is evident. however, that the progressives hold the whip. For if they indorse the action of the republicans. the anti-democratic candidate will have chance of victory in the fall; whereas. if the progressives repeat their bolt of 1912. ant-democratic victory will be impossible
 In other words. the republicans, while proceeding on their business with a clear sky immediately overhead, must constantly guard against the dark pro- gressive cloud which from distance perpetually threatens. STRUGGLE OF DIPLOMATS It is clearly demonstrated that the lpre-convention activities of the repub- licans is traceable solely to their de- sire to placate the progressives with out going to the extent of surrender ing to their demand that T. R. be nominated; and that the pre-convention activity of the progressives consists solely in impressing the republicans with poignant fear that unless they do surrender, another bolt will be cer- tain.
 OILING THE WATERS Of course, it is diplomatic strug- gle between the 'old guard and the new order" The two factors exerting clamoring for Roosevelt, and a fat and lusty office-seeking contingent which would swallow any individual on whom the rival forces could agree and thus make victory possible. While the Alabama progressive dele | gation is in full cry for Roosevelt, the Alabama republicans are uncertain at /, present as to what candidate they will favor
 Judge J. J. Curtis of Jasper, in stat | ing his own position tonight, spoke, it l is probable, for the entire delegation. i He said:
 "On the first ballot I will vote for Weeks. On the second ballot I will be informed as to the location of the | band wagon and will jump on" l It is said that the 16 Alabama votes will in the beginning be divided among | six candidates and in the end will be l cast in a lump for the nominee. Only one of the Is in instructed c. NJ. Cox of Ozark is directed to support Roose- welt