The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-19
Thinks Defeat Will Result if the Democratic Party Goes on Record for Ma tiOnal Prohibition
ISSUES INVOLVED
 MUST BE LOOKED
 SQUARELY IN FACE
Whatever May Be Attitude of South, the Doubtful States of North Are Not for Prohibition

Senator Oscar W. Underwood, in let ter to Henry R. Howze yesterday, de clared himself as favoring the election 0 D. D. Smith to the position of nationa committeeman rather than Borden H Burr
 In his letter to MT. Howze Senator Un derwood issued warning that the dem ocratc party must depend for it's success upon certain pivotal states which ar carried by the liberal vote. For democrac to go on record at this time as favorin nationwide prohibition would, in tn opinion of Senator Underwood, mean na tional defeat.
 His letter follows
 United States Senate,
 Committee on Cuban Relations.
 March 16 1916 MT. Henry R. Howze Birmingham, Ala
 My Dear Mir. Howze: I am in re- ceipt today of your letter of the 14th instant, asking me to state my posi- tion in reference to the race between MT. E. D. Smith and MT. Borden 
 Burr.
 1T am anxious to see MT. Smith se- lccted as our next national commit teeman. Ed Smith and I have been friends, both personal a1ld political, ever since he was boy. I have never been closely associated with MT. Burr, and our political views diff fer very radically, but 1t is not on this account that I am particularly interested in this matter. feel that it is party question that the dem ccrats of Alabama should look square, ly in the face.
 AS long as the prohibition question is confined within the territorial limits of the state of Alabama, it is local issue, on which we may differ as to what is the best course to pursue for the good of the people of the state, without trenching on the Fundamental principlessof democracy, but when the question is carried beyond state lines and the federal government is asked to establish nationwide prohibition, you do so in violation of every prin- ciple of local elf-government in which our democratic fathers believed. More than that, you throw frebrand into the temple of democracy. No matter what may be the position of the south in reference to prohibition, there can be no dispute about the fact that the doubtful states of the north are not for prohibition; that the democratic party has never carried since the Civil War, states like New York, New Jersey, Connecticut Ohio, Indiana or Illinois except when the liberal ele- ment in those states were voting the democratic ticket. To stand for na- tion-wide prohibition would sound the death-knell of democracy in those states so far as carrying them for democratic President is concerned. As I understand MT. Burr's position, he stands for prohibition-natio prohibition first and for the principles of democracy afterward.
 If he is elected national committee man from Alabama, he will be in the inner counsel of the party to organize the fight in 1920. It is clear to me that the Anti-Saloon league is attempting to capture the national committeeman of the democratic party. I believe they intend to make the effort to make the democratic party nationwide prohi- bition party. which could mean noth- irg, in my judgment. but national de- feat.
 MT Smith is, and has always been, fundamentally a sound democrat. He will stand for the principles of his rarty under all circumstances and never betray them. For these req sons I think he is the man for the democracy of Alabama to put on guard and am glad to let my friends know my views in reference to this contest. Sincerely your friend.
 "O w. UNDERWOOD.'