The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-14
DEFEAT OF BURR AND ROBSON PECULIARLY
 SATISFYING N B W s
Not Known That Scurrilous Letter Attacking Under wood Was Written in Washington and Sent Here
Hr HUGH. ". ROBERTS.

Washington, May l3.-(Special)-In 6 figurative sense at any rate, the headquarters of the nationwide pro- hibitionists. because of the result of the Alabama primary. is draped in mourning.
 For two reasons the Washington or flee of the "drys" was deeply inter ested, in the beginning excessively hopeful, and in the end incomparably disappointed. In the first place, the national organization was naturally concerned in an election out of which it had an opportunity to secure addi- tional strength; and in the second place the organization was hopeful that it's own cleverly devised tricks, responsible. in the main, for what was regarded as an unfortunate situation in Alabama, would prove successful.
 From every angle, incoming news was fraught with additional disap- pointment. For national committeeman Borden Burr one of it's proteges, and one of the signers of it's anti Under wood letter. was beaten. For delegates
 
 four elected had previously declared in unmistak able terms that they were not in favor of federal prohibition; and the fourth had previously declared his un- willingness that prohibition be eonsid- cred in the national convention.
 GAPING THE CLIMAX
 And to cap the climax Captain Hob son, who just previously had changed his residence from Greensboro 10 Jas per was worsted in a sensational race against ". B. Bankhead. And in the Fourth Dr. John W. Abercrombie, an ardent advocate of federal prohibi- oion. was overwhelmingly beaten by Fred l. Blackmon in whom the Din widdie organization has found and ex- pressed little of favor.
 The disappointment of the dry" organ ization is equaled only by the satisfaction of members of Congress and Alabamians generally that "carpetbagism, as at tempted through the efforts of Hobson and Abercrombie, was rebuked in two districts; and by the delight of the na- ticnal democratic committee that the dele gation from Alabama will be free of fac tionalsts in it's personnel of pure demo- crats." That the only signer of the let ter attacking Senator Underwood who gave the voters an opportunity to ex- press themselves was rebuked, is a source of intense satisfaction to members of Con- gress and thousands of others who know that in Senator Underwood not only the state, but the south. has it's ablest repre- sentative.
 PULLING THE STRINGS
 While the national prohibition organiza- ton in Washington is remarkably secre- tive in it's movements it is reported here and generally believed that it's efforts were in great part responsible for the re- cent Alabama situation.
 That scurrilous letter signed by num- Der of prohibitionists, and repudiated by one gentleman whose name, without his willingness or approval. had been affixed thereto, was written according to gen eraI understanding, in Washington, and sent to Alabama for distribution. The story goes that the bosses in Washington told the titular bosses in Alabama to sign, and the titular bosses in Alabama having been commanded, did sign.
 It is said, too, that Hobson was per- suaded to return to Alabama, change his residence and oppose Bankhead in the Tenth by Washington dry bosses. who ia the past had profted from the oratory which he broadly disseminated at the cost
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