The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-09-29
HEFL|N'S BIZ FIGHT TURNS CALCIUM ON ! SENATORIAL BATTLE Congressman Said to Be Eager for Opportunity to
 Run for Higher Place l WORK IS BECOMING
 IRKSOME IN HOUSE Has Antagonized So Many of His
 Associates That He Would Gladly Move to Upper Chamber
ny HUGH w. RoRERrs

I The declaration of Representative
 Britten of Illinois, in Washington, that
 Representative Hehin of Alabama is a candidate for the Senate, coupled with the general knowledge that MT. Hefin
 has given senatorial race more or less serious thought. caused consider
 able gossip yesterday in Birmingham. I It Is believed by politicians in Ala bama that only the doubtful issue of
 a senatorial contest deters Mr. Hefiin. Since the death of Senator Johnston, the Fifth district representative has
 been desirous of a berth in the upper regarding war Legislation. MT. Hefin has broken with Representative Kitchin of North Carolina, majority leader; Champ Clark. speaker, and oth- CT democratic warehouses, and with all the republicans against whom he has been consistently severe in bitter ar |raignments. the local conception is that the Alabamian will find continued ser vice in the lower House more and more irksome.
 Should he enter the senatorial con- |test-confined at present to Senator Bankhead and ex-Senator White-that contest would be, according to the general impression, epochal for uni form interest and whirlwind finish.
 MAY DETERMINE ISSUE
 The future political course of MT. Hefin will probably be determined as a result of the present congressional sensation of which he is the moving spirit.
 Had MT. Hehin proved that approxi- mately he was correct in preferring charges of unpatriotic procedure against "13 or IA" members of Con- gress. he would have been, it Is pointed out. in excellent position to offer for the Senate. On the other hand, should he, if continually prodded fail to sus- tain his charges, and be subjected to the censure of the House, he would probably depend on reelection by his district for vindication. There Is little question, local politicians agree, but that he would easily be reelected.
 On account of the animosity of every republican representative, and the strained relations between the Ala bamian and certain democratic leaders, whom he has offended, the indications are that MT. Hefiin, to emerge with flying colors, will have to sustain his charges-not iguratively-but to the letter. On account of the same condi- tions, it is pointed out in the event of his failure to sustain his charges, the House would very probably and quite readily vote to subject him to official censure. In that event, Mir Heflin, it is regarded as certain. would take the case to the people, that is, would either ask his district for yindication or the citizens of the state to elevate him to even higher office.
 DEFENDER OF ADMINISTRATION
 Mr. Hef1in has been not only a con sistant defender of the administration, but defender who has never lost an opportunity in most scathing language to rebuke those with a penchant to criticize the administration. MT. lief lin, furthermore. has never hesitated to speak his opinion in unmistakable and bitter terms of those who did not desire to proceed to the uttermost in this nation for it's war against Germany.
 In his course of aggression he stepped on many toes--the toes of all republic ans and many democrats. It is recalled that when Mr. Kitchen urged the volun- teor TaLQ0r than the cOnSCTlptlOIl SylS- tenn for the production of an American army, MT. Heflin suggested in an open speech that the North Carolinian resign the position of leader During the same debate he engaged in spectacular and in sensational colluquy with his colleague, Representative Burnett. Short 1 ly, thereafter, in severely arraigning Rep- resentatives Britten and Mason of H. linois for sponsoring alleged pro-German he suggested that their ab- sence at the time was due to their in- dustrious labor in behalf of the Kaiser.
 The House ordered that language stricken from the record. and with the republicans voting for such procedure. | many democrats-though not a majority l joined. ATTITUDE OF ASSOCIATES
 Irrespective of. the final outcome of the pending sensation, it is regarded as a l safe conclusion that MT. Heflin has not enhanced his popularity with the other 1 members of the House. In the beginning his reference to the alleged diJoyal as ..13 or IA members more or less involved | them all--republicans and democrats. In the storm which broke following the pub lication of MT. Heflins remarks the !!
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