The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-03
ALTMAN DEFENDS
 HUDDLESTON STAND

To the Editor of The Herald:
 Your issue of March 2. having ref erence to our representatives in Con- eress. carried on the first page an article. All Alabamians Stand United on Final VoteP etc This was with respect to the giving of certa'r ex- traordinary authority to President Wilson However. in your most un- usual editorial you say that Congress man 1Iuddleston did not represent the reoDle of his district when he signed the minority report against the armed neutrality measure in the House. And that he delivered a slap in the fac of the people of Birmingham and Jeff fersorl county; that Birmingham and her people trust the President in this great emergency; they are guided by his Judgment and they resented hay ing their accredited representative put them in the attitude of being unpa- triotic. etc.
 In thus indieting Mir. Huddleston il must not have been with the realiza : tion that the President withheld from his knowledge and from the knowl- edge of the House and Senate until yesterday the contents of the note of instructions given by Gerrany's for eign minister. Zimmerman, to the German minister in Mexico City.
 The result of this, your arraignment of Congressman Huddleston. is to cre- ate in the minds of those who do not know him an utterly false impress sion, but to cause those who do know him to cleave closer to him and to appreciate the more his sterling quali- ties, his fearless and unwavering fideI- ity, courage and patriotism.
 I know him. He is as absolutely d fearless man as ever put foot on Jef- ferson county soil. There is no man who has a more sincere or deeper pa triotisn and love for his country than Huddleston; there is no one who would more freely or unselfishly sacrifice his all and his life for the sake of his country. But he is not to be forced into acting unwsely or rashly fin this most momentous crisis by the stirring enthusiasm of suddenly aroused senti- ment.
 After a life of hard work and prac- tical combat with the affairs of the world. his character is such that. be- ing in representative capacity. hay ing the responsibility upon his should . CTS. he views the situation calmly, and, as nearly as possible, dispa ssiona ely and his conservative and sound iudE- ment directs him now in affairs of state. This is the kind of men our country needs in this crucial hour, and this the man The Age-Herald criti- cizes in its editorial of today.
 When you say that he has put us in the attitude of being unpatriotic, you say that he Is worse than unpa- triotic. I say that when the Spanish American war came on George Hud- dleston. who had then just begun to enjoy remunerative practice in hts profession of law in our city, laid aside his work. sacrificed his business, gave up his practice and volunteered ln the army of his country Did he seek preferment; did he act selfshly: was he without patriotism then? No: he voluntarily took his place as a pri- vate in the ranks and offered all he had in the hour of his couatrys trou- ble. He made every sacrifice for the land, of his birth then and he has done his full duty toward his fellowman since. No one can be justified in criti- cizing his earnestness. his sincerity, his honesty or his patriotism.
 This Is no time for the flare of po- litical trumpets and the unholy mouth ings of brass band politicians. In the language of Congressman Huddleston: If we must drink the bitter cup of war, we will do so as intelligent. brave and patriotic men" Respectfully
 JOHN w. ALTMAN
 Birmingham. March 2. 1917.