The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-05-14
Heflin Replies to Age-Herald
Regarding Criticism of Mason
and Makes Statement To
the People of Alabama

TO the Patriotic People OF Alabama:
In the early stages of the war. when
the effort was being made bv certain
members OF Congress to embarrass and
handlcap the President in his conduct of
the war, l said on the floor of the House,
am going TO stand by the commander
in-ehief Of our army and navy. I am
going to be faithful to the boys who are
going to fight and die for our rights
and liberties, and | do not propose that
any member shall carry on propaganda
here which appears to me to be against
my country without denouncing il and
branding it as l think it ought to be
denounced and branded" have tried
to live up to the promise that 1 then
made. Recently 1 have criticised and
condemned a speech made in Congress
and circulated over the country by Rep
resentative William f. Mason of Illinois
The Age-Herald, a paper published in my
own state, has for some reason sought
to elnbarrass and belittle me in the
fight that | have been making here for
Americanism and against slackerism and
pro-Germanism. l submit the following
statement to the fair and candid judg-
ment of the patriotic people of Alabama:
The Age-Herald suggests that l have
no good reason for criticising what Rep
resentative Mason of Illinois says in
Congress, because his son. private oiti-
zen, is volunteer in the army, The
same sense of duty that prompts me to
honor the son and praise him for the
stand that he has taken for his country
impels me to crticise and condemn the
father for his unpatriotic acts and ut
terances. Let me print here one of many
letters received from Mr.. Mason's con-
stituents. This Illinois patriot, the writer
of the letter here submitted, is perhaps
in better position to judge of Mr.. Ma
sons conduct in connection with the war
with Germany than is his newly discov-
cred friend, The Age-Herald, living a
thousand miles from Chicago and 40
miles from Jasper, Ala.
Caxton Bldg, sos S. Dearborn St,
Chicago, ILL.,, May 2, 1918.
Congressman ]. Thomas Helm, M. e.,
Washington, d. c.:
Honored Sir-I note from the. enclosed
clipping that our friend. the Kaiser
lover" Mr. Mason, wishes you to apollo
gize for saying thats1e is a friend of the
Kaiser's. | am resident of Chicago,
having four boys in the service, and
heartily agree that Senator Mason has
been and probably is still one OF the best
friends the Kaiser has in this country.
You will find inelosed copy of telegram
sent the Senoator in the early part of
the war. ! am writing you simply to let
you know that a resident of Chicago is of
the same opinion as your worthy self.
Yours very truly,
E. ]. MCCARTHY.
Instead of supporting me in my fight
here to close up the ranks and to make
attacks upon the governments position
tI.;s pdiouG that
no one would dare to say or do anything
in the House that would hurt our coun-
try and help the enemy, 1t has tried to
embarrass me and has thrown it's col
umns open free of charge to personal
attacks upon me by the very man whose
unpatrlotic conduct l have criticised and
condemned. Without taking time to in
form itself as to just what the issue
was between me and its new-found
friend from Illinois, it has suggested that
l have been wasting the time of Congress
over matter of no Importance to the
country and Ii has even suggested that
should have resorted to a personal diff
ficulty with Mason rather than bring the
matter to the attention of Congress and
the country Here is what The Age
Herald said in one of its editorial sduibs;
INSTEAD OF wasting the time in the
House of Representatives, Mr.. Helm
cinity of the Washington monument and
fight 1t out according to London prize
ring rules"
/ do not intend that my position in this
serious matter shall be placed in false
light before the people of Alabama by
few strangely interested individuals who,
for political purposes, would misrepresent
my position and injure me with the very
people whose cause am trying to serve.
=. - . L. re hl,r xtsa
decide whether | was justified in my
criticism of Representative Mason o.
Illinois and also as to whether The Age
Herald has been fair in it's treatment OF
me since I pronounced as unpatriotic
certain statements contained in a speech
made in Congress by William e. Mason
of Illinois Here are the things that |
criticised and here is what | said about
them
Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen of the
American Congress. as member of this
House ! took an oath to support the con-
stitution and to bear true allegiance to
the Uniled States government, to pro-
tect it against all enemies, both foreign
and domestic All that | have done and
said since we entered the war, has Deen
in RESPONSE to my duty under the oath
that | took. 1t has long been the boast
Of the German government that in every
war that she has waged she has nad
men in positions of trust in the enemy
country where they could serve her most
effectively. In this country she has
sought to place them in the war ana
navy departments and in Congress. so as
to keep in touch with the war pro-
gramme and to have bills introduced and
speeches made that will embarrass thfs
government and furnish German propa-
ganda to the spy system. to be published
and franked over the country at the ex-
pense of the United States government.
Since Germany made war upon the
United States, things have been done
and said by members Of Congress that
have greatly embarrassed the President
and seriously hndered the government in
the mighty work of war preparations,
and these things have Injured our coun-
try and helped the enemy. NOW, MT.
Speaker. Cicero, | believe it was, VINO
told his friend. when you ind yourseif
under serious charge ana the 1acts
are all against you, make them forget the
charge and the facts If YOU can" That
is what the gentleman from Illinois is
to do here today. Last year.
Mr.. Speaker. after this government mad
solemnly declared state of war 10 ex-
list, after the President of the United
States had called the boys OF our coun-
try to the cclors, the gentleman from
Mr. Mason, introduced in shis
House measure which would have tied
the hands of the President and left him
authority to use our military
forces against Germany on the battle
fields of Europe. When the battle was
raging in Europe, when the greatest en-
envy of mankind was in the field with
his forces. struggling to overcome Eu-
rope and then come and invade this courl-
try, repeat, the gentleman from Illinois
IL