The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-02
BLAIR EXPLAINS
 CHANGE IN PLAN FOR UNDERWOOD
Albany Y. M. C. A. Secre- tary Says Lawrence Has Not Characteristics
 of Politician

Sylvester Blair, acting secretary of the Albany Y. M. c. A, yesterday re- quested The Age-Herald to republish an open letter from the Albany-De- catur Daily, which MT. Blair had ad- dressed to A. A. Hardage. The letter is MT. Blair's explanation for declin- ing to permit Senator Underwood to and reads as follows:
 Had you not said in your public letter of yesterday appearing in the Daily, When that master politician, Brooks Lawrence, was allowed to hold political meeting in the building itself-meaning the Y. NJ. c. A. I should have considered the con- troversy closed as to the Senator Un- derwood's speaking or not speaking on the Y. M c. A. lawn. I would have considered it as closed, first, for the very good reason that it is a fact as stated for me below your open letter of yesterday, that the rules and principles of the Y. M. c. A. do not permit political or de- nominational speeches of any kind delivered on the premises And sec ond, I would have so considered as l have no apologies for reversing my self as to the distinguished speakers right to speak on the Y. M c. A. lawn, since it was made plain in giv- ing my consent that Senator Under wood was to make a patriotic and war time speech, and not political speech, as was advertised in the Daily a few hours later. The ma jority of the committee of manage ment will bear me out in the above statement, and on the other hand my Annanias procilivities have not been developed to the extent that l could conscientiously reverse myself just to be antagonistic.
 "As for my being convinced that MT. Underwood's speech would be of political nature as recorded in the Daily, I submit the following, taken from the Daily some hours after I had given my consent, to what, I be- lieved would be a patriotic and war time speech by the distinguished stateman:
 e Hon. Oscar Underwood. United States senator from Alabama, will speak in Albany on the lawn of the Y NJ C. A. Wednesday evening. July 9l, at S:S0 o'clock Announcement to this effect was made today by Hon. A. A. Hardage, who is in charge CT the arrangements. The address here will be the first to be delivered by Senator Underwood in Alabama since the adjournment of Congress. He will speak in Lauderdale county August 1 and will speak in Huntsville one night next week While it is not definitely known it is expected that Senator Un- derwood will touch upon political sub lects He is strongly opposed to the federal prohibition amendment etc.
 And the following from a Birming- ham paper, which confirmed me in my righteous belief that Mir Underwood was to make political speech:
 Decatur Ala, July 27-(Special) Announcement was made here today that Senator Underwood would open his campaign against the ratification of the federal prohibition amendment in Albany on Wednesday evening, July 31. Senator Underwood will speak on the lawn of the Y. M. c. A.. and will be introduced by Capt Samuel Black well, etc.
 T did not act arbitrarily in with drawing my consent. I did what I con- scientiously thought was right and did it from none but the highest possible motives and I expect the community to sustain my stand. And do not appre- ciate being branded as having acted arbitrarily
 ''Nou for the main question at issue. and the one but for which I would have considered the whole incident closed, Your statement that the Rev Brooks Lawrence is politician This state ment cannot pass. The Rev. Lawrence is the accredited representative of number of church denominations, youy own included. to head the movement to put poison alcohol beyond the pale of this civilized nation. He is now a min ister in rood standing in the same church in which NnA yourself hold mem bershlp His private and public life is pure in every sense of the word. No set of men in Ohio. lis native state. or Alabama. his adopted state, have ever heen aLle to find ought against the Rev. Lawrence. None of tie char acteristics which are associated with the word politician IS you use it have been found in him. It remains only to be said that the Anti Saloon league meeting which the Rev. Lawrence held here this sprinc-and to which you re- fer--was not political meeting in the ordinary sense of the word. It was a meeting of the fighting arm of the church of the living God Though was not in authority at the Y M C. A. at this time, I am sure that those who were have no apologies for that meeting. as it was held to help destroy the works of the devir thing you and I are both pledged and sworn to do.
 Lastly, it is the old question: Shall the Anti-Saloon league be called what the church calls it-what the men who organized it call it, The church in ac- tion,' or shall it be called a political organization, as the local optonists choose to call it? Citizens of the Twin Cities can take their choice. leave the verdict in their hands and with this I will have nothing more to do with the matter.
 SEMESTER BLAIR"