The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-05
Filling of Vancancies May Decide Attitude Toward
 Amendment Submission
CLAIM COMMITTEE
 IS CLOSELY DIVIDED
Number of County Committees Will Submit Issue to Voters What ever May Be the State
 Committees Attitude
By FRED H. GoRMLEy

u Who will control the state democratic executive committee, amendists or anti amendists, when it meets in Birming- ham May 21 to arrange for the state primary which will be held August 13? Amedists for weeks and months have contended that they, had safe work ing majority, and previous acts of the committee would indicate that the claim is we'll founded; but now come anti-amendists who declare that the issue is unsettled and that in all prob ability they will control and will do what they think best with reference to the handling of the federal prohibition amendment
 Up to this time it has been accepted as foregone conclusion that the amendists would handle the amendment as best suited their convenience and that they would refuse to submit it to 2 vote of the people because there was no legal method of so doing. But anti amendists in personal conversations this week have expressed themselves m no uncertain terms. They maintain mhat the committee at present is about revenly divided between amendsts and santi-amendists, and that the controlling influence will be exerted by five or tanore persons who will be elected as members of the committee by the com mittee to fill vacancies caused bv death and resignation
 v Turn Toward Birmingham
 II this be true, eyes of political Al a- lbama must turn toward Birmingham during the next few days The amend : ment IS the onIy important subject to tcome before the meeting All other matters will be routine, such as call ing the election, as provisions are now made by state law Tor primary eIec- tions after political parties have de. .cided that they want primaries isut the tamendment will come forth in all of its glory.
 Anti-amendists will insist that the question be submitted to direct vote in the August primary. Amendists will argue that there is no law under which this action may be taken and that the only method of handling the subject is through legally elected representatives, a method which has been followed throughout the time Alabama has been a state ti-amendists will answer that even If there be no legal obliga ton upon a member of the legislature to vote the views of a ma jority Of his constituents. there is Q moral one and that there Is a way to take care of the erring ones if they ever seek polit- teal office again. So it may be seen that if the state committee is evenly divided. there will be an interesting fight.
 The first act of the committee will be to fill vacancies. Amendists and anti amendists will have men at the meet ing ready to take their seats if they are elected. So there will be delay because of the vacancies.
 Bibb Graves, who has been chairman of the state committee. will present his resignation, as he is in the army. ac- cording to general report Genera Graves called the meeting through the secretary. George H. Estes, and in solar as is known has-not said whether or not be would attend
 a Must Have New Members
 The Fifth congressional district must he given two new members. Frank W Lull of Wetumpka and Judge J. c Wood of Hayneville having died The Sixth district will have one new mem ber, succeeding George A. searcy oi Tuscaloosa, deceased. The Eighth dis rruct must obtain two new members
 
 who is captain in the army, and Judge J. c. Kumpe of Moulton, who died last week. There probably are other vacancies.
 Antf-amendists base the contention that the vote on the amendment is even by a poll which they claim to have made. Even if they fail to have the state committee submit the amend rnent they will carry their fight to each county committee and will insist that each county put the question or the ballot, thus binding morally the candidates for representative to vote the views of a majority. It is knowr that the amendment will be submitted in this way by some counties the coun, ty committee requiring the candidate! for senator and representative to agree to cast a vote which will meet the ap proval of majority of the county.
 Situation in Dallas
 In this connection an interestin; story has come from Selma. J. B. Ellis prominent prohibitionist of Selma wa importuned to become candidate 10 state senator. He was state manage of the campaign of H. s. D. Mallory prohibition candidate for governo against Emmet ONeal in 1910. Hi amendment friends believed he was "al right" as they expressed it on tn amendment. He announced for senate but he also announced his oppositio