The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-11
PATRIOTIC LEAGUE IS REDOUb[|NG WORK |FORACONGRESSMAN Arlie Barber Makes Talk on Corner in Behalf of
 Huddleston POLICE FORGED TO
 CLEAR THE STREET Presidents Message Was Solar Plexus Blow, Though Huddleston Was
 Still Defiant Over Situa-
 tion Yesterday

l The Patriotic League of Jefferson
 county since the reception of the tele- gram from President Wilson, declares
 Tn time of war. are wou with the 1 President of the United States, the com.
 mander-in-chief of the army and navy oi
 the United States, or are you with ar | opponent of the administration of such
 official, George Huddleston?"
 The Huddlestonians, since the President
 has amplified and intensified the charges preferred against their leader, in despera-
 tion cried throughout yesterday: l "We doubt! We doubt!" | They doubt despite the fact that they scould have verified and established the authenticity of the Presidents telegram ! in the space of two minutes. l They would have been required simply 1 to ask the Western Union. Inasmuch as MT. Huddleston has doubted--inasmuch as he has boasted that even if the Presidents message is genuine, the President did not declare me disloyal," an analysis of the Presi- dents message is apropos. In the beginning the President said: T do not feel at liberty to make any discrimination between candidates equally loyal"
 There is no question but that the Pres ident discriminated.
 He declared MT. Huddleston to be an opponent of the administration. Others have made and attempted to substantiate charges to the same effect But others have modified their charges The President did not desire to modify He charged that MT. Huddleston was an opponent of the administration fin every way"
 Unlike MT slayden of Texas who. when the President expressed himself, retired from the race, MT. Huddleston through out yesterday was defiant.
 In addition to questioning the genuine ness of the telegram, he declared that MT. Wilson, even if the telegram was genuine, had suffered himself to be de- ceived.
 MT. Huddleston is evidently not aware of the Presidents intelligence. At Cap itol park Thursday night he exclaimed: The President does not even know that am alive" The subsequent expression of Mr. Wilson is evidence of MT. Hud- dleston's first mistake. The President not only knew that MT. Huddleston was alive, but he knew that MT. Huddleston in every way is an opponent of the administration"
 MT. Huddleston's charge that the Pres ident expressed himself regarding Hud- dleston's opposition to the administration because he had been hoodwinked by anti-Huddlestonfan in Birmingham, is GouHteT CHarSe that III the opinion or Mir. Huddleston, the commander in-chier of the army and navy of the United States, engaged in war against Germany, is subservient to the misrepresentations of this or that man who might be in- spired by an unworthy motive.
 The telegram of the President was ceived by the Huddlestonian as solar plexus blow.
 majority of those who expressed themselves declared: Between the Pres ident, who is coInmander-in-chief of the army and navy, MT. Huddleston, whom he regards as an opponent, I will stand by the President
 Others, following the lead of MT. Hud- dleston and Ariie Barber, former com missioner of the city, continued defiant. They assumed the attitude that neither the commander-in-chief nor any other mar had the right to suggest to them how they should vote.
 Others sought the middle ground. They declared unswerving loyalty to Mir Will son, and unswerving loyalty to MT. Hud- dleston-this despite the fact that MT. Wilson, in his telegram, declared in ef- feet that MT. Wilson and Mr. Huddleston, in their respective attitudes. were as far distant as the one pole form the other.
 MT. Huddleston, aware that he could the authenticity of the Presi-
 (Continued on Page six)