The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-09
.SELF-GOVERNMENT |. OR CLASS D|CTAT|ON IS THE REAL ISSUE Senior Senator Says Coun- try Faces Most Serious
 Moment Since the
 Civil War
By HUGH W. ROBERTS

cial. )-In a final statement t the people of Alabama, Sena tor Underwood tonight reaf firms previous declaration that the issue in the senatoria campaign is whether the peo pie shall govern themselves O suffer the establishment of government by and for class
 He refers to the present as th most serious moment in the country life since the civil war and to probl lems awaiting solution as greate than have ever before confronte Congress. It is the peace of the worl -sp sq 'uopemunsuoo spueuap qo!qI
 FOR INTEREST OF ALL
 In his address Senator Underwoo states that never in his career has h accepted the dictation of any clas and adds: 'T may ave made nis takes. but it has always been m earnest desire to stan1 four square fo what appeared to me to be for tn best interest of all the people I repre- sented.' He thanks lis friends 10 [ their loyalty and earnest effort in hi behalf. The statement follows
 sI find that l unable to re-
 turn to Alabama before the con
 cIusfon of the primary election next Tuesday on account of
 number of very important meas Ures now pressing for considera-
 ton before the Senate. and on ac-
 count of the responsibilities that
 rest on as party leader. I wish to tnke advantage Of this
 opportunity to thank my friends and constituents who have nnde
 such m earnest and valiant fight
 for my selection ns the democrnt- ic nominee in the long term sen- ntOrfaI race. No man has ever had better or truer friends to give him their loyHi support In n po-
 litical contest than I have in this election.
 OPPORTUNITY FOR SERVICE "For twenty years the people of
 the Ninth congressional district selected me nS their representative iB Congress. Six years ago the
 people of the state commissioned
 me as their senator. A man would indeed be ungratefuI to his party and his people if he did not
 appreciate with all kis henrt these Erent party honors. md do. have asked again for mn oppor- tunity to serve the people of my stnte and I do becnuse the op- portunity for service Is great. Not since the period of the Civil War has there been time In our
 government when there were more
 fundamental issues to he settled md greater problems of state to be worked out.
 'ProbIerns of finance md read justment of taxation that nre monumental fin their character
 concern us nt this time.
 'The peace of the world. a1- though 1t has been settled on the battIefieIds of France, has not yet been finally cOnsummnted, and most difficult issues must be nd- jGsted before the nation can move on Its
 GOVERNMENT CHALLENGED "But. above all other questions, the very integrity of our form of government hns been challenged. The issue k being made not only AidDufna. fnrOuKhOut the United States ns to whether the representative government of the past shall he the government of the future; to whether the sen ntcrs and representntives nt Wash ington shall he directly resporsp- bIe fO the people at home or shall fr whole or in part forecIose their independence of Judgment and freedom of nction " obeying the mandate fixed In advance of the election by special interests, as to whether or not few men in Washington shall hnve the power to destroy the political life of the representative in Conrress If he fs not Obedient to their dirtntion and controls; as to whether we shall have Congress thnt Ia elected to represent special clnss.
 "The issue Ia clearly and wei. defined md the people of Alabama will determine the question in the coming primary. Never since have been a representative or sem ator from Alabama have ac- cepted the dictntion of my class. k mny have made mistakes mt times. but 1t has always been my earnest desire to stand four rauare for what nDpenred to me to he for the best interest of all people represented. If continu~ to hold my commission shall continue to voice the sentiment of the people
 of Alabama nnd not of few men who fssue their orders from be- hind closed doors.
 UNTRUE STATEMENTS "I have been chaI Red with not being the friend of the working man md the farmer. My entire record bellies the charge. Many statements have been made in this campaign to misIcad and prejudice the people. They are untrue. Their untruth fs evidenced by the fact that have remained in public Es- for more than a quarter of n century. and the people of Ala hama would have been blind in- deed If 1t took them twenty-five years to discover defects In my character that are now being voiced for political purposes. "unless . Conxress is chosen in the coming elections which h loy- al to the great principles of the constitution and determined to
 maintain a represeptatfve govern Dsent in the interest of fh> reorIe the ysrry fnbric of ouv republic will he epdarxered. nnA ~I~~s die-