Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-11
TOM WATSON HAS
HAD STORMY LIFE
Man Nominated by Georgia Dem
ocrats for Senate Has Been on
All Sides.

Atlanta, Ca, Sept. 1l.-Thomas r..
Watson, opponent of Wilson admins
trnt,on and the League of Nations, IN
any form. has been nominated by Georgia
Democrats To succeed United States Sem
atpr Uoke Smith. Returns from Wednes-
dAv's primary show that Watson mas
overwhelmed Senator Smith who was
u,nn,ng TO succeed himself, and Governor
Hugh NJ. Dorsey. Watson has carried
more than 100 of the l55 counties In
the State and has majority OF the
county unit vote, and official returns
will probably show that he has also
q majority of the popular vote 3,
Governor Dorsey ran poor second
and Senator Smith still poorer thlrd:
Watson carried Atlanta, the home OF
both Senator Smith and Governor Dor-
sey.
Watson entered the Senate race as an
ayowed opponent of the President and
the League. Senator Smith was not re-
Carded as particularly friendly to the
Administration, rs he opposed the League
as submitted by President Wilson and
voted for the Lodge reservations. Wat
son declared Senator Smith was not
sufficiently anti-Wilson and anti-League
Governor Dorsey, serving his second
term. WAS induced to enter against
Watson and Smith by the Admins
uation wing of the party, led by Clark
Howell. National Committeeman from
Georgia and editor of The Atlanta Con-
stitution. The Howell faction claimed
il WAS giving Georgians an opportunity
20 vote for loyal Democrat, and Wat
son and Smith were branded as traitors
not only TO the Wilson Administration
but also To the United States during the
war. Senator Smith has been opposed
by this faction ever since he was called
TO President Clevelands Cabinet as
Secretary Of the Interior.
The campaign that ensued was prob
ably the most vindictive ever waged
in Georgia The extreme Wilson fac
ton denounced Watson and Smith as
pro-Gernan and traitors. The heaviest
hre of the Howell faction was directed
at Smith and Governor Dorsey In his
stumpng tour of the State devoted most
of his attention to the Senator.
Watson defended his course during the
war and denounced conscriptlon, the
Espionage and Sedition laws and the
use of the Injunction to prevent strikes.
Watson WAS arrested at Buford, Ga,
on charge of public Indecency and
having whisky in his possession. he
spent the night in jail and was released
on bond the next day. The case is to
he heard in October, but is not likely
10 be pushed, as the county IN which
Buford is located gave Watson 1000
majority last Wednesday. The arrest
grew out Of disturbance at the Buford
Hotel Watson claimed he was dis
turbed by card players.
Watsons career is probably the most
remarkable IN the political annals OF
Georgia. He entered public life as a
Democratic Congressman, went over to
the Populists, and was at one time their
nominee for President. He returned to
the Democrats, then went over to the
Roosevelt Republicans and again switch
ed u the Democrats. He has held the
Balance II power In many contest III
the State.
Watson has always been opposed to
President Wilson For years he con-
Quoted magazine and weekly newsap-
PER and be used these publications
against Mr.. Wilson when the latter was
the candidate in 1917.
After the United States entered the
war, Watson continued his attacks on
the policies of the administration. be
was especially violent against conscrlp-
ton and raised a fund to test the law.
Finally Postmaster General Burleson
excluded his publication from the mails.
Watson has also fought the American
Legion, but it is considered that he
Was supported by nearly all the former
nrvice men In the rural districts.