Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-02-24
HOOVER ASKED IF HE
CAN QUALIFY UNDER
STILL ANOTHER RULE


CONTINUED from Page y
2 is quite at variance with the Ian
guage of Nthe rule in Version No. l..
Explaining this variance, Secretary
Gardner stated to The Journal, by
long distance telephone on Sunday,
that Version No. 1 was given by
him to John w. Hammond on Feb
ruary 6, Immediately following the
subcommittee original meeting, in
the form of verbal memorandum
only, and that he was not responsible
for the exact phraseology of that
version, so widely published. Secre-
tary Gardner stated that his atten-
ton had not been called to any of
the newspapers containing that YER
sion-until the controversy concern
ing the secret meeting of the SUBJ
committee held in Atlanta last Thurs
day afternoon.
BY way of furnishing The Jour
nal with a true and correct" copy
of the rules, as officially promul-
gated by him and furnished to chair
men of Democratic county commit
tees for their guidance, Secretary
Gardner sent to The Journal a copy
of his circular letter under date Of
February 10, and this contains the
rule of eligibility as per Version No.
3, which reads as follows;
Each candidate for the Demo-
cratic nomination for president
shall file with the secretary of
the state Democratic executive
committee notice of his candt-
dacy on noon, April l, 1920. The
name Of any Democrat qualified
for the presidency OF the United
states may be placed upon the
ballot to be used in said pri-
mary, provided 100 or more reg
istered white Democrats of Geor-
gia, ua1ified to vote In said pr1-
mary, shall petition the state
Democratic executive committee,
through its secretary, to have his
name thus placed, said petition to
be filed with the secretary of
the state Democratic executive
committee by noon, April 1,
1870.
Each Version Different
1t will be observed from a care
full reading Of the three versions of
the rule of eligibility that each one
Is inherent III NdI1OuS anu 4lllOI va
ing particulars.
Version No. 1 provides that the
name of "ANY MAN SHALL" he
placed upon the ballot upon petition
of "ONE HUNDRED OR MORE
WHITE GEORGIA DEMOCRATS"
Version No. 2 provides that the
name of ANY DEMOCRAT QUAIL
FLED FOR THE PRESIDENCY
SHALL" be placed upon the ballot
upon petition of CONE HUNDRED
OR MORE QUALIFIED WHITE
DEMOCRATS"
Version No. 8 provides that the
name Of ANY DEMOCRAT quail
FLED FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF
THE UNITED STATES MAY" be
placed upon the ballot. upon petition
of "ONE HUNDRED OR MORE
WHITE DEMOCRATS
OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA,
QUALIFIED TO VOTE IN SAID
PRIMARY" -
The version used by Secretary
Gardner in his letter to Mr.. Hoover
is version No. 3. taken from the
printer circular sent to the chalr-
men 'of the county executive COM
nittees, and in his letter, as Will De
observed, Secretary Gardner re-
quests Mr.. Hoover to state Whether
he considers himself "a Democrat
qualified for the presidency or the
United States" -.
Mr.. Hoover's reply is awaited win
the keenest interest, not only IN
Georgia, but throughout the United
States.
From more than one quarter
have come rigorous protests against
the action Of the subcommittee on
rules Of the Democratic state execu7
tive committee in deciding that they
would require Mr.. Hoover to aVow
himself a Democrat before they
would place his name on the ballot.
One of the most pointed OF
these protests came from Il. f.
Ault, prominent Cedartown law
yer and a member OF the Demo
cratic state executive committe, VINO
as one member of that body does not
anprove of the action of the sub
committee of seven. In a letter to
The Journal Mr.. Ault declares:
GAS one member of the Democratic
state executive committee, l believe
that when 100 white Democrats re-
quest that a certain mans name be
placed on the ballot in the pres1den-
tial primary, this should be regarded
as prima facia proof of his qualifica-
tions as a Democrat, and his name
should be placed on the ballot
unless their action is repudiated by
him.
"Let People Decide"
"In view of recent political his
tory l believe that Democrats will
prefer to judge a mans democracy
by his conduct and achievements
rather than by past political aftilia-
tions or wordy professions of politi-
cal faith and willingness to wear
party brand. There is a wide diff
ference of opinion as to what consti-
tutes a Democrat, and the best test
is to allow the people to render judg-
ment upon this question in the COM
ing primary
Mr.. ANlt was one of the members
of the state executive committee
who was most strongly in favor OF
holding a preferential primary to
give Georgia Democrats an opportun-
,
! EaS ~