Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-04-06
BIC CROWD VOTES
ENDORSEMENT Of
SENATOR RECORD
He Uses Plain and Pointed
Language in Answering
SIanderous Attacks on His
Loyalty to Country
By ROGERS w1NTEE

4 Mitchell Palmer may be able to come
into Georgia and persuade the people
to give him vote that will mean {
4 vote of censure of Hoke Smiths rec
ord in the United States senate, but
i 1t would be advisable for him tc
change his schedule and make start
1 IN some other place than the city OF
I Gainesville and the county of Hal
Whatever prospects he may have had
to launch his campaign under favor
liable auspices were destroyed today
a when Senator Smith presented his
s record to more than a thousand Hall
county voters packed in the audi
E forum of Hall county courthouse and
received from them in a direct an
4 swer 20 a specific question an almost
unanimous vote of approval.
While the senator spoke inside of
3 the courthouse carpenters were build
4 ing on the outside stage and benches
a for Palmer's speech to be delivered
. here Tuesday. And while he spoke
q there was in progress a heated con-
& test for Hall county offices being
& fought out at the ballot box in hear
ing distance of his voice. And when
he opened his presentation of his
i record it seemed to the writer that
there must have been afoot in this
community in advance of his speech
very general and active propaganda
Of criticism especially directed
against his stand on the League of
Nations as well as other matters be-
fore the senate in which he has tax
EN- an active part.
1t did not seem to be a hostile au-
. dience, neither did it seem to be a
cold audience. 1t seemed to be an
audience of sober minded men who
had heard the other side and had
/ come there to hear the senators
side. It seemed to be an audience
composed in the main Of men who
admired President Wilson, Of men
4 who favor a League Of Nations to
! prevent future wars, Of men who
we're anxious to hear the reasons
why Senator Smith has not been
willing to accept without a change
. the particular covenant submitted
by the man who has welded over
5 The opinion Of his country such re-
3 narkab1e power.
Vote for Senator
To say that Senator Smith began
1t the bottom Of the hill and fought
mis- ray up would not be accurate.
Rather would the writer say tE@t he
commenced in the presence OF jury
who had heard one side, who wanted
20 hear the other side and who came
prepared to render q verdict when
hey had heard. An audience. we
will say, who seemed to feel that the
nal before them would not play
upon their emotion or sentiment but
NO Id give them the facts and sub
nit his issue to their Judgment as
/ .ree Americans, able to decide ques-
ton for themselves, and accept their
decision whatever 1t might be.
And they decided almost unani-
vusly. With only a handful who
failed to vote, they decided in favor
,f Senator Smiths position not only
IN regard to the League of Nations.
3 B. also in regard to his other diff
.erences with the administration. 1t
Is not the purpose of this account
to exaggerate or overrate or mag
aify the significance of their : rs
loa. If any error is committed, 1t
will be an error on the side Of con-
servatism. They did not decide for
The city of Gainesville or the county
4 IF Hall, for all of the ely and all of
The county were not assembled in
he court house. But they decided
without equivocation so far as they
The tselves were concerned and they
decided in favor of Genator Smith
ind decided to cast their ballot for
him on the twentieth of April. And
4 The moral force Of their decision
nere than one thousand strong, weld
n 90 hnUnn6 fha 2ntn411v
present and voting when the ques-
ion was submitted to them.
No question was ever presented BY
the presiding officer of a parliament
tary body with more exact directnes=
than did Colonel W. A. Charters sub
nit the question when Senator Smith
closed and turned the meeting over tc
him and requested him to ask the
verdict of the audience
"All of you who approve the rec
ord Of Senator Smith in the SEN
ate,'' said Colonel Charters, land
will show your approval by voting
for him on the twentieth of April
please rise and stand until you are
counted.%
1t was the language almost identica
of a presiding officer submitting tt
a body authorized to vote upon any
question submitted to them. In othel
words it was the language used b.
the presiding officers of all parlia
nentary bodies of the English speak
ing race
And the audience voted. Prac
tically every hand with a few scat
tering exceptions, went up and stay
ed UP until Colonel Charters sweep
the whole room in comprehensive
survey.
'"Those opposed will rise" said Col
onel Charters.
Two hands went up. The colone
paused. He urged them to vote OF
one side or the other. Two hand:
stayed up. no more went up. The
two were all.
1.-TWO lonesome hands" said Col
onel Charters, and the audience
laughed as audiences will when thei1
SSacision is unanimous.
And thus was commenced Sena
tor Smiths campaign in the pres
Dental primary to be held in Geor
gia on the twentieth of April.
"Ee Won Here Today"
= Thus was rendered the decision b
the auu1ence assembled to hear hin
speak in the city where was starte'
the original petition urging him t.
enter the contest and the city wher
his record has been as much CRITICS
ed by friend or foe as in any com
munity in the state.
One of those who has differed
with him, and who has criticized hin
was Colonel H. H. Perry, an old-tim
supporter, "Hole Smith man" bacl
in the days of 1905, when he ran hi
first race. Colonel Perry was /seate'
directly in front of the judges benc!
where the senator spoke. His eye
were turned toward the audience an
not the speaker. AS the audienc
filed by in a long procession shaking
hands with Senator Smith and as
surfing him of their support. tn
writer ventured to ask Colonel PER-.