The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-02-18
McAdoo Won t Permit
Use Name at Primary
Would Accept Nomination if
1t Should Come to Him
Unsolicited"
.FAVoRS DELEGATES BE
SENT UNRESTRICTED
mot Seeking Nomination,
Declares Letter to Mayor
of Milledgeville, Ca,
Boyhood Home.
Boyhood Home.

New York, Feb. 18.-William Gibbs
McAdoo announced today he would
! not permit his name to be used on
presidential primary ballots in the
various states and that he advocated
the sending of uninstructee delegates
to the democratic national conVen-
ton. The former secretary of the
treasury said he believed the highest
constructive leadership can best be
obtained if the national interest "s
not Submerged in a contest of indi
vi uaI candidates.. He asked that
his name be withdrawn from the
Georgia primaries.
Personally" Mr.. McAdoo contin-
ued, 'T would be delighted if the next
national &C 'vention might actually
be a great democratic conference,
where the utmost freedom of action
should prevail and where the motive
of high service alone should control"
The obligations of citizenship in
democracy are supreme, he said, and
therefore he should regard 1t as the
imperative duty of any man to ac-
cept a nomination if it should come
to him unsolicited.
II am not seeking the nomination"
the letter read, "and am reluctant to
do anything that would create the
| appearance Oh d tdHulQdcy.
Mr.. McAdoo's views were expressed
in a letter sent to Miller S. Bell,
mayor of Milledgevlle, Ga, in re-
sponse to a telegram saying the citi-
zens of his boyhood home had placed
his name on the presidential prefer
ential ticket in the Georgia primaries.
Text of McAdoo Letter.
The letter follows:
Your telegram informing me that
the citizens of Milledgeville have
| entered my name in the democratic
primary of the state of Georgia for
| president of the United States duly
received. I am deeply moved by
this manifestation of the confidence
OF my friends who live in the city
of my boyhood and in the state of
my nativity. II is indeed an honor
| TO be considered by them worthy
of such high station. ! feel how
ever, that / should candidly state
my position I am not seeking the
nomination and am reluctant to do
anything that would create the ap-
| pearance of a candidacv. | can
not help feeling that this is pecu-
liarly time when we should fight
for principles and not for individ-
uals.
The momentous years through
which we have Just sfsee have
brought to the fore great human
problems which go to the very roots
of our social and economic life and
instantly demand settlement The
| destiny of the human race will be
profoundly affected by the things
we do and by the wisdom we show
during the next four years Pa
triotism and constructive leadership
of the highest order are necessary
and / am convinced that we are
most likely to secure them if the
supreme consideration of the ma
tonal interest is not submerged in
q contest of individual candidates.
for the presidential office. There
fore. should like to see the demo-
cratic national convention composed
OF untrammeled men and women
bound TO no particular candidate and
allowed to express their pref
erences freely through the aboli-
tion of the unit rule.
While | realize that under the
primary laws instructed delegates
from some state are manatory
neverthelessl I think it highly
desirable that every effort should |
be made to send uninstructed dele
gates from every state where pos |
sihle. Personally l should be de-
lighted If the next national conven-
tion might actually be a great
democratic conference where the
utmost freedom of action should
prevail. and where the motive OF
high service alone should control.
II in such a convention platform
is adopted and candidate is Sc
lected representing the great con-
structive, progressive and spiritual
forces Of the day. the favorable
opinion of the country would be en-
listed at the very outset The is-
sue would then be sharply drawn
between us and the forces of stand
patism and reaction which are al
ready oVerreaching themselves
and claiming with presumptuous
confidence the victory in November
next.
Holding these views YOU can
readily understand why I prefer not
to he entered in the Georgia primary
and why ! must beg my good
friends to withdraw my name.
cannot consistently enter the pri-
mary in any state when IL is my
earnest conviction that the dele
gates from every state should 80
TO the CoVcntiOn without iustTuC-
tions, save to use their power and
opportunity for the best service OF
their country.
nation for the presidency can come
to any man short of election TO the
presidency itself In a democracy
like ours the obligations of good
citizenship are supreme, and
should therefore regard it as the
imperative duty of any man to aC-
cept a nomination If 1t should come
TO him unsolicited, I say this at
the risk of being charged with har-
boring a candidacy notwithstand-
ing the explicit statements In this
letter, but I am sure that on the
whole | shall not be misunderstood.
Please accept my warm thanks
for your generous support and be
good enough to assure my friends
Of my sincere gratitude for the
honor thcv have done me.
Georgians' Telegram.
The tel gram sent to Mr.. McAdoo
follows:
The citizens Of Milledgeville have
placed your name on ticket to be
voted on in approaching democratic
preferential state of Georgia primary