The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-02
NOBODY BELIEVES ANCIENT SCANDAL
 ABOUT HARDING
Republican Papers at Last Moment Trying to Blame Democrats for Giving
 It Circulation
By HUGH w. ROBERTS
 Washington Bureau The Ase-H -Hers

WashtnQtUn Bureau ne AHe-Hefdtu
 500 Davidson Building
 Washington, November 1.-(Spe-
 cfal.)-WilIiam E. Chancellor, for
 merIy of Wooster College, te1e-
 phoned Washington friends today
 that while he was not the author
 of a circulated "family tree" att
 tempting to prove that the blood of
 senator Harding was contaminated
 with that of another race, he had
 not retracted his contention that
 the basis of the seleventh hOure
 sensation is true.
 Doctor Chancellor has notified Will H. Hays, chairman of the republican national committee, that unless he withdraws .telegrams sent into all states that he Doctor Chancellor) had retracted he would enter suit against him for libel. Doctor Chancellor. in an effort to sustain his charge, declared that he has the affidavits of several people who heard Amos Kling, Hard 1rg's father-i in-law, repeatedly state that Harding's blood was impure, and that it was for that reason, he had bitterly protested against the plan of his daughter to marry the man.
 REPUBLICAN, PRESS BITTER
 The republican press of the east has vented its spleen today against Doctor Chancellor, has proved that he was dismissed from the superintendency of Washington schools for incompetence and on charges involving more serious allegations, and that even his wife protested on her deathbed against the rearing of her children by her husband. Democratic papers, on the other hand, have not only denied belief in the ~fo @,,1x aafn Iod a democratic committee from >charges that it inspired the publication, but have to their own satisfaction proved that the scandal was aired by republi- cans in the form of a refutation in order to give the impression that the democrats, on the eve of the election, had stopped to scandal and vil1ification. The Harding sensation has been proved to be in fact an old sensation, dating back eighty years.
 It was first preached prior to the war when abolitionists were sometimes termed white niggers." It was cited by Amos Kling, according to today's publications as reason for his objection to the marriage between his daughter and Harding. When Harding was a candidate for the state senate of Ohio, Fling is said to have urged the people of the district to vote against him on the ground of the charge that his blood was tainted. The story was again re- peated when Harding made an unsuc- cessfu1 race for governor of Ohio, and aga in when he ran for the Senate of the United States. It was again used some months ago when he endeavored in Ohio primaries to secure the repub- lican delegation of that state. It was argued in Chicago as a reason why Harding should not be nominated
 NO REASON FOR RESURRECTION It is an old story, and there is ap- parently no reason save political ex- pediency for it's publication by repub licans at this time. It IS not known whether the editorial in the Cincin- natl Times Star, in which denial was made. was published with approval of Harding or not It is known, however, that previously, when urged to permit the publication of denial, Harding de- clned with emphatic language. News paper oorre spondents who have re- mained close to the candidate since his nomination, affirm as much.
 The sensation. when it's effect is esti- mated by political experts of Wash ington is reckoned a dud. None believe the story, and thus it has not cost Harding any votes. None believe the democratic committee, or any responsi- ble democrat caused it's circulation, and thus there has been no reaction against Governor Cox. It is simply an eleventh hour episode which has given the nation a thrill and Cadidate and Mrs. Harding unfortu- nate notoriety.