The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-12-11
by FRED HI. GORMLEY
Montgomery Bureau The Age Herald,
231-s First National Bank Building

montgomery, december H.
(Special)-One subject will over
shadow all others at the meeting of
the state democratic executive COM
nittee which will be held in Mont
gomery aJnuary II. That will be
the subject of putting up the bars
against all persons who did not sup
potr the democratic ticket in the
general election last November.
Several other matters will come
up. including the election of a chair
man to succeed w. D. Nesbitt, who
has resigned, and the making of
plans for the. democratic primary
which will be held in August, and
at which the democratic party will
nominate a candidate for governor
2s well as candidates for other state
offices; but chief interest must
necessarily center about the pro-
vision to restrict the voting priv
ffege to democrats who are faithful
In good weather and bad.
The bars were let down by the
state committee just preceding the
primary of May IL, 1920. In the past
the primary all persons who did not
vote for the democratic nominees in
the preceding election, or who would
not have so voted had they partici-
pated at all, but because of the new
conditions brought about by the rati-
fieation of the woman suffrage
amendment and the return of thou
sands of ex-service men to the state,
the committee decided not to place
the restriction but to invite all per-
sons to enter the primary, particle
patton being the pledge that the
nominees of the party would receive
their votes in. the general election.
Fail To Keep Pledge
Many persons did come into the
primary through this invitation, but
reports have indicated that many did
not carry out this pledge in the gem
eral election. Attention was called
toNthis failure shortly after the gem
eral election, and many newspapers
urged that the state committee
raise the bars again before another
primary.
In an article on the failure of
many persons who participated in
the primary to carry out their
pledge. the Montgomery bureau of
The Birmingham Age-Herald said:
The abandonment of the demo-
cratic ticket by democrats in the
democratic state of Alabama has
been the cause of serious thinking.
Few persons know that the demo-
Gratis who voted in the primary and
then voted against the ticket in the
general election violated their own
sacred pledge co themselves, the
state democratic executive commit
tee and the other participants in the
primary.
"The state committee exacted a
pledge of every person who cast a
ballot in the primary May IL. This
pledge was that the democratic nom
inees would be favored in the gem
eral election. There is much evil
dence now that some of those who
have taken leading part in the
councils of the democratic party
have violated this pledge and have
gone into the councils of the repub-
lican and independent parties.
Certain 1t is that this matter must
be threshed out by the state demo-
cratic executive committee before
the next primary. In the past the
rules of the party have been that
any person who voted against the
democratic nominees in the proceed
ing general election should be de-
MED the right of participation in the
PRIMARY.
TT is pointed out thta republicans
and independents, under lax rules
may go into the primary and vote for
the weakest person, knowing tha'
such person could not survive the
general election"
Fourth District Case
In making rules for the special
denocratic urinary in the Fourth
district for the nomination of can
didate to succeed Congressman Fred
L. Blackmon, deceased, the state
democratic executive committee, this
year prohibited the participation OF
any person who did not support the
democratic ticket in the last general
election. Written in the minds OF
democrats of that district Is the
thought that at least one man was
prevented from participating because
there was evidence that he did not
vote the democratic ticket in the. No
vember election.
Some provision must be made by
the committee whereby a campaign
fund may be obtained. The heavy
increase in the republican vote last
November will require vigorous
campaign in several counties. The
law now permits the state commit
rec to levy assessments against can
didates, but this fund will not be
large next year as indications now
are that there will be few candidates
in the field 1t seems a certainty
now that William w. Brandon will
have no opposition for governor
there are few who now believe SEN
ator Charles S. Mcdowell Will be