The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-11-04
Democrats New Chairman Has AggressiveneSs, But Is Not Knock Down
 Drag-0ut Artist
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau, The AEe-Hernld.
 800 Davidson Building.

Washington, November 3.-(Spe- cial. )-coredle Hull is too much of a gentleman to make good chairman of the democratic national committee.
 This Is the only criticism offered by democrats in Washington. That the new leader has the ability is un- questioned. But he is far from being ii knockdown and drag-o artist, and IS far, far removed from the status of demagogue.
 In the preeonvention campaign last year he quietly favored the nomina- tion of William G. McAdoo. As au- i thor of the income tax law. he had had much dealing with the former secretary of the treasury. and natur- ally admired him. But he Is as sat isfactory, 1t is understood, to James k. Cox, former standard bearer of the democratic party. as he is to McAdoo. And he is entirely satisfactory to Oscar w. Underwood. While the Alabamian was chairman of the ways snd means committee, Mir Hull, as a member of that committee, was one of his righthand men. There is a strong and lasting friendship between the two.
 In that respect the selection of Hull was excellent, it is agreed by democrats in Washington.
 MT. Hull's defeat at the hands of a republican last year came as shock. He had been in Congress for many years. He had had little trouble in succeeding himself term after term. He had obtained a high position on the ways and means committee. His status in Congress was unquestion- al ble.
 He went down before the lance of w. T. Clous. But the lance of the re- publican was far from a shining lance. if reports are true. It is said that the campaign against Hull was not only bitter, but, in the political vernacular. dirty" It is said that Mir. Clous or his associates did not hesitate to discuss Mrs. Hull in the hope of creating prejudice
 Mrs. Hull was not a native of Ten nessee. She was a very beautiful and prominent woman of Virginia, and had held high position in Wash ington society The republicans, in attempting to prove that Hull had weaned himself from local affairs, from Tennessee and Tenneseans, capped the climax by charging that he had grown too proud to marry "one l VI OhT klIlSE Dui ndQ 10 kO into Ine F. r. V.is to find wife"
 Hull paid no attention to the state ments. of course. He lost There Is no question but that he lacks in ag- gressiveness of a certain variety | Otherwise, he would have been re- elected to Congress He Is coming i back. of course. His selection as 1 chairman of the committee does not | preclude him from the list of con gressional candidates.
 The democrats are optimistic. There is no question as to that. They re- 1 joice that the republicans in Con gress have broken Into factions and l that between the factions there is 1 bitterness. The ssituatlon Is not un- like that which preceded republican defeat in 1912.
 And the democrats rejoice that the republicans. because of such divi- slons, hace been unable to legislate. In the extraordinary session of Con- gress nothing has been accomplished. | The tax blll will be enacted. But 1t Is bill in the preparation and spon-
 sorship of which. the republicans have played directly to the rich. | The> democrats think their oppor- | tunity has come They will emulate the republicans in waging q campaign several years in advance of the cleo tion And they will try to reduce re- publican majorities in the House and Senate next year. But they do not
 want, at that time, to recover the House and Senate. They want to hold the republicans responsible for everything that Is done. and what Is more to the point for that which is left undone, despite campaign prom ises rosy and promiseuous.