The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-20
DEMOCRATS GATHER
 ON SEPTEMBER ! ID W R|TE PLATFORM
Convention of 342 Delegates Will Draw Up Alabama De- moCraCy'S First Platform
 in Ten Years
By FRED II. GORMLEY Montgomery Bureau. The Age-Herald, 22l-2 First National Bank Building

Montgomery Bureau, The Aye-Hernid,
 29l-2 First National Bank Building
 Montgomery, August 19.-tSpecial-e Alabama democracy will have the greatest gathering of a decade in Montgomery September when the state democratic convention, which will write the platform of the demo cratic party for the general election and will tell the legislature what to do next January, will be held in the city auditorium or the Grand the atre.
 This convention will attract more attention than any held in the state since the days of old when supreme court judges were selected by con ventions. The democratic party or Alabama has not had a platform in 10 years. The last platform called for local option in the handling of the liquor question. National pro- hibition has been in effect two years, and even before that Alabama es- tablished state prohibition.
 The party's platform was outgrown many years ago, but no convention was held because nominations by convention were no more and the democracy expressed its opinion at the ballot boxes rather than in con
 
 executive committee at it's meeting in January decided that another state convention should be held. Many reasons were advanced for the convention.
 The republican party became strong In some counties of Alabama and cast so many votes in the last gen eral election it was entitled to d primary at the expense of the public treasury had 1t desired one. This unusual showing at the last general election was not due to such an in- Aux into the republican party from the democratic party, accordi q; to the contention of democrats, but was due to the lack of interest of demo- crats in the general election. There has not been day in Alabama in many years when the democratic party in Alabama was in danger of defeat. Alabama is democratic state and political battles are fought in the democratic primary, not in the general election. For this req son democrats here lost interest in the general election.
 Purpose of Convention
 The purpose of the state conven- tion is to bring democrats together again for general discussion of political issues in the hope that the various factions will come together and will accept platform on which a united democracy can go before the people in the general election in November and in the general elec- tions of the future.
 It Is not probable that this state has ever had more representative democratic convention than the one which will be held in September. Ii will be the largest in the states history, according to the statements or many. There will be 342 members representing the varied interests of the state. Each county will have two times as many delegates to th Q convention as it has in the house of representatives. Each senatorial olstrict will have two delegates. This Will make total of 2S2. There Will be 10 delegates from the state at large and the 50 members of the new state democratic executive com mittee elected August s will be ex. ofiiclo delegates with all the powers ana the votes of delegates, increas- ing the number of 342.
 Ine organization meeting of the states organized democracy will he helo Tn the hall of the house of rep- resentatives at the capitol at o'clock the afternoon of Sentember l. It is not probable that this hall Will be large enough to seat the 342 deiegates and the persons who will come to Montgomery 10 look upon the convention. Plans are already uhuer way to transfer the convention 10 the city auditorium or to the Grand theatre, the largest auditor,,,,,, in Montgomery.
 James H. Webb of MobiIe cb.ir man of the state democratic execu- i've committee, was designated bv the committee as temporary chair man. lie will call the conyention fl, order and will preside until the or gahizatlon of the convention is nar- fected by the election of nerma. nent chairman. Chairman Webh hss already announced that he will des. ishate Roy R. Cox of Montgomery state fuel administrator and chief cierk or the state board of control tary.
 Who Will Be Chafrman,
 Many names have been suggested as permanent chairman auona tha.,s being J. L. Andrews of Sheffield ono or the best known citizens of nort,, Alabama. and John H. Bankbead of Jasper. another prominent democrat or north Alabama. Friends of MT Andrews suggested his name uuring the week, contendinR that he mas 1ought throughout his life for .ne principles of democrac-. and for me success Of the democratic party. put has always stood in the back ground when it came to offices of proIit. never having been a candi- oate Tor public office. This may aiso be said of MT. Bankhead. who mas been a leading figure in the ranks of the democratic party of the ienth district. where the republican party Is ever trying to wrest the congressman from the democrats.
 ine subjects which will be consid cred by the convention will he as varied as the colors of the rainbow.
 iney do say that somebody will propose a plank in the democratic piatiorm calling for the restoration oI iisht wines and beer and the modi- .iction Of the Volstead act so as to oeciare that light wines and beer are non-intoxfcating.
 The big fight will come m the proposal to strike supreme court and appeiiate court judges from he list oi persons to be nominated in pri- harles. For several years many per sons nave insisted that Judges should not De nominated in the state pri- Daoiy needed In the territory supplied oy the mines, Is still more badly heeoed-or will be--in the northwest ana must be sent there while the great lakes, over which ,t To tran.