The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-10
FAvORITE DEMOCRATIC SONS

 election are seen in the setting of the na- there is arranged drama that will have all the force of a tragedy, as is clearly in- dicated by the attitude of LaFollette, Borah and the new remembers from the vest Either the stand pat.and old guard republi- cans will surrender to the new line pro- gressives or they will fight for control of the party machinery, and the standard pre- dicton is that they will fight. The history since Roosevelt's rebellion shows that that is the best policy for them. To give up is to disappear from the political stage for many years, and perhaps forever. If the prediction is verified there will be two re- publican candidates-the stalwart and the progressive and divided republican vote, as happened few years ago; and also an excellent opportunity for the democratic party to come again into power.
 Attention, therefore, centers in the action of the democratic party, and the question is whether it has in it the winning material such as it had when last the opportunity of fered and was successfully. employed.
 It is conceded that the candidate must
  tion were otherwise there would not be the least difficulty in pointing out southerner who, if elected, would give service accept able to the nation. The field is limited by this long-established condition as to the To- cality from which the candidate must come, and the doubtful states are New York, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, with Nebraska thrown in for good measure.
 Each of these states has at this moment a favorite son. New York has Al Smith, who has just scored so tremendously over Nathan Miller for the governorship of their state Indiana has Ralston, who gave Rev. eridge hard beating, and is backed by Tom Taggart and apparently has the sympathy of some of the leading politicians in the east Missouri has Senator Reed, who won in the recent campaign in one of the mos. bitter fights of the fall campaign. Me- braska has Charles w. Bryan, brother of the Commoner, and who captured the gov ernorship by 50,000 votes when the republi- can ticket got very nearly all the other offices, and Bryan has the prestige and no doubt can command the help of his brother, the shrewdest politician of the present time. Ohio had Pomerene, but Pomerene failed of reelection in the contest with Fess, and there is left in that state former Governor Cox, a really first-class man, but one who is handicapped by the non-success of his candidacy for the presidency two years ago.
 So, this is the slate, and 1t Is composed in the most part of new men. Smith IS for the second time successful for the office of governor of his state, and is very highly thought of as an executive. He would look like winner but for the fact that his cam paign was made in part on platform call ing for referendum in New York on the question of light wines and beer, and hok- ing ultimately to repeal of the prohibit tion amendment. His claims will perhaps be hurt by the position of his party on this issue; and it is noticeable that since his election there has been very little of that newspaper discussion of his merits, such as might be expected to follow after so great victory as he achieved. This may be taken as an adverse indication, and as revealing that the holders of opinion are not dis posed to take chances with a representa- tive of a state and region that is not in accord with public sentiment of the coun- try, which is strongly for prohibition and hopes to see it made effective.
 Senator Reed must win, if he does win, m opposition to large element in the party that is devoted to former President Wilson and his policy; for he is the most out spoken critic of MT. Wilson's policy, and has done all he could to make wreck of it. There remain former Governor Ralston of Indiana, and Governor Charles w. Bryan of Nebraska, and of the two Ralston repre- sents the more important state, and, on general principles, is likely to be preferred.
 There need be attempt at prophecy; and it would not be wise to attempt it. for there are yet two years to elapse before the election, other men may come to the lront and prove their superior worth; and, more over, the unexpected may happen, and the "doubtful state" tradition be thrown aside, especially if there should be dominant wish to give recognition to the great and influential west-coast region, in which case William Gibbs McAdoo, a man of up-stand- ing character and of national reputation, would, without doubt, be regarded as an Available democrat of the first order.
 DISUNITY IN IRELAND