The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-29
DEMOCRATS OFFER FIVE CANDIDATES. FUR PARTY CHOICE
McAdoo, Underwood, Cox, Henry Ford and Others Are
 Being Suggested

NEN 1OINh, MATCH zo.-Al lne present writing there are five band wagons upon which divers and sun dry democratic leaders are clamoring to the qualification of Messrs. Will liam G. McAdoo, Al Smith, James NJ. Cox, oscar Underwood and Henry Ford, respectively. Roughly, it might be said also that the bandwagons are constituted. at this present writing, of the following materials in the form of campaign issues:
 McAdoo-Rigid enforcement of the prohibition law and greater control by the people if not actually public operation of the railroads and mines.
 Al Smith-Modificat of the Vol stead law and business government.
 CoX-The League of Nations.
 underwC od-More conservative ap- plication of democratic principles; conservative business admiuistra tion.
 Henry Ford-Abolition of the gold standard, creation of energy units and, above all. building to increase the productivity of the farmer.
 At the present moment all of the visible political energies are being eXerted in behalf If one of these five men. Opponents of Ford declare that. despairing of a chance to get the re- publican nomination, he will accept a democratic nomination if rendered And there are some prominent demo- cratic leaders who believe that Ford would ma&e the strongest standard bearer they could nominate tc win agricultural sections of the west and south. In all events there are sev- eral Ford movements getting under way-mostly started thus far by men T
 the Ford excheauer Is their imme- diate prime concern.
 UnderwoOd's Case.
 There is money already being spent. according to some democratic authorities. on behalf of Senator Un- derwood. Underwood might be re- garded as the candidate of those democrats who have some republican blood running through their veins. Furthermore. tnce Governor Al Smi tn were put away, Underw ood might be expected to get considerable vote in wet delegations-among the so- derwood. upon his return from Eu- rope. doubtless will formally thrCw his hat into the ring.
 As for Cox. it is difficult to size up his chances in other than a dismal light Much of the strength he re- ceived in the 1920 convention will start out behind Smith next year: the League of Nations. if an issue. will be sponsored by other democratic candi dates and above all. Cox will start with the disadvantage of having been licked in 1920 and in the knowledge that some of the party's shrewdest leaders, among them his own friends. believe that he should not permit himself to become a repeating can didate-another Bryan.
 Coming to Smith. there is one point of opposition raised against him at Cnce---that he is Catholic. Besides. he frankly favors modification of the Volstead law to permit the sale of light wines and beer throughout the he would he opposed by some of the most powerful forces in the party. His nomination of course, would bring the direct issue of the prohibit tion law emphatically before all the people for the first time.
 MeAdoo Best Advertised.
 One thing about McAdoo's candi- dacy: He will have to announce it in advance this time or nsiderable sections of the party that might be regarded as friendly normally will be off" of him. McAdoo's strength rests in the fact that he is the best advertised potential candidate of any of them and probably appeals more than the others to the imagination of the average voter. He is bone dry. fer American participation in in- ternational organizations to preserve world peace, and may take a posi- tive stand on railway and mine con- trol.
 The curious thing about McAdoo is that he is, at the present writing, the buffer standing between the so- called dyed-in- the wool Woodrow WilsL Lnites and candidates "outside the fold" In other words, there is a large. silent group of democrats. known as Wilson men, who thus far have boarded nc band wagon. They are for as opposed to any of the other candidates mentioned, but he uld be their first choice only if and after Wilson himself does not select a man whom he. believes the democrats should support. The power Wilson bids fair to exercise over the next convention will be described to- morrow.