Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-10-27
ALABAMA SENATOR
REAL CONTENDER
FOR NOMINAL TON
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Ueased Wire Service to The Journal.)
(Copyright 1921

NOOPJAASAtt Ac%o'J
WASHINGTON, Oct. Ex-senator
Oscar Underwood, of Alabama, has
started something that may make
the Democratic national convention
of 1924 as spectacular and dramatic
as the party conclave of 1912 in Bal
timore. He has begun an appeal to
the south to back a southern man
for the presidential nomination.
Under the rules of Democratic con-
ventions it takes a two-thirds vote
to nominate, so if Mr.. Underwood
can muster more than one-third his
friends would be in a position to pre-
vent the nomination of any one else
until the merits of the Underwood
candidacy had been thoroughly can
vassed by the delegates.
But Mr.. Underwood's campaign
may do more. !. already is making
an invasion of states that might be
expected to send delegations instruct
ed for William Gibbs McAdoo, former
secretary of the treasury, who was
born in Tennessee, and whose hold
on the south has been one of the
principal factors counted upon by
his supporters to win the nomina
ton for him next year. More than
that, Henry Ford has been looked
upon as much more likely to acquire
delegates in the south and west than
in the eastern states. If Mr.. Under
woo corrals the southern delega-
tionsS and holds them in his hand
he will be in a position to swing
them for Mr.. McAdoo, or John w.
Davis or any of the conservative
candidates instead of a radical,
should it be apparent that the Ala
bama senator can not win.
Given Outside Chance
But since Oscar Underwood has
opened up, some of the skeptics who
shrug their shoulders in doubt when
ever the possibility of a southern
nominee is mentioned are saying
now that if anybody can upset the
tradition and win Democratic nomi-
nation from the south that man is
the senior senator from Alabama,
who has had the distinction of being
leader of his party in the house and
the senate of the United States with
in a decade.
Democratic politicians who com
mented on Mr.. Underwood's opening
speeches to the effect that the north
ern Democrats ought to recognize
| the south, declare they have no lack
| of appreciation of southern Demo
, Gratis and that they have no objec-
ton to a southerner because of the
section from which he comes. They
argue in support of heir view that
| Woodrow Wilson was southerner
but that he was nominated from a
northern state. They insist that
their main reason for wanting a
! northerner is that he would be more
1 likely to carry doubtful states in the
east and north, while the Democratic
party is always sure of the south az
against a Republican nominee.
| The big question on which Mr.. I'm
/ derwood's chances turn is how much
strength would he develop with the
! electorate in the north, east and west.
| If the Democrats decide on a damn
/ ticket and raise the prohibition issue,
! they will count on a combination OF
| eastern and southern votes to win
thus more or less FORGETTING the dry
west. Under those circumstances
| Mr.. Underwood is acceptable, for he
is allied with the ''wets' and has
been fought by the "drys" from tint
to time. The only other serious con
tenders for a "wet" nomination would
be Governor Al Smith, of New York.
and John w. Davis. OF West Vir'
! GINA, as Mr.. McAdoo, Henry Ford.
! Senator Ralston, of Indiana, and
, most of the others prominently men
toned for the Democratic nomina
ton are allied with the "drys."
Popular in Washington
Senator Underwood is one Of the
most popular men in Washington. He
was an intimate friend of the late
PRECEDENT Harding who appointed him
a member of the American delegation
and the treaties on limitation of ma
which negotiated the fourpower pac'
val armament. Members of congress
from the south and other parts of the
country have a deep affection for Os
car Underwood, and usually senators
and representatives have much t.
say about the naming of delegates tt
a national convention.