The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-29
LONG INNUENDOES' BRANDED BY TWO
 SOLONS IN HOUSE
(COntinued from Page one)

(COntinued from Page One) attack in a very sensational style a man whom I believe to be one of leading, one of Alabama's most influential citizens. I refer to Mir. Frederick l. Thompson. the pub fisher of The Age-Herald, of the Journal, of the Mobile Register, and of the Mobile Item. Now, I want to say right here before I start:
 Able To Defend Himself.
 "Tm not going to take up much of the time of the house. but 1 want to say here that MT, Thompson, as far as 1 know, needs no defense at my hands. l am speaking now on the part of the Mobile delegation, both in the house and in the senate. Fred Thompson is well able to de- fend himself at any time; but some of the charges made against him; in fact, all of the charges made against him, were in the nature of hearsay and innuendo. I don't believe the average citizen pays any more at tention to charges of that kind than anonymous communication; but for fear that someone-the statement was published broadcast In Ala bama, and perhaps in other states for fear that someone may be af- fected by the statement somewhere, want to call attention tC the fal- sity of some of those charges.
 Article Considered Unworthy.
 For instance, MT. Long would lead you to believe that the articles published by one Budding referring to prison conditions in the state of Alabama, were published in papers in which Mir. Thompson owns an interest. As @ matter of fact, that statement was not published in The Age Herald or in any of the papers Mr. Thompson has an interest in. Publication of 1t was refused be- cause it was considered vicious and unworthy of publication. The other papers in the state published it, but not MT. Thompson's papers. Now, MT. Long further says that MT. Thompson was attacking the admin istration because he wanted the ap- pointnfent of certain man from Mo- bile on the docks commission. As matter of fact, l know MT. Thomp- son asked no one to intercede with the governor to appoint any one on thA docks commission, nor did he ask himself He was only interested in getting a good commission, and that The Age-Herald has in no uncertain terms the appointment of that docks commission.
 Now, gentlemen, the charge was further made that MT. Thompson owns certain properties in Mobile that he was trying, or wanted to unload on the state of Alabama. As a matter of fact, upon conferring with the tax collector and the tax assessor of Mobile county I find that the only property MT. Thompson has an interest in is the property on which the Mobile Register building stands and the property immediately adjoining, and his own residence. Nor does he own any other property in Mobile, nor is he related to any one who owns any property that could be made available for use as a dock. Attitude On Subsidy.
 Now, he also stated that MT. Thompson was seeking to destroy Senator Underwood, because MT. Un- derwood had voted against the ship subsidy bill. As a matter of fact MT. Thompson-and 1 can be borne out in this by MT. Underwood him self-Mr. Thompson, when approached by Mir. Underwood, advised MT. Un- derwood that In his opinion MT. Un- derwood's position compelled him to vote against the subsidy plan. That Is a matter of record. It was further stated that MT. Underwood was largely instrumental in placing MT. Frederick I. Thompson upon the ship ping board. Now, l know as mat ter of fact, that position was ten dered to MT. Thompson without his knowledge, solicitation or applica- tion and he was persuaded by certain Alabamians and Mobilians to accept the position, and l know that after wards, when the job was tendered him by President Harding, that MT. Thompson hesitated about accepting it and he was then approached by
 Senator Underwood and asked to ac- cept 1t; and I want to tell you that
 we, fellow citizens of his in Mobile,
 had to appeal to him to stay on the board in the interest of Alabama, be- cause no other Alabama citizen could
 have gotten the position. and IL
 would have gone to New Orleans,
 Mobiles chief competitor as a port. I know that he is staying on now at
 a great personal financial loss. l
 know that to be fact. know
 further as a matter of fact that Mr. Thompson with all his might and all his papers supported Senator Under-
 wood in his last race for the senate. It was largely through his support and the almost unanimous vote Tn
 Mobile for MT. Underwood that he
 was returned to the senate.
 Now. as to MT. Thompson's news as to the policy of his news papers, that is something that Is aside from the question. MT. Thompson, as 8 publisher of news papers. has right to criticize when ever he sees fit to do so. As for my self and this delegation, we do not agree with him on his disagreement with the administration. We stand with the administration. Our vote In the house. and in the senate. shows approval of everything this adminis- tration has done and If Governor Brandon has done one single thing that we don't approve of. don't know what it is, at this time, and