The Washington times., 1923-05-16
UNDERWOOD 7 D
THROW HAT
IN RING
Friends of Alabama Senator
Already Have Sounded Out
Big Northern, States.
BY GEORGE r. HOLMES,
International News Service.

International News Service.
The first Democratic hat to be
chucked officially into the 1924
Presidential ring will belong to
Senator Oscar Underwood of Ala.
bama.
According to word being passed
around in Democratic circles in the
Capital today, the Alabaman him.
self will do the chucking, formally
and officially, when he returns
from Europe next month. II he
does not, then his friends will do
1t for him, it was said.
| UnderWood's candidacy, long dis.
cussed in Democratic quarters, is
already beginning to take on tangi.
BILE form, particularly in the big
Eastern and Northern States, where
| it is felt that he will carry. spe-
cial appeal because Of the liberality
of his views on the prohibition
issue.
Sounding Out Opinion.
Diligent friends Of Senator Under
wood have approached the Demo
cratic leaders in ~New York, New
Jersey, Massachusetts,, Illinois and
several other States sounding out
opinion. They have been informed,
| it is understood, that If 1t develops
the favorite sons, such as Smith in
New York, and Edwards in New
Jersey, have no chance, then the
delegates of these States will be
''very favorably inclined" toward
the Alabanlan.
| The alegebraicx in the calculations
of Senator Underwood's boosters is
Henry Ford.
| Every conversation between Dem
ocratic leaders in the Capital these
days turns inevitably to Ford, and
whether he will actually become a
candidate for the White House in
1924.
Friends of Senator Underwood,
already 'busily engaged in promot-
ing his candidacy, profess to fear
no other man in the party-not
even William Gibbs McAdoo, who
| Is regarded as a certain contender,
and who, it is conceded, will come
to the 1924 convention with a for
midable block of delegates. Nc
Adoo, the Underwood men say,
mustered his full strength in San
Francisco in 1920, and it was not
enough, and they do not figure that
ne has added any since those
memorable days.
But the Underwood adherents
shake their heads over Ford. With
Ford out of it, they declare Sem
ator Underwood could come to the
convention with the solid South
solidly for him, which, added to the
strength in the big populous States
such as New York and New Jersey,
would be sufficient to carry him
through after a stiff tilt with the
McAdoo forces. With Ford in 1T,
! -
will be another story, for they con-
part of the South over any man in
either party. f.
Three COrnered Fight Seen.
Such an experienced political OBJ.
server as Senator Pat Harrison
DemD of Mississippi, unidentified
with any Presidential candidacy,
has returned to Washington with
the prediction that if Ford enters
the Democratic primaries he will
carry every State in the South,
with the possible exception of Sem
ator Underwood own Alabama.
If Ford enters the Democratic
race. experienced political railbirds
foresee a three-cornered fight be-
tween Ford, Underwood, and Me-
I AuOO LNdI VIII DE 10
the contest waged in the Chicago
convention three years ago between
Lowden. Wood, and Johnson - with
the inevitable dark horse being
groomed on the sidelines.
There will be at least a dozen
"favorite son" movements in full
swing within six months, according
to predictions here.
These favorite sons movements.
expected to develop into full-fledged
boomlets, include Smith of New
York. Edwards of New Jersey.
Ralston of Indiana, John w. Davis
Of West Virginia, Robinson of
Arkansas, Reed of Missouri Owen
of Oklahoma. Glass of Virginia, and
Ohio may put forward James M
Cox again, and Florida her adopted
son. William Jennings Bryan