The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-28
GREAT INTEREST IN
 PRESIDENTIAL RACE
Underwood -MusgroVe And Heflin-Bankhead Scraps
 Loom As Possibilities
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU II
 THE AGE-HERALD Montgomery, Ala, Oct. 27

Alabama will have two primary elections during the early months oe next year. Few citizens of Alabama realize that this is the eve of an important campaign and that the first election will be followed in two months by another election, accord ing to discussions in political circles tn: week.
 or the second Tuesday in March the democrats of this state will eX- press their preference for candi- dato for president of the United States. Provision for special presidential preferential primary was made by the legislature during the closing days of the recent session. This action resulted from the an nouncement of Senator oscar ". Uu- derwood that he will be a candidate for President of the United States. Through the S. ecial law Senator Un- dervood, if ee receives a majority of the votes of Alabama democrats, will have authority to name the delegates to the democratic convention. His success in this special election would remove the need for the election C the delegates in the general primary election which will follow in two months after the preferential pri- mary.
 No discretion was left with any authority regarding the preferential
  derwood files with the secretary of state and the chairman of the state democratic executive committee 8 certificate that he is candidate for the democratic nomination for presi- dent plans must be ltarted for the special primary.
 o o 0 Musgrove Tn Race.
 Much interest has developed res gently as result of dispatches stat ing that l.. B. Musgrove of Jasper will present himself in the preferen- tial primary in opposition to Senator Underwood. Mir. Musgrove was a candidate for United States senator against Senator Underwood in a three-cornered contest four years ago. Senator Underwood received a majority of the votes over his two opponents,
 Since Governor Brandon attached his signature to the bill giving a citizen of Alabama, who is shown to be the preference of this state for President. the right to name the delegates to the national convention. there has been discussion regarding the right of the state to bear the ex- pense of the special primary. No pro- vision was made for the expense of the primary in the law and doubt has been expressed as to the right of the state treasury to bear the cost. | The only authority of the state for l the payment of the expense of pri-, mary elections is in the special pri-' mary election law of 1915 and Sec- tion of this act makes the follow ing provision for the payment of ex- penses: If any primary elections and counties they shall be held on the second Tuesday in May of every presidential election year and on the second Tuesday in August of political parties"
 Expense Is limited.
 This section limits tho state in ths payment of expenses of primary elec- tions to those held the second Tues day in May of presidential years. while the special preferential pri- mary has been called for the second Tuesday in March
 If the state cannot bear the ex- pense of the primary provision must be made by the state democratic ex- ecutive committee. This will mean that the state committee must ap- portion the expense among the can didates for the presidency.
 In presidential years chief interest in Alabama has always centered in the election of delegates to the democratic national convention in the May primary. This year that in- terest will be transferred to the preferential primary.
 If Senator Underwood or any other citizen of Alabama receives a ma jority of the votes for president he will have the right to certify the names of the delegates and alter nate delegates. His only restriction will be that at least two delegates and two alternates must be named from each congressional district and four delegates and four alternates from the state-at-large. Each of tbn dple0afaS if 70 from each congressional district and four from the state-at-large would have one vote. However. the -candi- date would have the right to desig- and alternates, each of whom would have one-half vote in the national convention.
 With greatest interest involved in the preferential primary, the regular state campaign will have a whirl- offices will have only 50 days in which to present their pleas to the voters. They will be unable to mako 8 great impression on the voters until the preferential primary. Nominate Senator.
 In the state primary in May the democrats will name one candidate for United States senator. one cam didate for chief Justice of the su- preme court, two candidates for as- sociate justices of the supreme court. one candidate for associate judge of the court of appeals, one candidata for president of the public service state commissioner of game and fisheries.
 Senator J. Thomas Heflin is al- ready candidate to succeed himself as senator, position which he has filled since shortly after the death of Senator John H. Bankhead.
 Up to this time he has no oppo- NsitiCn, though reports have brought the names of several persons into the campaign. The announcement last Sunday of former Senator B, B. Conner that he will not be a candi- reasons: First, because for many weeks he had been mentioned and had been urged to enter the race. and, second, because his statement in announcing that he will not run defined the issues and many per- have an important bearing on the campaign
 Bankhead To Enter Race.
 John H. Bankhead of Jasper, son of the late Senator Bankhead, ia known to be considering the cam paign. When he was elected per- manent chairman of the state demo- cratic convention last September it was generally reported that he would be q candidate.
 Judge John c. Anderson, chief jus- tice of the supreme court, will be candidate to succeed himself, while Judges A. D. Sayre and Virgil Boul- tions they now hold. Judge Ander- tions they no who'd. Judges Ander- son and Sayre have been members of the court for many years, while