The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-29
EMBARRASSING MIR. UNDERWOOD

MuSgfOVe IS really being peTSudueu, and is now considering entering the presidential primary in Alabama, the public will not be deceived by such course and will clearly understand that the purpose would be merely to seek to embarrass MT. Underwood. Of course, MT. Musgrove would have no chance to be offered by Alabama as presi- dential candidate, and this is not nec- essarily any reflection upon MT. Mus grove His candidacy would be under stood, not only in Alabama, but else where throughout the nation as merely seeking to confuse the situation, and would perhaps be accepted by many as but reaction of MT. Musgrove's unsuccessful efforts to succeed Sena- tor Underwood in the senate of the United States.
 The people never have supported, 
 and, intelligently, never will support any man whose ambition may be to satisfy grudge. MT. Musgrove in the senatorial contest submitted his name to Alabamians in a fair contest, but was unsuccessful. Subsequent events and the trend of circumstances have served to emphasize Senator Under woods distinguished position in the na- tion and Alabama certainly accedes to the support expected from his home state by Mrs Underwood in behalf of his very proper and legitimate ambi- tion as senior senator from this state. Those who would seek to use this op- portunity to enter upon a course that would be viewed by the people as not having legitimate standing, but merely an effort to embarrass the candidate Alabama will present to the nation, will only suffer the humiliation of defeat when the result of the March primary is ascertained. We question if those who are reported to be advising MT. Musgrove or counseling him are really thinking of MT. Musgrove. Otherwise, they would not lead him into what will appear as a very foolish and ludicrous adventure.
 It is to be questioned if any such move would have been contemplated but for the very unhappy abuse of Senator Underwood's candidacy that was precipitated by those who no doubt loved MT. Underwood. but also loved themselves. There was never any doubt but that MT. Underwood would have had the united delegation from Alabama under the normal method of choosing delegates to the national convention. But some, who give lip-service to MT. Underwood and who avail themselves of their associa- tion with him to have the calcium light play somewhat upon themselves, made themselves active in a legislative en- actment that has unhappily been re- sented in many quarters as being a method not wholly Democratic in its processes, and which did not advance MT. Underwood, but perhaps may have strengthened a corporate political or ganization in this state that wanted to entrench themselves for purposes not wholly concerned in the candidacy of Senator Underwood and not as yet wholly revealed, but strongly sus- pected. To that has been added the spectacle of Alabama's sponsors for Senator Underwood attacking other Democratic aspirants for the presiden- | tial nomination who are being sup ported by other men who will be dele gates to the national convention, just as MT. Underwood is being supported at home, and whose votes in the na- tional convention will be needed and therefore should be harmonized and not 'aptagonized.
 There>can be no serious result from MT. Musgroye's efforts should he be led in misguided fashion into a sem blance of a contest for the presiden- tial delegation from Alabama, but it all could have been avoided, had those who professed loyalty to MT. Under wood thought more of his cause than they did of their own.
 
 LIVING COSTS DECLINE II. ( ll-