The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-11-19
UNDERWOOD
is OPPOSED
TO KU-KLUX
Candidate From South Faces
Natural Obstacle in
1924 Race.
BY ROBERT J. BENDER
LCnnEnIALA 100 L. IvAiAAl Nra..AA

TT EW YORK, o 19.-NO since
/ nj 1865, when Andrew Johnson,
1N son of the village sexton and
constable in Greenville, Tenn, was
inaugurated President, following as
sassination Of Lincoln, a the So
called South" been represented in the
White House.
So it has come to be said any can
didate raising his head from below
the Mason and Dixon line, With presi-
Dental aspirations. is not located
right geographically"
This probably had its foundation i'm
mediately after the Civil War in the
cry that a southern President might
return slavery. In all events the slo-
gan has passed on down through the
years until it has become more or
less automatic that a southerner
should not be President.
UnderwoOd's Difficulty
That is probably the biggest diff
Guilty that Senator Oscar Underwood,
able leader for years in both houses
of Congress, has to contend with, first
in seeking the Democratic nomination
and, second, in winning the election,
should he be nominated.
He might point to the fact-Virginia
has seen five of it's home-folks-
Washington, jefferson, Madison, Mon
roe and Tyler-hold reins Of govern
ment in Washington. He might point
to the fact that, in addition to John
son the State of Tennessee was drawn
upon for two presidents-Jackson and
Polk. He might even recall in 184S
the American people went as far
South as Baton Rouge, Louisiana to
select their leader in the person Of
Zachary Taylor. Nevertheless since
the war and up until now. a Southern
candidate has been discounted in ad-
vance If he comes from the South.
Wouldn't Strengthen Party
The further, ana perhaps actually
the dominating reason for discount
ing a %Southerner for the Democratic
nomination has been the argument
that the South Is always Democratic
any how and it wouldn't strengthen
the party any to name a man from
that section"
So Underwood faces a natural OBJ
stacle In his race for party leader
ship. The chances of his winning
the nomination are all against him.
He has. however. raised one issue
he is the only one TO have
raised the issue and probably will be
h only outstanding presidential
candidate who will raise it-and hat
is the Ku-Klux Khan.
Underwood has come out bag and
baggage against the Khan. And on
that issue. may rest the biggest, II
not his only. chance OF success. All
Of the candidates so far mentioned. or
their personal hackers, are in a guam
Diary what to do about the Khan.
Most of them favor ignoring it as
IN issue. The Missouri State Dem
ocracy recently handled it by what
was tantamount to a mere declara-
ton of the first clause IN the Consti-
tuition espousing pOhuical n re-
Lgious freedom. That is how most of
the candidates in both parties-and
the party platforms themselves-wlll
probably dispose Of the troublesome
issue.
May Grow in Scope
But there is a poss billy in the com
ing months the Khan issue may grow
in cope md political importance.
Underwood, for one. may be expected
to make a fight for an anti-Klan
clause in the Democratic platform. II
the issues has reached a dominating
position in the body politics by early
next spring. U~ndarwood's position will
be strengthened.
AS friends of candidates opposing
Underwood's put It. 1T might be the
feeling against the Khan was such
that Underwood would draw the sold
anti-Klan support"
Already one Khan periodical-May-
fields weekly in Texas-has come out
against Underwood and had good
words to say for McAdoo and others.
McAdoo's friends acknowledge pub
licity such as this win hurt him in
sections where feeling is strong
against the Khan. In other words, a
majority of the candidates viii wish
to be shown neither as pro nor anti
Khan, Underwood has taken a posi-,
tive stand on the issue and it will help
him in many sections.
Underwood also has a record for
being opposed to prohibition. He NAV
not make this an issue. 1t is more
likely he will confne himself to do
nestle issues largely, such as tariff
and taxes.