San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-26
Southern Invasion Bids
Fair to Produce Spectacu-
lar Happenings at 1924
Democratic National Con-
vention.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright. by The San Antonio Light.
Washington. ID. C., Oct. 26.-Sena-
tor Oscar Underwood of Alabama. has
started something that may axe the
Democratic national convention of
1924 as spectacular and dramatic rs
the party conclave of 1912 in Balti-
more. He has begun an appeal to the
South TO back a Southerner for the
presidential nominatio
Under the rules of Democratic con-
ventions it takes n two-thirds vote to
nominate, so if Dir. Underwood can
muster more than one-third his friends
would be in a position to prevent the
nomination of anyone else until the
merits of the Underwood candidacy
had been thoroughly canvassed by the
delegates.
But Mr.. Underwoods campaign may
do more. 1t already is making an
invasion of states that might be ex-
pected TO send delegations instructed
for William Gibbs McI.doo, former Sec
rotary of the treasury, who was born
in Tennessee and whose hold on the
South has been one of the principal
factors counted Tpon by his support
ers 10 win the nomination for him
next year.
More than that, Henry Ford has
been looked upon as much more like
ly to acquire delegates in the South
and West than in the eastern states.
If Mr.. Underwood corrals the South
ern delegations and holds them in his
hand he will be in position to swing
them for Mr.. McAdoo or John w.
Davis or any of the conservative can
didates instead of radical should it
be apparent that the Alabama sena-
tor cannot win.
Has Good Chance.
But since Oscar Underwood has
opened up. some of the skeptics who
shrug their shoulders in doubt when
ever The possibility of southern nomi-
nee is mentioned are saying now that
if anybody can upset the tradition and
win Democratic nomination from
the South that man is the senior sena-
distinction of beinS leader of mis- party
in the House and the Senate of the
United States within a decade.
Democratic politicians who COM
mented on Mr.. Underwood's opening
speeches to the effect that the North.
ern Democrats ought to recognize the
South, declare they have no lack of
appreciation of Southern Democrats
and that they have no objection to
Southerner because of the section from
which he comes. They argue in sup
port of their view that Woodrow Will
son was Southerner. Lut that he was
nominated from a northern state.
They insist that their main reason
for wanting 4 NortLerrer is that he
would be more likely to carry doubt
fuI states in the East and North.
while the Democratic party is always
sure of the South s against a kepub-
lican nominee.
The big question on which Mr.. Un-
derwood's chances turn is how much
strength would he develop with the
electorate an the North and East and
West. If the Democrats decide on a
damp ticket and raise the prohibition
issue they will count on a combina-
ton of eastern and southern votes to
win, thus more or less forfeiting the
"dry" West.
Under those circumstances, Mr.. Tn.
derive cd is acceptable for he is allied
with the "wets" and has been fou hit
by TIE "drys" from time to time. The
only other serious contenders for
"wet" nomination would be Governor
Al Smith. of New York. and John W.
Davis, of West Virginia. as Mr. Nc
Adoo, Henry Ford, Senator Ralston