The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-27
Real Story AtNetD York Is Just Now Coming Out
Returning Delegates And Visitors Throw New
 Light On Inside Working

agreement. under which Governor Conner was to name the platform member, and it was discovered that conferences were being held looking toward naming Vic tor H. Hanson, publisher of The Bir- mingham Evening News, as the platform member instead of Mir. Thompson. MT. J. B. Ellis of Dallas county, one of the Underwood appointees on the delegation, made vigorous speech which had as its basis assertion that the delegation was not bound as to that matter, which, Mir Ellis contended, had not been made public. In support of such assertion. he called on Mir. Hanson to confirm the statement, and MT. Hanson asserted that the agreement had never been given publication in Alabama. However, Col onel Tunstan immediately arose and stated that the agreement was made and was binding: that Governor Conner had the right to name the member on the resolutions committee, and that such had been published in every news paper of consequence in Alabama.
 This statement appeared to throw a bomb-shell into the program that had been laid out, although Senator Bonner, one of the Alabama Power company at torneys, attempted to pursue the issue. Mir. Hanson's name was never formally presented. and Mir. Thompson was unan- imously elected. The Johnston resolu- ton was adopted, but modified the next day by personal request of Mir. Johnston, when it became current that, unless so modified by Mir. Johnson, it would probably cause some vacancies in the Alabama delegation through retirement of some of the members. But the issue had raised the question whether or not certain matters coming before the dele gatiOn with request that they be favor ably acted upon were really matters desired by MT. Underwood himself. this point being particularly emphasized be- cause the one first element of discor1 in the delegation was presented by Mir. Johnston with definite statement that Mir Underwood did not know of his action. During this meeting it is learned that Congressman Lister Hill, Congressman W. B. Oliver, Donald Conner, Governor Kilby, Frederick l. Thompson and c. W. Ashcraft were emphatic that the agreement as to the platform member would have to be rati- fled.
 Raising Klan Issue
 Senator Underwood was undoubtedly
 
 were many others who felt that secret orders engaging in politics were a dan gerous and unhealthy manifestation in the nations life. But there were others who recognized in this issue a means of diyerting the minds of the convention delegates and accomplishing something else under the smoke screen of religious warfare. There were Feactionaries in the convention who would have done anything to defeat McAdoo. not particu- larly because it was McAdoo, but be- cause of the dry and progressive princi- pies he represented and because he stood on the peoples side rather than upon that of the railroads and other corporate interests.
 Mfr. Underwood, badly advised, dashed to the ground any possible hope of sue cess when he insisted on raising the klan issue, because far-sighted political observers knew that, in addition to the chosen corporate leadership, he had thereby forfeited possibility of getting a single southern delegation outside Alabama because of the strong klan sympathy and sentiment on all those delegations. For southern man to win without a particle of support from the south other than his home state was recognized as out of the question. Even the solid east could not have overcome the south and progressive west.
 However, either upon his own initia- tive or upon the advice of his managers or those with other interests to protect, Senator Underwood did not release a single Alabama delegate throughout the 1O2 ballots, so that long before the end, Gov. BrandOn's stentOrian Alabama casts twenty-four votes for Oscar W. Underwood became an incident for levity on each ballot, both on part of convention and galleries, rather than indicating the serious purpose for which the Alabama delegation was there. There were those in the delegation who sensed the effects of the poor manage ment, and many of them felt that if a man, for instance, of Col. A. M. Tun- stalls cool and keen political acumen had been in charge, things would have been handled with much more regard for the sentiments of the other dele gatiOnS and the outcome might have been different.
 The minority anti-klan plank, call ing the klan by name. was actually passed by the convention, but the real leaders did not want it passed. When they saw how the vote had gone, the mayor of a small Massachusetts town secured recognition and began chal- longing the vote of various states. Over ruled each time, he renewed his chal- lenges and thus killed enough time for quick work among various delegations where votes were changed and the final figures showed defeat for the plank by majority of one.
 Minority Plank History
 This minority klan plank itself had an interesting history. The plank pro- posed by Senator Underwood was dis carded and that brought before the resolutions committee was introduced by Judge Pettingan of Maine. It was upon this question that Alabama's member of the resolutions committee went back to the delegation and asked for definite in- structiOns as to whether Alaba- mas representative should sign this minority report and thus help take it to the convention floor. MT. Thompson was advised to sign it, in conformity with his previous instructions on the klan issue, which was in conformity with Senator UHderwood's desires and with his campaign strategy.
 Although the electric power interests were strongly represented on the Ala bama delegation. and were known in Alabama as out of sympathy with the demands of the great mass of people in Alabama for the development of Muscle Shoals along lines which would be of most benefit to the people, Frederick I. Thompson, the platform committee member. was helpful in hav- ing placed in the platform the strong plank now there in opposition to water power monopoly and urging proper de- VelOpment of Muscle Shoals.
 The splendid plank that was adopt ed had been prepared by Congressman Garrett of Tennessee, a vigorous advO- cate of the peoples cause, who made q magnificent nresentatinn of if tn tha