The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-27
EvADING THE ISSUE

will accept and the Germans can carry out =-f N Z l,
 EvADING THE ISSUE
 With characteristic evasion, the esteemed Montgomery Advertiser, in an editorial signed by it's editor Mir. w. Y. Sheehan, for gets its challenge to The Asr-l1-rald = Saor- where this newspaper had any basis Tor a~- serting that the Advertiser had declared that Mir. McAdoo was "as badly tarred with the oil scandal as Mir. Fall,'' and entirely ignores The Age e-Herald's quoting of the exact words of the Advertiser to the above effect. The Advertiser, in the face of it's recent record of seeking to defame Democratic leaders high in the councils of the party and of distin- guished and unimpeached public service, and of it's employment of Republican accusation and Republican insinuation in behalf of its defamatory utterances, contents itself now with the unsupported statement that it has always been true to the Democratic party. The Advertiser recent record of attempt to besmirch the names of those who have been an integral part of the Democratic admnis-
  uted an integral part to that administrators outstanding achievements is not to be can celled by a mere denial, for it has been too pronounced and conspicuous to be thus waved away. The Advertisers record of attempt to cast unjust and unfounded reflections upon the official integrity of party leaders is en- tirely at variance with its professions of party loyalty.
 The Age Herald has replied to the Aovcr- tiser's challenge and has proved out of that newspapers own editorials the statements to which the Advertiser took exception. The ASe-Herald has shown that, though profe ss- ing allegiance to Mir. Underwood the Adver- tiser has actually injured the cause of Mr. Underwood to the extent that the Advertisers uncalled for, unsupported and untrue attacks upon other aspirants for the Democratic nom- ination may have aroused hostility to Mr. i'n- derwood among supporters of his rivals for the party nomination. Perhaps, without in any way mis-stating the facts as to the Adver- tiser's record, The Age-Herald has uninten- tionally exaggerated the extent to which the Advertiser is able to influence in any man. ner the sane thought of Democrats within and without the state. If there has been such exaggeration, The Age Herald stands in error. As to the correctness of the conclu- sions which The Age-Herald has drawn from the Advertisers fight on leading Democrats this newspaper is not in error. Tine editor of the Advertiser admits also the facts which The Age-Herald printed on t'.. authority .f ,ecards in Washington. Whcn the c.!it.r in- to the remarkable fact that all .hc in- dt,sers of the collateral notes were promi. nent brewers, The Age-Herald prefers to re- serve expression of agreement. Certainly there is far more ground to believe there is such significance than the Advertiser has for its unconscionable assault on the regulations 4ot honorable DeS,ecrats@ eN
 If the Advertiser can convince it's readers that there was only an accidental connection between the representatives of the Advertiser and the sixteen brewers of the Cnite,l States who gave collateral indorsement to the notes
 
 in that newspaper, we'll and good. The attor- ney general of the United States was not so convinced, nor was the committee of in- quiry so convinced. It is not believed Ala bamians are convinced. It is noted that the Advertiser does not deny the facts as stated in The Age Herald in its Sunday issue, but complains that The Age-Herald has gone out of it's way to injure the Advertiser. If the Advertiser can be injured by the mere state- ment of facts, it's case is bad indeed But perhaps the Advertiser is now in better posi- tion to estimate the enormity of it's offense in making its indefensible attacks upon the Democratic leaders and the Democratic rec ord. If the truth can so hurt the Advertiser and cause it to resent the publication of the recorded facts about itself, surely the Adver- tiser cannot complain if the defenders of the Democratic party resent and repudate the Advertisers misreprcsentations with respect to the party record and party leaders.
 -
 GEORGE RANDOLPH CHESTER
 The nation loses a distinct contributor to