The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-27
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| SIaCe Will recalI the pEellulndIleS OA Senator Underwood's campaign for the presidency. The senator was invited to address the Alabama leg islature, where he announced his candidacy for the nomination and differences of opinion were sub merged in a tide of state pride over the possibility of supplying a presi- dential nominee to the nation. He was given the unanimous endorse ment of the legislature largely be- cause of his spoken pledge of re- gard for the integrity of the coun- try's prohibition laws and for sin cere and conscientious enforcement of these statutes.
 First Error
 Next came the first error by unwise or selfish friends of showing distrust in the people of the state in the enact ment of a special presidential prefer ential primary law designed for the purpose of preventing any opposition to Senator Underwood and authorizing the senator, as winner, to name his own delegation. Suspicious were aroused. The special law, with its virtual re- striction to Alabama candidates, opened the way for q large number of the states dry and progressive forces to rally around Ls.sB Musgrove for Presi- dent. This opposition became formida- ble almost immediately through resent ment at denying the people a direct voice m naming the delegates.
 Then 1t was that Col. A. M. Tun- stall, UnderwoOd's campaign manager Ill the state, went to Gov. B. B. Conner and made the famous agreement where by Governor Conner was to name one half tbe Alabama delegation and to name the Alabama member of the reso- lutions committee at the national con ventiOn. The formal agreement issued jointly by Colonel Tunstall and Gov ernor Conner WAS published broadcast throughout the state and, of course, as- sured Senator UnderwOod's nomina- tlon. Following the primary the Un- derwood committee named its half of the delegation and Governor Conner ap- pointed his half and also named Frede- rick l. Thompson as the member of the resolutions committee. Both lists were made public and subsequently approved by Senator Underwood.
 Exchange Of Tclegrsms
 But this approval was not given un- til there had been a rapid fire ex- change of telegrams and letters in which Senator UnderWod sought from all the delegates expressions of fidelity to any issues he thought necessary in his cam paign,, while Governor Conner, insisted that loyalty to UnderwOOd's cause and to the prohibition laws was the only pledge enacted of delegates under the agreement and that all else was "ex- traneous." One of the surprises in this exchange of letters was contained in one written by Senator Underwood and pub lished July 1S, in which he said he was not party to the Tunstall- Conner agreement and had no knowledge of the agreement being eonsummated un- til he read it in the daily papers pub lished in Alabama. However, he final ly approved both groups of delegates as named, although at one period of the situation it is understood Senator Un- derwOod asserted he would not techni- cally ratify the Conner appointees un- less they subscribed in full to the con- ditiOns the senator sought to impose.
 Scene Opens In New York
 With the stage thus set, the next scene opens in New York. The conflict in political views was evident from the beginning. but state pride was still uppermOSt in the minds of the delegates and the first meeting of the delegation resulted in passage of resolution pledg- ing its members to vote for Senator Underwood as long as his name was be- fore the convention. This resolution. written by Frederick I. Thompson and 1 both of whom were named by Conner, ] introduced by Gov. Thomas E. Kilby, read as follows:
 WHEREAS, The legislature of
 Alabama invited Oscar ". Under
 wood to become a candidate for
 the democratic nomination for the
 presidency; and whereas the people of Alabama at the polls and by a
 large majority ratified this invita-
 tion by nominating him as Ala
 bama's candidate; and whereas the delegation from Alabama to the
 democratic national convention de
 sires, in unison and cooperation. to bring about the nomination of Senator Underwood, therefore,
 BE IT RESOLVED. That we
 vote as a unit for Oscar ". Under
 wood as long as his name is before the convention and as n unit on all
 motions in accord with the prin- ciples enunciated by him in his
 campaign which he has stated are necessary to bring success to his
 candidacy for the nomination.
 Following the adoption of this resO- lution, which was presented and passed immediately upon the first assembling of the delegation, Mir. FOrney Johnston, special counsel of the SeabOard Air Line Railway company, and also counsel of the National Association of Railroad | Security Owners, introduced a reSOlu- q .R .n. Alabama members of the various com mittees in the national convention with out any individual judgment as to the detailed questions that would come be- ! fore the various committees. The resO- lutiOn of Mir. Johnston appeared to be directly aimed at the member of the resolutions committee, to which place Governor Conner. under his compact with Senator CnderWood's campaign manager, had named Frederick l. Thompson. Mir. Johnston. in present ing this resolution, was at particular pains to state that such action was his l individual action, and was without the knowledge of Senator Underwood.
 Mir. JohnstOn's standing in the com mittee was through the impression that Senator Underwood had designated him both his spokesman and as the manager of his campaign on the floor of the convention, and his explanation that his action in seeking to force the vari- Ous committee members to bring to the knowledge of the delegation all matters that were coming before the various committees of the convention, although his action was without the knowledge of Senator Underwood, brought clearly be- fore the delegation whether or not Mir. Johnston was willing to precipitate dis cord in the delegation, which had been harmonized by the first resolution adopted. in order that he could be in touch with matters not having bearing on Senator UnderwOods campaign, but