The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22
THE DEMOCRATIC CONvENTIoN

THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
 Oscar Underwood's name will have the advantage of being the first pre- scented to the Democratic convention this week in nomination for the presidency. With the air pregnant with speculation and full of the names of possible and potential candidates, it will be of some value to be the first upon whom the at tention of the convention shall be cen tered Mir. Underwood does not go be- fore the nominating body with the most delegates. In fact, there are several who have greater pledged support. But there are a number of delegations whose commitment is purely formal, and who will readily swing to some other candidate once they have fulfilled their nominal duty to their favorite son. It is from such delegations that MT. Un- derwood may expect to draw much of his initial strength. It is quite readily apparent that the Underwood following shall be very appreciably increased by the time the fifth ballot is reached.
 After the voting has gotten we'll un- der way it is probable that the real test of the comparative strength of the out standing leaders will come. From any one or more of these leaders the sup porters of MT. Underwood may we'll ex- pect to draw adherents. AS The Age Herald has repeatedly said in the past, no man. can be nominated except with the support that is in the beginning given to one or more other candidates. It will require 732 votes to win the nom- ination. No candidate in the outset will have that number. When the ranks be- gin to break up MT: Underwood has more to gain than to lose. Any read justment cannot we'll fail to react to his advantage. There are several candidates with a goodly number of votes who will have little ultimate chance, of winning. Most of these candidates are friendly to MT. Underwood, and it may we'll be that in him they will find the leader accept able to the majority, by reason both of experience in government and of nat ural capacity in public affairs.
 It is hoped that no display of jour nalistic enmity in Alabama towards any of the candidates has resulted in arous- ing similar enmity to MT. Underwood among those from whom his support must come if he is to win, the prize, and achieve his praiseworthy ambition to lead his party during the coming campaign. It is hoped that such display of journal istic ennity will be adequately dis counted, and that all personal differ ences will be swallowed up in loyalty to the party. Alabama has by popular vote endorsed the aspirations of Oscar Un- derwood and has with due pride offered him as of the requisite stature and dis tinctior1 to hold the highest office in the gift of the American people.
 The situation at New York is too chaotic for any one to venture val uable prediction. From the situation almost any outcome is possible, and al- most any of those whose names have been at all prominent in party annals may be selected. There is fervent hope and expectation that the delegations will be guided by the utmost wisdom, and that the party's opportunity to win the victory in November will not be dimin- ished nor modified by any serious error of judgment at the convention. With the right man the Democrats can win. With the wrong man they cannot win. Therefore, the outcome of the conven- tion is of the most critical importance. This weeks deliberations hold all the potentialities of victory and of defeat, The ingredients of both are indiscrim- inately mixed together. Yet with pa- tient discrimination these ingredients may be distinguished one from the other, and selected or rejected as the party welfare demands.
 It is the desire of the majority of the voters of Alabama that Oscar Under wood shall be chosen as the standard bearer. The disappointment will be keen if he should not be. Yet, if the conven- tion does it's duty, the people of Ala bama will rally behind it's choice, sub jecting all other considerations to the party, and thus also to the national, welfare.