The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-17

Tennessee Valley are beginning to real ize the heavy financial burdens, as well as the many other costs, of malaria, IS evidenced by the, fact that they have resolutely entered into the task of re- moving the menace.
 UNDERwOOD's QUALIFICATIONS
 The candidacy of Oscar Underwood for the Democratic presidential nomination is based upon sound and compelling req sons. His legislative training, extending back over a continuous and fruitful pe- riod of thirty years, is an asset that can not be minimized. His capacity for lead ership is attested by his election as Dem- ocratic leader in the house and by the fact that, when promoted to the senate, he was there also chosen as Democratic leader, a record and distinction which Oscar Underwood solely shares with Henry Clay in the life of the Democratic party in the history of over 140 years.
 MT. Underwood's legislative experi- ence embraces that most vital American issue-revenue-thro his service as chairman of the Ways and Means Com mittee of the House of Representatives in which bills providing for the federal revenues are formulated and studied. In this critical period in our development, when public requirements multiply, and when the tax burden is greater than ever before, the utmost wisdom will be re- quired in the guidance of our nation through the tortuous financial channels into the open sea of tax relief without grounding on any of the sunken reefs of public obligation.
 Worthy of major consideration in es- timating MT. Underwood, particularly to those who may differ with him on minor issues within the party, are: His fealty to Democracy, his loyalty to its prin- ciples, and his unswerving devotion to party pledges. These qualities insure that, if the Democratic party in national convention should adopt platform em- bracing some policy that MT. Underwood might not immediately concur in, as a Democratic president he could be counted upon to enforce and support the policies of his party. He would accept the voice of his party and in leadership make the party voice his own voice, merging his own personal inclination, if necessary, in order that the voice of those who serve with him in party ranks might not be stifled or nullified.
 A great, outstanding attribute of Os- car Underwood is his capacity to har- monize; to ameliorate stressful situa- tions; to bring diverging elements into cooperative accomplishment, instead of interminable strife and dissension. Ger tainly the country needs such wise di- rection at this time. MT. Underwood, as leader in his party, has time and again revealed a deep knowledge of men and the tactful capacity to bring them to a point of action which their deeper senti- ments indorse, rather than their view of expediency counsels. To MT. Underwood, leadership has not meant rigid demand that his followers keep in line, but rather it has meant frank and friendly group ing together to forward the wise pur- poses of the party and for the advance ment of the interests of Democracy.
 Without disrespect to MT. Musgrove, it may be said that his candidacy in Ala bama cannot be considered with even a degree of seriousness. In no measure is he qualified to be president of the Unit ed States. Even the thought brings with it its own rejection. In truth, his can didacy never was intended to be se- rious; only as an avenue to try and humiliate another, because of personal dislike and personal resentment. Sober judgment, mature reflection, as to what it would mean to Alabama to offer MT Musgrove, can prompt only the thought such a thing would harm Alabama; be adverse to Alabama's prestige among the states of the Union, and, we may say humiliating to the people of our state Per haps charity would suggest that he may be the unwilling tool of other men
 So far as the delegation is concerned and without defense of the presidential primary law, and in recognition that nc other system of choosing a delegation equals the direct vote of the people, the contest is based on presidential pri- mary under rules laid down by the state Democratic committee to ascertain Ala bama's choice of candidate. Putting the issue in ,anot her form, it is whether the people, under this presidential primary will entrust the naming of the delega- tion to the Underwood campaign com. mittee (Mr. Underwood having declined to accept the naming of them) this com mittee being composed of leading men