The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-18
OPEN CHALLENGE SENT TO SANFORD
 FOR AUBURN MEET
Alumni Seek Showdown On Sentiment About
 President DOwell

Birmingham alumni or Auburh ha'e challenged Judge w. H. Sanford. pres ident of the State Alumni assoclatlon: to assemble meeting of all the alumni to vote on the question, "ls Dr. D9well big enough for the presidency Of Auburn coIlege?'' They contend that from S0 to e0 per cent of all the alumni Will vote for a new president.
 The challenge Is in the form or reply to Judge Samford's recent state ment and is signed by Henry T. DeBar- de1eben. Joel F. Webb Dan s. Martin, Terry w. Givin and Charles F. DeBar- deleben. The communication addressed to Judge Sanford is as follows:
 "We have your statement to the press under date of December 16, 1924, re- rarding the present controversy over Dr. Dowelrs administration at Auburn. We join issue with you in toto.
 Take Direct Issue
 "your statement endeavors to convey the idea. which has been supported thus far by newspaper publicity favorng Dr. Dovell. that the objection to him exists only among a few dissatisfied alumni who have no actual vote or voice lou further purport to speak for the alumni. We take issue with you on these two propositions.
 Jefferson county has more Auburn alumni (and by the term Aupurh Alumni" we include many like your solf who went to Auburn but did not graduate) than any other county Tn the state or any other place in the United States. At our meeting on December 4 1924. which was advertised III me paDers, more alumni were asSemhled than we have ever seen at any meetihS at any place at any time. Iheir names' residences, classes and present occu- pations were registered at thls meetlng The number assembled on that occasion were more than ever assembled at Au. burn at the election of any president of the association, and, judging from your own statement. q great many more than were assembled when you were elected president last summer, although at the meeting when you were elected presl- dent. according to information, large ma iOrity of those assembled were con nected with the Farm Extension service and were assembled for an expressed purpose. Can you, and will you, State who were present when you were elected president of the aSsociati ton! The rec 0rds of that meeting which elected you president, if produced, will clearly show that much dissatisfaction existed among the faculty and other sources in refer ence to Dr. Dowell's administration.
 Loyalty Of Jefferson
 We feel reasonably safe in asserting that during a campaign for funds for Auburn more than half of the entire amount subscribed came from Jefferson county. Therefore Jefferson county and the alumni of Jefferson copnty are vital ly interested in Auburn college and have an unqualified right to express their convictions on the grave question of proper administrative and executive ability on the part of our college presi- dent.
 When there was a call to arms to wage a battle for funds for the life and destiny of our Alma Mater, we are unable to find any record of ac- tivity on your part in rendering as- sistance to the cause. We had repre- sentatives at every meeting of the alumni in the city of Montgomery dur ig this period, but your presence was invisible and your voice silent. Truly, only a very few of the Auburn alumni were aware of the fact that you were in any way connected with, or inter- ested in, Auburn college until recently, after the battle was over, when po- litical move from the farm extension service lifted you into the chair of the president of the Auburn Alumni as sociation.
 No Personal Ambition
 Let us state to you and to the pub lie, as emphatically as the English language can convey the idea, that the alumni who put over the drive and saved Auburn college, and who are now determined to save Auburn college for the state of Alabama and for her boys and girls, have not, and will not have, any political axe to grind, have not any personal ambition to serve, any kins- folk or family ties to enrich, but have one, and only one ambition and unal- terable determination, which is to sup port Apuburn college and lift her away from a tendency backward and to dis aster to the high pinnacle of efficiency and excellency which the future holds in store for our Alma Mater. We speak for practically all of the alumni except those under the touch and in fluence of the farm extension service.
 Your actions and your statements present the picture of a novice in an effort to play the part of loyal alum nus beginning this noble work at q ripe old age. Will you give the names and addresses and present occupations O to speak?
 In some of your correspondence re- garding Dr. Dowell, we observe you say: When he was appointed to the presidency, it was done under great protests from many influences" We may say that these protests have been fubordinated during the trial of four Gno a half years but with increased evidence of Dr. Dowell's nsuitability for the position, inevitably these pro- tests were reasserted in the form of positive requests for relief
 Contrast In Meetings
 Our Birmingham alumni meeting was held December 1, 1924 The newspapers published imaginary constructions of the purpose of our meeting, but later published the resolutions themselves. On December 12, your own local Mont gomery Auburn Alumni association held its well advertised meeting in your city, where the maximum strength of the farm extension service exists and was exhibited at this meeting. Even then, at your own meeting in your
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