The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-18
M'ADOO CLAN ASSEMBLIES TO
 BOOST LEADER Supporters Exude Confi- dence As They Arrive
 In Chicago MEETING CALLED TO
 DECIDE CANDIDACY Belief Prevails That a Vote Of Confidence Will Be Accorded Ex-Cabinet Member
sy HARLAN 2. mIlLIR

CHICAGO, Feb. 17.-As the cards fluttered to showdown for William Gibbs McAdoo's candidacy Sunday night, they seemed to maneuver to form the legend: C
 'Unblemished by oil stay in the race"
 To judge by the ringing statements and sanguine atmosphere prevailing at McAdoOs headquarters, it is fore gone conclusion that the 300 democrats who meet Monday morning to diagnose his symptoms of ''oil in the candidacy" will find his condition encouraging, and his political health ample to permit him to be the democratic, presidential nomi- nee.
 It was a McAdoo clan assemblage that converged at Chicago Sunday Most of the arrivals were leaders and lieutenants in the Californian's state organizations. They exuded confidence that Mondays conference will give him a rousing three cheers, hearty thump on the back and yell: Go to !'
 This confidence was corroborated by the announcement that the meeting at the Great Northern hotel will be open to both the press and public. There is little likelihood that the McAdoo whips would risk a row with all the doors and windows open, if there were much dan ger of his candidacy being assailed. A few lusty thunders of the gavel ought to be able to cope with any garrulous doubts.
 Fear Northwestern Opposition
 Of course, there is the ever present risk that some hitherto silent leader may arise irresistibly to denounce the nomination of any man mentioned in the oil investigation, on the assumption that the public is in no mood to split hairs about the ethical nature of S15O,OOO legal retainer, if it comes from E. D. Doheny. But if such a nehemiah is girding his loins, he is doing it in solitude.
 It is from out in the open spaces of the northwest that opposition to Me Adoo among democrats, if any, may evolve at Mondays gathering. Thou sands of voters there, like thousands of others all over the country, have never regarded legal retainer of any sort with too much affection; and a legal retainer with the taint of Doheny oil attached savers to them of something satanic. Rural political leaders con firm that this attitude toward McAdoo IS not rare in the northwest.
 7. Mc4Adoo On Ground
 McAdoo, himself, arrived Sunday afternoon with Mrs. McAdoo, and went into seclnsione at the4 Blackstone. He will not issue any statement before the conference, but is likely to address it after it has cast the die for or against his candidacy. '.
 Morrison Shaffroth, son of the Col orado senator, was in the van of ar- rivals, who declared that the democratic leader was strengthened by his appear ance before the Senate committee.
 There is no one but comedies the absolute integrity of Mir. McAdoo's con duct" he said. But, they argue, the people haven't sense enough to see the difference between honorable and dishon- orable conduct; that every person whose name is mentioned in the oil investiga- tion is for that reason disqualified. To anyone who has faith in the people, to anyone who believes in their ability to intelligently govern themselves, the ar- gument against McAdoo destroys itself"
 Democratic leaders from Wisconsin. Idaho, Iowa, Montana, South Dakota, and Illinois echoed the views of Shaff- roth.
 A singular phenomenon is the implicit belief,s prevailing among the assembling democrats, that it. is up to this confer ence and McAdoo himself to decide whether or not his oil retainer shall bar him from the nomination.
 The possibility that the democratic national convention will review the Chi cago verdict has been relegated com pletely to the background