The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-20
VIII EELER ACCEPTS BID 0F 3DPARTY Acceptance Of LaFollette Offer Opens Fire On
 Davis STILL A. DEMOCRAT SENATOR DECLARES Brand Of Dollar Is Hailed
 As Fighting :.
 Sign PLAN CAMPAIGN FOR SENATE SEATS Specials tateM eetings To Be
 
 Called To Select
 Electors
STILL A. DEMOCRAT
 SENATOR DECLARES
(By Associate: Press

WASHINGTON, July 19.-With . declaration that the controlled liberal and progressive forces must look elsewhere for leadership than to the republican and democratic parties, Senator Wheeler, democrat, Montana, cast his lot today with Robert M. LaFo.lette, independent candidate for president.
 Yielding to the appeal [ Senator LaFollette and group of his sup porters who had offered to endorse him, Mr. Wheeler announced that, he would accept the vice presiden- tial nomination on the LaFollette ticket. He did so after having de- clared several days ago that while he probably would support LaFol- lette, he was unwilling to become his running-nate.
 Senator Wheeler's decision was an- Iiounced in 6 letter to William H.. Houston, chairman of the conference for progressive political action which endorsed Mir. LaFoIlette's candidacy at its recent Cleveland convention and
 
 out, campaign plans
 aeh GsEallfiA
 1t brought from Senator IsaEcllette the statement fhaE Afr. Wheeler's ac- cspsan6s psas kfatifEing to him hs it wili De Co nnillions of prog siye voters
 Burton K Wheeler is man of throughout the country. courage, integrity and ability and pa triotisna," said LAFollette. He has never ,faltered or turned back, In the struggle against privilege he has ever been in the front rank of the peoples army. In him progressives find leadership in which they repose com plete confidence.
 "The recent national convention of the Democratic party outraged the sen. timents and disappointed the hopes of the rank and file of that party. It left millions of Democrats without leadership in their own party. Sena- tor Wheeler has supplied this leader ship not only for progressive Demo crats, but for the progressive citizens unidentified with any political organ ization.
 Senator Wheeler, in his letter to Mir. Johnston, reiterated by inference his announced intention of supporting the Democratic state ticket in Montana and Senator Thomas J. Walsh, his Democratic colleague, who is candi- date for reelection.
 stu A Democrat 'In accepting this eall,' he said, q do not abandon my faith in the dem oeracy of Thomas Jefferson. am 8 Democrat, but not Wall Street Dem octat. I shall give my support and whatever influence I may possess to those candidates for office who have proved their fidelity to the interests of the people wherever they may be found, but I shall oppose every man on whatever ticket he may appear who bears the brand of the dollar sign."
 Declaring that, between Davis and Coolidge there is only a choice for conservatives to make" Senator Wheeler asserted that he found him. self unable to support either the Re publican candidates who frankly ad- init their reactienary standpat policies or the Democratic candidate who may claim in well chosen phrases that he is a progressive but whose training and constant association belle such preten- sion.
 "I regret exceedingly" said Mir. Wheeler, that the Democratic party in the recent national convention in New York so completely lost sight of the fundamental principles of democ- racy and ignored the great economic issues of the present hour. It has wantonly abandoned an opportunity for great public service that never be- fore was so clearly within reach and so certain to lead to success"
 Visit Committee
 On learning of Mfr. Wheeler's decis. ion, Senator LaFollette called at his office to extend congratulations, and later both dropped in on the conference of LaFollette's supporters, held at the headquarters of the International Asso- ciation of Machinists, to. exchange greetings. Tomorrow they will confer with Representative John NJ. Nelson of Wisconsin, national campaign man. agars, and others who are moulding the campaikn program. i
 At today's session, the LaFollette supporters, all of whom are members of the national committee of the confer
 (COntinued on Page Two.)s r