New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1929-01-25

ing TIE ASat four. o. eApeaoo yeAs5
OF the Wilson administratioa.
Despite the tremendous drive thai
was made against the federal ~
serve act. Underwood kept his forces
solidly In line on that iague. . feat
which UP to that time had been A.
most without precedent
His service In the senate Was little
lees conspicuous He had early ap-
pointment to the appropriations
committee and owing to the illness
Of Senator Martin. he had charge
Of many Of the enormous war ap-
preparation bills. Tax legislation
also felt the influence Of his guiding
hand in the days when the nation
was bearing an unheard Of burden
In order to defray much Of the war
cost in a single generation.
Lose Control
In the period Immediately follow
ing the war the democrats lost con-
troll Of congress and Senator Under
woods opportunity for the directing
of constructive work came to an
end. Always fair even to the Bit
terest of his political opponents, his
friends declared that he had q
natural distaste for holding continu-
ously a critical attitude toward all
the works and ways Of the opposing
party which is an essential part OF
minority leadership.
This was one Of the reasons why
he did not offer for reelection as
minority leader in 1922. 1t, perhaps
also was due to this recognized trait
that President Harding turned to
him in seeking a democratic men,
Der of the Washington arms con-
ference. The president and Mr.. I'm
derwood had been close personal
friends in the senate and In 1921 Mr..
Harding made a trip to Alabama to
speak In praise Of the senator be-
fore the "home folks"
Differs With Harding
Mr.. Harding and the senator had
differed directly, however, on the
league of nations issued. The Ala
bama senator consistently opposed
reservations to the Treaty of YER
sailles and just before the final vote
by which the treaty was rejected ne
proposed that the issue be left to
the voters in 1920. Senator Harding
accepted that challenge and the
league became one of the chief Is
sues in the campaign in which Hard
ing was sent to the White House.
Naturally, he found himself in dis
agreement with most OF his senate
colleagues on the democratic side
when the treaties which grew out
of the conference came up for rati-
tication.
Although relinquishing his party
leadership. Senator Underwood re-
manned a power in the party coun-
ellis. He was a leader in the fight
against the Fordney- McCumber
tariff act. which In 1922 supplanted
the law bearing his own name. He
was prominent also in the opposition
to the soldiers bonus and conducted
long fight for the leasing Of Muscle
Shoals.
In Field In 1924
While he had refrained from seek
ing the president nomination In
1920. the Alabama senator was one
OF those early in the field In 1924.
Although he had assisted in the work
Of the arms conference. he freely as
sailed what he termed the lack OF
a foreign policy by the republican
administration. He declared that II
was not necessary for the United
Estates to become partners in either
peace or war in Europe in order ia
have a policy looking to the ulti-
mate peace of the world.
The Ku Klux Khan. which had
come to be a political issue in the
country. early drew fire from the
senator. When his name was placed
in nomination in Madison Square
Garden, where Governor Brandon's
strident alabama casts - votes for
Underwood" became historic, there
was an anti-Klan demonstration last
ing more than an hour.
Although remaining In the run
nag until the convention, firing Of
the Smith McAdoo row, turned to
John w. Davis. Senator Underwood
never became L real factor. Hii
friends conducted a strenuous cam
paign and at times were able to run
his total to fair proportions but the