The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-16
All Depends on How AttOr-
ney General Would View
Increase in Steel Cor
pOration's Output
HARDING WITH HIM
AND WILL LATER GO
TO SEE JUDGE GARY
Understood Corporation Officials Are
Ready to Start at Once if Such
Action Would Not Prejudice
Pending Dissolution Suit
Against Them

In the interest of the local industrial
situation w. P. G. Harding. president of
the Chamber of Commerce, will confer
with Attorney General McReynolds this
afternoon in Washington.
subsequently he will visit New York
for two days during which time he has
an engagement with Judge Elbert II.
Gary of the Steel corporation. That the
trip of Mr.. Harding has some connec-
ton with the American Steel and Wire
company plant at Corey which has been
idle some time, is we'll known in indus
trial circles.
The Attorney General will be asked
1t is said, to indicate whether the open
ing of the wire plant here thus increas-
ing the corporations products in that
line, will have any ill effects upon the
corporations chances in the forth
coming dissolution suit filed by the
federal administration. If that question
is answered In the negative the plant, 1t
is said, will be opened. If otherwise the
corporation will allow the plant to re-
main closed until after the suit is tried.
Anxious to Resume Operations
1t is stated that Mr.. Harding is very
anxious to get the wire plant in opera
ton on account of the very important eff
feet that action will have on business
here. That such a step would be good
policy for the Steel corporation has been
pointed out. That Gary understands that
is also believed. The word of the At
torney General, however, as to the legal
effect on the dissolution suits will either
cause the opening of the plant or serve
to keep it closed.
The Steel corporation has not from any
political viewpoint, it is said, caused the
wire Plant at Corey to remain closed.
However. anticipating the dissolution suit
the plant was finished with the view in
mind of closing it for while. The out
put of the corporation in wire products
is now less than half 1t is held that il
the output was increased to the half way
point or slightly above just at the be-
ginininse. of the suit such action would
have an injurious effect upon the COM
pany's position. Not wishing to run up
the production to point where 1t could
be reasonably said that the corporation
controlled the larger wire tonnage is the
only reason that has ever actuated the
corporation in keeping the plant in its
present position of inactivity.
Suggested Seeing Attorney General
Mr.. Harding, it is gathered, was in
formed on this point. 1t is understood
that he suggested when President Wilson
went into office that the opinion of At
torney General McReynolds might be Sc
cured, which If favorable, would release
the corporation from anticipated censure
on account of the increased tonnage.
and that the plant could with perfect as
surance be opened
Negotiations it Is believed, were opened
on that basis and the climax will be
reached some time today or tomorrow in
New York. The only men engaged in this
conference from what can be learned are
Mr.. McReynolds, the Attorney General
Judge Gary and Mr.. Harding. What they
will be able to work out will be awaited
here with the very greatest interest
All Industrial men and others in Bir-
minghan appreciate the immense impor-
tanoe of the $3,000000 wire mill. None
however, appreciates that more than
Judge Gary and Steel corporation Of
ficials. That Judge Gary and his asso-
ciates have always shown their faith in
Birmingham by their acts and that they
desire 20 further show their faith In Bir-
minghAn is also known here as we'll as
in Wall street.