The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-14

connection with his theme was life of service and of sacrifice
 We who are here" said MT. Brewer in introducing the next speaker, are | indeed fortunate. Our organizations compel seven day service. Day ana right Sunday and weekday, a large per cent of our membership are at work. I wish 1t were otherwise and that all our members were present for it now is my pleasure and honor to introduce to you the souths most dls- tinguished citizen, one who has been given high honors at your hands and Will doubtless be given higher honors. In my humble opinion had he been appointed Secretary of State in place of w. J. Bryan he would. by his ge-
 niLs and ability. so often shown while leader of the House, kept us at peace and at the same time maintained the dignity of the nation. Ladies and gen tlemen, I take pleasure in introduc- Ing to you the greatest constructive statesman of the age Senator Oscar l Underwood"
 Underwood Speaks
 Senator Underwood paid tribute to the occasion and extolled the memory of those who have died at duty's post.
 He stated that it would seem that some had been called before their allotted time on earth, and without warning. Going into details cODCeI1lflS iut Si tdt iooS VI life on the American railroads he stated | that there was a remedy Making com pa risons with foreign countries he said that one life in every 133 employed was the toll exacted by the railroads of the | United States compared with one ilfe l in every 1900 in Europe. There was some 1 thing wrong he stated. between the peo- ple of the United States and the people | in the transportation business which | sometimes broke out into open hostilities. Two things should be recognized. he de- clared that the transportation people were not necessarily crooked nor those elected to high office not necessarily I wise" Great problems come up, which. he said could only be solved by broad 1 patriotic statesmanship.
 Importance of Transportation l Senator Underwood stated that one sixth of the population of the United States was in the transportation business and that one-twelfth was dependent on II | for their wages and livelihood. He com pared it to a man when his veins be- came clogged, saying when its veins be- | came stopped there was dissolution. In | referring to the great loss of life, he | said faulty construction of track, of bridges, of rolling stock, was largely re- sponsble. and that money was not ex- l pended properly for safety first. As | to the remedy. he stated 1t could not l come by appeals to prejudice ana pas l sion: that while destructive legislation
 ra ther than constructive legislation is
 pa ssed so long will the remedy be de- layed. He stated that efforts were being made ! to bring about the remedy not for the l sake of commerce but for humanity and for the women and children of those
 sacrificed on the present railroad sys- tenn Until we have a broad, patriotic
 statesman-like spirit do not expect even hand justice to bring safety to home and l fireside," were his concluding remarks Charles K. Hall one of the best known 1 engineers in the district, made a briel
 address on the brotherhood and the rela- tions of the grand officers of the organi-
 zation with. the railroads. He paid 2
 grateful compliment to the editorial ap
 1 bearing in The Age-Herald a short time
 ago in reference to the brotherhood. Int
 l exercises closed with a prayer and bene- diction by J. D. Whatley of the order O
 conductors.