The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-01-09

cotton-these things that are absolutel,
| necessary to the world as well as to our
| selyes-cannot get any profit out of ths
great prices that they are willing to pay
| Tor these things on the other side of this
sea because the whole profit Is eaten III
by the extortionate charges for ocean car.
| riage? In the midst of this the democrats
propose temporary measure of relief
! in shipping bill.
Must Have Ships
Ihe merchants and the farmers of this
country must have ships to carry their
goods, and just at the present moment
i there Is no other way of getting them than
Trough the instrumentality that is sug-
sested In the shipping bill; and l hear 1t
said In washington on all hands that
the republicans in the United States mean
TO talk enough to make the passage of that
bill impossible.
These self-styled friends of business
these men who say the democratic party
does not know what to do for business.
are saying that the democrats shall do
ncthlng Tor business l challenge them to
show their rights to stand in the way of
the release of American products to the
rest of the world. Who commissioned
them, minority, lessening minority ?
For they will be in greater minority in
the next Senate than in this. You know
1t is the popularity of that great body that
II mas rules of procedure which make II
possible for a minority to defy the ma
ton: and these gentlemen are now seeking
10 defy the nation and prevent the re-
lease of American products to the suffer-
Ing world which needs them more than 1t
ever needed them before. Their creden-
tials as friends of business and friends
of America will be hardly discredited IL
they succeed
IL We're speaking from selfish, par
tisan point of view. could wish nothing
better than that they could show their
true colors as partisans and succeed But
am not quite so malevolent as that
Some of them are misguided, some of them
are bind, most of the mare ignorant
would rather pray for them than abuse
them. But the great voice of America
Ought to make them understand what they
are said to be attempting now 1 have
to say, Are said to be attempting be-
cause they do not come and tell me that
they are attempting them. I do not know
why ! would express my opinion of
are blind, most OF them are ignorant. 1
would express, l hope, no less plainly be-
cause couched in the terms of courtesy.
This country is bursting it's Jacket and
they are seeing to 1t that the jacket is
not only kept tight, but it is riveted VII.
steel.
THE democratic party knows how to
serve business in this country, and its
future programme is programme of
service. We have cleared the decks. We
have laid the lines now upon which busi-
ness that was to do the country harm
shall be stopped and an economic control
which was intolerable shall be broken up
We have emancipated America, but
America must do something with her free
dom.
There are great bills pending in the
United States Senate just now that have
been passed by the House of Representa-
tives. which are intended as constructive
measures in behalf of business-one great
measure which will make available the
enormous water powers of this country
for the industry of it: another bill which
viii unlock the resources of the public do
main which the republicans desire to
have locked up so that nobody could use
them.
The reason I say the republicans have
not had new idea in so years is that
they have not known how to do anything
except sit on the lid. Now, If you can
release the steam SO that it will drive
great industries, 1t Is not necessary to
sit on the lid. What we are trying to do
In the great conservation bill ID to carry
out for the first time in the history of
the United States system by which the
great resources of this country can be
used instead of being set aside so that
no man can get at them. / shall watch
with a great deal of interest what the
self-styled friends, Of business, try to do
to those bills y - So, Yg~s 4
Other Things to Do
do not misunderstood me. There are
some men on that side of the chamber
who understand the value of these things
and are standing valiantly by them, but
they are a small minority. The majority
that is standing by them is Oh our side
IF the chamber, and they are the friends
Of America. But there ares other things
which we have to do. Sometimes when
look abroad. my friends, and see the
great mass of struggling humanity on
mis- continent, 1t goes very much to my
heart to see how many men are at a dis
advantage and are without guides and
helpers. Don't you think ii would be a
pretty good idea for the democratic party
@ undertake a systematic method OF
helping the workingmen Of America: |
There is very simple way in which they |
an help the workingmen. If You were |
simply TO establish great federal en- |
'loyment bureau 1t would do a vast DEAL |
" the federal agencies which spread over
his country men could be directed to |
hose parts of the country, to those un-
lertakings, to those tasks, whero they
ould find profitable employment Tho
abor of this country needs to be guided |
rom opportunity to opportunity. WEI
proved 1t the other day.
I'VE were told that In two states Of the
'nion 10000 men were needed to gather
he crops. We suggested In a cabinet
Meeting that the department of labor
hould have printed information about
his In SY1ch 70 hot 10
Up in the postoffices all over the United
states; and that the department of labor
hould get in touch with the labor de-
'artments of states, SO that notice could
20 out from them. What was the result?
Those 10000 men We're found and were
ent to the places where they got profita-
lie employment. 1 do not know any one
hing that has happened in my admins
ration that made me feel happier than
hat-that the jobs and the men had
'een brought together. It will not cost
! great deal of money and 1t will do a
'reat deal of service II the United States
we're to undertake to do such things sys-
ematically and all the year round. and
for my part hope that 1t will do that.
were writing an additional plank
or a democratic platform. 1 would put
hat IN.
Judicial Procedure
And there Is another thing that
leeds very much to be DONE I am not
ne of those who doubt either the In l.
ustry or the learning or the integrity
I the courts Of the United States, but
do know that they have a very anti
uated way of doing business. do
now that the United States in its judi
ial procedure Is many decades behind
very other Civilized government in the
vorld, and l say that 1t Is an immediate
nd an imperative cali upon us to recti-