The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-15
Will Help the Georgia City Land Meetings in Return for Her Influence for the Plant
MEASURE PROVIDES WAR DEPARTMENT IS
 TO MAKE SELECTION
Alabamians Believe That Pure Merit Will Be De- termining Factor When Choice Is Made
By HUGH. w. ROBERTS.

Dy w. JtOb6hlS. Washington, April 4.-(Special.) )-While Birmingham is peacefully dreaming in it's belief that the arnor plate plant of the government will be. located in no other environ than it's own, Evansville, Ind, is not only making strenuous fight for the tonor at stake, but is endeavoring to ar ray against Birmingham other cities of the south, considered natural allies.
 Members of the Alabama congressional delegation have received information to the effect that the secretary of the Cham Atlanta and while there formed an alli- ance whereby Evansville will aid Atlanta in securing certain conventions, and Att anta will throw it's weight to Evansville and against Birmingham in the armor plant matter.
 Ala banians in Congress are inclined to ignore the charge of infdelity brought by Evansville against Atlanta, and Georgians in Congress are inclined to believe that Evansville has no ground on which to base it's charge However, the situation is more than of ordinary interest in view of the fact that Evansville is firmly of the opinion that by winning Atlanta to it's standard, it has foully stabbed Bir- lningharn in the back.
 THE EVANSVILLE CASE
 Our City" the bulletin of the Chamber of Commerce of Evansville, prints the following: .'The question of the location
 
 was discussed Cat the Atlanta meeting) and Secretary Bonham of Evansville de- tailed to the Atli4niaps- reasons why st- lanta could not possibly be selected as tie site for the proposed plant. He then touched upon the commercial rivalry ex- isting between Atlanta and Birmingham, rointed out the fact that Birmingham Is making an organized effort to secure the armor plate plant. and that Atlanta should, from a selfish standpoint, if no other, support city which has reason able opportunity to defeat Birmingham The community of interests existing be- tween Evansville and Atlanta, and the desire for cooperation between the two cities were pointed out as reasons why Atlanta should support Evansville
 ''The proposal was enthusiastically re- ceived and Secretary Bonham feels confi- dent that when the fight gets down to the home stretch, Atlanta and Georgia will be found shoulder to shoulder with us and fighting for us."
 The Evansville Journal News. regard ing the same subject, prints the follow ing: By the terms of the agreement Ivx vile will at all times pull for Atlanta for meetings which this city cannot handle. Atlanta's greatest service to Evansville at the present time will be in assisting in this citys fight for the government armor plate plant. Birmingham and Pueblo Col, are Evansville's chef rivals for the plant. Birmingham is in a border state. Alabama's coast line fronting on the sea The determination over the country has been to erect the plant away from the coast so that in the event of attack it would be safe. Birmingham is busi- ness rival of Atlanta. After the forma- ton of the business alliance Atlanta civic bodies readily agreed with MT. Bonham that Atlanta should throw her support tc Evansville"
 OF LITTLE EFFECT
 The situation is of such nature, how ever. that even if Atlanta, jealous of the moreNrapid growth of Birmingham, should throw its influence to Evansville, or by taking that position made famous through the attitude of the dog to the gentle OK, endeavor to deprive its neighbor of an asset to which it's claim is possibly greater than that of any other city,, that course would in all probability be of little pri- mary effect.
 For the Tillman bill provides that the war department shall select the site end the war department. moving through Gxpediency and patriotism, will scarcely be amenable to the influence of petty politics.
 Senators Bankhead and Underwood are of the opinion that when the armor plate plant bill is enacted, every claimant will be called upon to throw it's cards, faces up, on the table, and that the award will be made strictly in ecordance with and solely by virtue of merit