The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-12
BIRMINGHAM MAY
 LAND ARMOR PLANT
Choice Said to Be Between Pittsburg and Birmingham With Latter
 Point in Lead

Birmingham will land the government armor plant, which will mean an ex- penditure of s11,oOo,OOo, if the news that the Wall Street Journal prints is true This financial paper that is regarded as being pronouncedly reliable states that the choice is said to be made from Pitts burg or Birmingham.
 The pithy dispatch reads
 washington-Th Navy department. it is expected, will announce next week the location of the projected armor plant. The choice is said to have narrowed down to Pittsburg and Birmingham, Ala, with the latter point as the probable se- lection.
 taken the matter up before the board officially, but have spoken of it several times.''
 MT. Ward reminded him that he had "only spoken about it"
 ."rhen it was my fault. but I want to say I will vote for the raise in salaries, said Mr. Barber. He said lot more. He spoke about getting the money some way" and spending it for raises WEATHERLY SPEAKS MT. Weatherly arose and said that he was in favor of granting the raise if 1t was possible. 'I am a servant or the people and have no right to violate law made by them,'' he said T believe every man on this board would like to see the salaries of this department as well as others raised. After close scrutiny of the budget if we can fina any lawful way of raising the money necessary to meet your request l. Tor one. will vote for the raise.'
 MT. Truss spoke of the budget and tha lack of funds. He said he did not sec how the city could raise the pay or any of its employees, but if there was way he believed the board would do so. He said he believed in standing before the world and telling the truth about such matters.
 WARD EXPLAINS
 George Ward. somewhat nervous and apparently excited, jumped to his feet He went into detail as to the financial difficulties the city was in at present. He told of the street tax, the liquor 1n- spection tax, the sanitary tax, and ex- plained that the commission had adopted these measures only after they found that no other means would suffice. He told of the Mcdonald injunction which de- prived the city of $250,O00 in revenue. He asked the men to be patient until Feb ruary when the school tax would be voted on. He said he wanted to raise their pay but that The was not the kind that held out false hopes"
 T want to tell you that any man wfp stands before you and promises things that he cannot do without violating his oath of office is not safe," he said ''l want to tell you that any man who Will take it upon himself to tamper with s15O, 900 900 worth of property belonging to the citizens is unsafe, unsound and un- reasonable. Do not listen to the talk of one who merely talks and does not realize what he means by it. I will read the the law to you about these rash prom ises of raising salaries. want you to know that now is the time to stand to- gether and not against the city govern ment. If we could raise the money neces- sary to give you better salaries there is no man who would grant you this re- quest sooner thar IT.
 READS THE LAW
 He then read the section of the law which expressly states that Tit is un- lawful for any governing body of any city to expend of contract in any year, any amount in excess of the revenue collections and estimated in good faith to be due and payable during the year into the treasury of the city, He read the law about impeachment of anyone who might violate this law.
 Il am not SoiiS lo stanu Here peIore you and promise you something that l cannot do, nor any other city official" he said. T will not break my oath. hold out little hope to you in this mat ter. I am your friend. [ have all the regard and sympathy for your demands which deem just, but cannot and will not make you false promises. Do not listen to the murmurings of anyone who say they can raise your salary. Do not listen to the talk of anyone who says the question of your salaries has been brought to the official attention of this board.'
 Mir. Barber did not reply. Whether the city will be policeman less'' or "firemanless'' next week is not known. The city commission of Birming- ham again faces a serious proposition. They want to raise the pay of the men, but how to do it is the question.