The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-30

pires to become steel king, corpora
ton lawyer, United States senator or
what not, via the office boy route, can
have his choice of desirable jobs in
New York.
V1f0HE car shortage is becoming more
u acute, and unless the situation is
relieved soon all commerce will be seri-
ously affected. Kentucky and Tennes-
see coal operators make it plain that
if present conditions are not remedied
there will be fuel famine before the
first of January.
A railroad official with headquar-
tiers in New Orleans stopping in Bir-
mingham yes
Must Have Relief terday on his
From Car Shortage return h o m e
from the north
says that the shortage of cars is even
more acute in that section than it is
in the south, with no relief in sight.
A few months ago the coal operators
in the Birmingham district were, as a
rule, able to keep their mines going
only two or three days in a week be-
cause of small demand. While other
branches of industry were prosperous,
the mining business in Alabama was
Isingularly depressed.
But when change for the better
came and when there was promise of
brisk market throughout the fall and
winter the operators were unable to
meet the demand because the rail-
roads couldn't supply adequate trans
portation facilities.
A year or more ago the manufactur-
ers of war munitions were taxing the
capacity of the railroads in the east;
which together with the rapid increase
of general traffic, caused such seri-
Gus congestion at terminal points as to
BATTLE transportation managers. The
roads were simply swamped. In order
for the various lines to cope with the
situation the presidents had to come
to the aid of the operating officials.
By united and extraordinary effort
on the part of the railroads and the
shippers the congestion was quickly
relieved.
In view of the car shortage which
now prevents the coal operators from
reaping a harvest, so to speak, it is
up to all the high officials to act
promptly and with strenuous purpose
to bring relief. The demand was never
more urgent.
GONE critics of the democratic ad-
~ ministration are seeking to make
it appear that this country is spend
ING far too much for national defense
by comparing the appropriations OF
the great European powers for army
and navy purposes. In 1913, when
Germany was preparing for war
only total
Comparing Army and of 1926, 1S1,-
Navy Appropriations 1875 was ap-
propriated-
$3.50 100000 for it's army and Sll2,-
O91, 125 for it's navy. In 1913 Great
Britain appropriated $234,3oo,Ooo for
it's army and 1927 ,530,45o for its
navy.
The Sixty-fourth Congress has APP
propriated $4,000, 1923 for the army
and $313,3S4, $3.50 for the navy. 1t is
easy for those who would find fault
with the government to juggle with
big figures, and by not presenting
and relating all the facts and conditions
mislead people who are not informed.
In no European country is army
and navy pay anything like the pay
in the United States. 1t has always
been the policy of our government to
provide we'll for both enlisted men
and officers. The pay of private
soldier in America is $3.50 year. In
Great Britain it is 500 year, and in
Germany only S3S year. In Europe
the officers below the rank OF colonel
receive such meager pay as to make
an ample private income pre-
requisite for a commission.
AS for England's navy, it had been
built up to almost its present strength
prior to 1918, and the appropriation
that wear was less than it had been in
previous year.
The total of $685., 476,512 appropri-
ated for our army and navy does not
imply extravaganza as some critics
aver or insinuate. Preparedness costs
money and heap of it, but it is need
ed and Congress is to be commended
for it's broad and patriotic view of the