The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01
DIVERS EXCELLENT WORK


federal judgeship.
| DIVERS EXCELLENT WORK
Although not occupying as high
| position on the committee of naval af-
fairs as Mr.. Dent occupied on the COM
mittee of military affairs, the effort
and success of Mr. oliver of the Sixth
Alabama was no less pronounced. De-
spite the fact that he was a new man,
1t is a conservative statement that no
other member of the committe became
a greater favorite with or source of
greater confidence and dependence to
administration officials 1t was Mr.. Oil
yer who called the hand of Mr.. Ben
son when that socialist candidate for
the presidency, as witness before the
committee, undertook tremendously to
criticise President Wilson. 1t was Mr..
oliver who parted innumerable
thrusts directed at the breast of Sec
rotary Daniels. 1t was Mr.. oliver who
insisted that every witness, even those
who differed with the majority of the
members of the committee, be given
! a respectful hearing. 1t was Mr. Oliver
who led Mr.. Edison into full discus
| sion of the national laboratory which
the electrical wizard believes would be
the nations future bulwark in pre-
! paration for war. AS result of his
achievements material and intangible
with laurels. His cooperation made 1t
possible for him to carry cabinet Of
ficer to Tuscaloosa on the occasion or
the centennial celebration in that city.
And as another climax to his short
but brilliant career, he was made the
| honor guest of Admiral Mayo when
the commander of the Atlantic squad
ron-who had just previously won the
battle of New York in the annual prac-
ma white dOgo
on the deep for target shooting.
BURNETTS ACTIVITY
In keeping Alabama to the frbnt,
Mr.. Burnett and Mr. Helm played
conspicuous parts. The former spent
several weeks in whipping into shape
his immigration bill, which has been
/ put through two preceding Congresses
only to encounter the veto OF Mr.. TAFT
and Mr.. Wilson. When the new bill
was introduced, it went through the
House with scarcely a dissenting vote.
In the Senate it was checked through
| the activity of administration leaders
who were moved through determine
ton that the President should not DO
i embarrassed in presidential year
! through the necessity of vetoing
measure so popular and so praise
worthy. Its constant injection into
| the consideration of the Senate, how
routine proceedings and keep alive the
issue and it's author. That it will be
enacted by the upper house in Deem
Der is unquestionably true. 1t is be-
/ lieved. further. tha+ it VII =" asg Il
over the veto of the President. AS
dean of the Alabama delegation, it
was Mr. 4Burnett's function to take
leadership in all matters appertaining
solely to that state. And thus when
the floods swept over the fields and
! destroyed the crops-and rendered
| homeless and helpless thousands of the
! Alabama tenant class-it was Mr.. Bur-
| nett who rallied to the emergency.
With the assistance of all other MEM
| bers of the delegation, he drafted
resolution which eventually resulted in
the federal government contributing to
| the sufferers of the state, ample funds
with which to keep body and soul to-
| gether until the dawning of brighter
day :
HEFLIN'S POPULARITY
| Mr. Helm succeeded in securing the
| enactment of a bill which requires
| the government to maintain and peri
/ odically publish statistics of all cot
ton consumed. Previously the govern
ment contented itself with preserving
| records of cotton used in spinning. The
fact that that great bulk of the staple
/ which enters into the manufacture OF
I munitions of war, automobile appur-
| tenances. buggies and medicinal sup
| plies is not followed by government
| statisticians enabled cotton gamblers
| to point always to a surplus which
| was not accounted for and which, as
far as known. was burden on the
market. To remove this disadvantage
| which had served to keep depressed
the price of cotton. Mr.. Heflin prepared
his bill. During the session he also
struck yeoman blows at what he be-
/ lieved to be conspiracy on the ex
changes of New Orleans and New York
to maintain cheap price on cotton
"a band of gamblers which Mr.. Helm
and all other southern members OF
Congress contended had systematical-
~ for many years robbed the pro-
Queer of the south.
Despite such activity, Mr.. Helms
more important role in Congress is to
subdue any republican who attempts
to point a hypocritical finger of scorn
at democratic achievements, or to
crush beyond recognition any descend
ant of the old abolition school in whose
heart the picture of a happy and pros
porous south acts as an abscess. No
sooner has one of these chronic and
professional traducers completed his
piece" than Mr.. Heflin is seen stalk
ing down the aisle. He acquires rec
ognition. He raises the whip hand. His
! voice is strong with rebuke and de-