The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-31
Government Would Have to Meet Prices Paid by Pri-.
 vate Manufacturers
NAVAL MEN ARE NOT
 TRAINED FOR WORK
Lumber Industry Is Making Great Strides in Recovery From the
 Recent Depression, Espe- cially in Northwest
By HOLLAND

UdyS ago the wal street JOufnal called attention to the fact that even though the government should establish an ar nor plate plant, nevertheless it would be necessary to buy the iron ore and the limestone which constitute the chief part of the raw material used in the manu- facture of armor plate. This statement attracted the attention of man of large affairs who has also been associated with some who have gained distinction as off cers in the army and the navy
 In commenting upon the statement, he said that perhaps if every condition were satisfactory it might be well for the gov ernment to build and operate an armor plate plant. But it would, however, re- quire several years, perhaps as many as 10, before a plant of that kind could have satisfactory output. In the first place, organiza ton is essential. It takes long time, he said, to build up satisfactory organization. In the second place, the government would be compelled, unless it exercised the right of eminent domain to negotiate with the owners of iron mines, or with those who manufa cture pig iron, for needed raw material.
 The chief difficulty, as it seemed to him, which the government would meet with would be the securing of competent, highly skilled managers, as we'll as skilled artisans. In no industry are higher pay ments made in the form of salaries than in the steel industry. The more compe- tent a man is the more likely he is to receive compensation which would take rank among the highest salaries paid There is always demand for ability of that kind. The leading manufacturers of steel and iron products sometimes receive salaries in excess of that paid to the President of the United States.
 Would it be possible therefore for the government to employ men whose quali- fications now enable them to obtain high positions in the steel industries? The government has never paid large sal laries for professional work or for indus trial leadership. Of course, operations which can be directed by army engineers, even those which entail as great ability as did the construction of the Panama canal. require only such payment in the way of salaries as the law provides for army officers. So, too, the graduates of the Naval academy can construct great warships-that is, something they have been taught to debut the government has no school in which is taught the art of armor-plate making of the manufac- turing of any kind of steel.
 THE PERSONAL RECORD
 When Justice Charles E. Hughes was governor of New York state the legisla- ture upon his recommendation authorized the establishment of two public utilities The salary of each of the was fixed at $15,000. This was one of the largest emoluments au- thorized by state statutes. Governor Hughes, however, found it impossible to persuade men of the high qualifications needed for the satisfactory direction of the public utilities to accept his offer of places upon that commission. It has always been the understanding that every one of the so-called high-grade men whom he asked to accept a place upon the com mission declined the invitation chiefly on the ground that to accept would entail large loss of income. The governor was therefore obliged to turn to men who were facetiously termed "second-rate first-class men," Some of the revelations that have recently been made have not tended to maintain perfect confidence in the ability of all the members of the pub lie service commissions
 These are considerations which should, in the opinion of the man who commented upon the Wall Street Journals s statement be given careful heed by Congress before an appropriation of $11. 900 or any other sum is made for the purpose of establish ing an armor plate plant.
 PROSPERITY MAINTAINED
 On April 1 it will bs possible to report that information from all parts of the country shows that prosperity does not wane, but is instead maintained and is constantly increasing. One of the most gratifying reports which have come to New York tells of the sudden and very great improvements in the lumber indus try. Until about six months ago this in dustry was stagnant and there seemed little prospect for improvement Now it is making phenomenal gains, especially upon the Pacific coast.
 One proof of this is furnished by reports sent to this city from Tacoma, Wash. These show that in the month of Febru- ary the money value of the exports from Tacoma was a little short of $14,000, 900. That is a record-making report and it tells a story of business activity on Puget sound. The smelting industry at Tacoma reflects the prosperity in other smalt- ing properties and is sufficient to justify investment of some $3.OO0,0OO in improve ments.
 When Oregon was territory and at the time when that territory was engaged in the first export of wheat from any American harbor-for Oregon exported wheat to Russian America and estab- lished wheat as a medium of exchange there was great deal of enthusiasm over the development of the Willamette valley. Other things, such as the prospect or pos sible gold mining. overshadowed for a time the development of this valley, Now, eight counties in the Willamette valley are represented in recently organized development association, stimulated py the certainty of long-continued prosperity in Oregon and upon the Pacific coast,
 There continue to come from the north west, or that part of it of which Minne- apolis is the financial and commercial center, reports of prosperity of a kind un- exampled in the history of that section of the country In the state of North Da- kota, the farmers deposited in the banks in the 12 months between March 1, 1915 and March 1, 1916. nearly 60 per cent more than they deposited in the prevfous year Local bank deposits are increasing rapid ly in Minneapolis and St. Paul. In St Paul, deposits are reported to be gain
 ing at the rate of $1.O00,O00 every 10 days and the total deposits in the banks there on March were little in excess of $112,- 0OO,OOO
 Tn Minneapolis one company, the
 Northrup- King, gives evidence of increas-
 ing prosperity through contracts for the construction of new business buildings,
 the total cost of which will be in excess