Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-08-31
SOUTHERN SHIPPERS
WIN FIGHT FOR
HANDLING EXPORTS
Government Adopts Plan Sug-
geSted for Relieving CongeS-
ton by Diverting Movements
of FoodStuffS to Gulf Ports

Southern shippers, bankers and other
business men VINO held a conference in
Atlanta several weeks ago and organ.
lied the Southern Ports Efficiency com
mission, the purpose of which was tC
divert export trade from eastern ports
to southeastern and gulf ports, wor
their first victory Thursday when the
announcement was made in Washington
that Me government authorities have
adopted<the plan of the commission
An Associated Press dispatch from
Washington stated in part:
Diversion to Gulf and South At
lantic ports of virtually all move
ments of foodstuffs destined for
export to Europe is planned as
government measure to relieve con-
gestion of railroads and ports in
the east. New Orleans, Savannah
Charleston and Port Arthur are the
ports which will be made the chief
loading points"
This announcement was hailed with
universal satisfaction throughout the
southeast, where for weeks members OF
the Southern Ports Efficiency commits
sion have been working quietly but well
to attain this very end.
Nell r. Wilkinson, of Atlanta, is
chairman of the executive committee
which the commission appointed to take
the matter up with congressman, sena-
tors and governors of southern states
with heads of eastern railroads, the dig
shippers of the country and the author
tiles at Washington.
Besides writing letters to all of these
the commission recently sent a COM
mittee to Washington to urge the di-
version of tdade to the southeast
pointing out that southeastern ports
have all the facilities and but little
of the disadvantages due to the present
congestion in eastern ports.
MR.. WILKINSON PLEASED
I'VE are delighted at the action of
the government" said Mr. Wilkinson
Thursday. 1T is the first step in the
right direction. l have received many
kilograms today congratulating the
commission on its success Now we are
going to try and get the government to
do more and TO include in its chief
loading points Jacksonville, Brunswick.
Mobile and other southern ports. l am
sure that the south will begin the feel
the effect of the new plan very soon.
For one thing, it is going to bring
so much traffic to the south that the
shortage of freight cars will be re-
lieved immensely When they unload at
southern ports, they can be utilized for
shipping loads inland, which will mean
pers who now are complaining about the
shortage"
WHAT DISPATCH SAYS.
The plan of the government for di-
verting the trade to the southeast, is
explained by the dispatch from Wash
ington as follows:
leni-regc. .HanuIp Csc sh sh sh shsh
THE plan will be worked out by the
shipping board in cooperation with
shippers, ship owners and port authori-
ties. The shipping board will appoint
soon a general traffic director, who will
be put in charge of the program. 1t
was said tonight the place probably
would go to Benjamin l.. Winchell, of
Chicago, now traffic director of the
Union Pacific railroad.
THE shipping board hopes to have the
plan working by winter. before snow
and bad weather have made transconti-
mental freight traffic still harder to