The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-22

a beginning, materialize, or return to the state in which nature millions of years ago left it.
 The government has ordered cessa- tion of work on the Muscle Shoals dam. Because 1t cannot be completed by the European war will be brought to conclu- sion the government regards that work as nonessential for the time, a waste of material money and labor. The govern ment promises to resume work as soon as feasible, or as soon the war IS concluded and peace prevails Alabam- ians, however, realize the danger Of de ly in completion of a project, the cost of which will reach into the many mil lions. It is regarded as probable that if the original order for the cessation of work is not abridged the operation of the nitrate plants will be abandoned a 5 soon as peace is declared, and that, be- cause of the lack of pressing need of ex- plosives the dam will never be con structed unless the United States should become engaged in another world war.
 Citizens of north Alabama have wired 1000 telegrams of protest today They argue that cessation of work on the dam will not make it possible for more gen eral distribution of labor because of the limited number of men engaged in tha, work
 The expressed belief is that the order of the war industries board emanate from those sources which from the be- ginning have opposed the construction of the dam. They are fighting against the deterioration of Sheffield from a boom city of great population to a vil- lage of comparatively little importance; against the evaporation of suddenly ac- quired phenomenal wealth: against the collapse of the dream in which they have lived for the past several months.
 The action of the government is ap- parently taken asidiously. The gov ernment declares th~ need of labor is so great that it wouls be suicidal to concentrate it in a construction which cannot possibly aid in the winning of the war. The government figures that after the war time and labor and money will be obtainable with greatest ease and that to make such sacrifices futile sacrifices in the present, would avail no single purpose. The people of north Alabama, on the other hand, cannot without fight, forego the abandonment of their dreams and their hopes They behold behind the order of the war industry board singular un- canny and nefarious energies direct- ed against their domestic welfare. Senators Bankhead and Underwood stated this afternoon that they will stand with Alabama against the gov ernment, that they will do whatever they can to convince Secretary Baker that this order was ill-advised
 Representative Almon, in response to telegrams from Sheffield, made diii- gent inquiry this morning into the state of affairs, but received little sat isfaction. General Black, chief of en- gineers. was polite. but not comfort ing. It was then that Senator Under wood asked Secretary Baker for an appointment Friday morning. The Sec retary, without committing himself
 granted the interview
 Without the dam the plants at Shef- field will amount to comparatively lil- tle,' With the dam, following the ces- sation of war, the entire south. from fertilizer to be manufactured at very
 low price, will become the richest az rlcultural section on the face of the globe It is obvious, therefore why the entire south is protesting the order of the government, which has a tend-
 ency for an indefinite period to post pone the construction of the dam on
 which work had already begun.