The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-29

Appeal Made to McAdoo h
 Behalf Of We'll Established
 Southern DeUelopn1entWork

New Orleans, July &.-(SpeciaL) Director General of Railroads Me Adoo has been asked to review rul- ing, by subordinate officials of the fed eral railroad administration, that threat ems to retarc and disorganize a prom ising movement for agricultural develop ment in the southern states In discuss ing the ruling the Times-Picayune says editorially that it is aimed at the south ern settlement and development organiza- tion, domiciled in Baltimore, and oper- ating under a Maryland charter, but contributing to development work in most if not all of the southern states.
 Created in 1912, the organization, un- der its charter, was prohibited from operating for profit. In that year the Maryland legislature appropriated $S0,O0o for its support, and certain southern railroads have contributed regularly to- ward it's maintenance since. It has been notably active and useful in stimulating public interest in the development of southern lands, having promoted the or ganization Of a number of land owners associations, with which it is now CO., operating in the several states. It helped to organize the cut-over land conter- ences held il. New Orleans, which have resulted in an organized movement of cut-over land owners TOT the utilization of their idle holdings. It has been ac- lively supporting the movement to de- velop the southern live stock industry. The practical value of its work is not questioned, so far as we know, but, on the contrary, is attested by representa- tive men and organizations throughout the south
 "A ruling by one of the divisions of the federal railroad administration pro hibits the railroads interested in the organization from making further con- tributions tc it's support, on the ground, as we understand it, that no railroad under the federal regime should be per- mitted to contribute to an organization which it did not control. and in case or which it could not oversee the use of its own contribution This order threat ems the organization with destruction at the time when the need for it's service is greatest. Twenty-Five United States senators, representing 15 southern states, have joined in an appeal to Director General McAdoo to review the ruling An organization such as this,' they point out in their letter to Mir. Mo- Adoo, and the organization of the va rious agricultural and industrial depart mentS of the railroads must necessarily, in the years taken to create such de- partments, have gotten together num- Der of men who have devoted years of study to the problems involved. The breaking down of these departments, through lack of funds, therefore, m"st necessarily hamper not only this territory, but wherever railroads run which are equipped with such departments.
 Agricultural and industrial develop ment of the territories they serve is recognized as a legitimate part of the carriers activities. They profit directly by the settlement and cultivation of idle lands, through the resultant in crease of freight and passenger traffic over their lines. The southern settle ment and development organization merely broadens this service by extend ing it over an entire section, instead of confining it's efforts to the territory served by single line. Agricultural development work is war work now adays, and nowhere in the country is it needed more than in the southern states. with millions of acres of idle lands awaiting development. Discour-