The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-31
MAKE BIRMINGHAM
 CENTER FOR WORK OF MARINE LEAGUE
Mrs. l. B. Parsons Here to Organize Branch of Ma
 tiOnal Organization

l Mrs. Lillian B. Parsons of Louisville | is in Birmingham in the interest of establishing in Birmingham branch of the National Marine league, which will be the center of the leagues work in the south.
 l She is greatly encouraged by the re- 1 ception she has been given here and l will make more definite announcement of the plans and arrangements within the next few days. In discussing the l work and object of the league Mrs. Parsons said yesterday:
 l "Our countrys productive capacity
 so far exceeds it's absorptive power that our manufacturers are compelieu ] to increase their foreign sales, IT 1ac- tories are not to curtail production and labor is not to stand idle. An ade-
 uuate American merchant marine IS our chief reliance in the severe ana unrelenting economic conflict between nations which will inevitably follow the war.
 What others have done we can do. The German merchant marine is large ly the outgrowth of the work of the German Marine league. In England the Primrose league has been factor of incalculable importance in the eco homie thought and material progress i of that nation. In like manner the National Marine league will advance and sustain the material progress Of this nation.
 Sensible legislation is a prerequi- | site to the establishment of condi- tions that will make any business profitable. We are in the singular po- sition, however, of seeking sensible maritime legislation from voting i majority of maritime people. Since votes are necessary to secure leglsla' tion it follows that we must gain the interest and cooperation of the vot- CTS at large, especially from the great 1 interior" To do this a campaign of education must be carried on; the aver age voter must be brought to a reali- zation of his own personal interest 1 in American control of the ocean transportation of American products. "But such campaign entails q great expenditure which in it's initial stages must be borne by the patriotic and enlightened business men of the country.
 Tt is impossible permanently to
 maintain an adequate merchant marine unless the investing public absorb maritime securities as freely in Amer ica as is done in Europe, which, how ever, can never happen so long as there is the possibility of foolish Legislation | that may result in wiping out the val ues of maritime securities before their maturing dates.
 No one will deliberately invest in securities of diminishing value. A cor rect steady and sustained public opir- ion is the only safeguard against or ratio maritime legislation in the fu- ture.
 Your own welfare is involved. The fact that you may neither import nor export should not influence your decis- sion to join the league. No matter
 what your business may be, nor where located, your prosperity is closely in- l terwoven with the foreign trade of the country. Even if you export not a pound of merchandise. those with I, whom you trade, directly or indirectly, l do, and upon their prosperity your
 own welfare rests. A
 l Freedom from commercial peona ge | is paramount. The commercial inde-
 pendence of the United States must be
 fully secured as that of any nation OH | earth. It must not end at the waters | edge. The subject of establishing g l our overseas merchant marine has re- | ceived the serious and personal consid-
 eration of every member of our in-
 vitation committee, and it is their
 firm conviction that if the United SldlcS IS lO lIct ltoell lIOil d CoIlui-
 tion of commercial and consequently
 of industrial peonage under European l direction. it is imperative that the | business men of the country co-oper- ate in the work of the National Marine l league. The committee, therefore, most urgently solicits your co-opera- | tion and financial aid
 l '"The National Marine league U. s.
 A. with headquarters in New York
 and Boston, has recently established l headquarters in Louisville, Ky, for the entire south. The organization 1 has a membership of 800 of Louisville 5 ' most prominent business men and bus 1 mess interests. is under the direction l of Mrs. sLillian R. Parsons, special rep 1 resentative for the south. who secured ]
 this membership for Louisville with
 headquarters.
 l Looking southward to continue her
 great patriotic work to make America | free on the seas.' Mrs. Parsons has
 selected Birmingham because she says
 it is the heart of the south. geographi-
 cal center of the south, railroad center | of the south. the Magic City of the south, as well as the most important
 center for a branch of the National l Marine league, U. s. A"