The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-09-10
For the Good of
 the Community


 ham that exists in other parts of the state, and the suggestion made that the civic bodies begin campaign of enlightenment to overcome this
 Following the passage of the revenue bill in the house of representatives last Friday one of the leading members of that body, an able and successful professional man, a man of more than average intelli- gence and ability, and who is level headed and fair in all other matters, so far as his words and actions indicate, exultlngly re- marked that we stuck 1t to Birmingham; that is all I cared for" He was referring to the coal and iron tonnage tax.
 Coupled with this was the further statement that he did not care whether any revenues were derived from the tonnage tax or nct just so It was levied.
 That evidences deep rooted bias or prejudice, or something worse Whichever it is it is unfor- tunate that an intelligent man who has made a success of his profession should entertain such hostility to the industrial center of the south, the growing city that should be the pride of every Alabamian
 It is to overcome just such prejudices as this that the civic organizations should make an edu- cational campaign.
 The Chamber of Commerce has recently em- ployed a publicity man: Evidently he is man of ability and discretion and resourcefulness, otherwise President Brown and his board of direc- tors would not have employed him. One of the first duties that should engage his attention is that of putting Birmingham before the balance of the state in the right light.
 By making study of the people of the various sections and ascertaining the real cause of their antipathy towards Birmingham he would be en- abled to put facts before them that would change their views towards the city, it's people and its in dustrial activities. If he accomplished nothing more he would have we'll earned whatever salary his organization pays him and the Chamber of Commerce would justly be entitled to the thanks and the appreciation of every citizen of not only Birmingham, but of the entire industrial district of which Birmingham is the center.
 The distrust and dislike of Birmingham was forcibly demonstrated when the Pettus county bill came up in the house of representatives The effort to disrupt Jefferson county came near be- ing affected not solely on account of respect and admiration for the genial representative from Ees- semer, who worked so hard to put it through, but largely through the hostility towards Birmingham.
 Birmingham is too big and too arrogant" was an often heard phrase. And because of this deep seated dislike for Birmingham and all things per- taining to Birmingham, a large number of repre- sentatives were ready and willing and anxious to cut in two the wealthiest and most populous and most progressive county in the state.
 It was no secret with some of the represents tives that they were voting for the new county solely for the purpose of hamstringing Birming- ham.
 These men are not as might be expected, mar row, bigoted or blind partisans. They were act ing in accordance with their information. They had been told and some of them, at least believed that Birmingham was trying to gobble up the whole state and use it for her own enrichment They simply have been misled by persons who had no axe to grind. Their prej1dices and their ignorance of Birmingham had been played upon. They have been fooled by designing politicians.
 This propaganda of the enemies of progress must be overcome There is one way to overcome it. Education. This is the job of the publicity department of the civic organizations.
 Opponents of Pettus county pleaded to be let alone. They insisted that it was purely local question that Jefferson county-the entire county should settle for itself But large number of the lawmakers, sent to the legislature to make laws for the promotion and preservation of the in terests Of the whole state, wanted to tear the county in two, some of them solely for the pur- pose of betting even" with Birmingham They said so Che of the conspicuous leaders of the house o+ rspresentatives remarked to a news paper representative while the Pettus county bill was under consideration, that he approved all the harsh and scathing references to the people of Birninghan that advocates of the bill had made, that they needed rebuke from the balance of the state And this man was sent to the legislature to help make laws for the entire state and not for against any he section.
 Nov tilat he legislature is in its closing days IL L .I>~A~ H.