The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-03

c. NaCuTal advantages do not necessarily make port.
 3. Business is produced and ports are devel- oped by initiative, energy, perseverance, determi- nation and farsghted business acumen.
 Pointing out that natural resources are great asset for business and natural advantages of great assistance in the development of port, he says the South has had natural resources for cen turies and southern ports have had natural ad- vantages since the beginning of history, but neither resources nor natural advantages have de- Veloped any great commerce, and adds that mo such commerce will be developed until the peo- pie of the South awaken to their opportunities and provide the capital and determination to carry on large commerce, coordinate ways and means not only of the channels and ports. but of exchanges clearing houses, collateral lines and retail distributing agencies etc."
 Then with particular reference to Birming- ham, MT. Wood says:
 If the Birmingham mineral district is to ship It's products abroad to any great extent, it will require more than Birmingham to do it. If the Port of Mobile is to be real factor in world com merce it will require more than Mobile to do it. and if the people of Birmingham and Mobile ex- pect to share in the world commerce of the fu- tllre they must begin by marshaling not only the resources of the two cities, but the resources of the State as wel and I would like to suggest for your consideration the formation of corpora ton to be known as Commercial Alabama h. corporated or Alabama Commercial Interests. incorporated, or any other name which will in- clude the business resources of the State of Ala bama, combined to sell it's products abroad to receive in payment therefor the commodities with which the buyers abroad must pay for these prod ucts and to handle and clear the transaction for the Port of Mobile the Birmingham district and the State of Alabama
 Nothing less than some such arrangement as this will secure any appreciable share in the bus ness which Birmingham wants to develop.
 Certainly the Birmingham district will have to provide large part of the capital and carry a large part of the responsibility It is mans-size job that your people have in front of them and success in the struggle will require the longest headed and most farsighted brains that can be focused on the problem.
 "Commercial Alabama, Incorporated should have officers and directors capable of meeting and coping with any kind of problem which may arise in the handling and clearing of a world commerce and the managing brains should be the best obtainable. If Alabama or Birmingham al- ready has those experienced and capable for the work in which the corporation will engage we'll and good; if not, such experience and capacity should be brought in from outside and set to work studying the problem, developing facilities. arranging connections and co-ordnating the ac- tivities.
 'There is every reason why Commercial Ala bama, Incorporated meaning by that the people of the whole State acting for the benefit of the State and developing it's natural resources and it's facilities for foreign commerce, should pool their issues and under Sections 15, IA and 25 of the Federal Reserve Act, use the resources of the government to as great an extent as New York and other interests are doing'
 Yours for upbuilding,
 X3aasaA