The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-17
OSCAR WELLS PRESIDES

Tn introducing MT. Tomlinson Char man Wells stated that Birmingham was pleased to have as her guest the distinguished official from washing ton who had manifested so much 1n- terest in the development of the War rior river. and thanked him for the, courtesy of coming here to confer with the business men of Birmingham on that great enterprise. He said MT. rom linson did not come here to make speech but he would just hold a nttle conversation with the business men ol the subject about which they are very much concerned
 MT Tomlinson began by relating conversation that took place between him and MT. McAdoo then director general of the United States railroad administration, upon his departure TOT Alabama on his first trip here several months ago Tomlinson, you are a republican and going to Alabama. feel sorry for you MT. McAdoo sad: and that reminded me of a story heard a number of years ago. man I'D in Maine wrote to a friend in IeNas: Fill, I am thinkink of coming to rex | as What chance would an honest law. yer and republican have in Texas? Bill promptly wrote back, AS an non est lawyer you. would have no compe- tition, and as republican you would be protected by the game laws "But I came and found the people oi l Alabama to be very warm hearted ana 1 cordial. I feel that am among I friends"
 PEOPLE SUSPICIOUS
 Referring to the unification Of rail 1 and water transportation unoer gov ernment control he said: ''The people were suspicious of the government efforts to unify the railroads and the waterways For 50 years the railroads fought the waterways and put them out of business. Up to four years ago the Mississippi river was principai-y engaged in carrying dirt to the sea "Since the war began the government
 has let contracts for 200 boats that cost
 se. .ooo, GOO. and of this s2,OOo,0oo goes to the
 Warrior, which, with the Sl1,oooooo the
 war department has spent, makes nearly Is2, 100000 that the government has put
 into the development of the Warrior , river.
 q have been over the Warrior all the way. one time and part of the way an
 other time, and in my opinion it is onf of the most remarkable waterways II the United States
 INTERESTED IN WARRIOR oIt does not make much difference t. me what becomes of the Warrior river but I have committed myself very strong
 lv to my associates in Washington ol Its development and I am interested Il
 seeing myself vindicated.
 What are you going to do? You nav tboats built by the government TOT you deI elopment. We don't care up in Min
 'nesota what you do with the Warrlo
 river, but as an American citizen al !. interested in America, and as Americ t is interested in the larger things or tn . world, I am interested in what you d , here MT. George Gordon Crawford ha . demonstrated that the day of the sma shipbuilder is over. and so We must loo s to the larger things of world intedest. r "The good Lord has given you almo. l. every raw material, and if you fall !. your part in the development of the Wa :. r!or river you put water navigation s lthe United States back 50 years. Yc " must coordinate your efforts with u government in developing the full poss
 tbilities of the Warrior.
 |. .'The great developments in this coul v try in the next 20 years will be in tf
 south I'm a northern man, but can s'
 that. am not going to tell you how
 build terminals, but I will tell you th
 you must do your part in this gre;
 project.
 iis SEE PROJECT THROUGH w q talked myself out about the Miss
 sippi, and I am going to keep on talkir