The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-15
COTTON GROWERS LEAGUE IS FORMED
 AT SECRET MEET
Continued from Page one)

speakers heard by representatives O. cotton interests from the entire south ern cotton belt, assembled here today to consider the formation of $100, 000000 cotton exports corporation ant the organization of permanent south ern cotton association. #
 Federal, state and municipal off cials were unanimous in the belie1 that it is high time the south land asserted it's independence"
 Addresses were made by Senator D D. Smith of South Carolina; Representa- tive J. T. Heflin of Alabama, Cover nor Pleasant of Louisiana, and Mayor Martin Behrman of New Orleans. Gov ernor Pleasant presided.
 It was announced tonight that g draft of the proposed charter of the exports corporation probably will bt submitted to the conference late to. morrow. It was said the draft, ap- proved by Gov.W. P. G. Harding of the federal reserve board, the substance o1 which already has been made public will be but little changed.
 A statement by Senator Smith that the fight the south is waging is like the great battles on the western front in which he urged cotton men to "buck the line" was met with a storm of ap- plause by the 400 delegates.
 MUST BREAK LINE
 The boys of Dixie broke the Hin denburg lne," he declared, "and we have met here to break another line You can break that line and roll back the obstacles that have held back the south, as our gallant soldiers rolled back the Hun hordes overseas.
 we stand today surrounded by cir cumstances that never existed before f@ ,% 1aar l~o1e years we lived under cloud. We were robbed of capital and credit after the Civil war. But they could not rob us of the spirit that always has charac- terized the white man of the south. Let us say this is the army of emancipa- ton. Give the farmer a chance, so that he can finance his own crop. When you have done that you will have eman- cipated the south and not until then.''
 Senator Smith outlined what he said was long fight he waged in the Unit ed States Senate for the protection of the cotton growers of the south. He pictured what he said has been the poverty and distress in the rural south! and urged his hearers mot to destroy the market place but to drive out by direct legislation all prostitutors of such places"
 The man who will not join this new army we are forming Is stacker to the south," exclaimed Senator Smith.
 Declaring that high grade cotton of the south cannot be produced anywhere else in the world. the senator con cluded with plea for the support of the measures which will be placed be- fore the conference
 Representative Heflin was greeted with a generous display of enthusiasm when he declared ''in a fight between the spinners and growers the growers were bound to win if they were prop erly organized
 He warned the delegates that it would be wise to keep sharp watch" to make sure shares in the pro- posed exports corporation do not ulti- mately find resting place in the great financial interests of the north.'
 Watch your shareholders, he urged eff these interests obtain control they can use it as club, but if we con- trol it. we have our own club--and it's a club with spikes in it"