The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-25
For the Good of
 the Community

N WO lIlClUCIlCS Have WlGIlIil A the last few days that bring nearer the day when traffic will be in full blast on the Warrior river. ~
 On the occasion of his visit here about ten days ago, Director General Walker D. Hines of the United States railroad ad- ministration stated that as long as the government retained control of the in land waterways they would be given the fullest support He expressed an especial ly friendly attitude towards the Warrior river.
 After listening to the representations of a committee of citizens from Mobile and Birmingham in Washington last Wednes- day, Chairman Hurley of the United States shipping board announced that regular steamship line would be established be- tween Mobile and South American ports.
 Both of these announcements have di- rect bearing on Birmingham. Govern ment operation of the Warrior river is due largely if not solely, to the fact that Birmingham coal will furnish by far the greater part of the tonnage for the War rior river.
 Birmingham coal will, also, furnish a considerable part of the tonnage between Mobile and South America. It is estimated that 3000000 or 100000 tons of coal, per- haps more, will go from Birmingham to South America annually from the begin ming of a regular steamship service from Mobile.
 Returning, the ships will bring South American products to Mobile for distribu- tion through the south and west. A con- siderable part of this will come up the Warrior notably Chilean nitrates and cer- tain ores from the west coast of South America
 Birmingham should be the distributing point for these South American products. Selling coal and iron and machinery and products to the Latin Americans it will be incumbent upon the people here to recipro- cate and buy from them such things as they have for sale and which are needed is the basis of trade and Birmingham must be in position to make these exchanges.
 Two things must be done by Birming- ham industrial and commercial leaders if they hope to reap the full benefits of the Warrior river and the Mobile-South Amer ican steamship service They must have something to sell, know how to sell it to the people to the south of us, and mako the things they want. They must also, create a market for the things the South Americans want to sell in exchange There are other essentials, but these two, per haps, are the most important.
 Other communities in the United States have formed export corporations and some hove combined export and import generally, adopting the name foreign trade companies" V''t9'' /"
 
 Birmingham, to meet this comperlrlon, must enter the field equipped and in- formed and able to handle all the greatest amount of business possible. They can not afford to hold back until the other fel- low "grabs" the market, both home and foreign and then hope to step in and take it away from him. Such things are not usually done in business #
 There has been more or less talk in re- cent months of forming such corporation or enterprise, but, so far as the public is advised, it has ended in talk. The time for talking is now over: it is time for action.
 The Warrior river is ready for Birming- ham business and Chairman Hurley says the ships will be ready whenever there is business for them.