The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-20
For Good of
 the Community

VXIHO owns Birmingham? Whose w money built Birmingham? Whose money placed it's mills? Whose money equipped it with it's utilities?
 These questions were not asked III spirit of malevolence, of envy, of hate, of local narrowness of spirit. None less a person than the president of the Univer- sity of Alabama, Dr. George H. Denny, thrust them before Alabamians.
 And why did he address these ques- tions to 200 members of the Birmingham and Alabama chapters of the American Society of Engineers at their annual din- her? Why did he throw that tier of se- rious, outbursts into table sitting of friends and associates of a high pro- fession?
 Because engineers are creative and constructive. That is what they stand for That is the work of their lives. No greater dreamers on earth than the en- gineers who see railroads where noun tain gorges say there shall be none, who build bridges across impossible chasms and dam streams that deny the impale- ment of their waters.
 He was calling their attention to the gaping chasms, the roaring rapids and the impenetrable mountains of Alabama that cannot be made to serve unless Ala bama senses the creative and constructive spirit that spans and bridges and dams them up and makes them serve.
 Alabama has the cotton, the iron and the lumber, the three fundamental mate @rials. Alabama has the coal and the waterpower with which to drive the ma chinery converting these three into the finished product. How much use has been made of them? Courageous pio- neers like DeBardeleben, Aldrich and others have blazed the paths, but scarcely dent has been made in the limitlessness of these resources.
 Massachusetts brings her cotton from Alabama, her lumber from Alabama, her iron from Pennsylvania and Alabama, and her coal from Pennsylvania That bleak state, with nothing to go on but men who know how pays the freight on these materials that lie within Alabama and makes them into goods that are sold and enrich her people. Massachusetts, with none of the resources of Alabama has many times it's wealth. Massachusetts knows how" has men who are trained men who 'know how"
 How much Alabama cotton seed is converted into refine dolls in Alabama? None that Dr. Denny heard of when con- nected with department of the govern ment that would have been informed if it were done Yet raw Swede came to America few years ago. bought the crude oil when first pressed from the seed in Alabama mills paid the freight to New York, converted it into compound lard and made S10,O00,OO in just abous the twinkling of an eye.
 The University of Alabama and the Polytechnic Institute at Auburn are here to make the men who know how" if Ala bamians say they shall have the equip ment with which to do it. This equipment the money with which to secure twill not come until Alabamians finally and for good realize that money spent on education is not a liability, but an invest ment; until they are convinced that noth- ing is so costly as ignorance.
 Is it proper that heads of the big state schools should talk in this sincere and un- flattering manner? Is it right that they should expose the weak places? Shall they confine themselves to glittering euphemisms about the greatest state on earth. the most beautiful women and thn