The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-20
HAROLD BELIEVES
 RELIEF IN SIGHT
 FOR BASE RATES
Pittsburg Plus Injustice to All Other Steel Areas of the Country-ThousandS
 Represented

Expressing belief that there is good chance for the installation of new system of b a-sing steel transportation rates in the United States, c. L. Harold, secretary of the Civic Association A is more optimistic than ever on the prospects of a steel base for Birmingham.
 MT Harold returned yesterday from Washington where he has been attend ing g meeting of the Federal Trade commission for the purpose of joining forces with other representatives of the south and west in an attack on the Pittsburg passing system for the fixing of rates on steel.
 Tho case of the south and west was presented in three days and the meet ing was then adjourned until December 6 when, during another three-day ses- sion, the steel producers of the United States are to present their side of the case.
 TWO DEVELOPMENTS TwoS n t ere s ing developments marked the second hearing on this question, according to Mir. Harold. one of these was the intervention of the national association of purchasing agents, numbering about 5000 of the principal purchasing agents of the United States, who appeared through their representative and filed a vigor- ous protest against the continuance of Pittsburg plus. Another was the pro- test filed by the American Farm Bureau federation composed of more than 100000 farmers in 36 states of the nation who gave notice through their representative Clifford Thorne, that the farmers of the south and west are tired of paying what they characterize as the enormous unearned freight charges on the various implements wire fenc4 ing and other equipment represented by Pittsburg plus.
 At the close of our case, there seemed 10 be. a general impression that the trade commission would issue complaint directed against the steel producers of the United States" said MT. Harold. This would mean that the federal government would become the prosecutor of the case in behalf of the great consuming interests and that very probably a formal order will be forthcoming prohibiting the United States Steel corporation from chargins for their steel any higher prices af l, Birmingham. Chicago or Duluth than at the Pittsburg mills. This would mean much more rapid development of the smaller metal industries in the Birmingham district as we'll as the other districts outside of Pittsburg against which this gross discrimina- 1 tlon Is practiced. The. independent steel producers would also be ordered 10 cease and desist from quoting or charging prices on their steel based on 1 the imaginary transportation from PittsDurs where IS the material actual iy moves only from the mills in the south and west.'
 EXPRESSES COMMISSIONERS
 since the last hearing a year ago TWO members. have been appointed to the Federal Trade commission and it was very largely to these new member. that the argument was directed against the steel base system. We believe that we nave convinced these new com mlssloners of the justice of our case ana that therefore we will secure complaint from the commission. The people ot Birmingham do not seem to grasp fully the significance of a vic
 |" ehis matter. know personally or several large manufacturers of finished steel products who will Jool, toward Birmingham the minute that the prices Tor the rolled steel or thei: raw material shall be quoted on an equal basis. with Pittsburg, I have al- ways claimed that steel base price at blrmlngham as low as the Pittsburs base wiz do for this district in ,bo fabricating industry what the hasa price on pig iron has already done in expanding the great cast iron pipe and other foundry business in the district,
 MT. Harold reported that at the Wash ington hearings there were approxi- ihaeely oo representatives of the vari- ous interests involved. includjng sor,. ol the most prominent lawyers in america, economists. statisticians and other experts such as special represen- tatives of the Iron Age,' the Iron Trade Review and other trade papers