The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-06-02

we must be scrupulously honest. They are a little suspicious of us, due to h.u- ropean propaganda. for it is said that the records prove the South Americans in business are among the most correct and honorable to be found anywhere.
 Third, in sending representatives to Latin America to represent us conner csally, don't send the "cheapskate; send trade diplomat. who knows the an- guage the ways of the world. gentle man in manners and in education, who knows men and matters
 In conclusion, let me say that of the tv elve billions of foreign commerce of the United states of America for 1919, the South Atlantic and gulf did not control 10 per cent 20 per cent went through the ports of New York, Boston and PhilS- deInhie. simnlv because the South Amer ican and gulf states Sat and sat and let New York gobble it all up
 | If the South Atlantic and gulf states want what's theirs by right or geo. | graphical position it is about time for 1 them to wake up. to lead and cease to be mere followers. The answer Tn the south, whenever you proposed anytnins, was Let New York take the lead And | New York did, and in so doing got the lions share, and threw out her anchors | so that in time she controlled all the | banks all the railroads, shipping ana factories, and we of the south ana west helped her to 1t, helped her to forge our own economic chains
 i The day of our economic indepehuehce i from New Yorks monied kngs am. tarons has come We have abundant
 wealth in the south and ocean gateways lkuperior in many respects to all we
 are closer to Latin-America and our | railroad systems reach into the heart ol l iIdl striali merica. What we must uo F to develop our American steamship mes out of our gulf and South Atlantic ports Don't wait for New York to dc It. we
 would have to wait in van 1 Our people must be educated, especiaiiy our business men, our education mas been neglected insofar as it applies tc
 "foreien commerce, international dipio- macy and shipping" Today they are imperative1y necessary to our Welipeihs now that we have entered the arena anc must be ready and equipped to mee' every competition if we desire to noio
 our own in the irrepressiple conliic' which is now on between the nations.~
 Tbis education should be carried tc every chamber sof commerce. college l university. civic commercial and frater' nal bodv; to the press; to the labofers farmers. bankers. women ana cnhuien so as to enable us of the south U seize our own, before 1t is too late, any hold it forever afterward'
 let us have our own league, that vii
 dav in and day out write, speak an' fight for the south and her ports' anc aan
 will stand guard to protect us from dis
 cr;minations. legislative or otherwlse'
 say. lets start it now, and suitins action to words, I hereby pledge mysen
 to be one of 2oo patriotic and pubic spirited men of the south who will eacf contribute s100 towards the organization
 of a movement in behalf of the sour
 and her ports, to be carried on. under
 the ausnices of an association formed
 by the 20l to be known as the Maritime
 and Commercial League of the United
 States of America. This nucleus vii
 start the movement anc in less thar
 six months it will secure all the member
 ship and support necessary to make it {
 potent factor in fostering the develop
 ment of trade with Latin-America
 through the medium of American trans
 portation lines through our southerr
 ports