The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-07
SOUTHERN STATES DEVELOPMENT ID
 DEPEND ON ROADS
Railway Representatives of South Get Going on Two day SessiOn-Plan for
 More Business

Two enthusiastic meetings were held by representatives of the railroads in the south yesterday.
 Representing nearly all of the larg- est railroad systems in the south. forty men met in the Tutwiler hotel yester- day afternoon. effected a temporary organization and made plans for the future.
 w. L. Henderson. industrial commis- sioner of the Southern railway system. was elected temporary chairman and J. F. Jackson. agricultural agent of the Central of Georgia, temporary secre tary.
 William H. Stone, associate editor of the Manufacturers Record" deliv- cred the principal address of the after noon- MT Stone spoke of the tremen- dous resources of the south. He told of the crippled conditions of the rail- roads, which have just been returned to private ownership. There never was a time when so much depended on what the railroads of the country co as within the next twelve months. ne declared. Private ownership of rail- roads is now being given the final test. The railroad owners and the railroaos have an almost superhuman task be- lore them 10 DTlnS ibOUt NNHN'NANA'~ somewhat like those when they relin- quished the direction of the roads
 RESOLUTION
 Mir Stone drew picture of the south after the war between the states. cohi- pairing it to that of Germany tooay' It was the energy of the men or the south which has drawn Us out or thde condition. MT. Stone said. He refuted a inc average southerner was not energetic. and IT. lustrated his words by the fact that several hundred thousand ragged men in the army of the Confederate states held off two millions of men packed bv unlimited resources in the northern states for four years
 Last of all. Mir. Stone urged that permanent organization Of the raii roads of the south be made as the sal vation of the roads. He pointed out that not only the railroads but the entire south would reap the benefits George M Parks, general immigra- ton and industrial agent of the Lotus vile and Nashville railroad, entered his plea for a permanent organization MT. Parks not only came to the meet l ing himself, but brought five or ms assistants. so positive is he Of the ini- nortance of the gathering. His speecr was wonderful inspiration to the hearers. and left the impression tha' 1 he was heartily back of the movement of the railroads to get together TOT their mutual benefit
 l Mir. Parks said that not only tns great resources of the south should p' l deyeloped. but that we should gather ] in all available material from the ont | side to aid in upbuilding this section COOPERATION
 l J. L. Edwards, vice president or tn lAtlanta. Birmingham and Atlantic rail I road. showed that the railroads al | over the country were getting togethe lin the great crisis which now face 1 them, and urged that the lines or tn south do the same.
 Later in the evening, the visitor were present at banquet at the fu' l wiler hotel which was turned into business session when the repast va | finished. Every man present was calie | upon for his views and ideas aoou the conditions facing the railroads, an l all were. unanimous in backing per manent organization, with headquarter at some central point
 Telegrams and letters are eeming | from all sections of the south fror linen who are unable to attend tn meeting. indorsing plans for the oY ganization and pledging their suppor | It is fully expected that todays ses sions will see the completed plans ma tterialize and headquarters selected an permanent officers elected.