The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-21
CROWDER RELATES INTERESTING BIT OF
 WARRIOR HISTORY
Current Number of ''Birming- ham" Devotes Page to His Wartime Administration
 as President

In the current issue of Birmingham, official publication of the Chamber tf Commerce, page is devoted to the war time administration of Arthur c. Crowder as president, and MT Crowder recites an interesting bit of history regarding War rior river development The article reads:
 "A. C. Crowder, president of the Cham Der of Commerce from January, 1918, to January, 1919, surmounted probably more difficulties III chalking up record of notable achievements for Birmingham than almost any president in the history of the organization
 MT. Crowder was wartime presi- dent. His administration was faced with emergency problems arising out of war vicisstudes s.Dd his civic duties were ac- complished i'll the face of an afl-absoro- ing public interest in nothing but war measures
 During the greater part of his incum- bency he filled both the office of secre- tary and president and the results which he obtained ir this dual role speak TOT the efficiency of his directing hand.
 What do you regard as the greatest single accomplishment during your term , of officer MT. Crowder was asked.
 Ed Barrett's work at Washington in DeIldu or tne ueVelOpment Ot the WdiIioT river and his persistent refusal to take No" for an answer, replied Mfr Crow der
 MT. Crowder insists that the liop's $ share of the credit for launching the Birmingport development belongs to E. w. Barrett, although he does not dis count the able way in which the move ment has been handled by those who have brought the plans to realization. ~. 1c tl,a fri Washington which eliminated in the au- thorization of improvement work on the Warrior reveals an interesting episode i in Birmingham history. The scene 's laid at Washington, D. (.
 |" Ed Barrett, John l.. Kaul and my self made the trip during the early part of my term of office, said MT. Crowder. 1 We wanted an interview with Secretary l McAdoo and his agreement to send en- gneers to Birmingham to study the ques- tion of using this waterway. We wanted i the government to place fleet of self propelled barges on the river and we wanted Birmingport established. 1 I've left Birmingham in highly op.l- mistc mood, anticipating no great diffi- culty in the presentation of our case. We l got to Washington in the very midst o1 1 all that wartime preparation, whef l everybody at the capitol was putting il /, about IS hours a day and thinking oni5 about winning the war Senator Bank head made several attempts but advised
 us regretfully that it would be impos sible to see Mr. McAdoo. McAdoo ,af about eight offices and lodged around from one office to the other, escapnf dozens of persistent interviewers llks ourselves. tie had just taken over th' direction of the railroads and the slogar at Washington was let "McAdoo it. W' lcaucussed ana decided to try to hunt hi' down. With Ed Barrett in the lead, WI strolled into one of his several offlce land Barrett asked for McAdoo.
 s' You cant see McAdoo,' the clerk ad
 vised us very promptly
 Wye got to see McAdoo-its abso lutely vital, Barrett told him.
 There are probably hundred me- in Washington with something vital |
 see McAdoo about said the clerk, 'an'
 If you haven't got an appointment wit
 him, it is impossible.
 ".Ed Barrett hanged his tactics, an
 demanded to Know whether McAdoo wa in the next office k The clerk smiled, m after some exchange of repartee, admit ted he was there, but very busy al conference At just this juncture tn
 door half opened and McAdoo could |
 observed seated at table with half Idozen foreign representatives
 "'Ed Barrett waved his hand all
 door closed again. McAdoo heard tf
 disturbance, which was going merrily Q : in the outer office. and he stuck his ifea out of the door and recognized his oi, , time friend. He then came out m slapped him or the back and asked wnf ) ] he could do for us. Barrett told hi ; that we had a meeting of engineers 9 8 O clock that afternoon to have the Wal r rior river developed by the government lin order to Lelp him win the war
 s'"We want you at the conference
 he told McAdoo
 I After many protestations that would be impossible for him to com : McAdoo agreed to send representtai, . and if possible to be on hand himsel i. The conference was then arranged ar i, McAdoo did have naval engineer (