The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-15
For Good of the
 Community

on the transportation tacll1tleS or the Warrior river and the 20 per cent saving of freight rates?
 How mulch are they thinking about the importance of early action and what ef- fort are they making to render the War rior their capable and permanent ser want?
 These questions are forcing themselves to the front Gen. Keller has already declared that the Warrior has not been drawing the business that justifies the federal investment. The answer to him has been that proper equipment was lack ing. But the craft is now here; three power boats built especially fof the War rior and two self-propellers of the most modern type with two more to come.
 The Warrior must do business hence forth or be pronounced a failure. If 1t fails now with the light of history shining in the face of Birmingham jobbers and whole salers, the hue and cry for inland water way development will be hereafter raised in vain.
 Perhaps shippers have not taken the trouble to make themselves fully conver- sant with just what the 20 per cent diff ferential means. There are perhaps some who think this differential stops at the river banks. As a matter of fact, 1t reaches to the warehouse door; extends as far as all-rail transportation does. The river transportation service places the freight at the place where all-rail transportation places it at 20 per cent under the all-rai1 service for the completed delivery.
 A commentary on Birmingham is @o1 ' listed cargo of the self-propeller Birfes1sas5 ham now steaming hither from NeWp0r- leans. Of the 303 tons of freight Biz mingham is getting only 67 tors WEIlp At lanta, with the accustomed Ata pirit, is getting more than Is tons 3Ol per cent more than Birmingham
 Chattanooga, herself liver town, is getting 23 tons. Two Gadsden firms are receiving consignmentS and Aberdeen, Miss. IS receiving considerab e|tonnage of sugar. These outside towns 0n the ex- treme east, west and north of the favored territory apparently appreciate the ad vantages of shipping via the Warrior more than Birmingham does.
 The war department is complaining. It is holding forth the threat that unless these big self-propellers cease traVersing the river with pitiful cargoes they will be taken to inland waterways where they may perform better service.
 Page and Jones, Mobile shipping, agents have located an agency in Bir-i mingham to develop Pacific coast busi- ness with Birmingham both ways. Hav- ing handled 25,000 tons of Birmingham pipe to the Pacific coast they realize the potentialities of an interchange of busi- ness. They know what the Warrior is capable of being as an auxiliary in this business and in that of exports to foreign countries through Mobile.
 So, Chattanooga, Atlanta and Aber deen on the outskirts of the favored diff ferential territory appear to realize what the Warrior means and an experienced Mobile shipping firm senses it's value. Does Birmingham? Some merchant ship CTS do; do enough of them realize is the question. Unless they do, they are in dan ger of seeing the city $ splendid namesake on the Warrior leave that stream some fine day and go over to the Mississippi.
 Henry DeBardeleben says the Crucial time" has arrived. Mr. DeBardeleben is in a position to know. His service on the Warrior entities him to a hearing and what he says to the serious attention of Riryoin oh am ShinnarS