The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-05-16
REGENT CUT IN SERVICE DEMANDED BY ECONOMY
Claims Hasty Action Will Null Iify Efforts And Make It Im- possible To Get Further Nec- essary Funds From Congress For Extensions
WASHINGTON BUREAU l
 THE AGE-HERALD Washington. D. C., May 15 ]

Col. Y. c. Ashburn, in charge of the inland waterways service of the war department. expresses fear to- day that tentative plans of Alabama shippers to force the issue between the railroads and the Warrior river barge line would be fatal to pending negotiations.
 He declares regret at the attitude of O. l.. Bum, traffic manager of the Birmingham Chamber of Com plerce. In making statement Of actual conditions for this bureau, Col. Ashburn declared, among other things. the attitude of Mobile is not in accord with the attitude of Bir- mingham. He defends what he terms the necessity of establishing an em- bargo against parcel shipments to DemopNs. Tuscaloosa and Cordova. and expresses confidence that out of negotiations with railroads for fair rates material results will accrue. Declares Cut Is Required.
 "The very thing that Mr. Bum is arguing" says Col. Ashburn, this is. a parity of rates on steel products from Birmingham to Mobile and New Orleans was advanced by me at public hearing at Mobile as reason why Mobile should not be put on parity with New Orleans on export grain. l made the statement that if t.ey did put Mobile on this parity there would be absolutely no reason why the people of New Orleans might not call on the barge line to put New Orleans and Mobile on parity on steel shipments from Bir- niingham.
 Mobile ut once stated that this would he d preposterous thing to do and discrimination against Mobile which would absolutely kill it com mercially."
 Col. Ashburn insists that cutting down the Warrior river service is re- quired by economy, and is otherwise expedient because of the ultimatee necessity of going to Congress for further appropriations,
 He continued: My judgment is that any hasty action might result in the creation of conditions when would nullify all the efforts of this service to appear before Congress ana demonstrate that in the face or unjust restrictions the Warrior has been able to perform efficient ser vice and to reduce losses to such a state that when equitable divisions of rates are finally made, the War rior will be self-sustaining If we can create this condition, l believe
  tion."
 O O O
 Ashburn's Statement.
 Alabama must face the fact that the attitude of Mobile towards the barge line is not in harmony With the Birmingham attitude. The very thing that Mir. Bum is arguing, that is, a parity of rates on steel products from Birmingham to Mobile and New Orleans, was advanced by me at public hearing in Mobile as reason why Mobile should not be put on parity with New Orleans on export grain. l made the statement that II they did put Mobile on this parity on export grain, there would pc absolutely no reason why the people of Birmingham or New Orleans might not call upon the barge line to put New Orleans and Mobile on parity on steel shipments from Bir- mingham. ... would be a preposterous thing to do. and 4 discrimination against Mobile,
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