The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-11
THE RESULT OF DELAY

those who depend upon the Warrior
waterway for transportation service
cannot fail to note that the order
cancelling a certain portion of the
Warrior barge service appears to
work in favor of railroads with which
the barge lines are in competition. OF
course, the reasons given for the order
is the very plausible one that the War
rior has been losing money on certain
hauls, and that to continue to supply
such service with inadequate equip
ment would be folly. Back of this,
however, is the failure to obtain such
rate justice for the Warrior as would
warrant better equipment. The order
discontinues service at all ports on the
Warrior except Birmingport and Mo-
bile, and upon all commodities which
the barges cannot haul at a profit.
1t is regretted that the railroads
that have served this territory jointly
with the waterway have striven to
crush down the efforts to develop the
waterway for the people of this trade
territory, and have not co-operated
to the wide public interest in this
matter in order that they might have
the good will as we'll as the patronage
of this population. 1t is regretted
also that the railroads chose to ignore
the investment of millions of the peo-
pies money in this waterway under
taking and have sought to obstruct
the success of this contribution to the
nations progress. By choosing the
narrow path of selfish aggrandize-
ment, it is believed that the railroads
have cut themselves off still further
from public sympathy, through lack
of which in the past they have often
been made to suffer. 1t is regretted
that the railroads have so quickly for
gotten the recent legislation by means
Of which, through high rates, the pub.
lie has been levied on to contribute
50 generously to the financing of the
railroads.
The people are well aware that the
Warrior was losing money because of
an unjust division of receipts for
Joint hauls between the railroads and
the waterways, the railroads receiv-
ing more than their share, and in
some cases collecting from the water
ways even more than the entire re-
ceipts of the barge line for service
rendered. The people know that the
duty of the waterway officials was
first to attempt to reach an equitable
agreement with the railways, and, fail
ing that, to urge the matter again be-
fore the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion which had retained jurisdiction in
the premises. The people know that
the course of the waterway officials in
this regard has been dilatory and full
of delays, and that, when it was found
that the railroads were inclined to
temporize, the officials permitted such
policy to go unchallenged, and failed
straightway to invoke the authority of
the federal commission.
1t is known that the railroads con-
cerned are making money; that their
profits for the first quarter of 1928
in all likelihood materially exceed the
maximum guarantee by law. There
is no plea the railroads may make
that can possibly warrant the officials
ways preference over the waterways.
of the waterways in giving the rail-
The only side the waterway officials
are officially or morally bound to
consider is the fate of the waterways
and the public welfare involved there
with.
The fate of the Warrior is at stake.
The enviable position of Alabama
products with respect to competitive
markets is at stake. Part of the in
dustrial activity of this state cannot
suffer without injury to the entire
industrial activity of this state. Now
is the time for the business and COM
mercial interests of Alabama to rise
as one man and to demand prompt
justice in this matter. LIE. there be