The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-24
Letter of Frecerick I. Thompson.

lheproduced rom the COoSa River
 News, June 15, 1923)
 Birmingham, Ala, May 31, 1923 MT. T. H. Shropshire, the Coosa River News. Centre, Ala.
 My Dear MT. Shropshire: Please let me thank you cordially for the reference made to The Birming- ham AgeHerald, The Mobile Reg ister and The Montgomery Journal in recent issue of the Coosa River News, referring to the stand of these newspapers in the matter of keeping free from monopoly the great natural water power assets of the state of Alabama.
 I note in connection with the editorial the reference to thelr support of measures for an American Merchant Marine, mat ter considered by me of such vital conseuuence to the Gulf states, and particularly to the farming and manufacturing element or Ala bama and to the development of Alabama's seaport at Mobile.
 It may interest you to know that my own personal feelings are rep resented in the view that the gov ernment should operate directly an American Merchant Marine and this, of course, l have urged dur ing my term as commissioner on the United States Shipping Board. But the fact remains that the United States must support or es- tablish and maintain merchant marine or permit the ships of other nations to be carriers of our cargo. Furthermore, merchant marine is essential for a broader protection in any war emergency and might be the most vital ele- ment making for victory or defeat. Therefore on this broad issue l could not let an inherited or ac- quired political conviction as a Democrat obscure the larger obli- gation resting upon me to support whatever measure would insure an American Merchant Marine.
 l can say to you from an iti- mate study, since first appointed on the shipping board by Presi- dent Wilson, that unless there is some form of government aid we
 
 operate the ships that carry the cargoes of the United States. It may also interest you to know that before the shipping board undertook operation of vessels from the port of Mobile it cost the cotton growers of Alabama a dol lar bale more to transport their cotton to foreign mills than it now costs them; and no more disas- trous thing could happen to the cotton grower than to have the British spinner and the British shop owner combine to exact such a toll through eXorbitant freight charges. which only an American Merchant Marine can prevent.
 The subsidy bill, to which you refer, was operative only if the Thomas Jefferson doctrine of indi- rect aids were insufficient to pro- vide an American Merchant Ma rine. This doctrine of Thomas Jefferson for indirect aids was followed in our time by our own Senator Oscar w. Underwood, and was adopted by a Democratic caucus as Democratic policy. Therefore l am led to believe that the intimate details and principles. which you criticize, were not fully observed by you, and I take this liberty of addressing you, as one of the workers in journalism. feeling sure you will not hesitate to give this statement space in your, valued column.
 With fraternal regards, believe me, very truly yours,
 i FREDERICK l. THOMPSON. Editor Birmingham Age Herald,
 Mobile Register, Mobile News Item and Montgomery Journal.