The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-01
NOT BIRMINCHAM'S VIEW

The testimony of MT. R. I. Ingalls, Tuesday before the house military affairs committee, as reported in Washington, dispatches, indicates that MT. Ingalls, purported to speak for the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, of which he is president. The Age Herald believes that MT. Ingalls could not be regarded as having spoken for the Chamber of Commerce in any sense of the word, nor even for it's board of directors. The directors them selves have in no manner corroborated MT. Ingalls, view that he spoke for them, but, on the contrary, have let it be known that he did not. But not even the directors could of themselves say that either they or their president is authorized to speak for the cham Der in any representative manner, nor was it of avail to intimate that Mr. Ingalls, was misquoted.
 No officer of any commercial or ganization of any community can pur- port to represent that organization unless an individual poll of its mem- bership shall have approved by ma jority expression the sentiments he utters on any given subject affecting fundamental policy of that organiza- ton. Otherwise, body of citizens welded together in business organiza- ton for the advancement of an entire community could have their true opinion contradicted and nullified by an officer of their organization. What the membership might consider a harmful course could thus be adverse ly construed by some officer having a personal or business identity with the interest he seeks to advance.
 This official license of interpreta- ton of the will of the membership would have effects far deeper than the question at issue. If allowed, it would destroy the intent of the com mercial organization and neutralize the efforts of the entire citizenship rep resented in the business body to func- tion for the community advancement. This unauthorized presumption on the part of officials in putting forth their own sentiments as that of the organi- zation or community they are supposed to serve, although contrary to the express view of such organization or community, has likewise in equally unwarranted degree been exercised by Mayor Taylor of Mobile and Secretary Frazier of the Selma Chamber of Commerce. It has been sufficiently established that Mayor Taylor in no slightest degree represented the view either of the Mobile city commission or of the people of Mobile. Secretary Frazier admitted to the committee that, immediately on his arrival in Washington, he conferred with Presi- dent Martin of the Alabama Power company, and his entire testimony fol lowed that visit. His exhibit of notes, as brought out in committee, was made upon stationery from Mr. Martins hotel room.
 The committee has thus been placed on its guard, and now seeks to dis cover in the case of each witness whether he speaks as an authorized official with the express approval of his membership, whether as a citizen setting forth his business or personal views, or whether as satellite or myrmidon of the power trust. If MT. Ingalls, disagrees with The Age-Herald and declares that he did represent the views of Birmingham's commercial and business organization, let him prove it by submitting the question of the Ford offer to his membership by postal ballot. The result of this ballot The Age Herald would agree to pub fish conspicuously.
 LEGISLATIVE ERROR
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