The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-07
ENFORCEMENT | OF BARGE LINES IS CONFIRMED Entire Plan Of Operation, As Announced, Is
 Adopted WEEKS NOW FAVORS INLAND WATERWAYS Secretary Satisfied With
 River Route Ex-
 perience
(Washinston Bureau.)

WASHINGTON, ID. C., Aug. 6.-The entire plan for the re- organization and operation of the Mississippi Warrior barge 1 line service, as made public on July 20 in an announcement by General T. o. Ashburn, to- day was confirmed and ap- proved by the advisory board lat a prolonged session.
 The plan of operation, as announced by General Ash burn, included the complete divorcement of the Warrior line from the Mississippi river line, giving the Warrior line headquarters at Mobile, with the Mississippi river lines cen- tralized at St. Louis.
 The action of the advisory board in confirming the plans formulated and announced by General Ashburn IS re- garded by friends of the barge line serv- ice as a complete vindicatiOn of the course of that official, who stated that his only reason for making the an- nouncement at the time he did was to make effective the cooperative form of management at the earliest possible mo- ment. General Ashburn had been criti- cized in some quarters for making the announcement of the plans for the oper- IatiQn of the lines prior to action by ths a4u&4 -ta Secretary Weeks received tho nlem. bers of the advisory board at his office at the war department, and at once sug. gested that the board meet with General Ashburn and discuss the rules and regu- Iations which has been drawn up by him. The secretary stated that by such conference he felt that any difference of opinion regarding the operations of the barge service could be brought out and such differences could be more quickly harmonized.
 Urges Inspection Tour
 Mir. Weeks urged on the members of the board the importance of at once making tour of inspection of the cor poration's barge line system in com pany with General Ashburn. The secre- aary thanked the members of the board for the personal sacrifices which they were making in serving on the board in the public interest without salary. In his talk to the board, Mir. Weeks was frank to confess that before his experience with the Mississippi Warrior barge service, he had not been an ad- vOcate of attempts to foster inland wa l terway transportation. He declared, however, that his experience with the barge line had convinced him that the government is justified in demonstrat- ing the feasibility of this form of trans portatiOn,
 Apparently, Secretary Weeks said, the railroads have almost reached the limit of their ability to extend their service. In such a condition, he added, there seems to be real opportunity for the development of carriers of the water ways to assist in meeting the transpOr- tation demands of the country. He also said he was much impressed with the possibility of effect.ng monies under the corporate form of management.
 AShburn Drew Up Plan.
 The board then went to the offices of the corporation in the Munitions building where it remained in session for several hours, the proposed plan of organization was thoroughly discussed and it's details approved. This plan had been drawn up by General Ashburn with the assistance of experts in the shipping board and Panama Canal or ganization. After General Ashburn had explained number of points in the proposed plan which had aroused some opposition, full and formal approval was given. This resolution of approval will be formally presented to Secretary of War Weeks when the board holds another conference with him tomorrow morning.
 Secretary Weeks told the board that he would be willing to meet with them daily during the remainder of this week, If the board membel felt this to be necessary. It was decided at this aft ernoon session that all matters on which decision should be reached at this time could be passed on at Thurs days session at which both Secretary Weeks and General Ashburn will be present.
 Board Is Enthused.
 At the close of the meeting today, General Ashburn said: 'The members of the board show full determination to assist in every way they can to make success of barge line operations. They possess the enthusiasm which is so essential to success in pioneering. They are insistent that no internal diff ference be allowed to detract in any way from the maximum of favorable results, Under the leadership of these men, the Mississippi Valley is going to support this enterprise in such a way as insures the permanency of in land waterway transportation"
 Under the plan of operation worked out by General Ashburn and announced by him several weeks ago, the Warrior IS granted absolute divorce from the Mississippi section, and will function in- dependently with headquarters at Mo bile. All units of operation of the Warrior system, now at New Orleans will be moves to Mobile, Capt. E. V. Piekley, now superintendent of main- tenance of the combined system, will be in charge of the WaEior system with offices in Mobile, '