The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1946-02-01
Recommends Stute
Credit For Work
On Local Hurbor

44 .SSN4 &4SAOS
r. l. ingalls,, Sr., an industrial
list whose shipyard charted a ma
jor part of the wartime econom-
ic history of Pascagoula and its
environs, told local businessmen
in a comprehensive statement
this week of his plans and frank
criticisms for this area and his
hopes for its future. and fore
saw the possible development
here of a thriving deep-water IN
dustrial port, provided the com
munity possessed sufficient en-
ergy to seize its every opportuni-
ty.
Mr., ingalls,, chairman of the
board of the ingalls, Shipbuild-
ing Corporation, spoke at the
third anniversary banquet of the
Pascagoula-Moss Point chamber
of commerce, which brought to-
gether several hundred of the
business and civic leaders of this
area.
Prominent among the faetual
recommendations made by the
speaker was the extension of
Mississippi state credit to Pasca-
goula for the development of
deep-water port facilities here;
the development of the old Span
ish Fort on Krebs Lake as a
Gulf Coast show-place and pub
lie park, for which he pledged
$4,000 on behalf of the ingalls,
Corporation; construction of a
new L. & N. depot in a more
slightly area such as the Mar
ket street crossing; selection o.
a more favorable and spacious
site for the proposed new coun-
ty courthouse instead of the site
now anticipated construction of a.
75-to-1oo roam-hotal in Pascagou-
ia; construction of an oil refining
industry in Mississippi, and pas
sage of a long-delayed state
workman's compensation law.
Detailed Review
Mr.. ingalls, delivered a lengthy
talk packed with research, stats
tics and opinions, which covered
his views on the past, present
and future prospects of the COM
munitv on every major level of
its livelihood.
He expressed himself as opti-
mistic on the whole about the
citv's natural p%otentials but re-
peated that the human element,
the stamina and energy of the
community itself, is an inescap-
able factor in industrial progress.
Since coming to Pascagoula,"
Mr.. ingalls, said, INV emotions.
hopes and aspirations for build
ing up this community have con-
stantly fluetuated. One day | see
the way perfectly clear for us
to grasp our opportunities and
become a thriving metropolis with
diversified industry and beauti-
full streets and homes-the next
day, l am equally disillusioned.'
He warned against complacen-
cy and Indifference as a pervad-
ing mood among too many groups
in Mississippi and expressed the
opinion that this human handi-
cap rather than an unfortunate
material heritage has been the
chief cause why the state in so
many fields occupies an "unen-
viable position on the bottom
rung of the ladder"
There is no substitute for in
dividual energy, hopefulness and
determination, and the presence
or lack of these qualities will
in large part determine the com
munities future regardless of the
fortunes of the ingalls, shipyard
or any other single installation
he said.
Doubt About Yards
THE principal argument for
our citizens not having done msre
and greater things he said
was that this community was
holding back to see if the ship
yard was permanent-that the
citizens and our workers felt E
sense of insecurity, meaning tina;
they felt the work might play
out.
This premise was wrong: con-
sequently. such reasoning, in my
opinion, was and is unsound, ana
l so told them. In the light of
all the facts, not only as the,
pertain to our plant. but to any
business or merchant, l am at 2
loss to understand such reason
ing either privately or public
expressed.
Certainly no company or in
dividual in Pascagoula or else
where, can guarantee that it or
he will always STAY in business
mortality averages disclose that
most of US. in time. will fall.
That does not mean, however,