HIGHWAY TO THE HORIZON 



Mellon Institute. Something almost happened in Mo- 

 bile, April 1940, at the Southern Association of Science 

 and Industry meeting. Six months later definite action 

 was taken by the Alabama Chamber of Commerce. A 

 committee was appointed. 



Such committees do not always function, but this one 

 had the right chairman. Thomas W. Martin had the 

 vision of what research will do for Southern industry 

 and the energy to incarnate this idea. Native Ala- 

 bamian, successful attorney, for twenty years president 

 of the Alabama Power Company, Tom Martin knew 

 by his first name practically every likely citizen who 

 might back such a project. Alabamians like him and 

 respect him and they turned over to him nearly a mil- 

 lion in cash and pledges, the first three years' support 

 of this research idea. 



The Alabama Research Institute quickly grew into 

 the Southern Research Institute. Wallace L. Caldwell 

 headed a committee that winnowed a hundred and four 

 possible candidates for the key post of director, to se- 

 lect Dr. Wilbur A. Lazier. A launching party was held 

 in Birmingham, October 4, 1944; a dinner at which Dr. 

 Edward R. Weidlein, director of the Mellon Institute, 

 who had generously been father confessor in maturing 

 these ambitious plans, made an inspiring address, and 

 the new director was introduced. 



To that distinguished gathering, Tom Martin made 

 clear the need of research in the South in cold figures: 



297 



