The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-24
ANOTHER INDUSTRY FOR BIRMINGHAM Underwood Stresses Work of the Y. M. C. A. CORNERSTONE IS LAID Congressman Thinks Factory Which Manufactures Men of Character
 Is the Most Impor-
 tant of All

the association, offered prayer. Anoth CT hymn was sung and MT. Munger introduced Congressman Underwood as the man to make the address of the occasion.
 MT. Munger said that the effort ha( been made to secure the man wh' would be representative; that MT. Un- derwood was the man who would rep resent Birmin gham, the state and the United States. "He has for a long tim' occupied a position of trust and con fidence," said MT. Munger. There i no man higher. as far as the people of Birmingham are concerned, anc there is only one higher in the estima' tion of the people of the United States I might exhaust my vocabulary in try ing to tell of the good things he ha done; but l will only say this: Tha if the people of Birmingham, of hi: district, and of Alabama have thei1 say he will be the next President O the United States"
 MT. Underwood Speaks
 Tt Is pleasure to be at hom'
  own people. And 1t is a pleasure anc an honor to take part in an occasion that means so much to the develop ment of the young manhood of this city as does this event.
 T stand today in the midst of one of the worlds great manufacturing centers Men who work in this in- dustriaI valley are turning out as the product of their labor and their toll hundreds of finished articles that arc necessary for the development of the nation and required for the comfort oi ma nkind
 You hear the grinding of machinery at the steel mills that is pressing the heated metal into rails, ultimately des- tined to build the railroads of the world. You hear the rattle of the cot ton loom as 1t weaves the cloth tc clothe the people of many lands. We have numerous factories to manufac ture those commodities that the greed comfort and the necessities of man de- msnd.
 To-day we meet to lay the corner stone Of the greatest factory of them all; the most needed factory in the grea [ city of Birmingham, factory with out whose beneficent influence being eXerted on our community, men would deteriorate and decay. We are here to- day to erect a factory that upbuilds the characters of men.
 You must not overlook the fact that the association that Is erecting this build ng is engaged in a business enterprise, as much so as any of the banks, fur naces or factories in this district.
 Tt has over 2000 centers in which it conducts it's business in North America alone. It has a working force enrolled m it's membership of half million boys and men. It owns 700 buildings, costing over $7n. .O0O,0GO, and employs nearly 5000 agents who are experts in the regen- eration of men.
 When you wish to build house out of the raw material. you send for a skilled architect to direct the work of building. When you desire to burrow into the earth to open new mines, you send for a mining engineer. Just so when a desires to elevate the moral. and physical character of it's boys and men, 1t organizes a branch of the Young Mems Christian association and ereots building in which they can have the headquarters for their busi- mess.
 Work of Birmingham Branch
 For many years the Birmingham
 
 work for our city, but the erection of this building has progressed in spite of many difficulties. More than 20 years ago a fund was started for this purpose, circumstances. arose to delay it, and it was not until a few months ago that the generous and far sighted citizens of this city subscribed over s200,- Ooa to the completion of this building, and the advancement of this their most important business enterprise.
 Many men view the work of the Young Mems Christian assocition from a reli- gious point of view; undoubtedly 1t is a great adjunct to the work of the churches. but l wish you to take the viewpoint of a cold business proposi- tion.
 "A new factory is about to be erected ana shortly put in operation. It will not manufacture pig iron or steel rails, hats or clothing, shoes or automobiles; 1t is going to manufacture improved. clean healthy, moral men for this community out of the untrained unkept and unpre- pared grist of men and boys that come tC the mill for the grinding.
 The purpose of this association is tc fit men to play their part in life with ability; to provide resources for the clear enjoyment of their leisure hours, and tc give them the proper ideas as to how their lives should be spent.
 ''The greatest asset the state has are
 the men and women who compose its
 citizenship.
 Were a plague to destroy the lives
 oc all our citizens, leaving only the build l ings and factories of this great city anC
 were the dead supplanted by people com ing from central Africa, your factorie. would remain idle and your civilization would be destroyed. On the other hand were an earthquake to destroy everythinj bu: the men and women of brains an, character who inhabit this valley tn homes and the factories would soon b rebuilt and the march of progress am
 civilization would be only checked for day.
 What work does this factory for tn
 making of men do? First 1t believes i the old adage that sound body is esser tial to a sound mind, that a weak phys cal condition can not produce the be,
 results. It, therefore. will have a splendi gymnasium. up to date in every particaiA with good baths. and trained experts direct the work Here the man or bo | is made strong physically that he ma 1 have the endurance to face the battle | life.
 1 "No man can work all the tims wit. 1 out becoming a mere brute. the bearer 7 i the burdens of other man. Man mu, | have leisure hours for his mental as we l as his physical development. This building is to provide a homo. real home. to the many young men wh | have drifted away from or have bee 1 driven by tho exigencies of life from t l homes of their youth. Without friend