The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-30
Speaks to Meeting of Men to
Consider Campaign to
Raise Fund
NUMBERS VOLUNTEER
FOR ACTIVE WORK
DIR. Denny Points Out That University
Has Not Thrust Itself on Bir-
mingham, But Was Urged to
Come by Citizens

'OA DNiuB my MltIlcSSt / DeneXe fDAt
no higher nor finer motive ever prompted
human being than that which has IN
fiuenced these men to conduct this cam
paign for free dispensary," dramatically
declared DR.. George H. Denny, president
of the University of Alabama, at the
luncheon yesterday at the Hotel Hillman
at which the campaign for fund of s125,-
600 for erecting and equipping a new Uni
versity free dspensary in this city was
up for discussion. 1t was one of the most
enthusiastic meetings ever held in Bir-
mingham.
There We're 65 or 20 men present, and be-
fore the meeting closed a large number
of them volunteered to become actively
connected with the campaign when it
starts November II, to last for eight
days. DR.. Denny delivered one of the
most passionate, ringing, clean-cut adj
dresses of his life and several other men
present made appeals that were remark
able for their strength.
DIR. Denny was late in arriving on ac-
count of late train. but when he walked
into the room he was given an ovation.
DR.. Denny is interested in the djspensary
because 1t Is under the control of the
university and he will be treasurer of the
campaign, handling all the funds.
Not Imposing on City
I don't want anyone to feel that we
are infiicting this campaign upon the city
of Birmingham" he began. 1.-THE situa-
tion was presented to me several months
ago by group of prominent men from
this city. They explained conditions in
this great industrial city and after dis
cussing the matter 1 said there was only
one way cut of it, and that was to con-
duct campaign for free dspensary.
In what / say TO you 1 want to touch
upon three things, the need of a dispen-
sary in Birmingham, the motive prompt
ing the men in Birmingham who are be-
hind it. and the motive of the university
There are certain things a city has got to
have. She has to have churches, libraries
hospitals, public buildings, such as the
auditorium you have just declared your
desire for, but Birmingham lacks one of
these. 1t is free dispensary. What
would people say about Birmingham il
she had no churches, no schools, no IL
braries and so forth? But you have these
and have no dispensary. and therefore
that is the greatest need in Birmingham
Don't you people of Birmingham want to
keep in line with the progress of other
communities? Go to Mobile and see if
they have a dispensary? Go to Atlanta
and see IL they have one? They have, and
Birmingham must also, or she will soon
fall behind in the march of progress.
Another reason you need dispensary
here is to enhance the commercial and
industrial prosperity of the city Because
this is an Industrial city. And because of
that fact there is a great. large class of
people here who work with their hands
and in general term may be designated
the poor class. These people constitute
the civic problem which Birmingham
faces, and the solution of which is free
dispensary. charity hospital such as
you have and which you need reaches the
men and women who largely are beyond
human aid and it therefore is charity
pure and simple: dispensary, however,
nips disease in the bud, gets the case at
it's ncipiency and in the great majority of
cases restores the patient as an asset TO
the community and In many cases never
allows the patient to become a liability
upon the community.
Is Duty of Citizens
"a third reason for the need of this
is the simple duty of the
citizens of Birmingham to your own
higher life. 1 say. Waterman, what
of the nightv You people here in Bir-
mingham are busy erecting great sky
office buildings and great in
dustral and commercial establish
ments but what are you doing about
There are certain things above
party, sect, creed and color and this is
one of them. 1t has been said that
there are only two certainties In life
and they are taxes and death; but [
want to name two other things just as
sure and they are that there are but
two bonds that bind humanity together
and those are sin and suffering. What
the churches are doing for sin Is what
the dispensary viii do for suffering.
DO you ask me IL this campaign Is
going to succeed? Ask me rather II
Birmin CHAM has heart! Ask me rath-
er IL Birmingham has a soul! Ask me
rather if Birmingham has a con-
sciencei
1.-The motive of the men of Bir- |
who are behind this move
ment is one of service. They offer to
give their services and their exper- |
fences of lifetime to the poor sick
and diseased of the city without money
and without price. providing you cit
izens of rmingham provide them a |
place where they can do 1t satisfac-
torily and intelligently. Their motive
is one of service to humanity and their
reward will be merely an opportunity