The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-27
BUSINESS MEMS
LEAGUE WILL TAKE
Up LUNCHEON IDEA
Those in Same Line of Busi-
ness Will Meet and
Discuss Affairs
FOWLKES SURPRISES
THE FAIR COMMITTEE
Serves Them Dainty LuncheOn-De-
lighted, They Plan to Make At
fairs Permanent-TO Install
Stove at Headquarters
BY RALPH n. SILVER

From little acorns big trees grow
as was illustrated yesterday noon when
Secretary Sam Fowlkes of the Busi-
ness Mems league and Alabama State
Fair association surprised the members
of the executive committee with
substantial luncheon when they met at
12 o'clock.
Now the luncheon idea is to be de-
veloped by the Business Mems league,
according to Secretary Fowlkes yester-
day afternoon and big things are ex-
pected thereof.
The executive committee of the fair
association was to meet yesterday at
noon to consider the preliminary plans
about the big 1913 State Fair to be
held in Birmingham. These meetings
in the past have been purely business.
However, when the members of the
committee arrived at the league head
quarters in the Chamber of Commerce
yesterday they found spread on the
great table of the committee room
well appointed luncheon, with table
decorations and a follow-up course of
"Iivanoes.'
An appetizing and well served
luncheon with a good cigar as a chaser
has a warm spot in the heart of every
busy business man about IL o'clock
noon and the members of the com
mittee were loud in their praise and
long In their feasting. The business
of the committee was transacted at the
same time the dainty luncheon was
disappearing and when one was over
COR rather DOWN so was the other.
Where the members of the committee
formerly had lost an hour or two from
their business TO attend committee
meeting, yesterday they lost nothing
and gained good luncheon, killed
two birds with one stone, as 1t is
written, and they were so pleased with
the idea that they voted unanimously
TO make the custom a permanent one.
But they have decided to carry 1t
still further. A gasoline stove Is TO
be installed in one of the rooms OF
the Business Mems league headquar-
ters where coffee can be made and
other dishes kept warm and in the
near future a series of business mems
luncheons is going to be inaugurated
by the genial secretary. Mr.. FoWlkes.
No one is going to get anything Tor
nothing These luneheons are to be
Dutch treat affair, each man paying
for himself as If he had gone to
downtown restaurant or cafe, the
money going to cover the cost, no
profit being asked.
Secretary Fowlkes plan is to one week
have the shoe dealers meet at such d
luncheon. talk over their business affalrs
as they are connected with the Business
Mems league. get a good luncheon, eN-
change ideas for the good of all and at
the same time lose no time from thelr
business Another week a luncheon VIII
be held by the clothing men, another by
the real estate men. another by the drug
gsts another by the grocers another py
the hardware men, another by the depart
ment store men and so ON covering every
line OF business in the city.
'"rhe whole idea will be to develop the
spirit of better cooperation stated Mr..
Fowlkes yesterday. THE men in one line of
business can gather here and exchange
ideas. get acquainted with each other,
talk over the faults and merits of their
methods, discuss how to get more out of
town business and all other features.
.'The key word will be cooperation.
That's what we want TO develop. When
we all pull together we are going to get
somewhere, and we hape these iuneheons
may help along this line.
.-Our rooms here are not large enough
to have meeting of all business men who
are our members. But that is not
necessary and | am inclined to think not
as advisable as the method we have
mapped out. A clothing man will not care
particularly what a shoe dealers busi-
ness methods are and so on with all the
others Therefore we will attempt to
gather each trade to itself and we hope
to get much good out. of the luncheons.