The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-13

The depiorable loss by fire yesterday
of one of the favorite shopping places
of Birmingham women suggested bit
of tea-table talk OF holiday giving. holi-
day buying and holiday spirit. The
thought was advanced that, though there
is no denying the compelling force of
the call of suffering Europe. and no one
of US would lift his hand to stop dol
lar from crossing the water to stop
bit Of damage wrought by the war flame
--still--few more useful words have ever
been uttered than this admonition; These
ought We to have done and not leave the
other undone" What snail it profit us
to concentrate our giving upon Europe
and neglect to care, for our own indus
tries? In the end, what will it profit
Europe itself for his to take a course
that, sooner or later will increase the
number of the needy in our own land9
Months ago, before anyone in this coun-
try at least dreamed that the long her
aided general European conflict was
about to begin. merchants were laying
their plans for the coming winter Those
plans wcre naturally based upon exist
ing conditions, coupled with the expert
ence of preceding seasons. People were
in the habit of spending so much money
on this. that and the other at holiday
time. We must be ready for them. Thus
they reasoned. Stocks were ordered
and then the blow fell The financial ma
chinery OF the country was interrupted
and afterward came the appeal for ma
terial assistance from MISUNDERSTANDING
upon an unprecedented scale. Is II to
be wondered at If people forget every
thing but the great confiagration? The
outcome lis that people are asking them
selves IL they ought not to cut oft as
many streams of expenditure as possible
and pour into the stream Of gifts going
TO Europe as much as they can.
But on the other hand comes this plain
duty. We must not cut off help from
Europe, but neither should wo commit
an economic crime at home. The woman
who bought lavishly last Christmas and
thereby led the merchant to provide the
same amount this Christmas has a Ger
tain responsibility; she should-as nearly
rs the power within her lies, avoid dis
locating his plans this year. The clerks
Who waited upon you last year and the
rear before still need your patronage
rs the merchants need 1t, and the fac
tories that made the goods need It. The
duty of persons with large incomes, is
TO spend more freely than usual rather
than less freely; this was the tea table
conclusion, reached by the women who
talked yesterday afternoon of the num-
Der OF unemployed.
So. the advice to shop early has an espe-
cial point this year. The ranks of the
unemployed are larger than usual. To
shop early-and generousy-now is to
make a demand upon the loaded shelves
and counters that will require the addi-
ton of sales persons just when that ad-
dition will benefit everybody concerned
The reasons ordinarily urged for early
shopping are its advantage to the shop
per in full counters to choose from and
avoidance of last-hour brushes There is
a new reason this year-and the short
cning of the time remaining for Christ
mas purchasing urges this suggestion-the
need for finding employment for as many
persons as possible.
Miss Augusta Clark, whose photograph
appears today, is a young woman of espe-
cfal charm, and even thus early in her
first winter out Is a great fayorlte In the
fashionable life of Birmingham A blonde.
though her eyes are a soft lustrous brown,
she has an air of distinction which her
chic costumes set off admirably, but one
observes even in the drawing room, where
her royal bearing makes her a youthful
figure OF unique attractiveness. that she
Is essentially athletic And many re-
member her childhood love for a good
mount and a gallop over country roads,
which she had more time for as wee
lady than she has now as a woman
grown. And 1t was her early outdoor
life on horseback and in the tennis courts
that gave her perhaps bit of that
breezy, wholesome charm that is hers.
Ice he .,lxt
Gen. Louis V. Clark and except during
her convent years. when she was at St
Mary's academy at Peeksl<ill, N. Y, has
been his almost constant companion.