The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-22

sss..ss.ss.......s.ssssss.. the evening was Frank Dixons lec- ture, entitled "Taking Stock of Town," which was delivered to a large audience.
 Today's programme opens with a morning lecture which will be deliv cred by Dr. Charles Es Barker at 10 a m and wifi be entitled. The Finest of the Fine Arts" Dr. Barker will also deliver an afternoon lecture on the sub ject of How to Live Hundred Years" Dr. Barker was formerly phys ical advisor to President Taft during his administration and is an expert whose opinion is eagerly sought by physical trainers. At the evening per- formance William owen will star in a production of modern drama entitled, The Servant in the House" Signer Giuseppe Bartolotta will appear at the afternoon performance in a musical re- oital. At 12:30 Dr. Barker Is sched- .uled to deliver an address for .busi- ness men at the Y Nj. c. A. auditorium. his subject being, "The Business Man and his Physical Condition" There will be no admission charge.
 Dixon's Lecture We'll Received
 Dr. Dxon's lecture last night proved exceptionally popular with Birming- ham people and his eloquent passages were cheered to the echo. He spoke in part as follows
 '"The building of the town or city in which you live is the biggest enter prise in which any man of you will ever have hand. Your private busi ness. however important, is but frag- ment of the communal interest. Your welfare is bound up with the happi- ness and prosperity of your neighbors. The citizen who seeks the common good is struggling most intelligentiy Tor hls own private gain. In the field Of com munity interests the great law of the spiritual world is likewise dominant. "He that seeketh to save his life shall lose itn That man is greatest among you who serves
 Most towns grow up by chance, not Knowing from one year to the next what the outcome is going to be Everything that is done is apt to be wrongly done, aimlessly and extravagantly done. Yet the opportunity for replanning and cor rectng the errors of the past is always ours.
 ..The energies of community are largely wasted because of lack of knowledge of the local needs, and a CO., ordination of the constructive forces which everywhere exist If general Is to fight battle. he must have before him in advance map of the territory In which the action is to occur, that he may familiarize himself with every square foot of the ground if possible If a people are to build a town or city they must map out the lines of growth years in advance that their resources may be conserved and their activities wisely directed.
 There are certain kinds of assets which constitute the wealth of this community, the resources out of which you are build ing your town. Examine some of them:
 "The corporation is the most efficient form of organization ever invented. Its simplicity is ultimate. It is controlled by board of directors They do not them- selves administer the affairs of the cor pora tion; they employ skilled assistance. Their employees are definitely responsible to them. When incompetency is discov- cred, it is instantly eliminated town ought to be organized as corporation. It's affairs ought to be administered as eco nomically and efficiently as the affairs of any business corporation. The city man. ager plan, now being adopted by some of our most progressive municipalities, is our most intelligent effort yet made to- ward the solution of our problem of town or city government. It is universally adap- table.
 Favors City Manager Plan
 "Is it not incontestably true that the first step in wisdom for every town is. to turn the search1ight of investi- gation upon it's own local needs that its people may understand them, and be in position to adopt the most ef- fective measures for the common bet terment? But this investigation will simply exhaust itself in fruitless pro- test unless the men and women who are deeply concerned for the community welfare bind themselves together in advance for vigorous. and sustained ac- tion Community Welfare associa- ton, embracing all other organizations existing for the service of the public boards of trade, chambers of commerce civic clubs. library associations. school boards. etc, and including every adult resident. ought to- be organized in every town and city in the nation Such an association could take hold of the facts revealed and tabulated by survey, and formulate a definite, concrete pro- gramme of local development Tire building of a city, clean, beautiful, per manent. dignifled. calls for united ac- ton on the part of the people. Fractional