The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-07
THINKS THE TROUBLE WITH BIRMINGHAM IS
 UNEQUAL TAXATION
Is Against Increase of Tax Rate-Stands for Public Ownership of Politics. The People Should Know Everything
By RICHARD F. LUssIER

About this man-Shapiroi
 Everywhere on the streets, in the restaurants, about the courthouse, the
 city hall, in fact, in all channels where men, women and children frequently
 meet the name Shapiro arouses vi
 brant interest. Some are bitterly op-
 posed while others espouse with en-
 thusiasm. But there is talk, continuous talk for and against Shapiro, and he is at the present time the livest topic in Birmingham.
 Who is Shapiro?
 Not knowing offhand, the reporter
 hied himself to the third floor of the
 Brown Marx building yesterday after
 noon, where, in small, cosy suite of
 offices, the man whose name is ter
 rible bugaboo to the loan sharks
 and such cattle was seated Behind large desk, dictating to his stenog- rapher
 Shapiro is a little man. He sits facing
 the entrance of his office and he dic- tates his letters in sharp, aggressive
 tone-the words are chopped out, there is meaning to everything and one instinctively feels that here is a man
 who does not waste words, but goes
 directly to the point. His eyes are piercing and he looks straight at you when he talks Gan almost obsolete characteristic of politicians) and his voice is vibrant with a forceful earn estness. He looks talks and acts like the terrible little bantam fighter that he is reputed to be by his adversaries "So this is the lair of the corpora tion baiter?" said the reporter
 NOT A CORPORATION
 BATTER, HE DECLARES That is an erroneous impression," smiled Shapiro, as he courteously waved the scribe to chair. T am not a corporation batter. I merely attempt to call their attention to certain de- fects in their system of doing busi- 1 ness that is harmful to the people as a whole In fact, I want the people and the corporations to get together for . mutual understanding that will be of wholesome benefit to all"
 That was a rather a peaceful state- ment to start an interview on. The reporter had been led to expect some thing more fervid, more sophomoric in verdant youthfulness and exuberance. He acted contrary to expectations. His reputed expanded dome over his leg islative success was not in evidence. Tie was SlInply u DTlSky yOuHs anu eager spectator of life who talks of
 worth while things-and did them whenever the opportunity occurred However, it is best to give brief resume of how Shapiro has lived since he started living. It is not the story of bed of roses. but a story of ac- complishment against the everyday odds that vanquish the average boy of the masses.
 Shapiro was born in Birnin gham about 27 years ago. He missed the golden spoon in his mouth by about q million miles and. the fact that he was dirty little ragamuffin of very hum ble and poor parents made his lot no different nor more miserable than of thousands of other atoms of humanity.
 SOLD AGE-HERALD
 AT AGE OF FIVE
 At the mature age of Shapiro had attained enough savoir faire to start selling The Age-Herald on the down town streets "kll my life it has been work work and more work" said Shapiro, "and from selling papers I graduated to driving a grocery wagon for my father and incl rentally went to school. After few years in the public schools, had earned enough from selling newspapers and on the
 grocery wagon to take course at the w neelef sbuSlneSS coiicse, Wn'cH uiu when T was 12 years old I also entered the office of the clerk of the circuit court Mir. Walter McAdory. at the same time.
 For the ensuing six years worked with MT. McAdory, graduated from busi- ness school, studied law and was admit ted to the bar when I was IS years old. I was then in correspondence with the dean of Yale university to enter as a special student and the dean wrote back that could not enter the university as a special.'
 But you did go to Yale?'' said the reporter. q certainly did chopped out Shapiro "I borrowed the railroad fare to New Haven on an indorsed note from Walter McAdory. When I got there the dean refused to allow me to enroll, but finally gave in, as he had me on his hands. (COntfnned mn pnre Sfxl