The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-14
UNITY OF EFFORT THE REAL KEY ID
 C|TY'S PROGRESS
Manufacturers Exhibit An other Example of What Gan Be Accomplished
 by Close Cooperation
By J. H. EDMoNDsoN


 Birmingham as a city is of such lew years that not many of her citizens worth while, men who have materially aided in
 local development, are native born Her business population is therefore like the
 industrial element. extremely cosmopoh- tan. Men of unquestioned and proven ability, but students of the business his- tory of other localities. are too busy Tn many instances to study the particular needs of and apply much Of their per sonal time and effort in behalf or the city of their adoption. If Birmingham were an older city, with many years of gradual growth through the co-opera- tive efforts of generations of native-born citizens whose very pride of home ana ancestry had stimulated their endeavors' she would long since have become a greater metropolis and taken her place among the nations greatest commerciai and industrial centers, as she is sureiy destined to do.
 We must not discount too greatly what has already been accomplished, however, by the few real workers in our civic life: The criticism, if any, should be directed to those who have ignored opportur .Hs for cooperative service and allow a handful of patriots to remain at the helm and by giving of their time, lapor and money. continue our civic organiza- tions and administer affairs as best they could That more might have and should have been accomplished cannot be denied.
 But when one considers how few have volunteered and how few have continued to serve, what has been done is indeed creditable
 Periodical campaigns for new members and rearrangements of our business or ganizations have been necessary. Why!
 Because of lack of interest, hence lack of cooperation and finally lack of proper accomplishment by these bodies It has seemed the rule that after urgent solcl- tation many firms ano individuals wno have joined our commercial bodies have paid their dues and considering their duty performed renamed away from meetings and refused service on commit tees. From this habit of leaving the business of the whole body to the atten- tion of the few who were willing to handle it. have arisen jealousies, crltl- cisms and even open declarations that the organization was dominated for selfish interests by ring or clique. This
 is eminently unjust and ungratefuL
 At the flor Birmingham banquet of the Chamber of Commerce at the Tut wiler on Monday eveii-ng, November g.
 ' civic worker of splendid experience, sounded a keynote when he said: Men, you get only as much happiness out Of your home life as you put into 1t, only as much comfort from your spiritual life as your conduct deserves, only as much progress in your business life as your methods can earn. and oiily as much ad- vancement in your civic life as you give of time and effort to cooperation with your fellow men.' President Crawford Johnson also pointed true motto when he appealed for unity of purpose and eff fort by all present, especially co-opera- | ton.
 l And now. in this word "co-operation there is an entire sermon that every | man in Greater Birmingham needs tc take home to himself and into his cham Der of reflection. If he is indeed loyal and patriotic citizen of the community he will appreciate the great good to be accomplished for his city, its every enter- prise, himself and his neighbors, by CO., operation. splendid application of ef- fective cooperation open to all alike is a determination to traue at home. Price, quality and service being equal, every citizen should prefer the article made at home when buying, and if it cannot be supplied. buy through home dealer whenever possible. To do otherwise Is but to enrich the profits of other com munltes, while impoverishing one's own And this leads As up to another i'm portant subject: However willing the prospective buyer may be to consider the home product he should not be expected to sacrifice too much of personal time in making what he wants. It is the obli- gation of every local manufacturer whC regards home to inform his possible cus- toners as to what he makes, it's qualif- cations and where it may be obtained. A means of doing this has already been provided in Birmingham. magnificent building, splendidly equipped, capably managed and especially attractive to all visitors. has been dedicated to a perma- nent display of the districts resources and manufactured products. Over 50 per cent of the local producers have accept ed the opportunity of displaying their wares. With q better appreciation of its educational values and better spirit of cooperation, the balance of our manu- lecturers should accept the nominal cost of maintenance and exhibit. This enter prise is conducted by the Birmingham Manufacturers Permanent Exhibit asso- citation at 1923 Firest avenue, and has been operating since August 1 of this year. The exhibition has had an 'infor-
 maF' opening and entertains several hun dred visitors daily. formal opening of the entire building will Be held on Mon- day evening, November P. at which time many citizens prominent for the part they
 have taken in local development will
 make brief and pertinent addresses. At the same time will be inaugurated on the auditorium floor Birmfnghams greatest
 Pure Food show and the annual bazaar of the Ladies Aid society of St. Nary church. The public is cordially invited to
 attend and learn what unity, cooperation means for Birmingham.
 ---------------.s.------.-