The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-06
b|RM|NGHAMEASY WINNER FOR 1916 VETERANS REUNION Johnson Says Boys Band and Tom Heflin Carried
 the Day ALABAMA ORATOR
 WILDLY CHEERED Heflin States Radcliffe and Johnson Did Real Work and the
 Boys Band Gave Him
 Inspiration

That the Alabama BOyS lnuuStrlal school band created most lasting inn pression and was of great influence in getting the United Confederate Veterans 1916 reunion for Birmingham, was state ment made yesterday by Crawford John- son, president of the Chamber of Con- merce, upon his return to his office after attending the Richmond reunion.
 Mr Johnson said that he desired to publicly bear witness to the effectiveness of the Boys Industrial School band when they appeared before the veterans at Richmond He was also very warm in his praise of Congressman J. Thomas Heflin whom Mir. Johnson said made one of the greatest speeches he ever heard. MT. Johnson said that Congressman lief lin had the veterans on their feet half the time cheering as if they would go wild
 ''The boys band and Mir Heflin did seldom witnessed such ovations as were given the boys and certainly 'Mf. Heflin never made speech that created such an impression. The veterans were sim ply swept off their feet and for min- utes at time they yelled approval at the outbursts of eloquence from the dlstin' guished Alabamian. I never listened te a speech that l enjoyed more.''
 HefIin Here Last Night
 Congressman Heflin, who so noblS pleaded Birminghams cause for the 19lt meeting of the Confederate veterans spent last night in Birmingham. MT lief lin left early this morning for New De- catur where he will deliver an address this afternoon before the Joe Wheeler chapter, United Daughters of the Con- federacy, at their memorial exercises.
 MT. Heflin was very enthusiastic about the reunion He said he had never en' loved a reunion more, and we re gong to make the veterans enjoy it next veal more than they ever have before,' he added.
 MT. Heflin paid high tribute to Gen George P. Harrison of Opelika wbo pre-
 sided over the meeting in the absence ol
 Gen. Bennett H, Young, commander 1T
 chief. who was unable to attend the re union because of illness. rumor reached Birmingham a few days ago that Gen eral Harrison had been urged by m: friends to run for the office of com
 mander in chief against General Young MT Hefln would not talk regarding this +
 gathered that General Harrison refused to make a bid for the office, fearing i would complicate matters for Alabam; l to be asking for two honors al the hand of the veterans and thus causing Bir minghams chances for getting next year
 meeting to be jeopardized
 Johnson Live Wire
 Crawford Johnson, president of th' Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, Il one of the 1ivest men l have seen II years" said MT. Heflin. MT. Johnson ltogether with the able secretary Of th' civic chamber, William c. Radcline W orked like Trojans to bring the re union to Birmingham in 1916. It was
 their efforts that inspired me as I faced that vast sea of humanity with an in vitation to come to the fairest city II eli the south, where hospitality reigns supreme; where hearts are as open as full blown rose; where the most beauti- ful women on earth are to be found!
 Camp Wilcox, headed by Capt. John G
 Smith, was very active and had not the hirminghamians been assisted by these
 veterans the fight would have been harde'
 to win They were enthusiastic and !, was good to see them so actively en' eaged in the work of the reunion, and 1T the working of bringing it to Birrnlng
 ham next year."
 "The Alabama Boys Industrial Scnoo hand, too, was there and the presence of these talented young musicians gave added zest to the occasion. It was z proud moment for me to see these young fellows being cheered to th' echo, and as I arose to deliver the in vitation to the veterans to visit Bir' mingham they started Dixie It wal beautiful. I just had to put my whole soul into the invitation, for l couldn
 bear the thought of disappointing thos' | boys.
 , hit of the reunion. It made the rounds Of every hotel in the city, playint southern airs. Everybody had cheei for them. everybody was pleased witt | them. The advance work done by MT
 Crawford and Mir. Radcliffe, when sup
 rlemented by this band. was impossible | to beat.
 T know Birmingham, and I know
 that this city vii make the 1916 re l union of the United Confederate Vet erans the most pleasant they ever en l jcyed. want to be here"
 | MT. Heflin gave it as his opinion tha Germany either would stampede the allie within a few days. or cause the United | States to become involved in the war He believes that as soon as it accom- plishes the task of getting declaration
 of war from the United States the Ger man government will throw up it's hands saying it is very sorry the United State bat the world, and that it would like t'