The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-05

Several hundreds of citizens in all walks Of life gathered at the Bijou theatre yes terday afternoon in order to hear the ar guments pro and con on the three bond issues which comes before the electorate Of Birmingham today.
 The meeting was under the auspices of the Laborers' Volunteer Co-Operative Git izenship and Educational committee, and following the speaking Chairman Charles Hall stated succintly that the purposes of the organization was merely to get the voters amongst the laboring classes to- gether in order that information on all public questions be given them. The com mittee, it was stated, made no recommen- dations and indorsed no proposition or candidate. It simply sought the facts from both sides and allowed it's members to judge for themselves.
 ALL REPRESENTED
 On the roster of the speakers at the Bijou mass meeting were representatives of every class in Birmingham. The Chamber of Commerce was represented Col s. J. Bowie and General Manager William c. Radcliffe, the city commission through Commissioners J. E Hornady James Weatherly and Arlie Barber; the anrl-soc1alsts and the Bir- mingham Railway Light and Power com pany by E. G. k. Gordon, the Municipal Ownership league by T. H. Motion, and the educational committee by E.l D. smith and lsadore Shapiro. It was the first time in the history of the city, ac- cording to the speakers, that a civic or saniza ton had gathered it's members to- .,;x1 tlons. The majority of the speakers de- voted some portion of their remarks to compln enting the Laborers Co-Opera' tive and Educational committee on their progressive spirit in seeking to educate che voter to his responsibilities.
 Throughout the three hours of feryid oratory, members of the labor committee were solicitous as to the comfort of the large audience. Fans were freely passed about and Chairman Hall ruled with an iron gavel on all incipient outbursts of heckling of any of the speakers. Cues tions from the floor were ruled out of order unless submitted in writing, and uniform courtesy was requested toward all the speakers. Every speaker was linn tied as to time, but as the representa- tive of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company was given several additional minutes in which to complete
  every other speaker also was given ad- ditional time.
 THE SCHOOLS FIRST
 The speaking began with E. D. Smith, democratic national committeeman-elect who briefly outlined his favorable i'm clinations toward all three of the bond issues. MT. Smith spoke briefly and was followed by the feature of the afternoon the stereopticon lecture of Commissioner John R. Hornady. The head of the edu- cational department of the city was in good voice, and with tremendous effort he urged upon the audience to give heed to the demands of the present school system. Pictures were flashed upon the white screen of the vile conditions now existing in the Birmingham schools, in the matter of sanitation and lack of fire protection. Throughout Commissioner Hornady was interrupted by the vigorous applause of the audience. and he was cheered to the rafters at the close of his address.
 Commissioner Hornady was the only representative of the $2, GOO school bond issue, and his address was the only ar- gument in favor of this proposition. There was no argument against the schools.
 The $5O0,0O0 bond issue for the enlarge ment of the municipal light plant at