The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-02-09
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

@~SA- C' was III lLAAll6 AeAh Tuesday.
 This simple announcement meant that something was doing If there ever was man on the top side of this earth who hated dull time. it's my friend Brough- ton.
 Sam Jones once said in introducing him Ladies and gentlemen, want to present to you pr. Broughton, a man whose backbone weighs 12O pounds and whose hair weighs 10 pounds"
 Broughton says he felt mighty stuck up over Sam's introduction, but that his pride got jolt when a preacher intro duced him at a. great convention as "Broughton, the man who the great Geor- gia evangelist said had 12O pounds of hair and 10 pounds of backbone"
 He certainly has courage or he never would have talked out in a mixed assem- ply about suffragettes as he did in his lecture the other night at the High school.
 thought he was on dangerous ground when his pro-English sympathies made him indict Germany so ruthlessly. I thought he was on slippery ice when he handled without preface or apology the Catholic question. He didn't seem to care whether they or the Protestants liked it He just mixed it all up together and let the audience separate it to suit them
 
 selves His very daring put it across.
 
 But when he lit into the suffragettes. particularly the English militant brigade who stood up during one of his services In London and sang a patriotic song Tn defense of the imprisoned Miss Pank- hurst, really thought he was foolishly brave. It was his wit and humor that drowned the mutterings of those whose first impulse was to hiss.
 It's really curious how some men can say hard things about others and get away with 1t. Just think of any one in this climate saying that William Jennings Bryan should be interned and get ap- plause instead of disapproyal I merely give this as an instance of his mode of attack
 This reminds me of an incident that has never gotten into print. Dr. Brough- ton, fresh from tour through England, Scotland and Wales in behalf of finding homes for the Belgian refugees, came to America to lecture just about the time MT Bryan resigned as Secretary of State.
 He gave lecture on preparedness in Asheville that evidently rattled the pacifists, for it got on the nerves of MT Bryan, the apostle of peace, who. happened to be in Asheville at the time It seems the local papers played up with fight.
 Broughton, little dreaming or caring what the great treaty maker thought about his utterances. was seated in the breakfast room of the Grove Park inn, with face immersed in the papers tickled at the way his talk had been featured
 In walked the great commoner, his face wreathed in smiles, until he caught sight of Broughton's hair showing above the paper. His countenance clouded. The dove of peace flew off his shoulder and revealed a club which its feet had hid
 Boldly advancing, the great pacf1cator said: How dare you or any other man." or words of similar import, ito say my speciality of treaty making will not pre- vent war" This would have been suf- ficient to shut up any ordinary man, but not Len Broughton.
 T dare,'' said the fighting parson, "be- cause this great war has shown that treaties are but scraps of paper to any armed nation bent on war" This was the way the scrap began. It wasn't long before the guests realized that America wasn't neutral on the question of peace or war but that great men were lined up on both sides.
 The incident closed by Bryan thinking that Broughton knew mighty little about diplomacy and was no diplomat. and by Broughton thinking that Bryan knew precious little about the Bible and was a poor interpreter of theology.
 I didn't hear the conversation. I got it secondhand and, therefore, it may have been colored, but I wish I could have overheard the repartee that flashed when two of the greatest platform men in America were In clash of wits.
 I dare say In spite of Broughton's wish, Bryan will not be interned, but will go on charming chautauqua crowds with his great address on the Prince of Peace.". and that Broughton in spite of Bryans desire will continue to go round unmuz- zled telling America to get ready against that day when she must fight.
 I am for peace even if I have to fight for it..
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