The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-19
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS
Mixed

meeting here in New Orleans at the Atheneum.
 Inls is magnificent building owned by the Young Mems Hebrew association of this city.
 The Associated Press correspondent handling the report of the convention bears the good old Hebrew name of Is- rael
 But there floats great streamer in the auditorium with these significant words: Jesus calls us Der the tumult." The reporter at my side, who is cov- ering the sessions for local paper, is Methodist preacher. I have been busy trying to drill it into him that there is no such thing in the world as the Baptist church; that each church Is a local religious body, and that while there are Baptist churches the Baptist church does not exist It's fine point for the uninitiated, but Bap- lists make the discrimination. All Of which leads me to say that it's quite a difficult thing for the average reporter on secular paper to write up a religious convention without making a break.
 To obviate this the Southern Baptist oo for appointed trained secular newspaper man, who is also a Baptist preacher, to assist the daily press in reporting the convention.
 The populat ton here in New Orleans is considerably mixed up. Out of total number of 3s7,OO0 we find native whites, 13O,ooo; real foreigners, s7,oOo; French speaking, 60oOO; Italian-speaking, 25,0oo; spansh-speaking, sooo0; other tongues, 15,0Oo negroes. 9oo0O. So you see it's easy to get mixed up down here.
 
 The local committee in selecting a man to make the address of welcome got ex- Governor w. W. Heard of New Orleans, a Baptist, to do it. (The present gover- nor, R. G. Pleasant of Baton Rouge IS also a Baptist
 Speaking of the religious mix-up, I'm also mixed up on my barbers. The first day an Irishman shaved me, the second a Frenchman, the third an Italian, and I'll find a German with razor in hand, looking down into my face. If this hap pens I'll light out and use my safety. l believe in Safety First"
 Speaking of getting mixed up, the con- vention certainly got badly mixed in trying to settle on a president. Six men were nominated and each one lauded to the skies
 But the sure enough mix-up began on the floor when motion after motion was put to the presiding officer to deter mine on the method of eliminating the men who Jagged behind in votes.
 When the convention began to ballot, some of the brethren wanting to save time tried to get motion passed mak ing the four lowest men in the voting the vice presidents.
 Here is where the man in the chair couldn't tell heads from tails in the shower of motions, amendments, substi- tutes and other lodges, and, like a sem sible man, told brother who made a point of order, You are right but this is no time for parliamentary foolishness. This was his way of mastering the scramble.
 But the sure enough mix-up came when the tellers came in with the ballots to make their announcement. No one had received a majority of the votes cast.
 It was then the sure enough tangle started that it seemed no one would ever unravel, and yet finally common sense got the better of the parliamentary was elected.
 Dr. Preston Blake of Birmingham, who welcome, said of ex-Governor Heards surflhS Baptist speech that he hoped the local press would print it in full
 
 pr. Blake made a decided hit in his speech. He has a great hold on the con- vention. His address was full of optim- ism with a vein of humor running through it. A number of his members were present to hear him.
 
 It's against the rules of the conven- ton to applaud. pr. Burrows is spe- cially set against it, but he couldn't stop it while Dr. Blake was speaking
 
 There is a big crowd here from Ala bama, and it's a joy to see how they mix up. The fellowship is one of the big things at.the convention. l have noted the following Birming- ham people here: Mrs. T.. G. Bush, Miss ! Annie Williams, Miss Forbes, 1T. L. Strickland, Drs A. J. Dickinson and Preston Blake, Dr. and Mrs. c. Ross Baker, Mr. and Mrs. D. H. Brown, J. E. Greene, Drs. Shelburne and Thornton MT. and Mrs A. B. Batson, Miss Willie Jean Stewart. H. M Watson, pr. B. F. Riley. l e3smIkzM<Xl18npsexI F. s.: Louis saks once called me Bap-