The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-07-12
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

tome of worldly wisdom.
 It lies back of all detective work, 1t points the way to scandal. it uncovers many a dedication. it bobs up in pol tics it has even been giving credit for starting wars
 It's a bit of typical Parisian cynicism. but America has long ago learned that when you want anything done, you must look to women to do it. So here in Ala bama we were in style when we called oil Mrs. Mathis to lead us out of the tw- light zone of agricultural unpreparedness into the full light of plenty, and the growing food crops show how wonder fully well she acted as a torch bearer.
 
 And now comes along Hoover, the most talked of man in America, because he is to tell us how much and when to eat, for he has been set up as the food ad- ministrator, which is tactful way of covering up the shorter and uglier term of food dictator, which grates on Amer ican ears. Those sitting in high places have begun to realize that Mrs. Mathis was preaching the true gospel when three months ago she began saying in The Age-Herald: You've got to eat less, waste less and raise more"
 In spite of all our masculine airs of better halves when we want to do what the French include in their expression Of little economies, and, by the way, l could write an instructive and illumi- mating article on the part the mothers and wives of France play in making the peace and war. If American women have been known as the spenders, their French cousins have been known as the savers.
 There is one thing about the Amer ican woman that is in her favor She knows how to adapt herself. She has in- finite capacity either In spending or sav- ing, and while she may never practice the little short cuts of some of her sis ters across the seas, If she makes up her mind that her country needs her services she will meet any emergency put upon her
 Now, knowing this, Hoover, the wise man that he is. makes his appeal to the of America. for he knows that they not only have 1t in their power to conserve food, but that they will do it in an intelligent way and so he brushes aside all details and puts it squarely up to them.
 System is required in everything worth doing. Our sons have registered for serv- ice abroad and now our women are asked to register for service at home. The object is to- register every house. hold in America between July 1 and 15, and so the following card is being dis tributed in the United States. Alabama will get 3Oo,OOO.
 To the Food Administrator, Washing
 ton, D. c.
 I am glad to join you in the serv-
 ice of food conservation for our na- e ton and I hereby accept membership
 in the United States food administra-
 ton, pledging myself to carry out
 the directions and advice of the food
 administrator in the conduct of my
 household, insofar as my circum-
 stances permit.
 Name .......... Address ...........
 Number in household ................
 Do you employ a cook? .............
 Occupation of breadwinner ............
 Will you take part in authorized
 neighborhood movements for food
 ccnServation? .........................
 There are no fees or dues to be paid.
 The food administration wishes to
 have as members all of those ac-
 tually handling food in the home.
 Governor Henderson has requested the Alabama Federation of Women's Clubs to do the distribution work, and Mrs. the committee in Greater Birmingham. a job, but with her usual ex- ecutive ability she has organized the work and will have 500 patriotic women to canvass the homes from Fairfield to East Lake and from Acipco to the South be frightened if every housekeeper will and make the task as light as possible.
 It will be an unpatriotic act for any woman in Birmingham to look upon the women who are unselfishly doing their bit for the government as intruders or mere canvassers. It's a work of dig nty and should command the respect of high and low. Birmingham's club 1 women are the cream of our social and religious life, and it's hoped that as they go from door to door that they will be met graciously.
 I take off my hat to the clubwomen of this great city. Take them out of it's life and it would be dreary town in which to live or do business. They add spice and flavor to the body polite, they purify the social atmosphere, and they help to soften the asperities of busi- ness. Long ago they adopted as their war slogan: Give your best and give IL now" Here is hoping that today will be a great day not merely in card signing, but in the women of Greater Birmingham getting better acquainted with one an- other.
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