The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-13
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

IHe mOIIO or the Rotary cluDS IS Service" but here in this city the watchword of the Rotarians is, Help Win the War;
 A man drops into a rescue mission and under the spell of some preacher of righteousness comes out leaving be- hind his past life of sin and debauch- ,ery and becomes a Jerry McAuley. a Sam Hadley or Billy Sunday It's the power of God at work in his human soul.
 club member attends perfunctorily his weekly luncheon and gets into an at mosphere or hears something which transforms him from an indifferent look er-on in Venice, so far as the war is concerned, to an active worker in the home trenches. Some call it the spirit of service at work, while the converted speak of it as the Holy Spirit mani- festing Himself in the lives of men.
 e<a
 Call it what you may, but there was something unusual in the gathering of the Rotarians at the Tutwiler on Wednesday. I have been going regularly for quite a while, but I sensed the diff ference as the men took their seats at the table. There was a subdued un- dercurrent of seriousness that pervaded the room. The members spoke to one another in tones of unusual earnest ness There was an absence of the usual fun and levity.
 Bruce Kennedy of Montgomery began the speechmaking with an earnest plea for food conservation. There wasn't the slightest effort to be witty. He talked in dead earnest about the necessity of falling in behind Hoover and doing what he was asking the American people to do in the way of saving food that the men who fight might be properly fed, It was plain, straightforward state ment, without any frills, and it went home to many present. Its practical re- suit was in the motion to cut out wheat on Wednesday at the luncheons.
 Then pr. Barnwell, a member of the Kiwanis club, but a guest of the Ro- tarians, spoke on welfare work. His talk was practical and was timely at this Christmas season, for he was speaking in the interest of neglected childhood.
 He rightly said that while the various institutions caring for orphaned, neg lected or dependent children were do- ing a good work and deserving support, the true place for a child was in some home. I was sitting by Sol Caheen, who turned to me and said Bruce Kennedy has just talked about food conservation and I believe in it, but Dr. Barnwell is talking about a still greater thing-child conservation" His speech mellowed up the crowd for what was to follow.
 Frank Rushton, the next speaker start ed out in his own humorous way but he couldn't keep it up, for everyone saw that he had deeper message that was bursting to get out, and so he put aside his sparkling wit and went to work in earnest to arouse the best that was in the men before him. I had always heard him when he was bright, snappy and entertaining, and had failed to
  tense feelings of patriotism. It is a saying in the country when a preacher drives true and straight that he is speaking with liberty Frank had enough and to go around, for he just scattered democracy at the end of every period.
 He thrilled the bunch when he said: 'Yesterday, with two companions, l stood in a downtown office and saw just across the way about 100 young and some of them were thinly clad, and several without coats. I said, God | bless them and eased my conscience. I A second man said, Poor fellows, I pity them for what they must face But the third man said nothing, but turned and | left. and went across the street and handed to man in overalls bill and told him to, buy him an overcoat. And 1 tthen, said he, my friend and woke up to the fact that prayer and pity were poor substitutes for sacrificial giv- l ing.
 l "But now comes the part that sent quivers down every mans spine. The
 man in overalls thanked the good Samaritan who offered him cloak, but i proudly said, No, I am in the war tc do my part and I reckon I'll make
 out without having to be paid to do my part I know you mean well, but can't take your money" It went home | like a dart to everyone who heard il | that if that laborng man, out in sleet ! shivering with cold, was accomplishing who remained at home warmly clad ano under shelter ought to be willing te make some sacrifices to stand by the men who are taking up the big end O. the burden in winning the war agains German autocracy.
 It was. however, old Dan Dimmicl who gave the Rotarians the surprise O their lives. Dan has never posed as al speaker, but after he got through his I minutes of hot shot, which came straigh from his big heart, there were tears il lthe eyes of many and the whole mem
 bership had been reimmersed in patri
 otism that meant that they were read
 to live up to the motto, and serve an,
 sacrifice time. business and money t help win the war. When Dan said
 AFellows, ever since pr. Holmes got II and told about letting his high schoe
 boy go to France I have felt differen l Q bo,t nv duty to my country, and Whe