The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-10-26
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

My good friend, Bob" Redus, who has been or the observation tower in Birmingham for more than a quarter of a century, and who has seen many civic outpourings, sagely remarked You can't have much of a parade without a plenty of banda"
 Realizing the wisdom of the remark. went to Anniston and got the loan of five military bands for Wednesdays pa- rade. I told General Rafrerty that we would give them good time. He let me have them because 1t was for a pa- triotic occasion, but I think he also has the reputation of being good to his men.
 I told Chairman Adams that I had promised the boys the time of their lives, and he wisely appointed s. l.. Yerkes head of committee to take care of them, and he had Lucien Brown and John Yeatman as co-workers, besides some good lieutenants in the entertain
  Shook, David Roberts, Frank Nelson and others.
 | The boys came over on special, hauled by the Louisville and Nashville, reaching Birmingham about S:45 a. m. This meant they had to leave Camp Mcclellan long before day. The band master told me he had the cook up at in the morning to boil eggs and make coffee for his men. Then came long ride in busses to Anniston from the camp. They left here at 9:45 p. m., hav- ing put in F hours, to get back to camp way after midnight. I am just showing what the men underwent to come and play for us.
 Along with the men came Maj. J. A. Ulio, division adjutant; Mai R. H. Kel- ley. division inspector; Mai Moore, Cap tain Chapman and Lieut.. J. c. Earnest These made up the officers in the United States army. They, however, brought with them Lieut.. Raymond Daiguy, French army officer, who was taken out of the trenches in northern France and sent to America as an instructor in ma- chine gun practice at Camp Mcclellan.
 Col. T. O. Smith the grand marshal of the day. was at the train to meet the visitors. I heard him ask Major U1io if the bands would play Dixie while marching up Twentieth street to the Southern club Sure" replied the obiging major. and calling Bandmaster George McNeill ho made the request known, and he gave the order, and up the street to the favorite southern air the committee led the way as the crowds on the sidewalk cheered.
 Reaching the club the five bands massed and played number of spir ited and patriotic airs. After finishing playing on behalf of the committee I made apnouncement to the members of the band that they would be entertained at the Southern club for lunch and sup per and to make it their headquarters. (However. the One Hundred and Elev- enth Field Artillery band had accepted the invitation to dinner at the Hfllman). The Athletic club and the Young Mems Christian association. with all privileges. were at their disposal. I told them that Fred Shreman invited them to make themselves at home at the Tutwiler that automobiles would be at the Southern club at II to take them over the city: that seats had been reserved for them at the Lyric at 7:so to see the great war pictures It was too much for one of the boys who said. Say, mister, we only got one day here; cant you get us a weeks leave to do all them nice things?''
 Just as the band boys were piling into the automobiles up came lot of sailor lads who just happened to be passing wouldn't like to go along accepted so quickly that the committee had to laugh, but it got busy and in few moments called into service sufficient cars, and the parade started down Twentieth street for the South Highland district. of a great race they had seen between the soldiers and the sailors as the spirit of rivalry urged them to see who would lead the procession Both sailors and soldiers attracted a great deal of atten- tion on the ride. They were lustily cheered and they waived and saluted and had great time.
 was in Frank Nelson's big car with Majors Ulio. Kelley and Moore, Captain Chapman and Lieut.. Raymond Daiguy. Just the week before I had made the rounds with Major General Duvall and his aide, and they were more than charmed with the beauty of the homes and the scenery. but I have never been with a more enthusiastic Birmingham booster" than was the gallant French man who exhausted his vocabulary in English. and had to rely on his native mother tongue to give vent to his pleas- ure and wonder at what he was seeing. The American officers were not one whit behind him in their praise They were only handicapped in having to use Eng fish. while every one knows that French is the language of enthusiasm.
 The visiting officers got glimpses Of two of Birminghams loveliest homes, as