The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-12
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

says: Tt put Alabama in the lead in the roll call of states, but as she is the low est in the per capita wealth it appears that it doesn't make much difference to our people as to which way we are lead ing, up or down."
 B is the next letter in the alphabet. I wonder how many of my readers stud jed the "old Blue Back speller?' I dare say nearly all who are over 50 years of age can answer in the affirmative.
 Do you remember when you got as far as Baker and how proud you were of it. Baker was milestone on the road to learning to many a boy and girl in the old log house schools.
 Well, B stands for Birmingham and Saturday Birmingham got as far as Baker on the way to Muscle Shoals.
 But it seems that Alabama hasn't yet learned how to spell the name of her great water power site, for I got a letter say ing it ought to be written Mussel Shoals.
 QOU kflOW Wn6ln6T 0eCTeldIy bdhSl will ever see this or not but should it come to his attention, I hope he will not put off giving us what we want until we get together on the right way to spell the best name of the best place in Amer ica for the nitrate plant.
 He went to Tuscaloosa Sunday, or &C., oe 1,a ,ierIh graphists in the Druid City preferably to Tuskaloosa. I hope, however, he will not let a little difference in the correct spelling of the name prejudice him against the claims of our thriving and pushful neighbor.
 I couple the Secretary of War and the blue back speller advisedly. I had a in it. As the dear old book was the book of the people, so is Newton D. Baker a man of the people.
 He is about as big as Abe Kaufman. gears up like John Hornady as friendly as Asa Rountree, and as democratic as Webb Crawford
 I liked him from the first. He Is to- tally free from posing. He is just typical American without pretense or palaver. He charmed every one by being, just likable fellow who was desirous of meeting men on perfect equality.
 I started out with the alphabet. The session or sitting in the Tutwiler was staged like school. There were maps, and charts galore.
 
 When Professor Waldo stepped to the front and took his pointer and began to give us course in geography it was almost like going again to school.
 MT. Baker was about as eager and as a pupil as I ever saw. His eyes danced, his countenance changed, as Instructor Waldo got well into his sub- ject.
 The Secretary was free with his ques- tions; they were always to the point, and sometimes the teachers or speakers had to do some quick thinking to answer him.
 
 His face is unusually expressive. It was 9 study to watch him. You could almost see him thinking as point after point was recorded on his brain.
 IT. the three hours conference he never showed weariness or lack of interest, but tesy listened to each one who was called on to speak.
 I went with the party to the steel plant. [ walked a large part of the time through the plant by Secretary Bakers side as the explained things to him.
 
 It was really refreshing to see how alert he was in everything. He shot question after question at his guide. He was in terested from the moment he entered the great plant until he left it.
 At the by-product plant I got side light on his character. We were watch ing the automatic firing of some of the boilers. Said the Secretary: What a Godsend if something could be invented to save the strenuous work of the stokers on the men of war"
 Now, here was where I lost sight of the wonderful things being shown us. The machinery was showed in the background. The nitrate plant was forgotten. I was of America.
 Having studied at the University of Ber- lin in the days when the present Kaiser ascended the throne and having seen him almost daily as he rode out in soldiers uniform to the great drill grounds, he has always stood before me as the man who was going to trouble Europe.
 Little did dream that he was to dis turb the peace of the United States. and yet he and his little coterie of war lords have outworn even the patience of Pres ident Wilson, who now, thoroughly aroused, is ready to pick up the insolent challenge and arm our American vessels against the German sea raiders.
 Living in Berlin with its military air permeating every nook and corner of Russia and knowing how war was looked upon as the best way for Germany to get her place in the sun. I knew how im- possible it would be for the average Ger man citizen to realize that here in Amer ica on the eve of great conflict the G. Af No, oh