The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-08
Patriotic League of Jeffer- son County Formed With
 Several Hundred
 Members HUDDLESTON FAILED TO UPHOLD COUNTRY IS STATEMENT MADE Speakers Declare Present Congressman Misrepre- sents District-Huddle-
 ston's Speeches Read

After listening to several intensely pa- trlotic speeches at the Jefferson the atre last night, several hundred citizens of Birmingham and Jefferson county formed themselves into the Patriotic League of Jefferson County. A resolu- Rev. Thomas Jones, was adopted with out dissenting vote. Membership in the league requires no initiation fee nor dues, and all patriotic citizens of the county are invited to be members. Practically every seat in the parquet of the Jefferson theatre was occupied by citizens who had responded to the invitation of the committee of 15 who had announced that the meeting was to be held in the interest of no candidate, but as a means of giving expression to the loyalty of Birmingham and as pro- test against the actions, utterances and attitude of Congressman Huddleston to- wards the war.
 Interspersed between the speeches d programme of martial and patriotic mu- sic and songs was rendered. the au-
  Der of them.
 PURPOSE OF MEETING In stating the purpose of the meeting, after an invocation by the Rev. Thomas Jones, Mercer Barnett, who presided, said that it had been called by number of patriotic citizens who wanted the people to get together so they could go over H.. .1 in the interest of any candidate, an- nounced or to be announced, but for the purpose of considering what to do in the matter of getting a congressman who will be representative of the sentiment of the district. "One thing we are against he said, and that is George Huddlseton.
 He said that two or three men had guaranteed the expenses of the meeting that no corporation or other interest had contributed a cent towards the expenses, and that at the conlcusion of the meet ing a collection would be taken up to pay expenses.
 Tt is a peoples meeting, he declared, 1 "a meeting for bankers, working men, merchants meeting for all patriots; | for everybody who wants America to win the war We want a congressman who is 100 per cent American. We want l a congressman who is 100 per cent pa | trotic. That is all we want. We are big family here in Birmingham. We have no patience with man who does not back up the administration, who does 1 not back up Woodrow Wilson; we have | no patience with a man who does not | back up our boys in France"
 BIRMINGHAM'S RECORD | IJo J nt tN fQl why we are in the war; that German propaga had tried to tell us, but they didn't get far, and he added that we are more patriotic than we were two | weeks ago He told of Birmingham s | great record in the Liberty Loan, Red Cross and Young Mems Christian asso- citation drives; of the faithful work oi the miners and laborers in the Birming- | ham district in keeping industries going that our boys in France may have the | things needed to win the war; of the effigies of pro- Germans hung about tho l city a few weeks ago, and declared thal they were hung there by patriotic men; 1 that any person who is not right hao ] better get right declaring that some l slackers and pro-Germans may take thS places of the effigies. He said that the 1 patriotic people of Birmingham meant l no injustice to anyone. but they would not tolerate pro-Germans, disloyalty oi |
 spies.
 Birmingham is the best town in the | country to live in," he declared, ano l the only blotch on iI is George Hud- dleston who misrepresents the district l in Congress; who has failed in his duty
 and put Birmingham in bad hgh'
 before the country by his opposition tc
 the administration and has done every
 thing to hinder the preparations TOT | war"
 POSITION OF RUSSIA | He said if there were more men like
 George Huddleston in Congress the
 United States would be in the position of Russia; that the representative from 1 this district had opposed the war, op- posed eonscription, opposed bond is-
 sues. and that he had got more boys | ont ot the army than any other con l gressman.
 ]. D. Matlock, the next speaker, de- | clared that war had been brought to
 us; that there is no such thing as neu-
 tralitv: that he who is not for us IS
 against us; that Birmingham had gone
 over in everything; that Alabama greatest patriotic act was in her splen- did subscriptions to the Red Cross and Young Mems Christian associations l He urged the people to be loyal Tn every thought, in every word and in | every act. and be ready to glVe all tc l the boys in the trenches, the boys who are fighting for that which our fore 1 fathers fought, bled and died, who are l fighting to make this country and the world free for democracy.
 George Watkins a young attorney
 who has been called to the colors and leaves Monday for Boston to join the | aviation service, was introduced by MT 1 Bennett, and was given a rousing ova- ton, the audience standing and cheer 1 ing him as he came to the front oi | the stage.
 MAKE SACRIFICES
 MT Watkins said the time had come for him to make a sacrifice, to leaN, his wife, who was also anxious to gc over there and do her part and hi: little daughter who wanted to fight ths big old Germans, and that the time l would come when all the young mer \ must make sacrifices He said tho time would come when the young mar yho failed in his duty to his country at this time could not walk the street; of Birmingham without hanging his head in shame.
 I He told of being in Washington 2 l few days ago where he had gone tc I arrange for entering the service, ot s1 ,~tz Al