The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-27
MEN, WOMEN

I have been up to Capitol park so often to see the selectmen being checked up preparatory to entraining that thought look in on the new drafts without being affected as I was at the beginning of tho war when the first contingent got away.
 But Monday morning I kept seeing a stream of people going toward the head of Twentieth street, and when I went out for lunch numbers were still going and something over 800 of Birmingham boys who arriving at their majority had reg istered or June 1 and had been called bout to enter training camps.
 Now, remember these were our own boys, right out of our own Birmingham homes, and from all walks of life. One stereotyping department, was in the bunch. I got there after the checking had been completed and the men were at rest. Now, the good sense of Pepperman and his faithful aids were shown in let ting the friends and relatives come in the lines to be with the boys.
 Not only this, but permission was given for any who cared to do so to go down
 in the city with the understanding that they were to report at certain hour. 1 met maay Of the boys wearing their tags and accompanied by their sweethearts on my way tc the park. Had it not been for the telltale tags I would have just taken them for lads and lassies out for stroll When reached the park it looked more like picnic than war party, for, sit- ting on the benches or resting beneath the trees were scores of couples or groups, and there was nothing to indicate tha, the manly young fellows were just on ths eve of making the great adventure for their country's sake.
 I found many family parties scattered around the auditorium, and also soma punches of men who seemed to be thrown on their own resources as they waited on account of a delayed train. To me the men without any mothers, sisters or sweethearts to fuss them up seemed the most pathetic of the lot
 They were to have left at 12:3O. but did not leave for an hour and so the band having failed to show up as promised. a hurry call was sent out for some singers, and soon a lovely quartet of Red Cross workers arrived on the scene and the piano was rolled to the front and as they sa. .... patriotic and popular songs the boys joined heartily in the chorus.
 \ I was asked to make a short talk. which 1T did. have spoken on many occasions from tho same platform, and frequently to soldiers. hut somehow it broke me all up as looked out on hundreds of splen did young fellows who had just crossed the threshold of manhood, but upon whom had fallen the burden of war.
 
 I cut out all attempts at conventional speechmaking and just tried as simply as I could to let them know that all of | us were QIOu0 Ok tAACiA rAu ludt IolIIulHs3- ham was going to show it by continuing to go lover the top" in all of the war ac. tivities, so that they need not want for the best food, the warmest clothing. and plenty of munitions.
 l I'll tell you. when a fellow who is go | Ing to stay at home and get three meals
 a day. and sleep under his own roof. and go out abou. his daily business without l let or nindrance, and who will be permit
 ted to watch the movies, attend the thea !! tres, go to church. and, in fact, live th<
 sheltered life far away from danger, aht who is unwilling to support the calls his
 government makes on him, is unworth, tho sacrifice Of the brave boys who wen
 out from us on Monday
 They had great time at lunch It tn, IHiIlman. much bstter way to feed m ~~,-c*---~- *s~~ with hcx lnnches 1t m