The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-04
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

Just a bit over year ago I did my best to start a Market Basket Brigade. " was one of the charter members. went so far as to own up to carrying a game rooster home under my arm. l suppose I did It to show that I was game"
 I cited instances of how the notables of Washington could be seen with market basket on arm down amongst the huck- sters doing their own haggling. I spoke of the market as the peoples true forum. I did everything in my power to make it both democratic and the fad.
 I urged 1t as the best means of getting acquainted with those who were supply ing US with our eatables. thought 1t would benefit both if we could just take acquaintance" I also pointed out that it would mean a. saving, as 1t would cut down costly deliveries. I got a few to join me, but the great bulk still clung to the old way.
 Then the merchants took up the ques- ton of deliveries in earnest as it was getting burdensome and costly. They made some rules and also made num- Der of their patrons mad, but when the people learned that the merchants were going to stick by their guns. they finally fell into line, and ceased to kick if they couldn't force deliveries every hour dur ing the day to suit their whin.
 Then came the war and 1t was soon seen that it was patriotic to be a bundle "toter," and thereby release the deliv- cry men for more useful work. The cry just at present comes for laborers. The -four minute men" are busy all over the land urging men to go into the ship yards As soon as I finish this article I've got to go to one of the theatres and beg men to gather up their tools and rush to Uncle sam's help.
 The basket brigade is growing. You can no longer spot a Mountain Terrace man on a Lakeview car merely because he Is loaded down with bundles. There are others who have taken to doing their own shopping and then making delivery boys out of themselves. It's badge of cour' age.
 It's no longer necessary to apologize for having an arrnful of groceries. It's really getting to be good form.
 Then came along Piggly Wiggy so extensively advertised. At first some thought it was some new kind of a child's game, but then one day invi- tations reached the public to call ar inspect something new under the sun It was a success from the start Day by day I saw my Basket Brigade grow larger and larger until now it's the thing today when you meet man with a basket on his arm to say: .'Oh see you are Piggly wiggly-er.'
 Now, the other day the Rotarians were invited to attend the Piggly Wig gly headquarters in a body, and each Rotarian was given number and told that as he went through the clerkless store to watch the bins or shelves for the number he held and to take olt as souvenir. It was a lot of fun to see busy business and professional men searching for their numbers with as much eagerness as the average kid used to open his 5-cent prize box to see if he got a gold ring.
 George Knox, the manager of the Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph company. a handsome bachelor, drew package of Aunt Jemima's'' self hising flour. Thornton Estes, who owns two lumber yards, was fortunate enough to get a package of clothes pins. Harry Jones. the baseball fan, landed a package of stove polish. Key Mllner, the landscape artist, proudly packed home package of Quaker oats. Val Nesbitt, the handsome president of Rotary, caught box of sardines. Buster" Brown was lucky enough to strike oil and got enough for a ma chine. These give some idea of the way the drawing went.
 
 I see, however, that the self-service idea has won a new convert, for on Saturday one of the old grocery firms following in the wake of Fowlkes & Myatt. who pioneered in Birmingham the 'Piggly Wiggly" enterprise, for Orr & Roberts blossomed out in a 'U-Tote- Elm" cash grocery store. Now, hold no brief for any special crowd who is getting people to adopt my idea Of joining a Basket Brigade" All that want is for it to get bigger and bigger.
 I was told that southern people would never be taught to carry their pur- chases. That is getting to be a thing of the past, for already here in Birming- ham it is no longer an unusual sight tc see men of all classes with basket under their arm on shopping tour to the markets. A friend met me the other afternoon with basket loaded with mar ket produce and said: 'Why, doctor, l , am surprised to see man of your dig nity loaded down in any such way" have never been strong on my dignity '' am ''pleb."
 l l like to do my own marketing. I think 1 1t would stimulate our grocers, produce men, fish and oyster dealers if their patrons would visit them daily and make their own selections. know one thing