The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-04
MAXWELL SUBMITS
 TRIED PLAN ID SELL
 THRIF I STAMPS
Plan Meets Approval and May Be Generally Adopt cd Throughout the
 State

The national war savings committee. of which Crawford Johnson is state di- rector, has received letter from J. c. Maxwell of Alexandria City, in which he outlines a plan fur thrift stamp campaign, which has been used with much success in that place. The funda- mental principles of the plan adopted are that every child between the ages of , and r years of age be given absolute ly free one thrift stamp, and that at the same time request made of them to save enough more in the stamps dur ing this year to amount at least to one baby bond.
 The cordial reception with which MT. Maxwelrs suggestion was accepted in Alexander City may he better judged from the reading Of the letter which Crawford Johnson received from him yesterday. It is as follows:
 Alexander City, Ala, January 1. IBIS. 'AIr. Crawford Johnson, State Director Birmingham, Ala;
 My Dear Sir--You will recall a pian l submitted at the Birmingham meeting, in December of the county directors of the baby bond and thrift stamp sale for launching the campaign in my home tOHtl, tAlC&dIQeEs N3lSs the DIan being 10 raise fund to purchase and donate the initial thrift to each of the 1o0o children in the town between the ages of and l I years aS a starter to acquire tt least one baby bond by January 19l9 The plan laid before few good men was ac- cepted enthusiastically and $250 raised on the spot, and 1900 thrift stamps or dered at once. This was an unusual or der, and a little fear was felt that it might net be honored. but a personal letter to President Joseph A. McCord of the Atlanta federal reserve bank. ex- plaining the scheme and asking his CO., operation, brought the stamps by first mail, with hearty indorsement of the plan.
 "A visit to all the schools of the town and little speech to the children and
 announcement through all the churches and a newspaper notice enlisted the thousand enthusiastic children and pre- pared them to meet me Christmas after noon, to receive their initial thrift stamp. It was rainy afternoon. The weather, the Christmas dinners the Christmas toys. were against me-but about 25o brave boys and sweet girls braved the rain storm and came to the meeting and received their stamps. After talking to them and fully explain ing what this gift meant to them and to our great government, they went away Auli Oi GlilfIliSldSII dtlu ttiG to fill out their folders and exchange them for baby bonds at the right time. l am sure that not only those at the meeting will do this, but hundreds of others who could not attend but to whom many interested men and women took stamps and delivered to them, will do likewise, and we shall nurse these 1000 thrift stamp holders until they shall ripen into 1000 baby bonds. Many pa- triotic and generous men in the audience promised these children that they would help them if there was anything lack Ing to fill out their folders after they had done their best to help themselves.
 There may be some slackers in Talla- poosa county. but they do not live in my town. No braver, truer, nobler. more pa triotic and more generous people live than my neighbors and friends in Alex ander City The children have caught the inspiration of their parents and all ready many of them have bought addi- tional stamps-some so many that they will soon be ready to have their baby bonds registered The scheme will work among any patriotic and generous peo- pie. l cannot conceive of any better way to inspire thrift, economy, patriotism and loyalty than this little scheme.
 "It puts the little fellows feet upon the first rung of the ladder and gives them confidence to make the effort to climb to the top. True. some may fall, but the great majority will succeed and win the prize. My plan seems to strike some of the committee, but I have not heard of it elsewhere than at Alexander City. I hope others tried it and met with my success If so, I would be glad to hear from them. Very truly yours.
 "J. c. MAXWELL"
 Mfr Maxwell is the president of the Bank of Alexander City, and is also county chairman of the thrift campaign in Tallapoosa county. The expression of the committee located here was to thei effect that the plan could bo adopted tol advantage in all sections, and thatl probably later it would be given more careful consideration with q view to. it extensively