The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-20
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

was on the eve of going home Tues
 day night to rest after an off day, as I
 had made only one speech, when a tele- phone message came asking me to come
 down to the "Busy Corner and talk War
 Savings Stamps to the employees of Louis Pizitz.
 Now, I am always glad to present any
 of the war activities in stores or shops
 or mines, because I find that the men and women in this district who work
 are responsive to any appeals fathered l by Uncle Sam to help him lick the
 Kaiser.
 l I went down thinking there would be
 gathered the heads of the departments,
 have a part in the get-together club to
 enlist all of those connected with the
 store to do their part in buying as many
 as possible of the War Savings Stamps
 issue.
 | was met at the door by MT. and Mrs.
 Pizitz, and soon MT. and Mrs. w. D. Nesbitt joined us, and We were conducted | to the tea room on the balcony where
 happy crowd of young men and young women, together with some of the older l heads, were seated around the tables
 which were decked in the Stars and Stripes.
 1 Ice cream and cake were served, while the store orchestra played patriotic airs. l The hour came for the talks and all
 arose and sang America as Ben Leader came forward to preside. He l introduced me first and I Judged lit- ] tie as one of the "four-minute speak | ers," as there was no one to pull me off the stage with the hook.
 
 | I was followed by w. D. Nesbitt, who l went thoroughly into the merits of the Baby Bonds as an investment and as patriotic duty. He really gave a won derfully lucid explanation of the need l for their issuance, and I felt sure that
 his message was going straight home to l men and women who were accustomed to understand values.
 | I nave heard number of fervid ad- dresses, but Louis Pizitz was filled with warmth, for his heart was in what he was saying, and his money, too. He | opened by saying he had bought $60e0 worth to be distributed during the holi days as a bonus to his employees. He also stated that he had bought as many for himself and family as the govern ment would let him have. Now, the thing which struck me most forcibly was his urging every one of his employees to spend less money in the store on themselves and put their sav ings in Baby Bonds. He waxed elo-
 quent when he said that so far as he
 was concerned his business could take care of itself; that his chief business 1 was to do what he could to help America beat Germany.
 1 He made this proposition to those con- l nected With the store: Buy all you can afford and if you get to the point where l you have to have the money, I will take | them off your hands in any way per-
 mitted by the government" He told them ] he wouldn't ask them to explain why 1 they wanted to cash in on them, but he hoped that all would be too loyal to do
 it unless they actually need the money. | not for amusements or luxuries, but for | necessities.
 | He made a strong plea for the heads l to start the subscription liberally and | Messrs. Roobin, Anderson, Lawler. Allen, | Lebosky, Weinstein and others really | surprised him with the amounts they set ! down opposite their names. The sums 1 fore January 1. He did not ask any of | those not in charge of departments to make their subscriptions before going l home and thinking over it. I am sure.
 however, that the store IS going to set A pace which. will be hard for others to fol- low.
 I I can't get away from thing which Louis tried to drive home to every one present. Said he: Most of you were | born in America and have enjoyed lib- I erty all of your life, but I spent my boy hood and young manhood in a land I where I had few rights, and during tho | 21 years that have been in this country
 have learned the boon it is to be able
 to say, am an American citizen" l We are always talking about America 1 being tho melting pot of the nations,
 and this war is proving that it is glori-
 ously true. AS I sat there was proud
 that we had met not as gentiles or Jews,
 not as hyphenated Americans, but as Americans rure and simple. and that
 one thought ran through the breast of l all, and that was to get into the game
 and put an end to the Hohenzollern dy-
 nasty
 Louis drove me out home, and all the way to Mountain Terrace he was in
 kind of ccstacy. for he was grateful for
 the way in which his employees had stood
 by him and the need of the hour. He
 kept talking about .'his family" for that | is the way he looks on those who serve
 him, and he was most generous in his
 tribute to them for having made it pos l sible for him to be able to do his part
 in giving to every one of the war ac- tivities.
 l wont into the house and to bed to | dream of what a truly marvellous land | Iet. <I- ,r.