The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-16
MEN, WOMEN AND THINGS

just the difference between the AheiA can and the French
 How well I remember the first 14th spent in France. I was student in the Latin Quarter, and believe me, when 10000 French students celebrate, they celebrate. I can see and hear them now
 as they come swinging down the "Bouie Mich which is short for boulevard St
 Michel
 The Anglo-Saxon tries 10 throw off care and restraint, but somehow cen- turles of training have it so ingrained into his nature that he unbends rather stiff1y. It's the true Gaul who knows how to give himself to abandon without a. trace of pose or consciousness. The celebration of the fall of the Bas- tile runs from one end of France to the other, and we'll it may be set apart for jollfication, for when it fell it shook every throne in Europe and made kings sit up and take notice that the old doc urine of divine right was on the tobog- gan.
 1 We beat em to it by only few yea fs. Our great day came on July 14, 1776 Theirs on July If, 17ss. Ours began in written document, theirs in almost bloodless assault on the fort which was the stronghold of tyranny. Ours set it ou- that "all men are born free and equal" they started the watchwords, liberty, equality and fraternity which l set Europe ablaze
 1 Strange, is it not, that after our French cousins came across the seas to help us | fight for our freedom, more than 100 years having elapsed. more than 100000 | Americans are today lined up with the French to show that the Declaration of | Independence is a scrap of paper that l is dangerous to try to tear up and that liberty shall not perish from the face of the earth.
 Sure we have had larger parades than 1 the one which marched through ou1 streets on yesterday, featuring the tri- color of France, but never a more sig nificant one has been staged in Birming ham, for it was full of significance to those who know the history of America and France, and prophetic for those whose eyes are turned to the future. It was visualizing in an unmistakable way that the two great democracies of the world were fighting shoulder to shoulder to make real the dream of the dreamers of America and of France that a day would come when mankind would be free. It was greater also In the fact that England and Italy and Belgium had their faces turned toward a freer day and were fighting wholeheartedly side by side with their two republican allies.
 To me one of the pathetic things of the parade was the handful of Belgians who carried a sign which bore the sig allies I dare say that their flag was 1 a call to every red-blooded man who | saw it and recalled how it had been | tra mpled in the dust by the iron heel of the big bully of Germany. who used it's weaker neighbours country as a high road to Paris, but which, thank God, was blocked before the boastful Honhen- meal in it.
 l A pleasant feature of the parade was the way the Italians and the Greeks took l part in it. The singing in French of the "Marsellaise'' by the little Greek, chill dren on the platform at the park was greatly enjoyed. The little boy dressed
 in the national costume of Greece who was placed on table by the side of the little chap wearing the khaki caused the audience to send up shout of ap- pre- reciation.
 1 It gave me great pleasure to introduce Consul simon Klotz. the we'll beloved Br- minsham man, who, born in France, came to America after the Franco-Prus- sian war and who for more than a quarter of a century has been one Of our k respected townsmen It is due to him l that the celebration was such success | He acted as chairman of the meeting,
 
 was visibly affected by the way the songs, music and speeches were received 1 by the crowd.
 T J. Crittenden, state chairman of the l four-minute men, read the message to be forwarded from America to France. It was stirring bit of history and the crowd heartily joined in seconding a res- olution which l offered that it be trans mitted through our ambassad dor to the l President of the French republic. The audience then arose and saluted the French flag as the military band played the national air Of France,
 l The Hon, Emmet O'Neal was in fine l form and made a ringing speech which kept the crowd cheering lastily as he drew a friendly parallel between the two great governments which had been closely allied in purpose for more than century and which today were sealing theil blood to make the friendship closer and the ideals more real throughout the whole world. He got great ovation.
 dress brought out some of the salient points in history and closed by calling on those at home to stand by the boys in the trenches. Lieutenant O'Iiara a ried home to the crowd what it meant to