The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-02-15
WOMEN
AND THINGS

!
the Rotarians were the guests of the
! kiwanisites
Now, these two clubs are founded on
| high business and social ideals, and there
/ has been in some instances more than a
! friendly rivalry. If the two bodies had
been made up of less representative men
they might have drifted widely apart.
|
| Rotary was first on the field, but the
! membership of the Kiwanis includes
many of the picked. business and profess
sional men in Birmingham. Together the
| two clubs include the men who are in
position to put things over. AS a mat
| ter of fact, they have gone over the
top" either singly or together. on more
occasio than one when the call came
| from the government
l wish, however to write an apprecia
| ton of the Kiwanis club. 1t gives me
personal pleasure to do it, as my
nephew, J. Mercer Barnett is the pres
ident. L am not one of those who pre-
tend to count it of no moment when
llinsman is honored. / freely confess
that l joy whenever one of my family
prospers in any way. / believe Mercer
is a coming young man, and / am proud
of his business and social standing So
| much for him.
Kiwanis, like Rotary is an interna-
tional organization. 1t was organized in
1914 by Allen S. Brown of Buffalo, N g.,
which is it's headquarters. 1t is prac-
tically war baby" amongst clubs in
America, but it is lusty infant having
about $50 clubs and 1900 members in the
United States and Canada. while other
clubs are in process of formation in Aus
tralia and plans are being made
to enter Europe as soon as the war is
over. The next annual convention will
be held in Providence, R. l., in June OF
this year.
The name "Kiwanis" is derived from
the Indian word @ke- wa-nee," according
to DR.. Barnwell, sand means to barter or
trade. "Kiwanis" means business, and
the Kiwanis idea finds expression not
in the mere development of sociability,
not in the pomp and mystery of secret
rituals, nor in the gathering together Of
men for the furthering of some fad or
theory, but for the betterment of buzz
ness.
The club members aim to help each
other by freely discussing their business
problems in open meetings They be-
res.
crime against the community, that busl-
ness integrity means business stability,
and that through cooperative effort in
divdual interests can be best served.
Since all business is fundamentally alike,
the manufactures finds in the problems
of many of his problems while the JOB
Der acts as a go-between.
The Kiwanis idea, then, Is common
sense applied to business economics, plus
q friendly interest In the other fellows
line. It's forum where plans are dis
cussed and difficulties threshed out in
friendly way. The weekly dinner causes
the members to get acquainted not only
with one another's business but gives
the personal touch which ripens into
worthwhile friendships. Learning to
know one another, they come to believe
in each other.
Now. Kiwanis guards well against the
danger that even good club can uncon-
sciously become selfish, If its members
live unto themselves in their business
and social relations. They stand for the
community spirit which is broad, based
on the conception that profitable business
can thrive only in live town, and that
a model city makes for fit state and
strong nation. This is why the Kiwanis
club in Birmingham has had a hand in
every forward looking movement which
has been staged since it came into being.
Here are few things which they have
put over or helped to put over. They
were prominent in the old newsboys day.
Took part In the first and second liberty
bond drives Ran well in front in Red
Cross handicap. Only lost by a nose in
the Y. nj. C. A. free-to-all to the Ro-
tarians Set up boxes on street corners
for collecting books and magazines for
Alabama soldiers. Got Rotary's all in
establishing safety zone signs on the
dangerous thoroughfares. Established
COO sales agencies for thrift stamps.
Gave II men to the national army Best
of all, has pledged itself for war work
until the Kaiser is licked.
The address of welcome by President
Barnett of the Kiwanis and the re-
Spouse of President Val Nesbitt of the
Rotary, were short and hearty. Parson
Edmonds of the Rotarians made hit
in his new role as photographer, while
Parson Barnwell of the Kiwanis put
fire into his talk for the Kiwanistes
General Bonham spoke in serious vein
about the present need of sticking to-
gether, while Field Marshal Rushton
rang a clear note that it was up to
America to bring the Hun to defeat.
The banjoists and the monologist from
the Bijou made hits, while the orches-
ira put pep into the gathering with
well selected patriotic airs.
A good many went expectingYa lot of
stunts" to be pulled Off. The Rotarans
rather felt that the Kiwanisites had the
right to get even with them for the
ones they sprang when they were en-
PERTAINING their Indian rivals. was
glad, however. that instead of letting
the gathering Degenerate into mere