The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-12
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

have never been one of those who
 undervalued the society set, for I have
 known many women and more men
 who, when the acid test came. minted
 pure gold. although they had been
 members of the gilded set.
 It may be that in the old world coun-
 tries, where centuries of breeding have produced leisure class and so-
 cial customs have become fixed that Tn court circles there are those who look upon themselves as privileged be- ings, and not in tune with those born
 out of the magic circle, but here in
 America we are too new and too sem sible to take any one seriously who apes the European aristocracy.
 have always been of the opinion that preachers and publicists have
 taken too seriously the doings of the
 four hundred,' for in spite of the silly
 extravaganza of the nouveaux riche,
 and the capers of the jeunesse dore that at heart the real society behind the grandstand performers who monop- olized the spotlight. was sound and
 would respond to any worthy cause. | Although not in the social set in the sense that made the rounds of din-
 ners, and dances and receptions, I have in spite of the fact of being a preacher, kept close enough in touch with our local -four hundred" to know who was who, and not fooled by any social climbers, for l graduated out of Bir-
 mingham society when I was a member of the bar. and know the difference between the pinchbeck and the gold. l do not think there ever was a love- Her set of debutantes, a more fasci-
 hating crowd of young clubmen, a
 more charming coterie of young mat
 rons, soldier bunch of fathers or
 more praiseworthy circle of mothers,
 than made up the society of the Magic City in the eighties and nineties. have
 often looked back on the old crowd with love and admiration. I dare say if knew the men and women who have come in since my society days as well as l did the set l ran with that
 would find them equally as lovable,
 true and worthy.
 I got to thinking along this line as sat at the lunch given by the Rain
 bow division at the Tutwiler on Thurs day. l recognized many of the leaders
 among the older families. I saw many ybo
 place for themselves. I watched with
 pleasure some of the young women
 whom I joyed in when I was young
 and life was very fresh and sweet.
 They are now mothers, and by their sides sat their lovely daughters It is children of those we ran with as we were facing life each day as a new adventure.
 Now there is no gainsaying the fact that Birmingham's society set has met the war with true nobility. I said a few moments ago that in this country we hadn't developed class which could not be touched by the power of a great motive I do not believe that any social leader who was deaf to the pull of the war could retain her posi- tion in Birmingham society any more
 than that business man could be in different to it and retain his standing ] am glad that the war is bigger, how ever, than any little social cliques, and that as in the business world men have come together for the purpose of help | ing to win the war, so in society the circles have been widening ever since Germany wore out the patience of | America and forced us to fight Always l back of the social performers whose names and pictures are featured in the papers is set of well-to-do and cul- tured people whose power is felt when l ever it becomes necessary to call it out for big things.
 | The various clubs are fusing or fused, the various stratas in our social life are being solidifed. the church
 people are cooperating as never be-