The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-15
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

I have travelled far and wide, but when it comes to genuine hospitality, the black belt knows how to put the finest finish on those who visit it of any section know anything about.
 This is q roundabout way of saying 1 recently visited Selma. I went upon in vitation of Chairman Atkins of the Red Cross committee of Dallas county to open the drive, and was met at the sta- tion by party of Selmians, who took me in charge.
 I was billed to speak on Saturday morning at the Academy of Music at Il, and very much to my surprise there was quite representative body of men and At night I spoke at the Central High school 10 what is technically known as "a select audience" It was joy to tell the story of the Red Cross.
 s Selma and Dallas county are alive to the moaning of the Red Cross and are already pretty thoroughly organized to raise the quota allotted them. There is bunch of patriotic men and sacrificing women who can be counted upon to re- spond 10 any calls put upon them by any of the war activities. It's the home town of Lloyd Hooper, chairman of the state council of defense.
 had 20-mile drive with Chairman Atkins, his wife and mother, through as beautiful farming section as there IS in Alabama. We went out by. and through Marion Junction. short while before 1 had driven with John Dunaway and so was glad to get into different part of the county.
 The lay of the land for farming is per feet, and l never saw more beautifully cultivated crops. The fields were just pictures. We rode through farms ot black land. red land. and gray land. We passed fields of alfalfa, oats. barley, ana wheat Some of the corn fields were knee high in corn, and the cotton was shooting out of the earth as if to show that it still was king in the black belt.
 The most hopeful sign of all was in thu ing in the pastures or resting under the shade of the trees. or standing in the running water as they slaked their thirst. saw herds of Jerseys, Holsteins ana Herefords. The milkers and the beefers gave me a comfortable feeling of se- curity that somehow I wasn't going to starvc, tor mixed in with them were the finest kinds of porkers
 took ride with Jerry Gwin through portion of Jefferson county when the association of electrochemists was here. | said ride, it was more of a race. l think, somehow, Jerry got it into his head that if he speeded we wouldn't De able to see just how bad the roads were. forgetting that man though bind could yet know that they were full ot holes. This isn't to knock my big com missioner friend, but simply to wish that he could have seen the Dallas county roads over which we were making good time. and come home to dream about the day when imperial Jefferson could have some equally as good.
 I had to dig out couple of articles, so friend Wilkinson asked me to come down to his office and use his Reming- ton. I accepted and he left me all alone. I started to write. but looked out of the door and just below the Alabama river was flowing peacefully but muddily on it's wayN to the gulf I watched the teams cross the foot bridge nearby anu saw train rush across the railroad bridge in the distance. And just below a steamboat was tied up to the wharf. sure broke one of the commandments, for I coveted the river for my home town.
 I thinx. however, Inc sning in the land- scape of lovely fields green trees, shim- mering water, and ribbon like reads