The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-18
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

llunched together.
 Now, in spite of the bright remark of la brilliant woman that we men were queer because we couldn't even talk about food conservation unless our feet rested beneath well-loaded table, yet there is a reason. The fact is so many who have never before felt that they had
 time for any public service, have real
 ized that much can be accomplished in
 an hour spent at meal
 Now this is not a boost for the Tut
 wiler but since Fred Shireman has had it in charge he has made it the peo- ple's forum; whereas, once it was the
 resort of the rich. Anyone who knows
 the true status of this great hostlery is
 aware that it is about as democratic a
 place as there is in Birmingham. The
 First National bank corner used to be
 the open market for civic and political
 discussions, but it's losing it's popularity
 to the lobby of the Tutwiler.
 1 I have never seen in all of my life such a change come over a hotel as has taken place in the Tutwiler. Time was when 1 felt out of place in it. Somehow it
 was the playground of the idle rich. never liked it's air of exclusiveness, while
 now I do lot of lounging in it, for it | is my best point of observation; and if
 I loaf in it long enough I am sure to | a1~ ~t-.. pass through it's doors.
 I When the beautiful ballroom was opend thought that it would probably be used half a dozen times during the i year for formal dances, and that only the | -four houndred" would ever get to use it. l The fact is it has about lost it's right to
 be called a dancing salon, because it is rarely used for the terpsichorean art l The truth is 1t is more to Birmingham what Faneui hall is to Boston; the place where the great civic, social, commer 1 cial, and war activities are threshed out Merely to chronicle all of the different
 meetings I have attended in it, with, a iiitit oldlSlnCHl dS lo liiSll Pdi POoOo,
 would fill this column, and a list of those
 who have spoken in it would look like a l city directory
 | There has been procession of conven- tions meeting in it. The doctors, dentists,
 lawyers, electrochemists, American Steel 1 institute, suffragists, furniture men, l IT college, hardware men, florists, em- | balmers, insurance, railway and every known organization. In fact, it has been used as miniature auditorium. I was started along this line by com ing through the lobby on Wednesday aft ernoon about 6. I didn't know that there were so many fezzes in the world. 1t seemed as if the red caps had taken pos l session not only of the hotel, but had overflowed the sidewalks and out into the streets. Mixed in with the skull caps flowing plumes, and the white dresses of the women added to the gala scene. 1 I had sat earlier in the afternoon on the platform where the Masonic cere- monies were being carried out in the
 broiling sun. until I felt that what lit tie brains I had were being scrambled 1 so I lit out in order to save my skin
 even foregoing the pleasure of hearing
 Tom Heflin speak. I saw that everything
 was being done in decency and order,
 and so hunted shade.
 | A passing street car with lot of fans
 aboard looked good to me, and board
 ed it and soon was in the bull pen" at I tn ball park, sitting alongside of Presi-
 dent Baugh, Hugh Morrow. Professor
 Thomas and the two one-legged Canadian
 soldiers who are here presumably to
 rest, but who are, in spite of their
 handicap doing their bit to stir us to
 support the war. After seeing a weird l game, with the soldiers I was dropped
 at the Tutwiler into jam greater than
 at Redwood park.
 It seems that Masons eat. The ball. room was filled with tables. The meg ! zanne parlor was packed with diners. 1 The orangerie was crowded with hun gry secret fraternity men. The private dining rooms were packed to suffocation. The writing room was used for eating purposes There was food to the right of me, to the left of me- and all around and about It was regular ''eat fest.
 
 | It excited my curiosity to know how Fred was taking care of such mass of hungry humanity. He told me that be- l fore o'clock within an hour, more than 10000 dishes would be handled. equally as many pieces of silver, hundreds of glass | es, and that the food would be served hot. Some job. I had much rather be a -four minute speaker" and serve hot air thar to try and serve a banquet to 1462 Shriners with healthy appetite whetted by long march
 | Sure the Tutwiler is one of the great l est hotels in the country. I am not throwing off on it in saying that it is run as a democratic institution. but sim ply to let it be known that anyone who charges that it is merely the home of the l idle rich, the haven of the high-brows, or the meeting place of society, is efth- CT misinformed or trying to create a prejudice against those who from time to time meet in it to plan civic, commer- cia! and war campaigns