The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-26
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

! brequently people get interested in TOT
 eign missions who will refuse to do any
 thing to help the unsaved at home. There
 seems to be glamor about those on the
 other side of the world, while the ones
 all around us are commonplace. !
 l There are also any number of folks who get very enthusiastic over the sol l diers across the seas, but who pay no
 attention to the ones in camp. It's easy
 to get up sentiment for our English cous- 1 ins and for our French friends, but for our own Alabama boys we have not yet
 walked up.
 l I am not saying that we ought not to
 believe in foreign missions or neglect the soldiers of our allies, but to forget or l fail to provide for our very own, is to treat them like the man who was re- buked for swearing in the presence of | ladies, and who excused himself by say
 ing, "oh, she is my wife.''
 I am glad that at last someone has gotten to the point where they do not propose to let our Alabama boys continue l to be treated as stepchildren, but pro- poses to see to it that they have all the I love and comforts of true sons. do not believe in too much coddling, but
 do believe in trying to let them know | that we love and honor them and are 1 willing to try and make their lot bit l easier.
 | f.,p ,,,ontte hack was called bY | the governor to Montgomery and rode through the country with my friend, Louiz Pizitz, to attend meeting of representative citizens who gathered to organize q state council of defense l to act under the direction of the na- tional council of defense. A complete 1 state organization was perfected, with
 Lloyd M. Hooper of Selma as chair man.
 l By the way, if you didn't hear Mr. Hooper's address before the Rotary club at it's last session, you missed I rare treat. He read 1t and it was d prose poem, and ended with a poem which set my blood to tingling. There are mighty few good readers. Very 1 few preachers can read Scripture in q way to hold the attention of their con- gregations, but here came along a lay | man who read a war poem and it had the punch to it.
 1 In every county in Alabama, a local unit of the state council of defense has | been organized. Jefferson county has a splendid local council, the mems di- vision being directed by Forney John I ston, and the womens by Mrs. James II. Mccoy. These divisions have en- l listed the aid of a number of active and loyal men, and band of faithful and devoted women. The various com mittees are headed by men and women who do big things.
 l A three days campaign, beginning | this morning, will be waged for the purpose of relieving the needs of our own boys at home and abroad. Bear ], in mind that there are some needs that are not provided either by the govern | ment, the Red Cross, or even the army 1 Young Mems Christian association. It is to be our way of letting them know | that we hold them in fond remefn- brance and are willing to go down into
 our pockets to prove our affection. l Alabamians are unwilling to let it be 1 said that they do not cherish the men heard their country's call. I would be | ashamed to think that while other 1 states are raising or have raised sums 1 ranging from s25,o0o to millions. that we have as yet done nothing. NBut we are going to do it. The mark set is 1 s50,0OO. Birmingham hasn't fallen down on anything asked of her yet and I know that she, together with Jefferson county, will raise her full share of the allotted amount. Now. no one is going to be asked for 1 much, but each one ought to be glad to give his or her dollar Committees will be at all of the churches on sun day and announcements will be made from the pulpits indorsing and encour- aging the movement. If you are not dppTOdCneu today Dy some one, Just slip an extra dollar in your pocket when you start for church on Sunday morning. If you are not a regular at- tendant upon divine service, make it a l point to go and worship God and at :! the same time show your love for the | men who have placed themselves upon l their country's altar.
 |
 1 If you want to kriow how your dol 1 lar will be spent, first get this in your ! mind that Jefferson county's appor- | tionment is less than that represented 1 by the number of it's boys under arms; and that any surplus realized has been l authorized to be expended by the womens division for Jefferson county | in connection with the Jefferson coun- | ty soldiers and their families. This is 1 taking care of our own. I think I re- l call something in the good book which teaches that whoever fails to care for bis own is worse than a heathen l The object is to give the boys ''sol- ! diers kits. Now rest assured that 1 the articles will be useful and the /, things needed by men in khaki The articles will be selected by and under; | the direction of General Sibert and will be purchased by the executive committee (the Jefferson county mem-