The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-12
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

II WOulu come to lunch at lz.oV to meet Mir. Gardiner, who had just re- turned from France
 Someone asked me the other day when was out on a speaking trip, What is your business?" l immediately an sWered, T am a professional diner out" It seems that I have to put in a great or dinners. It's the quickest way to keep in touch with what is gong on.
 went and found 50 or more leading citizens who had been hurriedly sum moned to meet the millionaire lumber man, and town builder, Phillip S Gard iner, secretary of the great Eastman Gardiner & Co., of Laurel Miss, the hustling little city which grew up as if by magic from the midst of pine for est, until today it boasts of more paved streets than any "burg" in the state
 The mere fact that a millionaire had made his will, and got on the train and gone to New York to become an army Y. M. c. A. man and brave the dangers of the submarines to face the Boches in the front line trenches was enough to make me want to see and hear a man whose highest ambition on account of being too old for active service, was to wear the red triangle on his sleeve
 Sitting near him at the table before he began, l got to see his American passport, and it was a real curiosity to me. l have one among my papers that is over 30 years old, but in those days it was easy to get one, but now they are very hard to procure, and the document carries more than the name and brief description of Identification, for picture of the bearer to cores pond with the wording is necessary.
 The one he had was much vised and otherwise marked and upon his return to this country was marked cancelled. If try it. I happen to know that the pres ident of the Northern Baptist conven- tion, one of the best known men in the United States, the man who con- ducts the open forum in Ford hall Bos- ton, and who had behind him some of the most powerful men in the country, had to spend many anxious days in Washington before he got his precious document which put Uncle Sam behind him in an important mission to French Baptists.
 R. s. Munger, in the absence of Pres ident Cosby, who is away on a health tour, acted as chairman, and intro duced Arthur Crowder as an Alabamian who, after a sojourn in Mississippi, had come home. Arthur, in few felicitous phrases, introduced MT. Gardiner as a Yankee from Iowa, who had come south and become a southerner of south erns, and shown our people what enter prise and push could accomplish by ere ating an up-to-date town in the midst of the cotton belt"
 MT. Gardiner has all the ear-rnarks of secration to church and country. He was unwilling to do something himself, and so in looking around, he thought it would be the best thing he could do to go to France with General Pershing's brigade at his own expense and utilize his talents as best he could in helping to tackle and solve the many tremend- ous business, oscial and moral questions which the Y. M. c. A. was called upon to face.
 He sailed on a ship and slept on deck most of the time. He said that he only got out of his clothes once and that was for bath when he sighted land on the other side. He told graphically of how one Sunday while a chaplain was preaching he looked out of window and saw the sailors sight the guns on submarine While others were busy bringing up shells. There was great con fusion on deck, but he figured it out that if the ship was to be hit and the great load of munitions which it carried was to be exploded, that he might as well stick by the preacher and go into the great beyond fresh from religious sery- ice, as to be pottering around with life preserver around his waist
 
 He gave an interesting account of how in each cabin. there was a chart and a sign telling just where the occupants We to go in danger, and giving the num- ber of their life boat The life drill was an important part of the daily rou tine. It being the intent for ships Of ficer or seamen to be in each boat but for fear some mishap might prevent their presence, his party of 24 took stock of the number and finding one acquaint- ed with the handling of small boats at sea, immediately elected him captain. It was his business to see to it that his boat was stocked with water, provisions and other necessary things for trip in the open sea.
 He gave us first-hand information of the way the Young Mems Christian as sociation worked in Paris at the s.Y,, hotels and other central points. It was pathetic to hear how one of our boys was sent back to base hospital and then sent back to the front line to find that lis regiment had been moved. Be- ing rnabie to speak Bremen he had walked weary miles and at last hungry and foo;sore, and dirty. and .discour- aged had gotten back to the capitol, where he found him and minstered to his wanta anc had the military authori-