The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-10

your peanuts, your overfiowing corn cribs, and say, that the days of a draft with bill of lading attached, for car of meat will be seen no more forever FOOD CROPS AND MARKETS
 And here, in this wonderful mineral district. can be seen our great mines and furnaces, and the shipping of mill lions upon millions of tons of pig iron. steel and coal, with raw products, yet untouched and in quantities to supply the world till the millennium. Your efficient secretary treasurer, whose duties have been faithfully and well discharged, will give you the con ditfon, both numerically and financially, of this, your association; while your standing committees wiA outline the splendid work they have done. And in this connection I congratu- late you on the marvellous results fol- lowing your efforts along the lines of diversification and growth of food crops but you need yet to see that a profitable market is provided for these bountiful harvests. "The reports to the comptroller of the currency and the state superintend- ent of banks show that never before have your responsibilities been so great, and I commend to the thought ful consideration of such of you as have not already joined, the benefit of a membership in the federal reserve system.
 BUSINESS SUBSERVIENT Quite naturally, at the present time, ordinary business is, and should be. subservient to the necessities of our nation at war, but your wisdom Will suggest to you that a period is com ing-and I hope it is not far distant htizi ir q normal; and we can well prepare for that time by continuing our every eff fort in the encouragement of savings and purchase of Treasury Certificates and Liberty Bonds.
 "The matchless material wealth of Alabama is an oft told tale, and we are it's proud possessors; but over and above it all,
 "rWhat constitutes state? Not high raised battlements and labored
 mound,
 Thick wall or moated gate;
 Not cities proud, with spires and tur-
 rets crowned;
 Not bays and broad armed ports, Where, laughing at the storm. rich Navies ride;
 Where lowered baseness warts perfume
 to pride;
 No-Men, highminded men
 "And it is to you highminded men, that freedom, democracy and civiiiza- tion are looking, to see when the storm of the last battle of this great war snail have passed away, that we face not world of Kaiserism, ruled over by brute force, where babies are butchered ana women outraged but world of sun shine. happiness, justice and greater liberties. with hopes of permanent peace"
 SECRETARIES REPORT
 Tn his annual report Secretary-Treas- urcr Henry T. Bartlett of Montgomery said that in the past year during the "whirl of events" business has under gone a marked change, and that the banks of both state and nation have assiduously applied their activities toward the continued preservation or the progress heretofore enjoyed, whlie contributing of their substance ana strength to the world struggle TOT democracy and lasting peace.
 Your association is fortunate in having among it's membership institu- tions that are progresslve-th oes. bank talent as their active officers- and the independent units have con tributed as could no other system or banking to the Tdplu uoNcicpHchN VI your states resources; they arc stronger today than ever before, and we'll so, as they are facing greater responsibilities and must know how to mobilize dollars and marshal cred- it's for war;
 According to his report the associa- tion has 243 members out of total of s24 banks in the state. Of the 324 banks S6 are national and 23S state banks. There are also 21 branch banks.
 The secretary suggested redistrict- ing the state into groups, making the territory covered by each group more compact.
 He reported great activity of the agricultural committee during the year in urging increased food production in the state with the result that crops of this kind are larger this year than ever before
 COMMITTEES NAMED
 President Jackson announced com mittees as follows.
 Nominating: John H. Frye, Birming- ham: F. A. Bloodworth Albany; w. S. Nichols Livingston; T. J. Nolan. Alex ander City, J. B. Barnett. Monroe vile.