The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-03-22

l
 seize a bell. This is the slogan I sug'
 gest for Birminghamers. s The anvil chorus with It's dirge-lllle ! music, is no longer needed. The war has
 been fought and won, and every Amer
 the time has come for us to begin to
 ring the bell about Birmingham.
 Let's get on good terms with the god of publicity and become city of beli-
 ringers Webster says: Publicity: The
 state of being public or open to common
 knowledges e&posure,%to the view or
 knowledge of the public; notoriety; op- posed to>secrecy.,, s- -s Now, I am sure that the Magic City 1 can stand the white light of publicity and so say let's turn nthe searchiigh. and show to the world that we have | nothing hidden. I confidently believe
 that full exposure of what we have here
 in Jones valley will give Birmingham a
 notoriety that will draw people to it. $ .
 Have you been going about with lit-
 tie hammer Knocking this and that and thinking you were undermining the solid foundation on which this great city is
 built? It so, quit it for you are not real ly injuring it, but are doing yourself un-
 told harm by being classed as modern prophet of war,
 Are you a tooter; have you been bus. I fly engaged in blowing about the wonder full possibilities to be found in the Bir- | mingham district, and challenging all doubters to name a more fruitful field { in which to find chance to live and ! work? If so, you have right to mem befship in the band of good fellows who
 are not ashamed to. boost their home town. .e ft .-t..i s+
 Knocking is born of pessmism, and the doleful spirit is an ancient as the hills. l and lamentations have been heard ever ! since Jeremiah walled out his Jeremiads ! in the Old Testament days and called for
 sackcloth and ashes for the primitive
 Israelites There is a time for weeping
 and there is time for joy
 s: < st .f 1 Now, optimisln is also of an old line-
 age, for all through the ages there have
 been tner who refused to look on the dark side of life, but who, believing the
 sun was still shining behind the clouds. \ refused to be. downcast and. went .gaily about their appointed tasks with a song
 upon their lips and joy in then. hearts, The foretellers of misfortune are ever
 busy, and the sound of their wailings continually disturb the air. It may be ] possible to make all the toters of ham mers throw them away, but one thing
 is sure-if we raise up large enough
 band of prophets of good times we can. I by constant blowing. drown out the grumblings of the dissatisfied with ths triumphal shouts of victory.
 ! I am no advocate of an easy optimism which rests alone upon windy words of praise, but plead for that confidence of future success which is rockribbed on
 8 foundation built by careful planning and laid1 in athes sweat of .hard7 prepara- l tory gworks It's because of this that Il
 make bold to claim for Birmingham her rights as a. community resting upon the raw materials of iron, coal and fluxing materials to give to her stability the strength of steel 4q.-,e,, -&.t, l Are you a bell ringer? They were the publicity men of the middle ages, who
 walked through the towns proclaimins the merits of this, that and the. othee thing Surely, if we walk with open eyes through the streets of Birmingam we can find enough things of merit to give pub lie utterance to both at home and abroad. ] It seems to me that it is about time for us to get over the spree of muckrak' l ing which awhile back swept over the Hand. Sure there are things to be righted, I and there is a call for ,vigilant eyes, and let's quit magnifying the bad and
 minimizing the good, and be more will ing to cry forth the good than we ara to publish the evil. -"
 1 New, personally I claim no credit for looking on the bright side of things foi I was born an optimist. It isf just nat ural for me to look through rose-colored spectacles, and really am sorry for peo- pie who make constant use of the blue 1 variety. Say what you please but the cheerful philosophy of Mrss Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch fame is a mighty com forting thing for one'ss own happiness and for the joy of others. aah' 9ssas l 'rses ar9gt'm r-ts-s tss5 htsss Tg nrs I If you have been using hammer cast I it, aside. If you. have never been "a horn I blower. begin to take lessons in it. III
 you are unacquainted with the art of I bell-ringing grip the handle and start al the clapper going. N. , Se l Au,4I1tlM4Aau1tI P. S.: If we will all do this we can build the auditorium this year.