The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-02
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

The campaign for the memorial fund in Jefferson county was opened with a subscription by Louis Pizitz, one of the state commissioners, of $500 for himself and s2oo for his employees, at the dinner at the Tutwiler on Monday evening.
 This was a good beginning. and if others will follow in the steps of the liberal hearted and public spirited citi zen of Birmingham it will not only be easy for Jefferson county to roll up it's quota but 1t will be oversubscribed, show ing the rest of the state that our imperial county can always be counted upon to do its full share in promoting the well fare of Alabama
 While many of the faithful soldiers in the allied army were present, and as usual ready to get into the drive, there was quite a sprinklng of new blood in l the crowd. One thing, however, was noticeable, for fully one half of those present were women, which shows that the memorial has back of it the mother heart in all its driving power and that the campaign is going to be taken into the homes of the people as well as into the busy marts of trade.
 Now this is as it should be- It does not mean that the farmers, merchants, bankers, and manufacturers should not give literally, for it will take some large subscriptions to insure success, but it signifies that it is to be popular movement reaching the women and chil- dren whose dollars and dimes will be consecrated to the memory of the heroes who fought to preserve the sacred rights of womanhood and childhood, thereby standing in the years to come as re- buke to the ruthless Hun who never spared either.
 I had heard Henry P. Merritt speak ar length on the subject before a large and influential body of citizens in the House of Representatives, and was sorry that he was limited to fifteen minutes on Monday evening for it is not only a subject which is dear to his heart but he perhaps is in as close touch with it's inception and purpose as any man in Alabama and is giving his whole time to make it a great success. He was heard with great pleasure, not merely l for his burning words of praise to our beloved dead, but on account of his enthusiasm and sacrifice to make the | memorial worthy one.
 
 One of the features of the evening was a truly charming speech of Miss Olivia O'Neal, chairman of the downtown work CTS for the city. She was as dainty as a piece of Dresden china in dress and feautre and yet her voice carried splen- didly. Her father had better look well l to his aurels or his daughter will win ! them away I think Mrs. Pizitz des- crlbed her most accurately when she said 1 to me, Miss ONeal used such~ lovely words" The words, however were not whit lovelier than she was as she spoke, with burning cheeks, for to me she looked the least bit scared, just | enough to be winsome and to win my sympathy.
 l It was a genuine treat to see and hear ! Mrs Thomas M. Owens, who to me in spite of her scholary- husband and fine manly son. will always be the joyous
 hearted Marie Bankhead, who in her young lady hood was a great favorite 1 in Birmingham society. Now I did not mean to bring the Pizitz' so often in this story, but on the way home with l them in their car, Louis turned to me
 and said, "Mr. Barnett, Mrs. Owens
 made the best speech of the evening""
 This was indeed high praise. for there were some splendid addresses delivered. | heard my friend
 It was the first time I had ever heard my friend Col. Burr Ferguson speak, and l I was bit nervous for him as he be-
 gan to talk for I wanted him to make | a hit, for he is royal goodfellow. He limps bit in his speech, but as he
 warns up and gets going good. it is rather an asset than a liability. There was pathos in his tale of seeing the graves of some of our boys in foreign 1 land. There was humor in some first hand trench scenes which he gave. But 1 the biggest surprise he pulled was in his
 splendid reading of an English Tommies 1 struggle with hand book of useless ! French in his wish to converse with a
 French poiliou. Burr had better look out for he has now graduated into the army | of after dinner speakers.
 
 | I was mighty proud of my friend Dr. 1 Emmitt P. Smith, the chaplain of the | famous 167th who was promoted recently l to a captaincy, and who is known ia,
 and wide as the fighting parson, but who modestly ayers without any just claim to it. but in spite of his- denials it will stick to him the rest of his life He looked mighty soldierly as he arose
 to speak, for he is over six feet sln
 as an Indian fighter, and tanned a beau
 tiful brown. He was in fine voice ant
 best I had ever heard him make H. made a strong impression on the au.
 dience.
 Erskine Ramsey, the chairman pre- sides in a business like manner. He ma,
 not be as wordy as some toastmasters
 but he has the virtue of directness, ant when he introduces any one, it is eas,
 to know the name of the speakers ant
 the subject to be discussed. After h, l