The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-10-16
MEN, WOMEN
AND THINGS

1 have always wanted to belong to a
hundred per cent organization of some
Kind, and on yesterday my wish came
true, for the Rotary club established a
new record attendance by having every
member present here or at some other
Rotary meeting during the week.
-
NOW to bring this around it took weeks
of planning and work, and hand it to
President Bush, Clarence Lloyd and Miss
Brown, the angel of the office, for
keeping everlastingly at it, by personal
reminders, letters and kilograms. 1t only
goes to show that when Birmingham
Rotarians make UP their mind to put
something over, "oyer she goes"
Just suppose my friend DR.. George
Stuart, pastor of the First Methodist
church, could walk into his pulpit some
Sunday morning and call the roll of
his members and have every one of them
answer present or state through letter
| or telephone that while out of the city
they had arranged to attend services in
church of like faith and order I dare
say George would let out such a good
old Methodist shout as to wake up the
neighborhood
| 1t was tense moment at the lunch
, on Wednesday when Secretary Estes
stood up with register in hand to call
the roll. There was in the subconscious-
ness of every one fear that some mem
Der would either forget or find 1t impos-
sible to be present at the Tutwiler or in
another city. Speedy got through the
AS and there wasn't a bobble, and then
he called my name, Frank Willis Bar
nett, and I answered Here" I felt like
was a hero.
The next on the list was E. W. Barrett
There was a pause, and then Clarence
Lloyd arose and said: II hold in my hand
a telegram from Mr.. Barrett, stating
that he will attend the Rotary meeting
at the McAlpin hotel in New York" and
shout went up. Oscar Wells, president
of the First National bank, had used long
distance from New Orleans to let the
club know that he was at dinner at the
moment at the Rotary club in the Cres-
cent City.
Then letters, kilograms and long dis
lance messages came thick and fast from
all parts of the country. Roy Octavus
Cohen, the author member, fred in a
message from Los Angeles, others came
from Chicago, Boston, New York, New
Orleans, Montgomery, Atlanta and else
where, but the one which gave the big
gest thrill was from loyal Fred Shep-
herd. who wired: IT will have to travel
ITO miles to get to a Rotary lunch, but
I'll make it" This is the true Ro-
am sure that it made the heart of
District Governor Truman L. McGill Of
Selma glow as the effort had been made
largely to honor his visit to the Birming-
ham club. When the time came for him
to speak just after the roll call he was
visibly affected, for he knew that
score of Rotarians prominent in the bus
mess, social and professional world had
cancelled business or pleasure engage
ments to be present just in order to show
effort to make it hundred per cent
day.
Governor McGilI took text out of
Matthews 5:H. from the Sermon on the
Mount where the Master said And
whosoever shall impress thee to go one
mile, go with him two" He used the re-
vised version but the King James text
came to my mind which says: "And who
soever shall compel thee to go a mile, go
with him twain A mans thoughts are
his own. and before he got going gooo an
old story which I couldn't just recall
flashed on my brain. I'm bit hazy in
it, but I'll chance it.
About all that I am sure of it was
concerning Samuel L. Clemens. I'll lust
say that when neighbor called to ask
him to take walk, the great humorist
said, IT reckon TIL have to 60, for the
cookbook commands that when a man
asks you to walk with him, Go with
him twain. may have it all balled up
but have no time to look it up, And
besides If I had my set of his works, +!
which are at home, and am writing this
fresh from the lunch, at The Age-Herald
office.
But I soon forgot my own vagaries in
the splendid lessons which Governor Nc
Gill was getting from his text in spite
or the fact that he disavowed being a
preacher and promised not to sermonize
but before he got through there was |
suspicion that Frank Rushton had put |
another Presbyterian divine over the
boys for the governor of the eighth dis |
trict handled scripture like an old Scot /
fish covenanter, when as a matter of |
fact Rotarian McGill is a business man, |
a jeweller. He wasn't casting pearls |
before swines, but he was showering |
diamonds on about as fine bunch as |
this country affords And even modest |
Scion Jacobs will admit as much for |
himself and his brethren.
Governor McGill is a corking good |
talker. His stage presence is assuring, |
his manner straightforward and his mat |
ter clear-cut and forceful His theme |
played around the second mile" the ex- |
ira distance good Rotarian must go in |
in business, in culture, and |
IN the knowledge and principles of the |
club whose motto is: He profits most |
who serves best There were no fire.
works in his address, but every sentence |
went straight home to his hearers, and |
am sure every one present got a fuller |
CLEAN Of unselfish service to be done in !
the future.
Then came the fun. Nil Ferguson was
down for a song. but Morris Bush made
apologies for him because he had in
1ured his throat in yelling for the Uni
versity of Alabamas footbarf team. Be