The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-10-06
M EN, w MEN
 A N D T H IN c s

] anu 1eIlIlenen. ] WISH lO pre-
 sent to you Sam Levy" You may rightly
 ask'' and who is your Irish friend? Well,
 he is the pleasant-faced, loud-voice young
 man who introduces the artists who per.
 form at the fair in front of the grand
 stand
 1 From his name you may jump to the | conclusion that Sam lis an Israelite
 without guile,'' but he knows a thing or 4 fractions. for it takes patience, cour-
 age, tact and common sense to fill the
 job successfully which he occupies with
 the United Fairs Booking Association,
 the company which makes a speciality | of furnishing outdoor performances. r sam in his career has handled some
 mighty big teams, but in my opinion
 he is the best act in the shows he brings
 to us from year to year. He is a man of | the world, and knows America like d book, but in spite of his profession, and i the trials and temptations of being con- stantly on the road, he has had the good sense to keep his head cool and his body fit
 He possesses to rare degree one of
 the best gifts of the gods, and that is
 the ability to get along with people. l had rather be able to get and give joy
 as I pass through this world than to make a great name in the professions
 or in business, and be conscious that 1 rubbed folks the wrong way or that they irritated me. I am not now talking of the hail fellow who slaps everybody on the back and calls chance acquaintances by their first name. I am thinking of | the man who wins friends because ne IS genuine and sincere and friendly. | Then Sam has the saving sense of
 humor, another gift to be earnestly cov- eted by all, for it will save any man 1 or woman much worry as they pass
 through this vale of tears. Some folks | suck up trouble like a sponge drinks
 water, while there are others who, with | a hearty laugh, can shed it like duck does water, and they are the ones who duck trouble" This world of ours would be a sad place if the sense of humor should perish from the face of the earth. If you have just a spark of it, cultivate l it. for it pays the best dividends in hap piness of any crop that grows.
 For example, l was standing in group with Sam, while Jersey Ringel was in the air, and just as he looped the loop, a boy butted in with his doubts, and asked sam, who was explaining the act, if Jersey was tied on to the plane. sam paused a moment, and taking him
 in, replied, No, sonny; he goes up chew ing gum, and just takes a wad out and sticks it in the bottom of his feet" and
 went on talking to Buster Brown and
 B. B. Burton.
 Now, Sam did not do it with any malice al all, but it just popped into his head
 that he had chance to spring a good one and he couldn't resist the tempta- ness in his body, for he is known all round the circuit as one of the politest and sbest-natured showmen in the busi- hess. Then there was no sting In the way he said it. for the kid laughed as he was quick to see that the joke Was on him. This is why Americans are unbeatable.< They know how to give ana take from their youth up. and mighty few of them have time to nurse sore toes. Was the kid downhearted? Not a bit; he saw his chance to put one over on some chum if his.
 I purposely said ill the beginning that Sam Levy was an Irish friend of mine. for while his name betrayeth him as be- linging to the chosen people, his manner is that of the genial son of Erin; his mind as quick and nimble; his heart as free and open, and his merry quips Just as funny DO not get the idea that ne IS enc of the fellows who is always trying to get off something bright, for he IS not, as what he says just seems 10 puppie as natural as the boil of spring There is a saying, You can't beat the Jews and another You can't get ahead or an Irshman,' and when the two tralts flower in one man, as they do H sam, it's "a pair to draw to.
 A man may be popular with the pub lie, and yet hated in private by those who happen to have to work under or with him. But this is not the case wltn Sam, for he is a prime favorite with all of his teams, and when l say this am making a big statement, for when q man can win the respect and frlendshlp oi men and women of all nationahties ne is a postmaster in the art, Of friendship. If Sam were to run for office ana ms sl. ow could vote for him he would carry every. vote.
 Talk about diplomats and their ability to disentangle the travelled friendship or jealous and competing countries, put Sam Levy is a world beater in dipiomacN' for he handles without friction not oniy the material which makes America the melting pot of the nations, put Keeps temnera mental stars in the various teams on speaking terms with one an- other and the rest of the troupe. Any man who can do this deserves a crown as some little composer of differences. have marvelled from year to year now he kent his artistic family not only on speaking terms, but really friendly
 If the republicans do not scrap the League of Nations, Sam IS my canui- date to lick the aggregation into shape, for if a mar has shown ability to handle n miniature combination of races, am sure all that is needed Tor nm to shine in a larger Armament IS the op- pcrtunity. It's not as preptsterous as vou may think on the first blush, this nroposal of mine. for if the league ham, mered out at Versailles has any real cohesive power, some great personality will have to be the amalgam, and sam IS rapular mine of it.