The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-19
For the Good of
 the Community

tive work in promoting her interests and her welfare The word has gone out that the men and the women of the city are working hand in hand,< unitedly and whole-heartedly for her upbuilding.
 The author of these articles has re- gently received several letters from other cities, some as far away as Oklahoma, and one of two in the north, commenting on this spirit of cooperation which they have heard is so>much in evidence here.
 There is a greater spirit of co-opera- tion and mutual helpfulness, of civic pride and devotion to community interests than tion is attributed largely, if not solely, to the war When the nation was Strug- gling in death grapple with militarism as exemplified by the German war ma chine the men and women of Birming- ham got together to put over the things needed by the government in Waging a successful war They forgot personal preiudices, selfish interests and petty jealousies, and presenting united and co-ordinated front, met every demand of the goevrnment, whether it was in the sale of bonds, producing essential materials of war. raising money for the agencies doing war work, or whatever the call was.
 They never fell short III a slngle ln- stance.
 The same spirit will win in times of peace The city needs the united effort of every individual. It is entitled to the united efforts of it's citizens.
 Those who make their living here owe it to the city to help improve 1t in every way possible whether 1t be in securing new industries, alleviating the hardshlps and sufferings of those less fortunate, adding to the schools and churches and charities, or the health and sanitation.
 It takes all of these, and more, to make a really attractive city, a city in which people want to make their homes and they can be secured and maintained only by the citizens themselves.
 The old maxim, Tn unity there is strength" is just as true of cities as 1t is of states or nations or peoples. Unity of action, unity of thought, unity of effort will make out of Birmingham leader among other cities. It will provide homes, education, healthful conditions pros perity and growth.
 United and concerted effort made navigation on the Warrior river possible; provided transportation equipment; put over state and county highway bond issues; bond issues for school buildings and an auditorium. Results from united and cooperative work, of the tangible sort, are not wanting here, and results of a lack of united and cooperative action are equally in evidence.
 Having attracted the attention of other communities, and in way already be- come leader among them the civic workers and the citizens can justly feel proud of their achievements, but they should not stop now They should go on to greater accomplishments. They can do it.
 Nature has been generous to Birming- ham and Alabama, but nature will not do everything. Nature merely makes the op- portunity; man must do the work. The raw materials are here; 1t is up to the people to make them into finished pro- ducts.
 Criticism, except it be constructive, will accomplish nothing. The man or set of men who take the lead in a movement looking to the welfare of the community, or it's betterment industrially, socially or in any other way, deserve the sympathy and the help of their fellow men. They are not all actuated by selfish motives, . T, +Lo4 .l