The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-07-17
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

IL VIII be long time before I forget l Rainbow week. for it sure was hum- mer in many ways. and will go down in ! local history as one of the greatest cele- | prations ever pulled off in the district
 Dan Dimick and his helpers did every ! thing possible to make the reunion suc- cess and l believe every one will say that he and they more than made good 1 and having got peep behind the scenes. 1 can testify that it was some job to arrange and carry out the programme
 l know that will be accused of being unsophisticated. and even my friends will lay it to the fact that am a preacher when l say that. taken as d whole, it was one of the best-behaved crowds which Birmingham has ever entertained. have seen rowdier punches by far, and yet the Rainbow lads had plenty of pep.
 
 Now, here is where I get the laugh, Tor never saw drunk soldier during the festivities, no not one. and was about amongst them day and night 1t IS perfectly true that there was some corn flicker consumed. but while I Saw a few who were good-naturedly tipsy. never ran across any who were maudlin or quarrelsome
 am not trying to make out that fl vas Sunday school affair. for it wasn't. but the majority of the men were fine physical specimens, and classed high IS straightforward, honorable fellows, with no wish to be thought tough or reckless. but just normal, clean-lving youngsters, who looked life squarely in the-face and found it pleasant and therefore meant to have good time.
 ran against quite few of them, but never one could I get to talk abont what happened over there and as a mat ter of fact edged up to many groups to see if could overhear them among themselves telling about the trenches,
 No Mans Land, and the battles in which they engaged but I went unre- warded, for somehow the whole subject seemed to be taboo I reckon as they get older they will loosen up a bit. if not to their own children, then to their grandchildren
 In the old days when the state militia used to have it's camps it was easy te run across Young fellows who were merely playing at soldering who strutted
 in their uniforms and let their brass but tons shine the eyes of admiring maidens; but in the division here this week failed to find single poseur. In fact,
 it was mighty hard to pick out the soi- diers in civilian clothes from the aver age citizen. It was only noticeable in an erect carriage.
 I heard some foolish soldiers during the war who had been invalided home to go about the country to stir enthusiasm, who made dire prophecies about the de mands which the men in uniform would make on their return from France, and some of our timid publicists and weak kneed politicians were so afraid that boys in khaki were going to make trouble; but I never took any stock in it, for l knew from history the difference between professional soldiers and volunteers Nine men out of ten who saw service overseas had no real.love for the work they were set to do, but were on the Job because they were needed and were only anxious to get through with it as quickly as possible in order to return home and get down to business. I know that in every day and country there are certain adventurous spirits who at heart are true soldiers of fortune and ready to break lance just for the thrill; but they are only a small percentage of men who take up arms in republic in defense of | liberty.
 l am not going into the question of standing army it's need and it's proper size, neither am anxious to enter upon | the mooted question of compulsory mih- tary service, or even as to the advisabii- l ity of turning our public schools and col- 1 leges into training camps. I have heard 1 many addresses for and against such 1 literary output which finds its way into lbooks, magazines and papers. and in clippings to ye editor"
 | I recall quite we'll that when went I to the University of Alabama and ordered my uniform. which, by the way. so. far as brass buttons and general natty ap- pearance were concerned, was about as strikngly a militarstic outfit as was pos I sible to be designed. To see student | in his regalia was a most impressive sight, for he gave the impression that he had been melted and poured into his suit. It was lady-killing outfit; but, oh my' how uncomfortable it was to the wearer- | l fear the tight-fitting uniform, in con- | junction with the fact that from time tc
 time it fell to my lot to parade up and down before he barracks with only the
 stars for my companions gave me an early distaste for soldier life.
 l I am, however, encouraging my name
 sake in the high school to take the mili- tary training. and I think it is dolng him
 good in many ways; but seriously ques-
 tion the wisdom of making lad do it in
 this republic against his will. But l am getting, I fear, into deep water in spite of my wish to stay safe ashore. re- member hearing a few years back one Of ] the ringleaders in the rebellion to put
 down military training at the university confess at the alumni banquet where he had lived to see his mistake, and would now be willing to vote for it's re-estab- lishment. But it was said in the heat of | the war.