The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-05
RETAIL MERCHNTS OF ALABAMA. FORM
 AN ORGANIZATION
For General Betterment of Business Conditions and to Secure More Lucid
 Legislation

mingham is first president of the Retail Merchants Associa- tion of Alabama, incorporated, which was organized yes terday evening at a meeting in the auditorium of the Cham Der of Commerce participated in by merchants of this city and a number of others.
 Branches are to be formed in all impor- tant Alabama communities. with the view of banding together the full retail mer- cantile strength of the state for it's own good and that of Alabama.
 A. w. B. Johnson. of the steele-Smith Dry Goods Company, is one of the vice presidents; the other four are to be named later.
 There are to be twenty-five directors from different portions of the state, but only twelve were named last night. The remainder will be chosen when the mem bership becomes more thoroughly repre- sentative of the commonwealth. The twelve chosen last night are:
 c. E.. Tweedy, C. E. Oliver, w. J. Ad- ans, w. B. Emond, E. B. Erwin. Ben A. Reynolds, w. II. McGowan, Ira F. Ran dall, Reid Lawson, J. M. DeShazo, Jake Ninisman and Sam Blach.
 They were reported by the nominating committee consisting of Colman Blach Harry White and Reid Lawson. Effort was made to have the various lines of re- tail business represented on the board. The following are among the merchants who have already taken out from one tc ten and more memberships in the associa- tion: Loveman. Joseph S Loeb, Antwine Mcclure &s DeShazo, Reynolds Haoec dashery Louis PizitZ, Jaffe Jewelry Com pany, J. F. Winter Clothing Company Drennen & Co.,, Steele-Smith Dry Goods Company, Caheen Bros, Dewberry & Montgomery, J. D. Rice & Son o1 Huntsville, w. s. Emond & Son. J. M Sparks of Ensley, Odum, Bowers & White l.. Saks Clothing Company, J. M. Hayes & Co. of Jasper, K. Aland Qdea Millinery, Caheen Bros. Bootery, steele Smith Bootery, S. A. Shapiro of Jasper Goldstein Bros, C. E. Tweedy of Jasper R. Green of Jasper, J. Newmark of Jas per the Pledger Company, l.. Weinster of Jasper, Oster Bros, Burger Dry Goods Company, Sherer & Kesler, Cooper Bros. of Brookwood, Hicks x Oliver ol Dadeville Dearing- -Ormond Company Russellville, Remlap Supply Company o Remlap, J. Blach & Sons. Walkover Shoe Shop.
 EDUCATE LEGISLATORS Among the objects of the association, al declared in the inaugural address b! President Ioveman, is to educate the leg islator before he goes to Montgomery. Mir Loveman declares that the lawmakel wishes to obey the will of his constituents | but the trouble with the merchants hat been that they have waited until the gen eral assemblies met and Legislation mimi | cal to their interests was proposed ol even placed on the statute books before I they awoke to the situation. It was thel | too late to offset the harm that had beer done Mir. Loveman proposes that th' merchants let their representatives know what they wish before they go to th' making of laws. His address was re ceived with demonstratve applause The meeting was called to order by E B. Erwin. who was leader in the wori done preparatory to the organization ano the draft of the constitution, which was adopted unanimously after one or twf changes looking to it's more thorougf democratic character had been suggested by Joseph Loveman, Colman Blach ant Jake Burger.
 Among the stirring addresses of tho evening was one by Thomas J. Critten' den, who urged that the secretary of the organization at once take the field an6 organize every merchant center, in th' state in utilization with the state body so that when an extra session of the leg islature is held, as is expected, the mer- chants will be in a position to see tha' an unjust and discriminatory tax burden is not imposed on them to take the place of the income tax that has been declared unconstitutional. L. Pizitz also made q strong appeal for the cooperation of mer- chants in their own behalf. lnterestIhR talks were also made by John M. De- Shazo, w. B. Emond Mir. Shapiro of Jasper Philip Oster, Sam Blach. and a number of others.
 MARKED PRICE
 Chairman Erwin read telegram urg- ing that the first act of the association be a protest against the McNary bill now before Congress. This bill will require the manufacturer of a piece of goods to stamp the price at which it is to he sold at retail Sentiment of the gathering favored the protest. number of mer- chants have already entered their pro test and wired the same to Senator un- derwood at Washington.
 While the attendance was not as large as some of the organizers had hoped Tor
 it was representative of the leading re- tail interests of the city and number of other communities. In addition tc those present from the outside, Chairman Erwin read a number of communities tions from merchants in Huntsville. cni- man. Dadeville, Florence and other cities in which the spirit of the organization was warmly commended and enthusiastic support was promised.
 The work of organizing branch chap te-s will be undertaken forthwith, so that when the legislature meets there will be a number of legislators who go ther' knowing what the merchants of Alabama want and some of the things which they do not wish and do not intend hereafter to silently tolerate. The organization does not intend to wear a chip on its shoulder. but it does intend to talk out in meeting"
 The general objects are briefly set forth
 in tho call for the organization meeting as follows:
 To prevent unjust taxation; to work for legislation safeguarding credits: to facili- tate the prosecution of shoplftiug; t' conform our exemption laws to those of