The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-28
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

N0y aNVPteu oy a ODlcdgO man. The coming of James Owen OConnor
 was unheralded and he might have lived and died in Birmingham without
 the public ever knowing much about 1 him, but 1t was his leave taking which made him the talk of the town. and I by which he walked into notoriety. As a publicity stunt the heaving of
 a brick gets quicker action than the I throwing of bouquets. and so I take off my hat to one James Owen O'Con- nor, who, according to his own admis-
 sion, spent a whole month in Birming- ham because 1t was necessary. 1 Now, all that I know of him Is what | he revealed In his card which got him both the center of the fifth page and an editorial, together with number Magic City, and by so doing put little pep" into the newspaper world during dog days-that is if they are still on. | do not know the nature of the busi- ! ness which made it necessary for him ! to have to put up with Birmingham for i thirty days. but evidently 1t was most l important or he would have made his exit much sooner than he did, for there was nothing here to interest him, and he remained either as a matter of duty or profit.
 He may have come to sell us some thing, but fear from the tenor of his communication that If such was the case he failed, for he looked upon Bir- mingham with juandiced eye. He may have come on some social business and met with some unpleasantness. He may have come looking for job and found out that his worth was not fully appre- ciated. These are all surmises on my any other purpose than to try and as certain why the city failed to please him.
 l I heard Max O'Ren lecture when he was in America about a quarter of century ago and I recall how he par ried the attacks made on his beloved "Paree" by an American who spent a weekend there and came back home and in an interview spoke of it as place of abomnation, mentioning spe- officially the Bal Bullier" and other places of amusements largely kept up to entertain citizens of the United l. forget all of the sins of the Parisians which he set down and even the names of the places he visited.
 But I'll never forget with what fine scorn the cultured Frenchman. with delicious irony, poured on him by sim ply asking, Where did our Mir. Ameri- go to the Louvre and the Luxemburg
 to view the works of art; did he go to the Bois de Boulogne to enjoy the park; did he go to the Jardin D'Acclimation to study the outdoor treasures of trees and flowers and animals; did he go to
 the Theatre Francaise to hear the best actors render the immortal plays; did he sit at the grand opera and listen to the worlds greatest prima donnas?"
 
 This is but part of the bewiidering accusation which he hurled at the tour ist who rushed into Paris and spent his time in going through the tread mill of the questionable resorts looked down upon by the Parisians and only kept going by the "Baedeker toters" who think they have not been to the capital of France unless they have poked their noses into the filth which is but manufactured vice to cater to the sensation loving globe trotters" who cover continents with a hop, skip and a jump.
 The gentleman from Chicago may
 have come we'll connected in both a business and a social way, but, if so, 1t is not revealed in his card. and there is no evidence that he was put up at
 any of the clubs, for he skips the whole bunch, the Southern, the Country and
 Roebuck, and from his name I judge he was noA guest of the Phoenix Club. I just put two and two together and jump to the conclusion that he was not entertained by any of them, as there is no reference to them.
 He makes no mention of East Lake
 
 silent about Avondale. with its won derful spring and it's growing zoo; not one word does he devote to Wilson park and the community sings" held in 1t on Sunday afternoons. I am sure that for a stranger with time hanging heavy on his hands. but who must of necessity stay in Birmingham. these
 places might have some attractions. for both East Lake and Avondale are really beauty spots.
 He spoke of Sunday laws. but omits any reference to having attended any of the downtown churches. Surely pr.
 Stuart at the First Methodist; pr. Hobbs at the First Baptist; pr. Simp- son, at the First Christian; Dr. Mac Sporran, at the First Presbyterian; pr. Barnwell, at the Church of the Advent, and Father Coyle at St. PauIs and Dr. Edmonds, at the Lyric, ought to have given him a place to worship in
 while Ahere, but I fear he had no time
 for them-any way he leaves them un- recorded.
 Did he go to the Bijou. the Jefferson, the Lyric or any of the motion picture houses? If so he is strangely silent about>them. Did he go to the r. M. c. ! A. or the Y w. c. A.? It is not in the record that he did. Did he go to the Birmingham Athletic Club, or the Chamber of Commerce, or the Civic
 Association? Evidently not. Did he go to Howard College or the Birmingham Southern. or any of the public schools? l I fear he either overlooked them or skipped them purposely