The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-05
M E N, w o M E N <
 A N D T HIN c $

ing, when I tried to give what to me was the heart of the talk made by pr. Green, the personal representative of the man whose name is now synonym around the world for humanitarian service
 In every way it was the most wonder ful dinner ever given in Birmingham. If you want Americans to sit up and take notice. the best and quickest way to get their attention is to tag things with the prlce. If you doubt this, just watch the difference in the large num- Der who stop at show window in which the cost of articles is given than those who pause before one in which no label sets out the amount it takes to get them., Tor years dollar a. plate was the av- various hotels and clubs. The war came on and they began to climb. I know that within, three years the price paid by one club for it's weekly lunch changed three times. When I joined it was 50 cents, later was raised to 75 cents, and is now
 
 it's the same original standardized menu that we all know so well, even though we may not like it overmuch.
 Banauets have been served at $ per service. and that is about as much as can be spent on food where wines are not on tho bill of fare. The mere fact that $100 was to be charged made the Hoover dinner at once unique and there fore talked about. Everybody was cu- rious to know who would be present, presence was a surprise, while others who were confidently expected to be on hand were conspicuous by their absence. But on the whole, all of the old stand bys were on hand. It will be recalled that Mark Twain eagerly scanned the passenger list to learn who would be his fellow passengers on his European trip, and there were many who watched the papers to see the names of those listed for the dinner.
 I arrived in the lobby of the Tutwiier about a half hour before the time for the dinner, as wanted to meet those who were to be present, and I was glad to see Christian pastors, Methodist ministers. Baptist preachers, Presby- terian divines, Episcopal clergymen. ganic church union may be long way off, but Jew and Gentle, Catholic and Protestant came together in the name of humanity, and in so. doing gave a fine exhibition of denominational tolerance. We talk about the United States as be-, ing the great melting pot in which men of all nations are melted into good Amer jeans, and we need not wonder, for we are a nation of immigrAnts We have learned many lessons since our fore fathers left there home overseas for one cause or another, for nothing is surer than that they were led here for various reasons, but one thing stands out su- preme, and that is religious liberty is the one ideal which we have most nearly achieved in this country. It is true, how ever, that our will to achieve it mas been developed in response to needs dis- covered here, not remembered from over seas; we have learned hero that religious toleration is necessary to the welI-being of the modern state
 How well we have learned this impor- tant lesson in the growth of religion may be seen by the mere statement that the European relief council comprises in
 
 ganixations as follows: The American relief administration, the American Red Cross, the American friends service com mittee, and the Jewish joint distribution committee. They are supported by the Federated Council of Churches, the Knights of Columbus. the Young Mems Christian association, the Young wom- en's Christian association, by numerous other national associations, by commit tees in every state and practically every county in the United States, and by spe- cial approval of President Wilson, Presi- dent-elect Harding and Pope Bens- dict XIV.
 A stranger in the lobby before the din- CTS went into the dining room would have had trouble labelling out the preach CTS present with their proper ministerial standing, and as for setting apart in church groups the laymen and the wom- en. he would have been hopelessly at sea. There was such religious mix up as was never before seen at one dim ner, and the best thing about it was that for the time being no one thought of de- nomina tional fences, seemed to have for gotten creeds, put aside ceremonials and were just brethren in the Lord.
 have learned that public dinner de- bends largely upon those who sit with in the magic circles wherein 1t is easy to converse naturally without having to strain or stop general conversation in order to be agreeable. I landed in the center of 2 sprightly bunch of friends. George Stuart was at my right. and near me on the left was . charming young 1 man from out of town. Just opposite sat pr. and Mrs. billiard. and close to them was August Hirsch. was mighty well fixed to enjoy myself even if the speeches had proved a failure. which they did not.
 Getting in the bread and soup line was a novelty. but waiting on oneself was 1 nothing new, for most of us have been BrittlinEixed or learned how to act in . cafeteria. The unplaned blanks on wooden horses bare of adornuient va .