The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-09
:" Eating in One Language'

With profuse apologies to my good friend Irwin g. Cobb, whose story
 Eating in Three Languages" is ons of the very best examples of his wit and humor l am naming my story today Eating in One Language" be- cause it is a simon pure, honest-to- goodness American story.
 Not only is 1t an American story about America and American food but about an American boy who like so many of the fine, splendid type that spells honesty and ambition ana ability, George Henry Bender, who beginning as a youngster at the age Of 1S. and who is now little more than double that age, has climbed t. tne top of his profession, occupying the position of 'maitre d'hotel" al Birmingham's distinguished hostlery the Tutwiler.
 Everybody in Birmingham knows and likes George Bender; his affable and courteous treatment of his guests his ability and his never teasing de- sire to please, qualify him well foi the position he occupies, which is one of utmost importance to the suc- cess of any large hotel.
 When 1 was 12 years old my par ents died and left me to work out the problem myself" said MT. Bender wheh he was telling me about his early struggles when he was little more than a child. T was born in New Jersey, and there l began work starting at the very bottom of the ladder of my profession So that ] would know the business by heart Dish washing isn't very romantic but 1t pays bills when they must be paid and so that was my first experience in the hotel business. l worked on up to various positions and my first real job was with the Marine and Field club over on Long Island. There I learned a great deal that was valu- able and later ,when 1 went to the Millionaires' club at Ardsley- on the Hudson, 1 was qualified to take charge of high class club and serve it with satisfaction.
 At the Ardsley- on- the Hudson club houses John D. Rockefeller, the Bro- kaw brothers, Pierpont Morgan and men of that type frequented the club and 1t is my experience that this type of men are the easiest to please They are so big and so human and demand so little. l found that re- peated in the personality of President Harding when he visited Birmingham and was entertained at the Tutwiler. l had charge of the Presidents party and both the President and Mrs. Harding, as well as our own Senator Underwood and Mrs. Underwood were the most agreeable and pleasant of guests during their visit Mir. George B. Christian, the Presidents secre- tary, and the naval and military at taches of his staff, in fact the entire party I considered one of the most gracious and certainly one of the easiest pleased that l have ever as- sisted in entertaining.
 Judge Ebert Gary of the steel cor poration and Mrs. Gary, with MT James A. Farrell and MT. Percival Roberts and the party which came with them few years ago to visit Birming gham, was another group of people who are so well bred thai nothing ever goes amiss, and Judge Gary was always complimentary in his remarks about the excellent serv- ice at the Tutwiler and made friends of every boy connected with the hotel by his kindness and consideration These men exemplify the type oi Eating in One Language' because they are real Americans and big Americans and don't put on any airs
 "Its1s the near great and the nou. veau rfche who can be depended upon to raise a fuss about their food and prices and everything that makes life disagreeable. Actors and singers while regarded as very tempera- mental, are as a rule very easy to please; that is, again I remarkable real ones are-the big ones. Blanche Ring and her husband, Leo Carillo