The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-02
M E N, w o M E N
 A ND T H IN G s


 struck my attention in Knoxville was the Business Mems club which Is handsomely housed in the home orig finally owned by the Eagles, and which most fittingly serves it's pres ent purpose.
 If I have gotten my information correctly it seems when this conven- tent building was on the market 1t was not convenient for the Board of Commerce to undertake to buy 1t and therefore the Business Mems club was organized to take it over.
 From reading the bylaws, it ap- pears that the Business Mems club only functions as a landlord, and from talks with members of it I gathered that the ultimate aim for the Board of Commerce to come into full possession of it, 1t being the main civic organization in Knoxville, and in position with it's office force to reduce operating expenses without making any radical change in the mode.
 From the standpoint of an outsider 1t seems to me that this is consum- nation which should be devoutly worked for by the Business Mems club and the organizations affiliated with it. for it would save the trouble at the end of each year in keeping up the membership dues of the Business Mems club, and be in better posi- ton to devote the combined ener- gies of all of them towards building up the Board of Commerce, thereby giving 1t an assured status at home and increase prestige abroad.
 The Knoxville Business Mems club was born in the brain of W. J. Savage, a Knoxville business man, who gives much time to civic work, he now be- ing the honored president of both the Business Mems club and the Knox vile Board of Commerce. His scheme was simple one. He merely headed few sheets which he handed to his friends to solicit memberships at 5000 per year dues, waiving the initiation fee of $10.Oo provided fer in the bylaws. In short while 900 had signed up and the organizat ton perfected. and the club was opened October l, 1920.
 It wasn't long before the Board of Commerce moved into the new home, bringing with 1t their subsidiaries the traffic bureau and the Automo- bile club, and within 90 days there was a general rush among the va rious clubs of Knoxville for space
 The following civic bodies have building.
 Board of Commerce.
 Traffic bureau.
 Automobile club.
 Commercial club.
 The Travellers Protective associa- ton.
 \ Appalachian Logging congress.
 Knoxville Lumberman's club
 East Tennessee Division Fair asso- citation.
 American Association Civil Engi- neers
 Knoxville Technical association.
 These hold their meetings and luncheons here.
 Rotary clubs.
 Kiwanis club.
 Civitan club.
 Optimist club.
 The United Commercial Travellers.
 The Wholesale Credit Mems asso- citation.
 The Retail Credit Men's association.
 The Knox County Medical society.
 The Retail Druggist club.
 The Knoxville Printers club.
 The Geographic society.
 The Dixie Highway commission
 The Society of Stationary Engi- neers under the auspices of the Uni versity of Tennessee.
 Also many of Knoxville's business houses employees luncheon meetings.
 It also furnishes free of charge temporary desk space for eonductine any local civic or national welfare work. such as National Soldiers me- morial various European relief drives, Salvation Army and some of the meetings of the American Legion. It also furnishes as far as it's calen- dar will permit a room for general or committee meetings without charge. It is veritable beehive of civic ac- tivities and is filling long felt need in the life of Knoxville.