The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-10

dation for any club to build on. This has since been proven in the fact of the organizations absolutely solid financial standing, which is as strong as cities, as counties, as districts, as the government of the people,
 For those are the only customers the Maccabees lend their organiza- tion funds to, and soP can be very sure of collecting their debts with interest of from 5 to per cent
 Did you know that Jefferson coun- ty Is a debtor to the Maccabees? It owes the organization over s172,000, and in the state the total money which is out at interest is $1.621, ,000,
 1t is fitting that an organization that so stresses its regard for its members lends to them thus at large.
 The order is not old, Gbut already it's membership runs beyond 300.000 with a big home office at Detroit. In Birmingham alone its membership numbers about 1,25O. with the ladies' department having 1,500 women members.
 State Commander
 It's state commander is a man who numbers his friends into the hun dreds-Frank O. Croy. who has served the organization in that capacity just 22 years. The member ship is a wonderfully fine body of men.
 That's another of the organiza- tion's great traits--it believes in keeping a good man when it finds one. Its supreme. commander Is striking example of this having been at the head of the organizations af- fairs for 30 years--almost S1 This man is D. P. Markey, and, declared MT. Croy yesterday:
 Tt would be almost impossible to state how much the Maccabees owe to his thoroughness, his ability to plan, his remarkable business acu- men that has made the order one of the largest in the world"
 It was under his Jurisdiction that during the war, the Maccabees an- nounced that they would insure the soldiers. They were the firsc which made such an offer, setting an ex- ample for all. and their way of go- ing about payment was in all cases Just as swift and their spirit Just the same as 1t was in Birmingham, when the news arrived that a Pratt City Maccabee member had been killed.
 The official report of Uncle Sam said the boy was dead. That was enough. We went right out to Os- mond Kelly Ingrams mother with a s1,000 check without waiting to see if she could find the policy. She never did find it, so far as we knew. But we had insured him, and wanted to be very certain that his relatives did not suffer-" said Mir. Croy.
 Aid to Members
 This idea of paying their obliga- tions when due-and getting aid to their members right away--takes even larger viewpoint.
 When an earthquake, a flood a tornado, a fire-or any of the great misfortunes of a like nature strike city, there always goes out some kind of check which Is helpful to thou-. sands of sufferers.
 The first telegrafns read: Are any of the Maccabees hurt?" If they are, special attention is given them. But the great checks go for the general good of all the sufferers. During the San Francisco earthquake $75,000 was wired, and to the Galveston flood sufferers $50,000.
 We act at >once--as if we had no time whatever to spare. Speed and safety are our work words"
 That ssyas the attractive way Mir. Croy phrased it.
 When members grow old and can no longer take care of themselves, the Maccabees seq to it that their board is paid, that they are clothed and that they are provided with spending money.
 A,pretty example of how quickly they act was during Birmingham's recent tornado Both MT. Markey. for the men, and Miss Bina M. West. su- preme commander for the women, wired anxiously to know if any Mac cabees had been injured. and whether the town needed help.
 Origin of Order
 MT. Croy related . pretty story con corning the origin of the Order of Maccabees, which was established in Canada before 1t, came to the United States--its basis being protection of common good.
 It was brought over by Scottish people--and Londoners-and was an outgrowth of the order called the Maccabees abroad 1t was purely fraternal. The historic basis was de- rived from the fact that in Jerusalem there was fund devoted to the care of widows and orphans, which was contributed to by the public. King Antiochus of Suria-this was 175 before Christ--who was brutal ty- rant, heard what large sum of money was in this fund. and coveted it. Organizing an army, he fell on Jerusalem, captured 1t and put the people under his yoke. forceful man named Judas Maccabees tmean- ing thd Mighty Hammerer). wrested Jerusalem from Antiochus' grasp, and put the fund back to functioning. The order first included onfy scotch ti- tied people. who afterwards gave it up.
 But the principles for which 1t gtood--and its fraternal spirit had