The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-13
Nj E N, w o M E. N
 A ND THING

1 into The Times, the great "thun- derer" of English Journalism, for it Is so truly British, being the very incarnation of John Bull" At least 1t did until Lord Northcliffe added Just bit of American "verye" I would have missed a most in- teresting story, however, had 1t not been for my good friend, Charles M. Oliver, industrial secretary of the Young Mems Christian association, whose work in the big plants in the | district has been so worth while, as he has a heart which beats in true sympathy with the men who do the heavy work in shop, factory and mine.
 The special correspondent who wrote the article slipped into Bir- mingham and got out without my having spotted him, or I might have gotten a first-hand story; but as thls is a thing of the past I'll have to comfort myself with giving a rehash of some of the things which he sent in to hts paper. The article evidently was written from here in the spring. ! In the first place he has a sym pathy for the south and for south erners, and was pleased to find that here the old Anglo Saxon stock had been preserved in its purity. That they look conspicuously British or 1 'Anglo-Saxon' 1t is difficult to say; | these lean, dark-eyed, rather thin Tipped men, so alert and light on foot. who carry themselves with a certain proud erectness. or defiant is better word. They have doubt less departed from type also: but by slow degrees and under influence of climate and environment"
 He felt that he was In a friendly, atmosphere. Inevitably in matters of international politics the Briton finds himself. in a friendly atmos- phere. The south is overwhelmingly in favor of close and cordial rela- tions between the English-speaking peoples" I was surprised at this dis eliminating view of us, for in speak ing of the loyalty to Mir. Wilson and hts policies. he says: The south has traditions of loyalty to fallen lead CTS and to causes after they are lost" Did you ever hear anything finer in regard to the way our people looked on Robert E. Lee and the Host cause?"
 Here Is gentle thrust anent the famous Alabama case" which for awhile was the bone of contention in British American diplomacy:
 The average Englishman. asked | what he knew about Alabama. would probably, diving into his memory. say. first. that 1t was the name of a ship of unpleasant memory and. sec- ond, that 1t was the place where little coons were swatted by their mammies If they didn't go to sleep. Not many home-staying Britons could produce anything more defi- mite. To those who have ever thought of 1t at all, Alabama Is | vaguely visualized as country of cotton and piccaninnies, sweltering kheat, sweet potatoes and negro songs.
 "Yet nearly 50 years ago one of the shrewdest business men that America has produced said: The l fact Is plain. Alabama is to be the
 manufacturing center of the habi-
 table globe What Is more remark able Is that now. after 50 years, 1t 1 is difficult to say that there is not
 some products of the mines and fac-
 tories of the central industrial area of the state--an area some 20 miles In extreme length--are already
 worth about f6o 900 year; and
 the center of this central area-the very hub--is the propheticaily named town of Birmingham. Bir- mingham will celebrate it's 'semi-cen-
 tenary this veal. It will be 50 years
 old in next December. And 1t con
 tains about 100000 people.
 'On every side is evidence of the
 city's rapid growth; deep-veranda 1e
 wooden cottage homes. whicn were
 the mansions of the more prosper
 ous citizens 30 years ago, stand E dwarfed houses in the shade of tall
 skyscrapers, of which the tallest in
 Birmingham has 27 stories. Many of
 the business buildings are impress sive structures. The new white mar ple postoffice, not yet finished, witf it's long vista of Ionic columns, Is a dignified and stately building; ant the residence section,' where beau tiful and costly houses are beddes in green lawns along the windint streets tno gridironins here> on tf' well -timbered hills, is altogethel charming
 But why Is Birmingham? reader' !, will ask. Wherefore such a com D rnunity. growing so prodigiousiy. il , this particular spot in cotton-gro , Ing Alabama! Because, briefly, Il 2 this spot---in those low-wooded hill . which ring half the Valley--is prac l tically unlimited supply of high [ Srade ircn ore in immediate Justa : position to almost inexhaustible coal e~ Nowhere in the world. understand
 unless 1t be in the Middlesbrough dis
 tricr in England, is there tne sam
 close contiguity of the two' Ana th