The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-12

community they protect of the things this man x has. X, as all know, stands for an unknown quantity. It's time we knew who he is.
 Ut is reprehensible for such a one to go before a Sunday school class and make such charges, and If the Sunday school class believed simply gullible. Anyone who will listen to such accusations without in- yestigation for proof Is gullible. Good people they are, yes, but to swallow what the unknown quantity had to say without proof of 1t, Is sheer gull libility.
 "These Birmingham police, despite their scant numbers, are giving the lawless element unshirted thunder. The people here are in sympathy with law enforcement. I'm not knocking New York, for I have many friends there, have recently visited that city and had a good time, but the attitude of the people up there toward law enforcement will eventually disgust our own people with what we are trying to do. We want the law en- forced here. Mir. X ought to lts made to try to substantiate his charges. You remember in the war period when the four minute men were at work and all sorts of stories were brought to them, their reply invariably was:
 ".Where did you get your facts? ? It soon broke up senseless rumors. Try to get these broadcast accusers before the grand jurics and they will say, oh. no, l didn't see 1t; someoooy else told me-. For my part. I'm sick of scandal mongers who, like snails, leave slimy, trail wherever they go.
 Publishing of these unfounded and false accusations should be stopped. Not long ago I tried to interest wealthy customer in Birmingham. He laughed, Not me- he said I un- derstand you can Xiii Yankee down there and if an attempt is made to bring the guilty party to trial they will laugh at you That impression is due to the thoughtless publication, usually with scare headlines, of these unfounded accusations. They do an an immense lot of harm"
 Mrs. Echois Comments. ~
 Commissioner Mary Echols said she she had recently returned from an extended tour and from what she had seen of other places considered BIT mingham a pretty good town. mere l is always something wrong in clty, l she said, "because it is made up Of men and women who are human, and humans are not perfect. She said she
 was surprised to find that in some cities the authorities were not even under fire, one Of rhen1 even tnouS Ill | a heap of it's mayor and said so, so | she went to call on him to find out | how he went about 1t. Those west ern towns cooperate actively with l their officials" Mrs. Echols said "They do not knock so much. Tt IS l not encouraging to be told we ars | immoral and not at work for the city and it's betterment. We ought to tell the good points, if would help so much more. The best people are often the most credulous.'
 Commissioner Cloe interjected that he would defy any city in the United States to show greater percentage of church going people, considering | population, than Birmingham.
 l President McLendon said:
 T want to condemn any newspa-
 per thar takes statements from ire | sponsibles and publishes them. A newspaper should know the truth of
 what it says, especially in matters so far-reaching, especially indeed when
 the statements affect its own town.
 Truth of the matter published. 1t
 seems to me, should come ahead of all other considerations
 Other than the statement of views,
 there was no official action taken,
 but the impression was left that an
 effort will be made to have MT. x,
 if he can be found, appear and at
 tempt to substantiate his charges
 made through the columns of the | Evening News.