The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-08
YOUNG ORATORS ENTHUSIASTIC
 OVER CONTEST
Public Leaders Laud The Age-Herald Plan For
 Fostering Patriotism

 Age-Herald, Tn cooperation with more than POO other newspapers in all parts of the United States, is sponsoring q National. Secondary School Oratorical contest to increase interest in and re- spect for the constitution, numerous let ters and telegrams of commendation have been received locally and at the national headquarters in New York.
 The winner in Alabama will go to Atlanta to compete with the represen- tatives of the other newspapers in this zone to determine the speaker for the south in the grand final national meet ing in Washington on June 6, when the awards will be $3,5O0, $1 900 and $500.
 Excerpts from portion of the in dorsements follow:
 c. A. Moffett, president, Gulf States Steel company: 'I feel that at no time in our history is the information on this subject more needed, for, through indifference and largely increased for eign population, we are straying far from the plan of government established by our forefathers, which has, in the past, aided us to successfully overcome any storm that has threatened"
 Ignorance In Many Quarters
 John H. Frye, president Traders Ma tional bank: Even among intelligent people there is a great lack of knowl- edge of the contents of the constitution of our country, of the circumstances under which it was framed, of the way in which it may be amended, and of its relationship to our form of government and to the administration of our laws. The plan you have, or any other plan that will more fully enlighten our peo- pie with reference to this great invest ment is desirable and should be en- couraged."
 William Hiram Foulkes, secretary of the New Era Organization of the Gen eral Council of the Presbyterian church: Tt is d significant contribu- tion toward better citizenship. I can scarcely conceive of a more worthy pur- pose than that of stimulating by the art of public speech the thoughts of our people, and through them all of our citi- zens. along the lines of true American ism.'
 Accomplishes Great Good
 c. E. Mitchell. president National City bank: Tt is my opinion that series of oratorical contests, given for the school children of the country to increase interest in and respect for the
 
 and sponsored by such an important group of newspapers could not fail to accomplish great good.'
 John Grier Hibben, president, Prince ton university: ''The project to in crease interest in and respect for the constitution of the United States meets with my very hearty approval. l feel that the greatest need of our country at this time is to increase reverence for the law of the land as embodied in our constitution"
 John G. Lonsdale, president, The Ma tiohal Bank of Commerce in St. Louis: You have arrived at simple but ef- fective means of contributing to better citizenship when you carry the contest into the secondary schools of this coun- tSy; not that the curriculum is lacking in the patriotic incentive, but an added movement of this sort is a fine rallying point around which to focus the youth full mind upon a thing so necessary. Again, it is gratifying to see that 1t IS an oratorical contest. The spoken, or personal word has always been regarded as the supreme selling touch, at any rate, the first and only means of spreading ideas up until the time of the printing press. This great invention then overshadowed it to such an extent that there has been a gradual disregard of the instruction in the spoken word. Perfection of the radio and the vast audiences it opens up brings Oratory and the voice ack into play in very vital manner. so that in the coming dec ade 1t should vie with even the printed word in the moulding of public senti- ment. Somewhere within us turks suspicion that as a people we are the most patriotic on earth and that as in tliyiduals we give way to no one in our loyalty and fervor for our country. In many cases, however, this has a shal- low background, more actuated by feel ing that fact. and the contest, based upon the fountain source of our democ- racy. the constitution, should fortify growing Americans in such a manner that they can be understandingly pa triotic."
 Nothing Of Greater Value
 Owen R. Lovejoy, general secretary, National Child Labor committee: In this day when two extreme tendencies seem active in relation to our funda- mental law-the one discounting it's value because it was written many years ago, and the other lindly wOr- shipping it as sacred document which human hands would defile-I believe no enterprise could be of greater value than this national project. If the schools can learn that this splendid document was intended by those great men who created it to be 1 living or ganism, containing within itself the pro- cedure by which it can be made per manently to fit the changing needs of our growing country, and was not meant to be an embalmed mummy to be worshipped instead of used-we shall go far toward developing a generation ale to handle with intelligence the stimulating machinery of our Ameri- can democracy"
 Maurice Leon, international lawyer, New York: This is the est con ceived plan which has come to my at tcntion for developing sound citizenship among the youth of our land. The finest feature of it is that it calls upon every pupil in every class to study the constitution sufficiently 10 be able to discuss it on a competitive basis. It should follow that each will try his best, and it should be brought home to all narticipants that doing ones best is open to every one and is more impOr tant than the winping of q prize-in fact, that there is prize within the reach of every participant, namely the acquisition of the best understanding of which he or she is capable of the char ter of our liberties, the instrument to uphold and defend which every Amer ican is pledged. Let every contestant make sure of the winning of that prize. it will be a self-enrichment which will also enrich the country
 Nothing More Helpful
 Ralph Budd, president, Great North