The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-09-12
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
MATTERS OF THE WORLD

stead of sweeping them from the land
scape a solution of the problem could
easily be found by combining them to one
particular district of town. SO that when
the soul is athirst for glimpse of the
atrical posters one can walk down to The
bill poster preserve and feast his eyes
to his hearts content. Such plan would
provide an art exhibit for every town
that could be appreciated by the masses
and would possess the added advantage
of being very cheap.
A Kentuckian has just been sentenced
to eighteen months in the penitentiary
for Shooting at a man and missing him.
The Courier-Journal laments such an I'M
piled penalty for poor Workmanship but
an explanation of this situation of az
fairs is not far to seek. The average Ken
tuellian never shoots at a man without
hitting him. and IL he does miss his mark
he never survives the blow to his pride
A body of wise jurors probably came to
the conclusion that in this case the only
reason why the plaintiff did not kill his
man was due to some unforeseen conting
ency over which he had no control, so
taking the intention for the deed, they
gave him eighteen months.
Another railroad has come forth with
the announcement that men over 80 years
of age are not wanted on its trains. The
New Haven and Hartford road is the lat
est system to issue such decree and al
ready there Is complaint heard among
its employees. According to the official an
nouncement the future age limit of its
trainmen will be between q and So years.
Now this appears at first glance to be
rather severe restriction to place upon
any body of workmen. A great many men
do not reach the full maturity of their
powers before So and to cut them off just
when they are at their prime is a hard
ship, to say the least There is a rapid
ly growing tendency among railroads to
employ only young men but railroaGing
is most assuredly one profession in which
youth has the advantage over middle
age.
James ]. Van Allen, man Of millions,
dilettante, politician, globe trotter and
several other things that do not entail
much hard work, announces that he too
will follow in the footsteps of the illus
trious William Waldorf Astor and will
desert his native land to live in England
Years ago Mr.. Van Allen remarked that
America was no fit place for gentleman
to live in and all the country could do
has not been enough to make him change
his mind. 1t is to be regretted that we
are to lose such a distinguished presence
from our midst but no doubt Mr.. Van
Allen will find the association of British
| snobs more to his liking and the nation
will soon reconcile itself to the stern de-
cree of fate.
Some people are inclined to raise their
hands in surprise over the report that
the peerless Japanese soldiers have been
guilty of looting at Lao Yang. but the
Japs are merely human and it is not to
| be wondered at that they have given
away beneath the prolonged torture of
hunger and thirst. There is no necessity
for placing the Jap on a pedestal In our
enthusiasm for his prowess, since he is
very much like soldiers in other parts of
the world and If the war is continued In
definitely he will probably loot and raw
| age as well as the next one p
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