davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-08

=" nc navy Of France ranks fourth
among the world powers and
third among the nations In
volved in the present trouble
In the amount Of warship tonnage
built and also the aggregate OF ton
mage built and building.
The number and displacement OF
warships of 1900 or more tons and OF
torpedo craft Of more than 30 tons are
as follows: Two battleships dread
nOught type) having n main battery
OF all big guns eleven inches or more
In caliber) of As. 1874 tons (and 0 Of
2l4,1OO tons, building; Is battleships
(pre- Dreadnought type Of (aboup TO-
900 or more tons displacement each and
with main batteries of more than n
caliher Of 262.615 tons; | coast defense
ship Of $500 tons: 20 armored cruisers
Of POI, 724 tons. 10 cruisers unarmored
warShips Of more than LOO tOns) OF
1913 tons; 81 torpedo Loaf d~estroyers
Of 34,3SG tons (and 3 Of 1914 tons.
building); 1870 torpedo boats of 1920
tons; 10 submarines OF 2S.224 tons (and
Is Of IL. 100 tons. buildingl. Total
built, 346 vessels Of GA, S91 tons; total
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-08
French Navy Ranks Fourth Among
Powers of the World
Only Two Dreadnoushts. but Eighteen Secondary Battle
ships In Her Marine-Many Recent improvements.

and 5S,4O4 in 1911. including 10 vice
admirals. 30 rear admirals. $50 cap
tains and commanders and l.457 other
line officers.
In June NJ. Gauthier became minister
Of marine. According to the present
plan. the French fleet would consist
Of 3S battleships. 6 armored cruisers
and 10 protected cruisers in 1918. Re-
forms are being made In administra-
ton and personnel. Among these re-
forms are the creation OF military
directors and OF an admiralty from a
technical point Of view. an enlistment
law, a systematic effort to increase EN-
listments by making the navy better
known throughout the country, increas-
ed admissions to the Naval school, a
law to increase the pay of officers and
petty officers, introduced July |, and Il
law organizing the corps OF line Off
GERS, petty officers and enlisted men.
New Construction.
The 1914 budget provided for 3 bat
tleships. 3 scouts, > torpedo boats, "a
submarines and other small craft. Six
eel vessels We're to he commissioned
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-08

with the colors instead Of two. The
effect Of this law Is to increase the
peace strength of the French army by
one-half. Great as is the sacrifice in
volved. 1t is nevertheless cheerfully
made by the French people. A fresh
attempt was made by executive order
to adjust the longstanding differences
between the war and navy depart
ments as to who should have charge
Of the coast defense Of France. The
great trouble in the past was the divi-
sion of responsibility. The new order
did not remove II. After the fall ma
neuvers, held lei Toulose. a great
number Of officers Of high rank were
summarily placed on the retired list
owing to the ineflciency displayed by
them This energetic proceeding testi-
ies to the determination of the French
to be ready at all times for action.
The reservists are divided into Diff
ferent classes, according to the number
Of years which have elapsed since they
quit active service. In all cases the
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-08

practice Is to summon them back to
the colOrs. with the latest to leave serv-
Ice first and the others In order.
To sum up, the army Of France Is to-
day among the most magnificent the
world has ever known.
In July Of the present year. before
the outbreak of the war. Senator Hum
bert made an exposure In Paris Of the
unpreparedness Of the French war e.
adjustment In the immediate pr0xim-
tty Of the German frontier. It was not
taken very seriously In France.
Frsneh Made . elus.
General Keim of the German Army
league, who b IN expert on the ins
and outs Of sentiment molding. said
IN Der Tag that the true inwardness
OF M. Humbert's revelations was q de-
sire to pave the way for fresh French
military armaments The senator's
declaration that the republics army
was NOT equipped to cross either the
Moselie or the Rhine gave the whole
game away. according to General
keim. and illustrated cleAsiy that the
exposure was q parliamentary bIuR for
ne purpose Of arousing the country
g re need Of fresh SACRIFICES for mni-
my expenditure.
TIE hluR was. timed. ssys 0eneral
Aelms y acrder to enable sFFssidGnt
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-08

ulted openly over this assertion and
declared that In the test Of war the
French guns would outmaneuver and
outshoot the Krupps.
It must not be forgotten that French
officers and men have been tested in
actual warfare in the north Of Africa.
The French colonies in Algiers are
held only by the tenure Of arms. and
II was for their protection that France
came 90 lear going to war with Ger.
many over Morocco. The tribes of the
interior. e akin to the FIRST class
lighting men" OF whom Kipling wrote.
have kept Frenchmen busy for many
years. The campaigning on the desert
II much harder than anything French
soldiers are called upon to face In de-
Tense Of their beloved fatherland or
when invading the lands Of their coun-
try's European foes.
Above all. the motive animating
Frenchmen In q war with Germany e
the desire to recover Alsace and Lor-
raine. torn from France by the VIC
torjous Germans In 1901. The CRY
Of "La revanche!" heard In France A.
intervals for forty years has never
been stilled and It puts new life Into
the French soldier to know that he d
battling Tor the redemption Of the Lost
provinces
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-08
Photo by American Press Association
ENC ARMoRED CRUISER N0NTCALM.

and with their foreign rivals Of similar
displacements the Normandies seem to
be fine all around fighting units and
as one critic declares, Ito be without
weak points and to contribute me Of
the best Investments the republic has
ever made"
The names Of four new Dread
noughts. Normandie. Gas~ogne. Lam
guedoc and Flandres. are all illed with
q fine flavor Of omanc and historic
achievement and much superior to the
designations with which 80 many Of
the former ~battleships were hurdened
The dimensions Of the class arr as fol.
lows: Length. STA feet: bear,. 81 feet
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-08

in 1914; The bait .eships France ana
Paris, 2 thirty knot torpedo boats and
II submarines. 8 Of 40 tons and 8 Of
500 tons. and l. Gustave Zede, Of 800
tons and a speed Of twenty knots. The
battleships under construction are the
Bretagne and Provence. the Lorraine,
Flanders. GascOgne. Languedoc and
Normandie. Ten ships were to be laid
down in 1914, the most important be-
ing the battleship Bearn (25.2OO tons'
of the Normandie type.
Compared with their predecessors of
the Jean Bart and the Bretagne types
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-08
French Army Is Splendid Type
of Fighting Machine
Third Strongest In Europe and Possessed Of Wonderful
Wartime Spirit--New CONSUMPTION Law.

reacStae gos sss % ,orU Ave Hence
forward \ F7vcchG,au Is exempt from
military duty. orr until Ils forty-hfth
hlvcS,Ny ~ s:tsads 4 muster roll once
= year art Is AZ any momen liable To
ac,ive service IN the event OF war.
time Snd 4 1--WE year active service
system was adopted To meet the in
crease 81 the German army. following
uPoC that " 1912, France returned 10
the 'hree year enlistment system. I'M
der which she will keep three classes
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-08

building. 30 Of 23O.264 tons; in all. 37s
vessels Of $40, 1855 tons.
Excluded from the foregoing are
ships over twenty years old. unless re-
constructed and rearmed within five
years; torpedo craft owe fifteen years
old. transports. GOLFERS, repair ships,
torpedo depot ships and other auxil-
iaries. Air craft up to July. 1914. in
cluded thirteen military dirigibles on
hand and Z ordered, and 1000 military
aeroplanes on hand, including mono
planes. biplanes and hydroaeroplanes,
Two Biggest French Ships.
The two Dreadnought type battle
ships completed In 1913, the Jean Bart
and the Courbet. were launched In
1911. The Courbet was the first
French ship of this class to be com
pleted. and she was the vessel that
carried NJ. Poincare on his presiden-
tial visit to England in June. 1913. In
addition to the nine building. another
vessel of this type is to be laid down
early in 1915. to be called the Vendee.
Two Of those building. the France and
the Paris, were launched in 1912 and
may be completed this year. Three
others-the B%retagne. launched April
IL, 1913: the Provence. April 20. and
the Lorraine. Sept. 3O-will be com
pleted in 1915. OF the remaining four.
two were begun in May. 1913, and two
in November. 10 be completed in 1916.
Thnr ryfll avhfhtf N an, Hams rf,ra IN
armament. in that their guns are to be
mounted four in a turret. In three
turrets they will carry twelve 13.4-inch
guns. whereas earlier types had twin
turrets. The chief advantages of the
new method are said to be simplicity
Of plan. economy of weight and con
centration OF fire. Three projected
scout cruisers to have been begun In
1919 have bern forwarded to 1914.
The d~estroyers building will use oil
fuel and attain n speed of t~hirty-one
knots. The largest OF the new sub.
marineA the Gustave Zede. has a dis
placement Of 1000 IONS submerged and
500 tom when ut the surface. She
was launched May 80. 1913. (
1t il in the Mediterranean that the
main fieet IL stationed under Vice Ad-
miral Bone de Lapeyr-re. Three
armored cruisers and torpedo and sub
marine notillas lie In the English chan
mel
The navy is manned partly by ron
scription and partly by volunteers. The
persennel in 1913 comprehended g.
ESQ omcers and mxn (00.621 In 1917
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-08

naval force. BE did not unduly ex.
aggerate the force itself, but he said
that 1t was animated by the single am.
bition to be as genuinely ready as was
the French army to respond at n
moment to the cOuntry's call.
The German press to the contrary
Notwithstanding. the French naval dis
play at Toulon was YER, oppressive.
Absolutely no lame ducks were pa.
raded and no new vessels which were
not complete and In commission were
placed in line. The warships mustered
were ninety In number. including fve
1880 ton ~battleships Of the Danton
class. All were tuned up to battle pitch.
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-08
Photos by American Press Association.

entific lines since the day Of the first
Napoleon. Problems are far more In
tricate now than then. New methods
OF transportation have removed old diff.
fculties and raised fresh ones. and to-
day II IL the nation that can begin to
hight the quickest. that wins those mi
tial advantages which often lead to
ultimate victory. eve owe a superior
force.
The lighting strength of France is
about 100000 men-an army only
smaller than those of Russia and of
Germany. She has some difficulty In
keeping her active regiments at full
strength. but her powers at a pinch
have astonished the world more than
once. She has shown her astounding
elasticity and ability to recover from
most crushing reverses, while her
troops have ever been tmbued with pa.
triotic fervor and the fierce spirit Of
war. The French army must be con-
fessed q magnificent fighting machine,
albeit the French spirit Of militarism
IL q curse to that great country, and
q grave stumbling block In the way Of
her true progress. according to some.
On a peace footing her army Is about
odO.OOO strong. or more than three
times as large as 1t was forty-four
years ago. when she suffered defeat In
her memorable struggle with Germany.
She has also improved nightly In her
knowledge OF military science since
those days. 1t Is said that France is
behind other powers In her employ
ment OF smokeless powder and that
her small arms lack uniformity. but
time may prove this assertion erro-
neous. and. whatever else she lacks.
her field evolutions and strategic DOW
ers are beyond all question unsur.
passed by any army in Europe. France
Is. OF course. rich compared to her i'm
mediate rival. Germany. by virtue OF
her enormous agricultural resources.
Tried to Fool Frances Enemies.
As we have said. despite her systex
OF conscription It ID not easy for her
to keep her regiments full. and sho
lacks her great rivals astounding DOW.
er Of quick motion and concentration.
but Il b possible that she insists on
these defects too obviously. and n
that case we may assume that France
p not unwilling to be supposed a little
more behindhand In her military afYairs
than u the fact. The nation that nm
d~errates her in dime Of war viii a. Ger.
Gtninly . t. Tor when of late her
strength had occasion to be put forth
nothing appeared that might tend TO
show Mr. = shadow weaker than her
fellow powera
Frames nov demands three yearsf &C
tlve service from al her male c~itisens:
then her soldiers pass into the acuve
roserre. which po1itton they occupy
fos ~ yeara puring that dine they
~ <Vtco called into ~ 0oId ana each
1t6n n nsrvics lastS ~ ! nonth. Her
tken poso into ~ territorlal
af&y = NIe1 ~ 1870 for ok
~ H. I1ts - sss!t
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-08

In 1911 France was aroused to a
huge burst Of enthusiasm over its
navy by the great naval review at
Toulon. The enthusiasm brought out
an extraordinary display of acerbity
In the German press. 1t has long
been the fashion with the German
press to belittle the French navy. and
this time the papers seemed to have
regarded it as an affront to Germany
that the French themselves should
take any pride in their warships. The
speeches Of President Fallieres and
NJ. Delcasse. the minister of marine.
seemed to cause special offense.
The point that Delcasse dwelt on
was the high standard Of preparedness
which had been reached by the French
The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-10-08
<HE huge size of modern armies

"HE huge size Of modern armies
is In itself a problem hat
makes the nations hesitate be
fore employing them. Napo
leon once declared that he doubted II
any man could successfully conduct The
operations OF an army OF 10000 men
and added. with the characteristic ego
tism Of genius, that II that feat We're
possible be alone among living gen
erals could perform IL But armies
have enormously increased. and war
has developed marvelously along sci
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-25
CHRISTMAS LATE
The Rass..n astin Must Wait
13Days for It.
The First Celebration in PetrO-
grad Without Vodka.

Petrograd. Dec 25--while all the
western world is celebrating Christ
mas the sRusatan goes blandiy about
his business. still having thirteen days
III which to do his Christmas shop
ping.
This is due to the Julian calendar
which set back Russian time nearly
fortnight behind the rest of Christen-
dom. Probably in none other of the
warning nations has the war brought
such a marked change in the obser-
vance of the holiday season. Religious
ceremonies. Away the distinctive
feature of the Russian Christmas
alone will be unchanged and doubtless
will be observed with more than usual
fervor.
| The Christmas feasting of former
years, the animated street and cafe
life which customarily turned the hcli-
day season into carnival lasting well
on toward the new year, will be lack
ing.
This is Petrograd's first Christmas
without vodka Families broken up by
the fortunes of war are unable to re-
unite on the one occasion which usually
brought homeward the absent mem
bers.
Most foreigners who have resided
for along time III this country have
fallen into the custom of observing the
Russian holiday Hence for them.
too, the Christmas season is just get
ting under way Here and there
among the more recent Corners. who
notwithstanding. the hardness. of the
mails keep in touch with their rela-
tives in other lands. the Christmas of
the modern calendar is observed to-
day. .
Among the-few celebrations today
was a monday dinner given to the
Russian wounded at the new American
hospital by Mrs. George T. Mayre. jr..
wife of the American ambassador.
most Of the patients are only slightly
wounded, and consequently were able
to gather at the table
They showed a pathetic eagerness to
partake Of the good cheer provided by the
American. The only official observance
| ritish ambassador. Sir George Buchanan.
There was suggestion of Christmas in
| the air which was keen and crisp. Dull
gray clouds hung overhead and the air
was filled with whirlng snow, but there
was little evidence of the traditional Rus
| sion winter in the unfrozen River Neva
| and the comparatively mil weather.
| The rather feeble Christmas spirit which
did prevail was overshadowed by the
spectre Of war; In every large open spac
| wr gathered detachments of the new army
| levies
The recruits, clad in heavy fur caps and
long collar overcoats, practiced war ma
| neuverR
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-25
SURE ENOUGH SNOW.
Washington Has the First "White
Christmas" in Recent Years. :

Washington, Dec. 25.-Under leaden
skies and with several inches Of snow
fall the national capital today cele-
brated it's first white Christmas" in
years From the president Of the
United States down to the humblest
citizen the Yuietide spirit radiated and
good cheer ruled the city. Government
business virtually was suspended ana
every employee had been given the hol-
iday.-
At the White House President Will
son was surrounded by his family and
played Santa Claus" to his small
grandniece, Anne Cochran, and Sally
McAdoo, daughter of the secretary of
the treasury. The president had with
him his three daughters, Mrs. Francis
Ii. Sayre. Mrs. McAdoo and Miss Mar
garet Wilson; Mr.. Sayre, Secretary
McAdoo, Sally McAdOO, Mrs. Edward
Howe, a sister; Mrs. Anne Cothran,
his niece; Anne COthran and Miss
Helen Bones, his cousin. Aside from
attending church services in the morn
ing and an automobile ride in the
afternoon. President Wilson had ar
ranged to spend the day quietly at
home.
All the members of the cabinet except
Secretary Garrison, who spent the day at
Atlantic City, and Secretary Bryan, who
visited cousin at Fairfax, Va, were sur
rounded by their immediate families and
friends and observed the day in their
homes.
Churches throughout the city held spec
ial services and charity was bestowed
upon the needy in the way of food, cloth
ing and fuel.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-25
FOR HIS SWEETHEART
Student Sells His Own Blood to Buy
Her a Christmas Present

New York, Dec. e5.-Eight ounces
of blood helped to buy a friend of a
Columbia student Christmas present
this year. Pressed for funds but de-
terInined that his ''best girl should
have a holiday gift, this student
jumped at the chance offered by ST.
Luke's hospital to. furnish this amount
of blood for one of their patients in
return for check for $25.
No sooner had he divulged to a few
of his friends at the university that
little blood would open up the Golfers
at st. Luke's hospital than a host of
the students quickly besieged the hos
pital for a chance to offer up their
life's fluid in return for the dollars
which would buya Christmas presents.
The first news Of this new line Of
employment for Columbia students
came in an interview today with Paul
c. Hotter, the new secretary of the
employment committee at the univer-
sity, who declined to give the students
name.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-25
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Christmas Dinner Made Up Almost
Entirely of Donations.

Washington, Dec. 25.=President
Wilson arose early today to direct in
person the Christmas festivities at the
White House Tor his small grand
niece. Anne Cothran. A large Christ
mas tree was erected in the library
and the entire family gathered there
before breakfast to exchange gifts
After breakfast the president gave
presents to the White House en-
ployees. $50 80 1.Hj
During the morning several White
House automobiles loaded with cloth
ing, food and toys were sent, into the
poor section of the city at the direc-
ton of the president, who in. this way
paid tribute to the memory of Mrs
Wilson's interest in Washington's
poor.
The president did not attend church
this morning. Professor Stockton AK
son, brother of the late Mrs Wilson,
spent the day at the White House.
Others in the family group were Sec
rotary and Mrs. McAdoo, Mr.. and Mrs
F. B. Sayre, Miss Margaret Wilson,
Miss Sallie McAdoo, Mrs Edward
Howe, Mr.. Wilson's sister: Mrs Anne
Cothran, his niece, and Miss Helen w.
Bones, his cousin.
! The Christmas dinner was largely
composed of gifts from admirers in
different parts of the country
| The president saw no callers during
the day and attended to but little BUSH
ness. He received Christmas greetings
from thousands of people in this and
other countries.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-25
THAW A SANTA CLAUS
Harry X. Brings Christmas Cheer to
Many Little Children.

Manchester, N. H., Dec. 25.-Half a
hundred children in Harry X. Thaw's
neig hborhood gathered about Thaw' s
home and sang Christmas carols. Thaw
stood in the window and smiled at his
girl and boy friends.
The fugitive has given $50 pairs Of
skates away to the children of Manches-
ter and has promised to have DORIS pond.
on the outskirts of city, encircled with
electric lights that the children may
SKATE at night
The hundreds of boys and girls in the
state industrial school on the river road
between Manchester and Hooksett were
delighted by the gift of a magnificent
stereopticon machine from Thaw. Sew
eral boy friends were given years MEM
bership in the Y. NJ c. A. and complete
gymna SUM costumes.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-25
DEATHS AND FUNERALS.

The funeral Of Mrs. Martha Long will
be held this afternoon at O'Clock from
Penwelrs chapel She was the wife of
E. Long. and is survived by her hus-
band and three children. Mrs. A. E.
Hunt of Washington. Lester F. Long.
and Miss Inez Long of Topeka. The Rev
G. X. Hartman of the First United
Brethren church had charge Of the SER
vices. The body will be taken to Oska-
loosa for burial
Mrs. Sarah C. Van Nice, s. years old
died Thursday at her home, 10z1 Clay
street. Funeral axrangemente have not
yet been made.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-25
1888 YEARS AGO TODAY
George Washington Made Famous
Trip Across Delaware.

Today is the 13Sth anniversary of George
Washington's famous trip across the
Delaware. 1t was on Christmas night OF
1916 that the American general with ?. 100
picked men crossed the stream which was
filled with ice f1oes. Trenton was the OBJ
jective point.
The trip was made during the night and
the following events included quick
march to Trenton-the Hessian call to
arms and the surrender of LEGO men OF
the British troops. The overwhelming
defeat of the Hessians was designated as
Washington's Christmas gift to his coun-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-25
QUITE A--j0kER, THIS.
Put Christmas. Greetings Across
Face of Bad Checks.

L. L. Kiene, sheriff, expects to leave to-
night for Fort Worth, Texas, to return
Ed Wilson to- Topeka to face charges of
forgery. He is accused.sof having forged
seven, or eight checks here for amounts
ranging from ten to twenty dollars each.
Wilson'S operations were a little unusual
in that he capitalized the holiday spirit of
the season by having special checks print
ed in gala colors christmas Greetings
appeared across the end Of the checks In
large red letters. Even II the checks were
not good they were pretty.