davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1914-11-15
FLAGS OF WARNING NATIONS

THE battle flag of the German en-
pire is beautiful design in
white and black. with the Prus-
sian eagle in the center of the field and
the upper staff corner bearing a device
in red. white and black with a Maltese
cross in the middle. The white and
red represent the commercial pros-
perity of the nation, the black and
white the strong arm Of the state.
Black and white are the colors which
have been used for hundreds of wears
by the house of Hohenzollern, of which
the Emperor William is now the head
William is the King of Prussia and the
Emperor of Germany at the same time.
and he holds one power as king over
single state and another as emperor
Of the combination of states known
as Germany.
The imperial standard, which flag is
used only when royalty is present, is
beautiful bunting. 1t consists OF a
yellow field, having a large black cross
extending widely, while in the center
is a shield with the Prussian arms,
surmounted by crown and surround
ed by the collar Of the Order of the
Black Eagle.
The imperial standard of Austria is
also yellow. with a double-headed black
eagle in the center. On the eagles
wings are the arms of the eleven prov
inces of Austria Hungary. The war
flag of the country consists of three
broad bands of red. black and white.
with a crown and shield. and was de-
signed by the Emperor Joseph II in
1856. This shield was used by the an
cient dukes of Austria. and known as
far back as the twelfth century.
The imperial standard of the Russian
czar is one in which a yellow field holds
a double-headed black eagle. This de-
vice dates from the time of Ivan the
Great, who was welded to a niece OF
Greek sovereign, adopting the arms OF
that country. On the breast of the
eagle Is a red shield with the figure OF
ST. George in silver. while above the
bird is a collar Of the Order of st. An
drew, and on its wings numberless
arms of different parts of the empire of
the north. Each czar. on his corona
tion, receives a new standard.
The French flag Is a simple one. and
bears the same colors as that Of the
United States. though in a very diner-
ent arrangement. The colors. blue.
white and red. are arranged in three
broad stripes perpendicularly. The hrst
stripe is blue, the second white ana
the last red. ruaking a striking ap-
Evening star., 1914-11-15
\NE of the big problems OF the
j European war which have both

NNE of the big problems Of the
European war which have both
cred the governments involved is
the handling of the enormous volume
of letters that are being sent daily to
the front by the families and friends
of the soldiers who have marched to
the battlefield.
AS she has by far the largest single
army in the field. the biggest task
of this kind has fallen upon Germany.
This nation has approximately 4.000.-
600 men to whom letters must be dis
tributed under the unprecedented diff
ficulties of a world war. From Ber-
lin alone, according to the official fig
ures of the military post office. 100000
such letters are forwarded daily to
the two fronts-to the army in Belgium
and to the army that Is battling against
Russia.
The details of the plans for such an
enormous emergency post Office were
worked out long before the war be-
gan, just as every other feature of the
German war plan was worked out. but
putting 1t into execution took some
time. The mobilization plan which
furnished the basis for the working
of this post Office alone filled book of
100 folio pages. This had to be studied
in detail before the actual sending Of
letters could be maintained.
But big staff was put to work and
the German government now claims
that all letters are going forward daily
from the collection stations. Eighteen
of these have been established through
out the empire and to these the regu-
lar peace" post office department turns
over daily the mail which it gathers
from the original senders.
Then is begun the difficult task of
sorting this mail for the various means
of communication that are used to
carry it to the front. One rule of the
department is that all mail received on
a day must start for the front upon
that same day. no matter how late the
personnel of the collection station must
work.
At each of these stations there is
made up a daily pouch for each one of
the forwarding stations that have been
established along the various frontiers.
To the latter points the mail is then
Evening star., 1914-11-15

pearance in its brilliancy of color aud
plainness. This design dates from the
1888.
The banner of the Turkish army ~
well known over the world as that OF
the crescent. This flag is red, having
in the center a white half moon, be-
tween the points of which is a white
star. These symbols were ancIently
used as pertaining to Diana. the god
dess of hunting. later adopted by the
Ottomans. and becoming the special
device of the Mohammedans. Through
out the world today the crescent is
used as a word denoting the Turkish
empire.
The imperial standard of the sultan
that is, his personal flag-is a scarlet
one, in which each sovereign places
his own device.
The nag of Servia uses the same de-
sign as the French. except that ths
three broad stripes of blue, white and
red run horizontally.
Evening star., 1914-11-15
LETTERS TO THE FRONT

forwarded by railroad. 1t IS at the
frontier that the real field post office"
undertakes the most difficult part OF
the work.
From those points communications
are far more difficult than in peaceful
Germany. The railroads which have
been built by the army or commander
ed from the nations which have been
invaded are usually choked up with the
necessary transportation of war. Next
to the transportation of the soldiers
themselves. ammunition trains are
given precedence. In the reverse di-
rection everything must make way for
the trains that carry the wounded back
trains are sandwiched the soldiers mail
trains, although often there are grave
delays in their forwarding.
Especially during the progress of
orders of the general staff. mail trains
are not allowed to approach nearer than
from fifteen to twenty miles of the bat-
tie zone. Not until the battle has really
ended can the accumulated mail be sent
forward to its destination.
So the day after battle is busy one
for the war post Office and a happy one
for the soldiers to whom at last comes
a word from home.
But the difficulties of delivering this
enormous mass of mail are manifold. Mob
ilization plans and forwarding orders
seem simple enough until the army gets
into actual operation, and masses of
troops are tossed about by orders from
the general staff in way that no de-
tective could trail. let alone railroad
post office. Sometimes whole regiments
are moved from point to point under Sc
cret orders, and mail addressed to sol
diers in these regiments must lie patient
ly for weeks before it can trail them
again.
The reverse Of the operation is easier.
Letters which the soldiers send home
ward have the great advantage of being
consigned to a stationary destination. A
letter sent to a soldier must move rapidly
to find the soldier at his post.
Although no attempt is made to deliver
letters to the soldiers during battle. even
during the interims of actual hostilties
the field post has orders to collect mail
from the soldiers whenever they are nos
engaged in actual fighting. In the lull
Of battle between skirmishes and during
the long nights of watchful waiting, the
field letter carriers" are at their work
Often at the risk of their lives they
ride through the lines to take message
which the soldiers send homeward. some
times even while hostile shells are break
ng overhead.
Evening star., 1914-11-15

their animal in a tent, whose only
guard was an old woman, who sat at
the door smoking. So the white men.
who wanted to see the speed Of Ma
homet in order to place their bets.
bribed her to let them have the horse
against Rex.
They took the steed and ran him. but
Rex distanced him by a furlo2g with
out out turning turning ra.; hair The horse was
then quletly returned The next day at
everything they owned, even to their
shoes and hats, on Rex.
The race was started, the horses few.
and Mahomet left Rex half mile in
tie rear.
You no try out Mahomet last night"
9runted the chief. as he pocketed a roll
of bills; I'VE had Mahomet over in
woods; that horse you took Mahomet's
brother. Can't run more than GOVT"
Evening star., 1914-11-15

d
plosion shook the air for ten miles
around and buried itself in the earth to
a depth of six feet, after it had trav-
eled about a mile. In short, it made
full modern cannon, with compare
lively insignificant range and penetra-
ton. But it seemed marvel to Mo-
hammed.
To move it thirty wagons were chained
together. dragged by a caravan Of sixty
oxen. with a procession of 200 men on
each side, with ropes and poles to keep
it steady. To haul 1t to the scene of
action, $50 miles away. required nearly
two months.
Constantinople, being situated at the
point Of triangular peninsula, has the
form of a triangle. The side toward the
sea was too strong for Mohammed, and
the side toward the harbor could not be
reached because heavy chain which
the Moslem could not break was stretched
across the entrance. The attack was,
therefore, begun against the side facing
the land. This was protected by wall
and trench 100 feet deep. Here Mo
hammed brought his monster gun and
multitude of smaller batteries. which
would have outroared Jove had he
brought his fiery thunderbolts into COM
petition.
But mere noise did not prove effective
nople, nor did the monster cannon. In
fact, 1t became overheated and burst,
which Is surprising, because it was found
impossible to load and fire 1t more than
seven times day. The smaller batteries
were saved because some one hit upon
the ingenious scheme of pouring oil into
the muzzes after each discharge.
Mohammed was now so disheartened
that he decided to renew his attack from
the harbor, where the fortifications were
of transporting his ships to the inner
harbor by land. To do this he laid a
broad, solid track of plank, carefully
smoothed and creased with tallow. Just
up from the sea, mounted on rollers and
started along the track. Crews were put
on the decks, the sails were set and the
force of the night winds helped them
along in this strange overland voyage
So swift was their flight that morning
saw them safely launched in the waters
of the inner bay, ready to set up their
bombarding cannon.
Their first step was the construction
Of floating bridge to give access to
the walls. One of Mohammed's biggest
cannon was soon mounted at the end
bearing upon the most vulnerable part of
the wall at short range. All was now
ready for the final assault and successful
bombardment.
They let loose their mightiest projectiles
and the walls and the towers were
wrecked in many places. The Turkish
army closed in upon the Christians with
The great mass of the population ran
wailing through the streets thronging un-
der the protective dome of St. Sophia, so
soon to become mosque OF Mohammed.
That evening the Christions were routed
and the muezzin was chanted from the
highest turret Of ST. Sophia. where it has
been heard every evening since for more
than four centuries.
Evening star., 1914-11-15

EANY royal women in Europe are
M colonels. While they are scarce
4s1 ly more than decorative hgure-
heads. and never assume active leader
ships of their regiments during times
of war. IL is rather interesting TO
speculate upon the mix-up that wouia
resu,t if some of them were to avail
themselves of their royal prerogatiVes
and ride to battle.
For instance, the Czarina of Russia
is colonel of the I'd Regiment of ORA
soons in the kaiser's army. If she leo
her troops to war she would have en-
counters with her own subjects in the
Russian ranks. The Dowager Queen
of Italy, Margherita. whose regiment be-
longs to the Hessian wager (Hunterso
Corps, might have a similar experience
in case Italy reinforced the allies and
marched against the Germans.
Other women who might find them
selves in embarrassing positions were
they called upon to fulfill their officerial
duties are the princess royal of Greece.
the kaiser's sister, who has honorary
command of a German regiment, and
the Princess Louise, Duchess of Con-
naught. who has the dragoon regiment.
Won Arnin, No. II.
Many noblewomen in the kaiser 8
family are colonels in his army. The
kaiserin commands the famous Pase-
wax Cuirassiers. and she has not in
frequently ridden at their head in time
of reviews, saluted her husband, and
reined in beside him to see them pass
by on these occasions she wears the
sbo,rv rerimental uniform of white
with red facings. the scarf of the order
of Hohenzollern, and the famous three
cornered hat with large dropping heron
plumes-
;npen commands the I'd Grenadiers, and
the Queen of wurttemberg is colonel
sraI superyision of Assistant Secretary
Evening star., 1914-11-15
to the best of his knowledge and be-
lief. no contraband will be included in
the cargo he insures.


lief. no contraband will be included in
the cargo he insures.
The government also specifically states
that the following articles as contra
band of war will not be insured:
Arms OF all kinds. including arms for
sporting purposes and their distinctivs
component parts.
Projectiles charges and cartridges OF
all kinds and their distinctive COM
ponent parts.
Powder and explosives especially pre-
pared for use In war.
Gun mountings. timber boxes. limbers.
military wagons. field forges and their
distinctive component parts
Clothing and equipment OF a dis
tinctively military character.
All kinds of harness of a distinctVely
military character.
Saddle. draught and pack animals
suitable for use in war.
Articles of camp equipment and their
distinctive component parts.
Armor plates.
Warships. including boats and their
distinctive component parts OF such a
nature that they can only be used on
Aeroplanes, airships, balloons and afr
craft of all kinds and their component
parts together with accessories and
articles recognizable as intended for use
in connection with balloons and air
craft.
exclusively for the manufacture or
ture or repair OF arms. or war material
for use on land and sea.
The bureau of war risk insurance also
refuses indemnity upon other articles.
not Of themselves in the nature OF con-
traband, yet which might be so con-
strued II destined for the use of armed
forces or the government or authorities
of a belligerent place. This list includes
foodstufYs, grain suitable for the feed
ing of animals. clothing and shoes suit
able for use in war; gold and silver in
coin or bullion. or paper money: vehicles
and vessels of all kinds suitable for
use by an army or navy: material Tor
RAILWAYS and telegraph and wireless out
fits. barbed WIRE together with instru-
ments for stretching or cutting the
same and horseshoes. harness and sad
dlery. in addition to other articles OF
In spite of these very necessary re-
strictions. late reports from the bureau
of war risk insurance indicate that this
new departure of the government Is
meeting with the unqualified approval
of the exporters and importers OF this
country The records of the Department
rnrsoeaeetes of rfse E@ t IN the nnber ot
applications for American registry on
the part of owners who for years have
flown the flag, of European nations:
risk insurance remedy for an alling
merchant marine has accomplished IT'S
purpose.
Evening star., 1914-11-15
Expected.

The b & = & a m .
guide, says Repre-
sentative Madden of
Illinois, is a stole.
illustrating h 1 5
point. the repre-
sentative tells the
following story:
A guide returned
to his village after
an extensive hunt
with an urban
sportsman. He met
a fellow-guide, and
the following con-
v e r s q ton took
Evening star., 1914-11-15
The Reason.

There are demo-
Gratis in the House
who have chafed at
the power which
President w i lson
has seen fit to ex-
ercise during the
present session of
c on gre S s. They
continually C o m =
plain that their
functions as legis-
lators have been
usurped.
The other day
r e pr e s e n t ative
Evening star., 1914-11-15

Mondell Of Wyoming met one OF these
complainers. They talked OF olherent
measures before the House. and Mon
dell INQUIRED of the democrat how he
was going to vote on one important
measure.
For it, replied the democrat. bit
terly.
Why" said Mondell. in surprise. Il
thought you were against it?"
~ know" admitted the democrat.
Evening star., 1914-11-15
The Untutored Indian.

r e pr e s entative
W. c. Hawley Of
Oregon was born in
that state. but his
D a r e n t s W e r 9
among the pioneers
who came to the
far west on a prai-
rie schooner. when
Indians were plen-
tiful as blackber-
ries in Alabama.
Among the noble
red mems tribes In
Oregon was the
Umatilla, in regard
Evening star., 1914-11-15
Too Good.

II e p r e s 6HtaIlV0
Good Of Iowa is ac-
credited with the
following little skit.
1t seems that a
youth W e ar l n g
large e y e glasses
and a look of eX-
treme probity walk
ed into an office and
applied for a posi-
ton. The elderly
crouch sitting be-
hind a large desk
questioned him.
Drink" Q 8 ed
Evening star., 1914-11-15
0ONsTANTINoplI.

fleets. all of which had flown foreign
flags. accepted American registry. which
had already been made possible by presi-
Dental proclamation.
And within a month thereafter the
new bureau had proved that it is to be
a self-supporting institution; for from
ITS sale of policies over $4,000 in cash
was turned into the United States
Treasury during that per1od-the paid
premiums on something like $4,000, 900
Evening star., 1914-11-15

worth of risk on American merchant
hulls. In addition to this. applications
for several millions more were pending.
The war risk bureau. besides providing
tne impetus necessary to rehabilitate
the American merchant marine, tapped
a virgin vein in the insurance field Of
the United States. Private corporations
have always stood ready to indemnify
sea, occasioned by storms. shipwreck,
hre and other kindred natural causes.
But the new government organization
takes note of none of these dangers.
1t leaves them to the marine insurance
companies. while 1t goes vastly farther
aneld into phase of sea dangers than
the private insurance companies care to
go; although to a certain extent the
private concerns deal in war risks.
These new perils Of the sea have arisen
to threaten all commerce solely by rea-
nations of Europe OF them the policies
now provided by the bureau of war
risk insurance say:
Touching the adventures and perils
is contented to bear and does take upon
itself. they are of men-of-war. letters
OF marque and counter-marque, sur
prisals. takings at sea, arrests. re-
princes and peoples of what nations or
quality soever and all consequences of
host'lities or warlike preparations.
whether before or after declarations of
war"
x
All of which means briefly that the
owners of a vessel flying the American
flag and insured by the bureau of war
risk insurance will be protected against
loss subject to certain conditions, should
the ship strike a mine. be sunk by
torpedo or seized by craft belonging to
a warning nation. which in times az
uncertain as these upon the high seas
is an inducement which few ship own
ers are willing to let pass.
The new bureau. while under the gen
eral supervision of Assistant Secretary
of the Treasury Andrew j. Peters, has
been placed under the dictatorship Of
William c. De Lanoy and his assistant,
J. Brooks B. Parker.
Mr.. De Lanoy is the senior member
of a well known and long-established
New York general insurance firm. He
has had thirty-two years experience IN
position has made considerable
financial sacrifice.
Mr.. Parker. his assistant. Is also a
Well known underwater. graduate Of
though young man. the possessor also
of long and varied experience in the
insurance field. both in the United States
and abroad
Acting in an advisory capacity to Mr..
De Lanoy and Mr.. Parker is a board
Of three members. They are William
iuster: Hendon Chubb of New York and
William Wallace Of Boston. a well
known eastern underwater.
The officials Of the bureau do not
solicit insurance. All the policies which
have been written by them have been
voluntarily applied for. and this fact
gives a small insight into the magni-
tude of the work they are engaged
upon.
Government war risk insurance is not
an idea belonging exclusively to the
United States. England was the fore
runner in this field. Several months
ago she evolved this idea. and estab-
Evening star., 1914-11-15
BULNos A1RES HAR 500
ONE OF The. PORTs To WHICH Ar1EHIcAN
GssE1. s WILL 6E INs UREp b. TIE GoVE.RN11ENT

sign of trouble. has incorporated in the
policies several conditions or war
ranties" to which the applicant must
subscribe.
In these protective warranties the
applicant binds himself not to abandon
in case Of blockade. and free from loss
arising from an attempt to evade
blockade; but in the event of blockade
Evening star., 1914-11-15
.eplied the youth. proudly.

No, SIR" replied the youth. proudly.
Smoker"
No, SIR" said the youth.
Swear"
mo, sir
What In blazes do you do at nights?
demanded the crouch.
Il study to improve myself. sir" said
the youth.
Cant use you," snapped the crouch.
eat the rate you're going you'd have
my job in two months!"
Evening star., 1914-11-15

called upon to vote on certain meas
ure He turned to an older colleague
and inquired what he should do.
- voted present. confided the col
league
The new member waited until his
turn came.
THE clerk called his name.
Absent" replied the new member.
on account of Illness
Evening star., 1914-11-15
"According to Hoyle. "
X e pr 9 8 entative

X e p r g 8 entatlVe
Augustus o w sley
Stanley of Ken
lucky Is an up
standing man. He
has small use for
the con gresham
who is continually
lodging ! s 8 u e 8.
Hence this tale,
which comes from
him.
"a new member
of a certain state
/ e & / stature was
sworn in. He was
Evening star., 1914-11-15

place:
Il see yer back, Hank?"
yep"
How did yer trip turn out?"
Pretty fair"
Did that city feller have any luck?"
Some"
What did he shootr'
Me-"
Evening star., 1914-11-15
kc- STALE or ONE, OF THE NEW Policies

lished government bureau Immediately
after the declaration of war. Her ac-
: tion in this respect so greatly assisted
her merchant marine that the United
lack Of registered ships. adopted the
plan. Belgium followed third and Japan.
after making an investigation. also
adopted 1t. This placed all Of these
lection to. their commercial marine.
whenever the risks Of the sea grew too
great for private underwriting COM
panies to handle
this field at the beginning Of the pres
ent European war. the American mer-
chant marine was hopelessly outclassed
in the race for the th Of the
button of which is offered in the pres
ent conflict, disrupting as 1t has the
sea trade of the nations.
But that was not all. Without war
risk insurance an American shipper
would hardly dare place his cargo in an
uninsured American bottom; nor. on the
price however small. offered by pur-
chaser who would ship in craft
which. by virtue of German OF British
registry, permitted the Naturalization
Of the cargo.
So, with the European conflict making
it apparent that the psychological mo-
ment for the rehabilitation of the dying
American merchant marine and the es-
tablishment of American hulls upon q
competitive basis with the hulls of other
nations had arrived. the war risk In
surance idea presented the most logical
solution.
The act of September last author
ized the establishment Of this bureau.
1t also appropriated s5.0oo.O00 for the
payment Of any losses which might ac-
crue to ships insured by 1t.
Without waiting for the establishment
of the machinery of the bureau. d.
rector De Lanoy began receiving ap-
plications for insurance on American
merchant hulls upon the condition that
the insurance was to be invalid unless
approved under the conditions of. the
policies later to be drafted. In this
way Director De Lanoy bound several
millions before the policies came from
the presses.
The first problem which faced the new
bureau was the establishment OF
agencies in the different United States
ports to receive applications and for
ward them to headquarters in proper
form. This was speedily accomplished
by an authorization to all United States
collectors of customs to act as such