davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13
GERMAN MILITARY MACHINE

The American Magazine sent Will Irwin to Europe at the outbreak of the war and the November number publishes an article by him entitled, The Wreckage of War" in which he describes vividly what he personally saw. He witnessed the final
 destruction of Louvain. He talked with
 soldiers and officers, saw citizens taken
 out to be shot, and heard the boom of cannon and rapid fire guns. In the fol-
 lowing passage taken from his article
 Irwin describes some of the wonders of
 the German military machine as he obs
 served it in Louvain:
 Tn glimpses here and there, we wit
 messed the thorough manner in which the
 German army takes possession of a con-
 quered town Plainly, they knew every
 alley every seat of municipal activity, in
 this city which they had come to conquer. Within an hour the generals, the prinoel-
 ing who accompanied this army, and the higher staff officers, had been assigned to quarters at the Table Ronde, the fash ionable club of Louvain. Their eternal. gray automobiles had unloaded their kit, the servants of the club were at work getting dinner.
 The staff officers were at the best hotels in the city; one could not get within block of the entrance.
 That night, one of us saw the head quarters of the general staff. They had gone straight to the Palais de Justice, the courthouse of Louvaln, and taken i'm. mediate and familiar possession. A bat. tery of typewriters, manned by soldier and civilian clerks, was hard at work Long before that the windows and walls bore a proclamation in French and Elem isb, announcing the names of three hos 1 tages who had been seized for the gooe behavior of the town, and commanding the citizens to rest tranquil in theil | homes. The Germans had brought alonf the printing press which turned out thil
 notice, and the linquists who put 1t 1T | French and Flemish.
 Wherever we turned, we saw that sam, 1 methodical, cold-blooded efficiency, tha | provision for everything.r
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13
WATER FOR AN ARMY

From the Scientific American.
 The water supply of camp is matter of great importance. Only running water is used In the German army the up- stream water is used for drinking pur- poses and the downstream water for watering horses and for bathing. Suit able signs notify the men which water is safe to drink and which may be used only for bathing. In shallow or narrow streams, basins are dug or small dams built so as to form a reservoir of ample dimensions. Stepping stones are provided to keep the water clean, as we'll as board protection to prevent the banks from crumblng. Basins are dug for watering horses; troughs are provided only in case of necessity, and are then propped on posts and filled by means of pumps. Pipes may be driven If water lies at a reasonable depth. In other words not more. than feet. Depending upon their size, these pipes will deliver from to 22 gallons of water per minute. If water lies very near the surface hole is dug and cask, the bottom of which has been knocked out is placed in the hole to form basin If the water lies at greater depth, the basin may be formed of box sections, driven in one on top of the other
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13
Guns and Motor Cars

A writer in the Scientific American sheds new light on the situation in Europe by the statement that the present war is largely machine-made and "it would be a curious and not altogether illogical denouement of the great struggle if it's end should be hastened through the fatigue of the machine rather than the exhaustion of the man."
 The. gun and the motor car are the chief factors in the conflict. On ac- count of the fierceness of the fighting and the rapid movements of troops, both have been put to a severe test. A gun will last almost any length of time, so far as it's destruction by bursting is concerned, but after com paratively few shots erosion inside the barrel causes inaccuracy. The shoulder rifle and the great siege gun used by the Germans are both af- eected in this way, although of course the bigger the gun the more rapid the wearing away of the interior surface of the bore. In the case of an infan- tryman the wearing away of the bore decreases with the increase of the size of the bore, there being less fric- tion after number of shots have been fired than there is when the gun is new. Erosion in the case of heavy artillery is serious problem and soon destroys their usefulness. The big guns which form the main batteries of warships and coast defenses car fire from 150 to 250 rounds before they begin to lose accuracy. It car readily be seen that unless these gun' were replaced in struggle such a! is now going on in Europe there woult soon be nothing left to shoot with.
 In the case of automobiles subjected to the hardest kind of wear deteriora tion is also extremely rapid and the. must be constantly discarded for nev machines, since no repairs can keel them in sufficiently good condition t meet the heavy demands of march ing army. The man who owns an au tomobile and quails before the month
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13
HOW A TORPEDO IS LAyNCHED

From the Scientific American.
 In the present stage of it's development there are three methods by which the automobile torpedo is started on it's de- structive flight. First, it may be dts charged through the side of battleship or cruiser at a depth of from F to 15 feet below the surface of the water from a tube contained within the hull of the vessel; second, it may be discharged from a launching tube mounted on the deck of a destroyer; and third. it may be dis charged from the nose of a submarine.
 It is the secrecy and invisibility of tor
 redo attack which invests it with such
 deadly moral and physical effect, and
 for this reason submarine torpedo attack
 Is far more effective, both in it's ability
 to get home upon the enemy and in it's cisconcerting effect upon the morale, than when it is delivered from battleship or cruiser, or from the swift torpedo boat or destroyer. Broadly speaking, the torpedo tube fitted in the larger ships can be brought into use only in the later phases of a hard-fought engagement, when the enemy's gunfire has been silenced oI greatly reduced, and his ships have been 50 badly cut up that they have lost the's maneuvering power. and 1t is possible for the enemy to draw in within easy torpedo range.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13
CONCERNING WIVES

From Ed Howe's Monthly.
 The gossip from town finds it's way into the country. When the papers say wom- an is going east to visit her kin. and she is really leaving her husband, the country women know it. And they know why the woman is leaving her husband; mighty good excuse, unless she is rich, noted or an actress. Then she gets di- vorce without any excuse and she doesn't t care who knows it. More than half the wives would leave their husbands f thse had good place to go.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13
"TIPPERARY"
From the New York Times.

From the New York Times.
 N IAN is a. wrong headed animal. He
 WI may take his pleasures sadly. but he insists on taking his griefs hilariously He goes into battle singing comic songs. He may see his comrades fall, he may have to lay waste a coun- try if his officers tell him to, and he should mourn and analyze his emotions and his deeds introspectiveIy and think objectively of the terrible things he is seeing; but he plays practical jokes on his surviving comrades and becomes heated over bunkie's failure to return swap of tobacco. If he is a noncom- batant it is just the same; his motto is Why should the childen of a King go mourning all their days?"
 Scandal follows among the good but wearisome people who would have the perverse human brute logical; and they write articles and letters to the editor condemning the heartless folk who dance to It's Long Way to Tipperary'' when brave men are singing that air as they go to death. It should be sacred. If these well-meaning people could get Tommy Atkins view they would be surprised at his attitude and shocked by his language. He will be ticl1led and flattered when he hears that careless merrymakers dance on Broadway to his marching song. Why did he pick it out The English kinsfolk of these well-meaning mourners of ours set dignified and ennobling war songs for him to sing, but he would have none of them; he cast them into outer dark ness and sang ''Tipperary" because ir had nothing to do with the case.
 Is it irreverent and profane not to wear long face, not to speak in hushed tones whenever one thinks of the tragedy abroad? Why, in our own great national
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

tragedy we turned as much of it as we could into comedy. We sang songs which treated our suffering heroes lightly, IT, reverently; we sang "The Captain With His Whiskers Stole Sly Glance at Me-" Muffstache on His Face" And we danced to those tunes; and our suffering heroes would not sing "The Star Spangled Ban ner," but insisted on such irreverent songs as "Lorena."
 When the wars of the French revolu- ton were raging, after the fall of Robo- spferre, there was a great burst of gayety In Paris, there were Victim Balls" to be admitted to which one must have lost relative under the terror, and must wear badge of crape around the arm Peace to the dead; let us dance to their mem- oryl For in all ways one must dance" So Carlyle views it, and is wise.
 Hear him again; while the September massacres were going on, g theatres were crowded nightly; while right arms here
 grew weary with staying, right arms there were tweedle-deeing on melodious catgut" Heartless? Perhaps; but per haps the explanation lies deeper in human nature, and those are not all-wise who believe that mourning consists in crape alone. Let us dance to their memory, - il was not unsympathetically or callously that the merrymakers chose for their great dancing tune the one which the soldiers had chosen for their marching tune, chose it out of hundred others.
 Man is, as Wilde said, "a clown with | Light-hearted and light-headed little peo- pie of the cabarets dance on to the tune of "Tipperary;" only the unco' guid mis-
 understand you, and Tommy Atkins smiles approval.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13
WAR ECHOES

Paris cable to the New York Time <. A thrilling story of how French cruiser was engaged with an aeroplane and sub marines simultaneously is told by a mid shipman, who says that the French cruiser Waldeck Rousseau was heading for Cattaro in lthe small hours of the morning and was warned that three hos tile submarines had stolen out from their base to get her. The day had scarcely broken when an Austrian biplane also came sailing through the air straight toward the cruiser, lowering at not more than 1900 feet above the ship.
 unmoved, apparently, by the hail of shot from quiclxfirers. the biplane let fall a bomb. which splashed into the sea only about 30 feet to starboard, abaft the bridge A second bomb just missed the port quarter.
 At the same moment a lookout sig naled that a submarine was only 800 yards to the starboard side of the cruiser The submarine discharged a torpedo af- most as soon as she was sighted but the cruiser had had time to shift her helm and the deadly missile went swirling by not more than three feet from the stern Before the submarine could make second shot the cruiser had blown away its periscope and another broadside must have sunk her, for she was never seen again.
 Another submarine came sneaking up on the other side and destroyer en- deavored to draw the cruisers fire while the submarine crept in and dealt deadly blow. The Waldeck Rousseau was easily match for the two of them, and shortly after the destroyer turned and ran for harbor with a nasty list to port, while the submarine dived to escape the storm of shell and did not show itself again,
 Samuel G. Blythe in the Saturday Even ing Post: Think of this; There is not one person in Europe-not one-not many in this eastern hemisphere or in the west ern, on whom this war will not lay an impost of some sort; from whom this war will not collect toll of hunger, of financial loss, of sorrow, of decreased employment. of agony, of death! There is not one person in Europe who will not be obliged to pay something, some time, somehow. There can be no escape. The toll must be collected. The people 1 must pay.
 | Kipling said: Who dies in Britain
 lives?" Fifty thousand die, perhaps, or a hundred thousand, or five hundred thousand. Figures mean nothing Men will die until enough have died to end the war. The question is: Who will live that Britain, or France. or Belgium, or Germany, or Russia may live? I will tell you. Some millions of men and some millions of women and children-a good many millions; and their living will be made harder, and their days darkened
 and their lives shrouded for generations because of this war. They will live-must | live; but they will live less plenteously than they have lived. They will live | borne down by the crushing burden of
 toll that they had no part in assum-
 ing, and that they must struggle to pay.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13
CHE HAS LIVED.

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
 Here is the closing paragraph of Editor Henri Watterson's latest funeral ora ton:
 Let us hope that the vigorous and vivid personality that survives political death will remain for long time with us. Citi- zen Roosevelt will always be popular, and deservedly so Author Roosevelt will remain in demand at a shilling a word. and maybe two shilings for ex- pletives. But of President Roosevelt 1t may be said. as the Romans said of their dead. He has lived.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13
ROADWAYs MADE OF RUBBER

From the Washington Post.
 "The American Road congress which is meeting this week in Atlanta may be called upon to take up the question of experimenting with rubber roads, re- marked T. A. Jason. a road engineeg of Memphis at the Raleigh Experiments made by road engineers in England have proved that rubber roads are not only more durable than any other kind of road, but much safer, and the question of cost of course. Is the one big item in rubber road construction that has to be overcome. It has been estimated that a rubber road would cost s25 square yard, and the life of such road in rela- tion to it's cost would necessarily deter mine the availability of rubber in the construction of highways.
 English engineers built experimental roads near London, using the famous old Kent road for test. This section of rubber road, after carrying for 29b days some of the heaviest traffic in London, amounting to 90 tons per square foot per hour for "A hours, was not perceptibly worn, according to the information have received from England. Adjacent four-inch wood block lost one-half inch in thickness in the same time under the same load.
 There are large possibilities in the rub Der road, and when it's merits are proved and accepted. it is probable that rubber roads will be adopted in many sections. if not universally, then for special traffic conditions. One big advantage of the rub Der road lies in the fact that they pre- vent skidding of vehicles. Even when | oiled, 1t is said, the rubber road does not cause motor behicles to sip.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13
AT THE ROADS END.

 The man who fingers in rut sE VIII think there's no use trying, but Some day will rise and rail at fate Because he sees 'tis then tpu late, Sad are the hearts of gray -haired men Who muse upon what might have been And, crimsoned by life's setting sun, Look back to goals they might have won. UNIQUE DECORATIVE EFFECTS Typography is not as popular as it used to be-" said Mrs. wasserby. No" replied Mrs. Judkins. but Mr. Judl1ins still does a little of it now and then"
 You surprise me. I had no idea that he had any artistic incinations." He hasn't. He merely leaves lighted cigars lying on chair arms and the edges of tables"
 MIGHT WRITE A BEST SELLER" How are you getting along with your literary work?''
 Not as well as I hoped "No?,
 You see. have crimson velvet smok- Ing jacket, handsome pipe, large waste paper basket, table, a chair and plenty or writing materials. but to save my life I can't formulate an idea"
 A HARD LOSER. Don't you think Mrs. Riggers has win some ways, Mrs Styling?s
 Indeed I dol That woman's winsome ways at the last bridge party I attended deprived me of new hat''
 WATCH HER. Oh, life is sweet, No doubt of that,
 To the dame on the street With a brand-new hat!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

A young millionaire is working as an week. Still. the knowledge that he is a millionaire probably more than anything else keeps him whistling at his work
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

A great many American teachers could doubtless get jobs in Germany in place of German teachers who are at the front. but if they are wise they will continue to scratch along at home.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

The pungent paragraphs of George M Bailey in the Houston Post are greatl. missed. We hope that his health will soon be restored.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

Birmingham is enjoying Diving yen~ uses'' this week both In the flesh and in the movies" The old-fashioned mer- maid never dreamed of the money she could make in the show business.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

The officers of the German cruiser Em- They are gallant fellows, even if they do think the Kaiser is better than most people.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

With Villa and Carranza fighting each other, the settlement of Mexico's prob- lens has again been indefinitely post poned.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

A St. Louis man who helped friend to get married is now helping him to get a divorce. Remorse?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

Champ Clark spent only s6o3 to secure his reelection to Congress, but voting for Champ is habit in Missouri.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

A noted mapmaker recently passed away. It must have saddened his heart to see the way the map of Europe is being treated
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

The visit of wild vest show to Bir- mingham yesterday reminds one that most of the wild vest is now either on the stage or in circuses.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

It is bad enough to be the cockpit of Europe" but Belgium has had to fur nish the pit and the birds as well.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13
ADRIFT WITH. THE TIMES

TO BE SURE.
 Pm rather skeptieal about some mef who pretend to reform
 Why not give them the benefit of ths doubt? The man who says. Pray foi me is usually more in earnest than the man who says, Vote for me-.
 MERELY NUMBERED NOW. ''Doppel has quit working for city beautiful and has entered a broader field of estheticlsm.'
 What is he doing?" to give appropriate names to submarines
 DISAPPOINTED. There was a politician bold
 Who liked to make speech; And though he still stayed in the fold, The pie" was out of reach.
 A VIOLENT SCENE.
 What are those two shopgirls quarrel ing about?"
 'It seems that both tried to stick theii gum in the same place when they start. ed out for lunch"
 MARTYRS TO RED TROUSERS. A German aviator says flying aloft he can, easily locate the French troops by their flaming red trousers. He gives a signal to the German Batteries and hail of death descends upon them. Ever since the war began those absurdly clad French soldiers have been an easy target for guns large and small. How many thousands have sacrificed their lives be- cause French soldiers before them, in blue coats and red trousers, won glorious victories! It is sublime and yet ridicu- lous. PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

Roosevelt and LaFollette make forlorn pair but we would hesitate to speak of them as the two Dromios.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

BEGINNING THE DAf-o God' | thank Thee for the tenderness or time. I thank Thee for the healing balm brought by the years. thank Thee that my wounds are bound up, and the ugly, awful scars so"e- how transformed as life goes oh' Help me to yield myself to the gen tie ministry of time. In Snrists name. Amen.-H. M. E.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

King Albert has done more to make a King looked Up to than any other man who has sat on throne in a hundred years.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13

Senator Sherman is one man unquea- Thanksgiving.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-13
Negroes in Government Service


 There are many negroes employed in clercal work in the departments at Wash ington, and because Secretary McAdoo Postmaster General Burleson and Comp troller of the Currency Williams have caused a segregation during working hours, the negroes are protesting to the President against such action," said Wn- ton J. Browning of the District of Co., lumbia.
 T am democrat of southern birth and would much prefer to see only white men and women employed in the departments, but as some of the northern democratic | congressman take a somewhat different view of the race question the time will never be when some proportion of the civil service army Is not of negro descent. "Of course President Wilson, like all other fair minded southerners, is glad, and more than glad, to see the negro race prospering. l understand that the south ern negroes are making great progress in agriculture; that many of them -wn their own farms and have accumulated money. All this should go on and will go on no doubt without any friction with the white people, but the fact that the number of government department em- ployes has increased steadily calls to mind a bit of inconsistency on the part of some democrats. When MT. Cleveland was President he appointed a few-ver,' | few-negroes to office, and he gave as his reason that in pivotal northern states | like New York and Indiana a large con- tingent of negroes had supported the democratic ticket in all three campaigns when he was candidate.
 l Some fire eating democrats in the southern states, notably Virginia and Mis- sissippi, opposed Cleveland's third nomi- nation bitterly because he upheld the civil service law which enabled negroes to hold department clerkships. Well, as | far as l can learn. there are five times as many negroes in office under Presl- dent Wilson as there were when MT Cleveland was President. Twenty yea-s ago l would have been somewhat stirred up myself if any considerable number oi 1 negroes were holding office under demo | cratic administration, but as time goes on we get used to lot of things. Nov think it is all right to give them g chance in civil service examinations, ou1 there should be segregation in the worl rooms, and as l understand it. Secreta9, McAdoo and other officials have it so i; a very strict way, but at the same tim, consideration and the utmost fairness i. shown to the colored employees"