davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
Regular Army Must He strengthened

T was not expecting the present Con-
 gress to do anything in the way of
 strengthening the United States army,
 but I should be disappointed if the Sixty
 fourth Congress does not see the need
 of preparedness and adopt measures ac-
 cordingly" said a national guardsman
 who is known to be close student of mill itary affairs.
 If we had positive assurance that this country would never have war forced upon it by great foreign power we would get along with our present small army-now less than 90000 with a considerable part of it stationed in our insular possessions. Secretary of State Bryan recently spoke lightly of the need for increasing our reg ular established army. He said that if
 an enemy threatened to invade the United States we could assemble volunteer force of 100000 men between sunrise and sun set. or words to that effect. Such re- marks, of course, were absurd. We have | 1000, 900 or S,000,000 men-probably 9,0O0,O00- liable for military duty, but untrained militiamen are of no use. It takes at least six months to make soldiers of raw re- cruits.
 'If the European war continues long Great Britain will have large army in the field. No one understands better than Lord Kitchener the futility of attempting to oppose a military power with undrilled
 men. I understand that he is having hun dreds of thousands of British volunteers drilled now with the intention of march, ing them to the front sometime during the coming summer. If this country had
 standing army of 100000 or 25OOOO men. with our 100000 guardsmen and morgan ized militia coming on later, we might do well in fighting back a foreign foe. As it is now our national defense is very weak
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
Defeat Five-Commission Bill

When the bill to increase the b1f- mingham commission to five members was first introduced in the senate friends of the measure had planned to push it through the legislature With the least possible delay.
 The people of Birmingham have never asked for a change in the com mission form that now exists, but few of them had walked up to the im- portance of organizing strong pro test against the proposition. The public is now becoming aroused, how ever. The hree-commissioner form IS ample, and representative citizens and all who believe in minimizing politics, are opposed to adding to the number. Many of them are now speaking out and the arguments used against the pending measure are practical and cogent
 The bill goes over to the July ses- sion. In the meantime every op- ponent of the five-commission meas ure should strive to have the law re- main as it is.
 By concerted effort on the part of the people of this city the bill can be defeated.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
Window Sales

There seems to be a sprnging up of all sorts of window display sales of candy and fruit" said the head of family.
 'I have been patron, in a limited way, of each of them. The idea of ap- ples and oragnes at cent piece aroused my curiosity at first, to see if there was any frost-bitten fruit offered, but I found it sound and sweet.
 "As to the candy, it is much better than some of the pasty. overloaded-w with starch stuff that has been at times la beled 'home-made,' and sold on the streets.
 Sound fruit and pure sugar candies are wholesome and healthy for children and for grown-ups.
 Talking with a candy manufacturer a few days ago. was surprised to find that sugar at 41a cents is a cheaper and more satisfactory ingredient for candy than glucose at cents, or less Glucose is sweeter, but owing to rapid evaporation does not keep candy as fresh and sweet as that made with sugar."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
First Avenue Xiaduct

''The nearing of the completion of sec tions of the First avenrx viaduct gives an impressive idea of modern structural work, with steel and concrete said a citizen of Woodawn.
 This viaduct promises much relief to the citizens of my section of Birming- ham, which includes Avondale and Wood- lawn and Roebuck Springs dwellers, from vexatious delays, and dangers at rail- road crossings, and the dust of the Sloss furnaces in the summer time especially.
 q am glad that Commissioner Wealth erly, who has charge of that part of the citys affairs has called for the pav- ing of First avenue, from the eastern terminus of the viaduct to Spring street, AVondale"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
FIGHTS ALONG THE MEUSE

valley of the Mouse by force of arms down to the present day.
 In the forest of Ardennes. the Mouse flows through a country rich in TO- mances of Charlemangs. Vinelands and hop gardens lie further along ns banks, and then it washes great indus trial cities, gathering to itself the ashes, rust and acids of factory and furnace waste. Finally, it drifts through the flat lands of Holland, supplying the nurner- ous canals which lazily divide the plains. Here and there, as between Namur and Liege, it cuts a narrow passage between wooded hills and cliffs, their difficult sides dotted with pretty villas. Just be- fore reaching the sea, the Mouse, here the Maas, divides, one branch flowing west and the other mingling with the Rhine to empty past Rotterdam at the Hook of Holland.
 In the beginning of it's course the val ley of the Mouse is a wide meadowland. It then breaks into a gorge, fringed with broken tangled banks. There is a wealth of scenic beauty along its way. Chateaux, castles, cottages, and farm steads sprinkle the valley, though far more thickly than these evidences of the living are clustered the place names res- cued from forgetfuness by legenls and historic records. The camp of the Adua- tuci described by Caesar is marked by a citadel on d hill between this river and the Sambre, it's largest tributary. At Dinant Phillip the orood, Duke of Burgundy is said to have caused eight hundred people to be drowned in its waters. But the river has long since forgotten the good dukes sprightly slaughter in a present time more stir ring, more titanic and far more costly in human life.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
Business Men on Better Basis

The great industrial companies of this country are managed by men noted not only for their capacity but for their interest in civic affairs and their sympathy with humanity.
 The United States Steel corporation is exceptionally fortunate in having such broad-minded and strong hearted men as Chairman E. H. Gary and President James A. Farrell associated in the direction of the corporations extensive operations. The chairman and the president are equally optim- istic, and they have the faculty of presenting conditions in a bright light and seeing the better side of busi ness when it is depressed. President Farrell made speech in Pittsburg recently in which he emphasized the fact that business was improving. He made an appeal to business men gen. orally to cooperate in bringing about complete business recovery, and the general tenor of his remarks had a very cheering effect on the industrial world.
 The address delivered by Judge Gary at the unemployment luncheon of the Merchants association of New York three weeks ago has been pub lished in pamphlet form and is being widely circulated It is notable discussion of present conditions, and while deploring the distress prevail ing in New York on account of the large number of unemployed men and women Judge Gary dAals with num- Der of problems touching directly the business and industrial field He has written and spoken in an Illuminating manner on many occasions, but in this last address he is especially construc- tive. In referring to the reasons for various depressing conditions Judge Gary said that the business men had been partly at fault.
 "We had become" he said, more or less careless in management, indif- ferent to the rights and interests of others, regardless of our responsi- bilities towards those for whom we had become trustees, as directors, of ficials or otherwise, and unmindful of the general public welfare. We did not sufficiently realize our duty towards one another, towards rivals in business and to employees whose welfare we were in duty bound to pro- teit and promote. make no personal references and have no individual or corporation in mind. All of us failed to measure fully up to our obligations;
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
' WAR ECHOES

New York World: To one performance country every American has right to protest vehemently. They announce "neu- trauty and peace meetings and with the aid of their alien societies pack them with German sympathizers. Speakers en- gagged in the belief that they are to ad- dress neutral and peace-loving audiences find themselves torpedoed or zeppelined before they have talked two minutes. 1n- stead of neutrality, peace and free speech, they encounter riot and lynch law New York has had this experience. Chicago had it on Sunday.
 These assemblages are engineered by Germans, domestic cor foreign, who are making war upon the President and Sec retary of State. Orators who do not he's itate at sedition are heard gladly. Those still loyal to the United States who have been tricked and trapped into these con- claves of militarism are shouted down by the ambushed claque, and another tri- umph of "l1ultur'' is proclaimed.
 Neutrality as defined by these profess sionals means donning the Emperors coat Peace as they understand it Is an attack upon the President and the gov ernment of the United States.
 New York Herald: It becomes increas- ingly evident that ever since the drive on Paris was checked the Germans have felt that the problem of supplies would be arI extremely important factor in the war. At once instructions were formu- lated for the conservation of food. Each month since has seen the issuance of further orders with regard to food sup plies.
 It is probable that other supplies not ably copper and the petroleum products, are more sadly needed than food just at the present time. There seems little doubt, however that the pinch of hunger is not far ahead for many of the Ger man people unless English control of the sea can be broken.
 The extending of their cereal products by potato flour and the elimination of every possible item of waste in food were followed by the government decree taking over all the foodstuffs in the country for public use It goes without the saying that no such drastic measure would be taken were it not very clearly seen that the issue of the war will turn on Ger many's ability to feed her population and her army.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
From an article copied by the National Geographic Society

From an article copied by the National
 Geographic Society.
 X BOVE every other valley, that of
 "A the Mouse has become battle
 field. At Liege on the Mouse,
 the first great battle of the war broke
 forth, and the struggle blazed and scar
 ed all along the picturesque splendor of
 this wild, rugged banked stream, direct
 ly southward through Belgium into
 France According to the day by day
 dispatches, some of the most fierce fight
 ing and efforts are still raging on it's
 banks. Liege, Namur. Dipant, Givet,
 Sedan, Stenay verdun and St. -Iihiel- each name recently became familiar to
 Americans-all lie along its course. Three counties share the Meuse It rises in France, flows northward through Belgium, crosses the Dutch fronties
 sweeps westward through Holland and empties into the North Sea. It's journey to the sea is one Of 5S0 miles, of which 460 are navigable. Its source is in the south of the French Department Haute Marne near the Monte Faucilles whence it crosses the Department vosges, Mouse, Ardennes, into Belgium near Sedan northward into Holland near Maastrlch,
 and thence westward to the sea. It bears several names along its course-Meuse, Macs, Maas. Merwede
 The Valley of the Mouse for ages has been a channel for the ebh and flow of armies. It might be said tc drain one vast historic battle field Caesar pcs- sued it's path into unknown. barbaric North The wild Teutonic tribes pressed down between it's banks toward the wealth of Rome. Christian Europe has been settling it's differences along the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12

From the Louisville Courier-Journal
 A 'MA?IM silencer" was used by
 A criminal as an attachment to ( pocket pistol in a popular play season or two ago. A few days ago a New York business man who had lost his fortune in real estate speculation used a silencer to muffle the reports of A. caliber rifle with which he killed his wife and two daughters and himself There followed a great deal of discussion about the possibilities of the silencer as an aid to crime. Stringent laws, it was urged should be enacted to prevent the sale of silencers.
 It seems that the device is so simple that any skilled mechanic could make it, and a murderer will not be scrupulous about infringing upon a patent right. A new law is always, to some minds, the obvious and urgently needed remedy for any condition. But no law has ever kept weapons out of the pockets of the crim- inal class, and none will ever do so. Filling on more statutes whenever a new method of committing murder suggests itself IS waste of time and money.
 It is not at all probable that criminals will adopt silencers. It is asserted Una. they cannot be used on pistols. Stage nc- ton misrepresents the facts. If 1t IS true that the rifle bullet at long distances loses both velocity and direction as
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12

and sometimes we were deserving of unfavorable criticism. Many of those who criticized were actuated by the best of motives; others by the desire for notoriety or individual advance ment. The effect was bad and in many instances not justified. Ere quently those who knew the least about the actual facts had the most to say by way of attack
 "Now, having admitted whac many of you may claim is more than the facts warrant, I venture the assertion that these conditions which have been referred to are disappearing. The business men of this country at the present time are on better basis than ever before. Their management, their conduct, their business morals are improved, their standards are higher. As result, can anyone doubt that the sentiment mentioned is changing or that there is more CO., operation between all classes of peo- pie, recognition to a greater degree than ever before that it is to the ad- vantage of each to have all others prosper?o
 
 Judge Gary's address throughout was on a high ethical plane and It cannot fail to have far-reaching et- feet for good.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
THE "SILENCER" IMPRACTICAL

result of the silencer being used it is un- likely that assassins in sparsely settled sections will adopt a muffler at the ex- pense of the accuracy of their weapons and rifles are not used by city crim- inals.
 The dagger and sundry blunt instr, ments are weapons of as great precision as firearms, and silent. There Is no probability that murderers are as much excited about the silencer as some of the New Workers who demand an anti silencer law reveal themselves as being. If, or when, silencer for pocket fire arms, is perfected, it is probable that criminals who carry pistols for use as a last resort-such as burglars, who wish to avoid shooting-will make use of them. So long as the silencer is practical upon rifles only it is not probable that it will stimulate man-lkilling, unless investiga- tion proves that it does not materially af- feet the accuracy of shooting at long range.
 That the report of his small caliber rifle will reveal him and result in his capture and conviction is not large fac tor in the calculation of the man-killer of the Appalachian region. The invention of siencer of alibi witnesses would de- feat his plans more surely than a de- vice to silence the report of his rifle would advance them.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
The City BeautifuI

With the approach of spring the city beautiful movement will be revived, and the first thing done in that direction should be general cleaning up of al- leys and back yards" said an old citi- zen. "Of course. there can be no beauty without cleanliness.
 Birmingham has always been kept as clean as the average city. but since civic pride has been aroused we must not be satisfied with anything less than the highest standard of sanitation, and along with that attention must be given to everything that contributes to the beau tiful."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
PRESS POINTERS

Huntsville Mercury Banner: A Mont gomery headline reads, Boat at the Wharf Loaded Both Ways" We would not be surprised If there are not a few legislators at the capitol in like con dition.
 Montgomery Times: There may be a difference of opinion as to what happened to Birmingham's finances, but nearly
 everybody will agree that they neeed mending. Birmingham Age-Herald. And once getting them mended, get a strong paddock and keep the door locked sound and fast.
 Gadsden Journal: Investigation of a Kentucky election fraud disclosed that
 votes for women" could be had at $1 each, while votes for men" came at $2 and SS apiece The men, of course, had no idea of bargains. Guntersville Democrat: One lone car dinal piped his lay Monday morning, but he sang as if he was afraid some one would hear him. Anniston Star: "Anniston has forfeited it's title the Model City" by having six policemen killed in the discharge of their
 duty in the past six months says The | Age-Herald. Possibly so, but we will re- claim the forfeit.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
HAD SOME LUCK.

Job had his troubles, yes indeed; That's what he was created for. But still he never had to read All day about the foreign war.
 Milwaukee News Job found existence rather tough And led a somewhat painful life. But he escaped the endless stuff About the curren baseball strife.
 SLouisville Courier-Journal Job suffered many earthly ills And never did his temper lose; No "solons" then were passing bills 'Gainst everything. including .'booze.''
 Birmingham Age-Herald. Job did have troubles, one or two, And had more troubles than was right, But he had no problem to do Till after bedtime every night.
 Houston Post
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
IN KANSAS.

A bill has been introduced i'll the lower house of the Kansas legislature making it a misdemeanor for woman under 45 years of age to wear earrings or pse cosmetics for the purpose of creating a false impression, by which is meant evidently false impression as to her youthfulness. Women over 45, we pre- sume, are expected to know better. al- though there is nothing in their appear ance these days to indicate that they do. This bill was framed in Kansas. It is quite foolish enough to have had an Alabama ''solon" for it's sponsor.
 PAUL COOK
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
Will Be Treated by Specialist

James Hillhouse left Wednesday night for Rochester, Minn., where he will be treated by a specialist at the Mayo hos pital for an ailment which has been troubling him for four years. He was treated sometime ago in an eastern hos pital, but his condition did not improve.
 MT. Hillhouse's friends say that he has been apparently in fairly good health, and they feel hopeful that when he re- turns home he will be free from all suf- fering.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
POISONING THE OLD FOLKS

From the New York World.
 It would be charitable to assume tha' the former porter of the German odd f'ei- lows home at Yonkers who says that ne helped poison eight old and decrepit in- mates of the institution is "crazy
 On it's face the confession or the man Mors is too shocking to appear cred ible to the average person. The ordi- nary man and women woh leads hum- drum existence cannot conceive that such deeds are humanly possible. and would raiect them as utterly false to life if described in the pages of fiction. It is the privilege of every such reader to live in a pleasant world of his own crea- tion where abnormal human beings who torture and kill and offend every law of humanity are too vile for actual exis- tence.
 The police records, however, are full of instances of human conduct that no nov elist however unrestrained his taste for horrors would dare employ. But the police records deal with the unusual, not the unreal. and they illustrate the worst that could be imagined, not the imagt
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
AROUND THE HEARTH

From John Greenleaf Whittier's Snow
 bound"
 Shut in from all the world without. We sat the clean winged hearth about, Content to let the north wind roar In baffled rage at pane and door. While the red logs before us beat The frost line back with tropic heat; And ever. when a louder blast Shook beam and rafter as 1t passed, The merrier up it's roaring draught The great throat of the chimney laughed The house dog on his paws outspread, Laid to the fire his drowsy head, The cats dark silhouette on the wall. A couchant tigers seemed to fall; And, for the winter f1reside meet Between the andirons straddling feet, mug of cider simmering slow, The apples sputtered in a row, And close at hand, the basket stood With nuts from brown October's yDod.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12

certainly not to the extent they form erly enjoyed. Another generation will have toscarry on the work in Belgium and elsewhere in Europe. It will be task of years to obliterate the scars that will be left.
 In view of these facts, even the stupendous sum of $37, ,50O,000 day appears insignificant. The war is not only costing money, but much that money cannot buy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
THE UNKNOWN JAPANESE

Arthur Bullard in the Century Maga-
 zine.
 Since the civil war no one has feared armed invasion from any country but Japan. This meanace has been grossly exaggerated, not always from laudable motives. But there is no gain in the ostrich policy of refusing to look at what danger there is.
 The thing which most sharply differen- tiates our relations with Japan from those with Great Britain is that while we are well acquainted with the English, the Japanese, of all the great nations, are the people we know least. The unknown is always fearsome. The English, who have had the longest and closest contact with the oriental races, do not dread them. "The yellow peril is a phrase at tributed to the Kaiser, a man who has never been east of Suez. And we, who are wofully unacquainted with the Japanese, are unduly disposed to credit every sine ister rumor.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
GOT ELECTED, MAYBE
From the Augusta Chronicle.

From the Augusta Chronicle.
 A negro preacher in Kentucky was fined $50 for selling his yote.-Brmingham Age-Herald.
 Will not the good Birmingham Age Herald also say to us just what hap pened to the man, or the men. who bought the vote?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
THERE'S S A REASON.

I'm surprised to hear that man re joicing over the return of prohibition He's in the liquor business"
 Softly, softly. He made great deal of money running a tiger and lost it trying to run a saloon.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
NO SCIENCE.

Isn't it dreadful to see the way those boys are fighting?" exclaimed the agi- tated old lady
 '''Tis so, madam" answered the man with sporting Instincts, who was an in- terested observer of the combat. Meth CT one of them seems to know the value of an upper cut"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
TO NO PURPOSE.

Pa, what is meant by a filibuster?"
 "In the recent deadlock on the ship purchase bill, my son, it meant great deal of wasted talk, with extra accent on the bust
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
HIS EXPLANATION

From the Chicago Tribune.
 Your voice." said the commanding of ficer, lis decidedly rasping."
 'Yes, sir said the subordinate. touch ing his hat ''I have been out roughing it with a file of soldiers all morning.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
SOME OLD

From the Louisville Herald.
 'T hear an automobile was built in 2 minutes at factory test. Wonder il that is true?'
 "Yes. it is true. And went out of style in exactly 1s minutes more"