davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25

welcome any advances for peace made
by the neutral countries under the
guidance of the United States. She
thinks that mediation would be fail
ure and it would be impossible for
any of the belligerents to accept such
an offer from America. at is as GER
tain that any government which asked
US to act is mediator would be rent
by its own people as it is that any Of
fer on our part to act as mediator
would be refused"
However, the civilian population is
not only frightened by the growing
dominance of the military power, but
a different type of pacifists are de-
veloping who want to save as far as
possible from the maelstrom of war
those democratic ideals which have
grown up in Europe, particularly in
France, Germany and England. But
the tide of hatred is at its full, each
side is firmly convinced that it is
right and any sort of direct media
ton at the present time is out of the
question.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
The Chicago Disaster

Notwithstanding the fact that the
world has become Injured to daily
reports of the ravages of war a dis
aster like that caused by the capsiz-
ing of the steamer Eastland at Chi
cago in which hundreds of people
probably 1300v-mostly women and
children were drowned appalls human
ity and stirs the sympathies of all
classes.
1t was heart-rending scene and the
catastrophe was all the more lament
able because with reasonable care on
the part of the Eastland's responsible
officers the accident might not have
happened; or at any rate, if the
steamers life saving devices had beer
ample and the crew adequate in mum.
bers for efficient rescue work fewer
persons would have persisted.
Not only are the Chicago authori-
ties making an investigation for the
purpose of fixing the blame, but the
United States department of com.
merce, which has supervision OF
lake and river craft, was prompt ir
starting probe.
If relief fund for the benefit Of
stricken families is needed contribu
lions will flow into the sorrowing cit.
from all sections of the country; no
that Chicago is not abundantly able
to provide for all her people in dis
tress; but no city has been promptel
or more generous in responding tt
calls for aid from other cities thar
| Chicago, and thousands of men ant
! women in the north, the south, The
east and the west would deem it 6
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Impressed win Birmingham

mere has certainly been a marvellous
change in Birmingham since 1 saw it
last about 20 years ago." said W. G.
Vanoegrift, who is visiting Mrs. A.
sahdegrift and daughter of Birmingham.
For sometime past have been a res
ioent of Chicago. That city as every
one knows, ranks second in size in the
United States. | had of course, heard
much of Birmingham phenomenal
growth; but could not realize the prog
ress made here until had the oppor-
tunity OF looking it over carefully. Its
buildings compare we'll with those of
large northern cities, and I would say
that its skyscrapers are equally as tall
as one finds in other big cities. From
all accounts business here is steadily
improving.
The sight of the city within itself is
enough TO inspire the visitor with conf
dence. Unless something Unforeseen oc-
ours | now purpose to again make Bir-
m1ngham my place of residence"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
The MISTRESS OF THE uOIrsF,

By Julia Nicely Finch.
Oh. house deserted! Place forlorn,
With grass-grown walks and sagging
gate.
With famished flowers, fallen dead
And all of life from out thee fed
Where hath she gone? How far hath
flown,
The little mistress of the house?
This was my home. My very own
And she the spirit of it all.
| Twas here she stood to say 'Goodbye!'
Goodbye for just little while"
And, oh, the blessing of her smile!
The love within her light eyes:
Those eyes as blue as summer skies!
Oh. lovely place and desolate,
With doors and windows shattered barred
And nmble insects spinning guard
OF filament and sillxen thread
Where hath the little mistress goner
Twas ever her bright way to fling
Windows wide unto the sun
That no forlorn and lonely one
Should pass and lack her friendly aid
Unheard go some low trembling call:
And fitting in and out, SHE'D sing
AS birds sing when they brood and build
Oh. empty house and empty world
oh, flags of joy forever furled
And life's bright wine, outpoured and
spilled
] am lonely. I am afraid,
Where hath the little mistress gomez
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
lined BRACE TALKS ABOUT THE ULTIMATUM
TO GERMANY AND ITS PROBABLE EFFECT

HE Presidents ultimatum sent to
Germany is the most thorough In
preston and the most deliberate In con-
clusion that has yet passed between the
two governments
1t is worthy OF some of the notes which
passed between gentlemen in the old days
of the code duello.
Germany is given honorable opportunity
to amend her conduct. She is urged and
advised to do So Failure to do SO, the
President plainly notifies her, means a
declaration of unfriendliness.
Germany, as an honorable and upright
nation, must comply with the President 8
desires. Otherwise, Germany will seek
war with US.
The German people have nothing to gain
by war with America. They know 1t and
! they will not deliberately bring about a
situation which would mean war and the
great loss of property of Germans tied
up IN this country. The war in Europe
has been horrible enough. What would
become of the Germans in this country !?
There would be no neutral country to
which to send them. The situation would
be almost beyond conception
Germany is sure to figure out a salts
factory answer to the Presidents note
one that will avoid the severance of
diplomatic relations
The Presidents note seems to be in
tended for England as well as Germany
and would Indicate his belief that this
country is amply able to maintain its
legitimate rights as against any or all
of the warning nations Of Europe.
Being so prepared and with a man of
ability as we'll as courage, of conservatism
as well as forcefulness, at the head of
this government, l cannot believe that
Germany will take further action which
Will lead to declaration of war on our
part against Germany.
The situation will right itself
y K Il
took the trip to and from Montgomery
by automobile last week. The roads. with
the exception of mile below Calera, are
good This point is torn up by the road
construction gang and will soon be in
good shape
Inc "Trip can be made in a jog, so To
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
Striking the Gait

In the stables of Edward F. Geers
the horse man, is Napoleon Direct, who
few days ago in a workout on the
Cleveland track, made mile in 2:O5
While this is not record breaking
time, it augurs we'll for future ex.
ploits by Napoleon Direct, according
to trainers. But there is something
unusual in the history of this promis-
ing horse.
Napoleon Direct has received sud-
den promotion from plow horse to
racer. Foaled on a Tennessee farm in
1909, Napoleon became a pillow horse
Indeed he was hitched between two
mules and narrowed the fields, re-
spending to the rough gees and
''haws" of the hired men. Not very
suspicious beginning for a future
racer, was it?
Another of the duties of Napoleon
Direct was to round up the cows Of an
evening, ridden by one of the farm
workmen. In this Napoleon seemed to
find some pleasure-as he threw up
his head and covered the ground in
long, graceful strides 1t was thus
that he was discovered by Mr.. Geers,
who undertook his training for the
track.
Now Napoleon Direct is a pampered
pet, fed on daintes dear to equine
appetite, with valet whose sole duty
is to keep the coat of the horse in
glossy condition-and to manicure his
hoofs, so to speak.
Had it not been for the opportune
arrival of Mr.. Geers this sensitive
racer would have fretted his life away
and broken his spirit at unsuited
tasks, as many another possible racer
has done.
Such is the tragedy of horsedom
And this tragedy is symbolic of what
is constantly happening in the world
of men.
Many a man and woman who pos
sess the sensitive nature, the fine
qualities which if permitted to de-
ve+op, would enable them to outstrip
the patient plodders of the world, are,
like Napoleon Direct, harnessed to
some dragging burden. They are COM
panioned by those with whom there
is no common sympathy, responding
to the rough commands of ignorant
authority.
Unless discovered by a liberating
genius, they waste their talents in
plodding pursuits, while others, more
favorably situated, win the plaudits
Of the crowd.
That man is fortunate who has
"struck his gait"-found his place.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
The Question of Preparedness

In today's Age-Herald is repro
duced letter from Gen. James H.
Wilson of Wilmington, Del, to his
friend, Gen. E. w. Rucker, which will
be read with especial interest at this
time when President Wilson and his
advisors are giving close attention to
questions relating to the national de-
Tense.
AS General Wilson is distinguished
soldier-a graduate of West Point and
veteran commander of two wars
his views will receive more than or
binary consideration. The radical
changes in the methods of warfare
now impressed upon the world leads
him to call halt on large expendi-
lures for dreadnaughts and on any
plans that would call for an increase
in the regular army. Unlike most
military men, General Wilson thinks
the army as it is today-approximate-
ly 100000 mems ample. He is
wrong.
Secretary of War Garrison and mill
tary experts associated with him agree
that the army should be reorganized
and numerically strengthened Con-
gress will not be asked to increase
the regular establishment to a million
men, or even half million. But the
war department will urge a very sub
stantial increase, so that the regulars
may not only form more efficient
nucleus for mighty volunteer force,
but constitute in themselves an army
for mobilization sufficiently large to
be worth while at the outset in the
event of war. To drill a million vol
unteers and make real soldiers of them
requires time, and this country's ex-
perience in the years past and Great
Britain's experience today certainly
furnish object lessons in the false
economy of maintaining only the
skeleton of an army.
General Wilson believes that it
would be we'll if all schools would in
clude in their educational work mill
tary training, but he insists above all
things that the government maintain
two naval academies instead of one
and four military academies instead
of one. With such increase in Uni
ted States academies a thousand
young men equipped for war service
would be graduated every year. There
would then be no lack of officers for
training a great body of recruits.
This idea is a good one and the Sixty
fourth Congress will do we'll to act
upon it. But more important will be
the legislation providing for a larger
army.
President Wilson has already called
for specific data from the war and
navy departments with recommended
tons for the betterment of the ma
tional defense; and when Congress
meets he will have much to say along
this line.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25

SPEAK, III uVo nours, ana Is saIe and
pleasant.
The crops are in better condition than
were ever known at this season. There
is less cotton and more corn and grain
and vegetables than were ever known to
be planted by farmers of this section.
The fact that the legislature has prac-
tically decided to take the convicts from
the mines and lumber camps and work
them on the roads means that within a
reasonable time the entire state will be
traversed by such good roads as that
between Birmingham and Montgomery.
Some of the coal operators are making
fight in Montgomery to prevent the
taking of the convicts from the mines
but the die has been practically cast and
the agricultural element of the state as
well as all other people will profit i'm
mensely by the improved road system
which will be the result of building them
with convict labor.
This second session OF the legislature
promises to do practical business The
fauaficjs of tho M cbipa mos axpa,aa5
In the radical legislation of the last ses-
sion. and in order to demonstrate its real
merit the leaders are getting down to
practical work.
There is yet a feeling of antagon
between the leaders of the house and
senate and the governor. The legisla tive
leaders think Governor Henderson a poor
judge of men and feel that he prefers to
pay political debts in appointments rather
positions at his disposal. 1t seems now.
however, that these matters will be ad-
justed by agreements as to men between
the governor and the leaders.
The governor is insistent upon maintain
ing the rights and dignity of the office
and he writes an occasional message on
this subject.
In reading the governors messages. one
can tell what he means but 1t would
be wise on his part to invest in a blue
pencil, which might be used in. editing
them bit before they are put into cold
type.
However, the governor is doing very
well. He is of good poise; is not excit-
able, and if he will select good advisers
rather than accepting the importuning of
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
Enthusiasm in Spanish Class

ut is good to see the enthusiasm mani
tested in Prof c. r. Conant's class in
Spanish at the Chamber of Commerce. "
said Everett Blanks, assistant secretary of
the civic body. "All through the hotter
weather the class attendance was large
Every one of the students, so far as
know, is delighted with Spanish and with
the progress he is making in acquiring
this language, now so important for young
men ambitious to get in touch with South
American trade"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
Southern Railway Retirement

TN connection with the double track
work which it has had under way in
Virginia and North Carolina during the
past fiscal year on 1924 miles of its At
lanta- Washington line, the Southern rail-
way has eliminated 81 out of 20 grade
crossings said /. SEWER by the build
Ing of underpasses 20 were eliminated, by
overhead bridges 10, and by changing the
direction of public highways U.s. The 10
which remain are so located as to make
their elimination physically impossible or
they involve prohibitive damages to
abutting property.
I'm all construction work involving the
relocation or double tracking of its lines
the fixed policy Of the Southern is to
separate all important highway crossings
ofthe revised lines wherever practtoa BILE.
| Though his policy means large additional
expense, such expense is undertaken as
a permanent investment for safety.
THE Southern railway has also CO.
operated with municipal and county au-
thorities in the elimination of many dam
gerous crossings others of it's lines
throughout the south. 1t has devoted to
work of this character as much as its
| resources and other obligations make pos
sible and President Fairfax Harrison has
announced that this policy will be con-
tnued."
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
An Address to Former Saloon People

An Address to Former Saloon PeoDIe
These words, l trust, will not be
spoken in d patronizing way. No man
or set of men is in position to as
sumo an air of condescension towards
you. And you do not need to be
sucked "a man is man for a. that
and a that" You still stand men
among all the men that are.
| hope also that there will be no
smack of superior piety in what |
shall say. If as saloon man you
sinned, in that you valued gain more
than you did human life and happi-
ness, you know it-or ought to know
it; AND that is between you and God.
II you were drawn into the saloon
business thoughtlessly, or conducted
it innocently as a lawful enterprise,
you know that also; and neither God
nor man can accuse you. 1t is not
for Gus" to bring any indiscriminate
charge against you" We are sin
ners as you are. Greed or disregard
of our brothers welfare is sin in the
coal business and the law and the
Gospel ministry, just as in the bust
ness which you have followed.
The fact is, however, that the state
has decreed that the sale of all alco-
holic liquors is illegal 1t is not now
a question of whether this ought to
have been done, or whether it ought
to have been done in the way it was.
It has been done. You seem to be
taking it philosophically and to be
inclined to obey the law. That is as
your God would have it. Otherwise
government lapses into anarchy, and
property and life belong to the mob.
Now, we wish to help you. Many
of you, Of course, have moved else
where to continue business or have
gone into other activities, and are be-
yond the need Of the help of which
| speak now. But others are without
positions, or have entered new bust
nesses under great disadvantages. We
wish to help you in your effort to
obey the law, and to remain, or to be-
come, self-respecting citizens and
honest, good men. We want to help
you to get job, we want to trade
with you.
Further, we want to meet you on
the street, take you by the hand, and
compel you to feel that you and we
stand together, man and man, brother
and brother, with the great, common
task of living faithfully, and of MAX
ing the world a little bit more like
heaven. Your business may be out
lawed, but you are not. Life is still
before you. Human companionship,
earth, heaven, God and Christ are
still yours. 1t is not what business
a man has been in, but what a man
has been. Nor that either. 1t is
what man is, or will be, or may be.
We want you in our business, we want
you in our homes, we want you in our
churches, we want you kneeling with
US before our God and your God.
HENRY. NJ. EDMONDS.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
Peace Talk in Europe

In an interview granted to COR
---~"-i"-t of the Chicago Tribune, in
Wasi "A, Miss Jane Adams, who
rtcen urned to this country from
r. %. Europe in the interests Of
l-sACc, es' the impressions she
lie abroad. 1t is significant
t1al the militarists had no time
or i.aal on to discuss the POSSIBLE
aeF ce with Miss Adams, she
WIS eve where received with the
~Ht urtesy and found many per-
s 1f hportance in the countries
ssh il who seem only waiting for
an opportunity to cooperate with
neutral countries in stopping the war.
The militarlsts are of course unwil-
ling to consider peace. They never
have been and probably never will be,
but there is growing alarm among the
civil groups lest the militarists gain
such preponderance of power that they
cannot be dislodged after the war is
ended. Miss Adams concludes that
nearly all the thinking civil popula-
ton" of t. countries would
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
FULLY EXPLAINED

You say this man held you up and
stole the savings of a llfetime?"
Yes, your honor"
Don't you think 1t was rather I'm
wise to carry the savings of a life
time in your pocket?"
Not in this case, your honor. You
see I was on my way to buy an au-
ton obile."
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
BAR TO woMEN,s VOTING

From the Montgomery Advertiser.
An unexpected bar to women voting
has been discovered in the Indiana law.
The suffragists have already begun work
to have this section repealed before wom-
en- actually go to voting. The section
reads: THE curtains in front of the booths
must be OF sufficient height from the floor
to make the lower limbs of the voters
plainly visible to the election officers"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
2leJt3,oeQ.
THE LAST RESORT

THE LAST RESORT
All l have is yours" said the youth
at her feet
What have you?" asked the calcu-
lating girl
'Why-er, nothing just now. but my
prospects are good
"Realize on your prospects and then
come to see me again"
Good heavens. Grace. If ] don't
marry you, l have no prospects,
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
ADRIFT WITH THE TIr1ES
MODERN IMPROVEMENTS

MODERN IMPROVEMENTS
Maria" said Farmer Topsoil, them
city boarders is due here tomorrow"
yes, Hiram"
Better put away TIL phonygraft an
tn pianner player an tell tn hired
man ter keep tn autymobile' locked up
in tn garage. We've got ter make
this place look as rooral as possible,
or them folks won't think THERE get
tin their moneys worth"
HURRYING ON
The morning comes and the afternoon
And then the night in a ceaseless
round;
And the days are ended all too soon
For travellers on life's journey bound.
Ard much that we really ought to do
Is postponed till some other time,
And lifes great moments, alas. are few
For even a glimpse of things sub
lime.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
A SHREDDER OF TEARS

A SHREDDER OF TEARS
you say he's a drummer and never
tells a funny story?'
That's right"
81 should think he would be handi-
capped
mot In his business He sells tomb
stones and the role he plays Is one of
sympathy"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
BEGINNING THE DAY-My Faith.

BEGINNING THE DAY-My Faith
er God, 1 would keep my eyes on
Thee, 1 would think Thy thoughts
after Thee. l would live in Thy life.
Lift me with the thought of my
heavenly parentnge. May my con-
duct cOmpOrt with my sonship to
God. When earth would drag me
down, may I point to the hills where
my Father lives. In Christs name.
Amen.-H. Nj. f..
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
NEEDED OFTENER THERE

From the Beaumont Enterprise.
In glaring red letters three inches deeI
and spread across the top of it's first pa gs
the Pittsburg Leader tells waiting
world that Harry Thaw has taken a
dip" Are baths so uncommon in Pitts
burg as that?
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25

Many persons of means who were
given financial aid in ESCAPING from
the European war zone have refused
ito reimburse the United States treas
Jury and Secretary McAdoo threatens to
sue them. The more one sees of Ger
tain kinds of Americans, the more he
admires the Fiji islanders.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25

The Kaiser is preparing to make a
triumphal entry into Warsaw. AS n
concession he may take along a few
of the generals who are doing all the
hard work.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
DEPLORABLE INDEED

From the Chicago Herald.
Because a fellow member suffers from
smallpox all Wisconsin legislators are to
be vaccinated. What a pity there isn't
an anti-graft viruai
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25

Golf will be tried as an insanity cure
in the Illinois State hospital In the
early stages of the cure caddies should
keep plenty of distance between them
selves and the players.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25

God help England and France.
writes a war correspondent, If Ger
many vanquishes Russia and turns her
eastern armies toward France. "be-
cause nobody else will" That seems to
be understood
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25

Things have come to a pretty pass
when 1t is necessary to guard the ma
tional capital from being blown up by
cr&nks but 1t must be remembered
that half the world Is mad.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25

There is an article In the July mum
Der of Hide and Leather on Needless
Calf Slaughter" which cannot be at
tributed, except in rare instances, to
reckless automobilists
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
AWFUL 10 CONTEMPLATE

From the Pensacola News
An Alabama man who kept saying in
his sleep, ST killed him. | killed him.
was arrested for murder How awful it
would be if the poor man had been refer
ring to a mosquito.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-07-25
CAPTAIN HoBsoN AGAIN

From the Houston Post
The Memphis Commercial Appeal says
Capt. Richmond P. Hobson knows it all.
No. he doesn't know 1t all, but merely
talks it all whether he knows 1t or not