davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
Removal of German Citizens From U. s.
 Vessels Recalls the Mdson-Slidell Affair

Washington, December 14-The United States government today cabled Ambas- sador Sharp at Paris for presentation to the French foreign office note vigor- ously protesting against the removal by the French cruiser Descartes of six Ger mans and Austrians from the American steamships Carolina, Coamo and San Juan. Immediate release of the men is asked on the ground that the seizure of citizens of any nation from an American vessel on the high seas is without legal justification and constitutes fragrant violation of American rights.
 The note was dispatched by Secretary Lansing with the full approval of Presi- dent Wilson. It also Is understood to have been discussed by the President with his cabinet at today's meeting.
 Couched In friendly terms, the comnun- ication states the American point of view emphatically and cites precedents em- ployed in the case of August Piepenbrink. a German who was removed from the American ship Windber by the French cruiser Condo in November of last year
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
CUBANS PLAN TO
 INCREASE ARMY
U. S. Requested to Sell Arms and Ammunition-Gunboat Will
 Be Rendered

Washington, December H.-The govern
 ment Of Cuba plans to increase it's army,
 accordlng to advices received here today These advices are in the nature. of a request by the Cuban government for the |sale bv the United States to Cuba of arms |s Id a,nrrlrrition for the contemplated in- art8 se ard ,so for a training ship to be |used sby t,naan naval cadets. Tba aurnaat Princeton. at present un- asYrl,,E rsbairs at Puget sound navy |xard ,vtu ho offered to Cuba. The Priiee ion was launched in 1S97 She 2os fec long, has a speed of 10. 64 ote ane s. displacement of about 1Q50 |tans
 Tse cibs army was organized and |s g4ii5Ys a by the United States govern reaf, aad sts war supplies have always |tsen cnlsaned from American arsenals.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15

and released after representation by the United States.
 Attention is directed to the fact that the men removed from the ships were not embodied in "the armed forces of the enemy" as that term is used in the declaration of London. It Is asserted however, that there is no justification for the rem y al of sslbiecfs of nation which i is an enemy of France from an American vessel on the high seas bound to a neu- tral port. even if they could properly be regarded as military persons
 To support this position, it is under stood that the note points to the rule set down by the French minister of foreign affairs in a note sent during the civil war to the French minister to the United States in regard to the removal of Confederate Commissioners Mason and Slidell from the steamship Trent This note, considered especially applicable to the present situation, said:
 "She Che TrenD was carrying her car- go and her passengers to neutral coun- try, and, moreover, she had taken them on in a neutral port. If it were admissa- ble that under such conditions the neu- tral flag did not completely cover the persons and merchandise which it was transporting, its immunity would no
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
TODAY'S AGE-HERALD

1-Public does not realize gravity of Aus
 trian issue.
 American note recalls Mason Slidell
 affair.
 Greece to be scene of next big battle. Wilson hears both sides of suffrage
 question. 2-More light thrown on administration
 plans for defense. 3-The Holland letter. 4-Editorial comment 5-Gafford leaves city.
 No explanation of explosion which
 damaged Pullman
 Miss Jeanette Goldstein robbed of
 S3409.
 Hornady and Truss inaugurated as
 commissioners 6-Society. S-Sports 9-American league meets today. 10-Makin makes statement as to Strad-
 fords death. officers take moonshiners  i4-slze of American warships reaches
 high mark.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
Bulgarians Cross Frontier in Pursuit of Fleeing
 Allied Forces
GREEK POSITION IS
 HIGHLY COMPLICATED
Greek Government Commanders Yes sells to Obtain Food and Coal. Germans Expected Soon to 
 Participate in Pursuit

London. December 14,-AThe next big battle of the war probably will be fought in Greece. despite the efforts of the Hellenic King and government to save their country from the horrors of war.
 The British and French forces have made good their retirement down the Vardar valley and are approaching Sa- loniki. where endorsements are be- ing landed, while reports received in Paris and Rome say that the Bulgar- ians have crossed the Greek frontier in pursuit. Reports of this action by the Bulgarians come somewhat as d surprise as it had been thought that such move by them would provoke the Greeks and that consequently If the entente allies are followed at all the task would be allotted to the Austrians and Germans.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15

longer be anything but an empty word; at any time the commerce and naviga- tion of third powers would have to suffer from their harmless or even indirect re- lations with one or the other of the bellig- erents; the latter would no longer be en- titled merely to require entire impartial ity of a neutral and to forbid him from interfering in any way in the hostilities, but they would place upon them the free dom of commerce and navigation restric- tion the lawfulness of which modern in- ternational law has refused to admit"
 The text of the American note. which Is said to be brief, probably will be made public when word of it's delivery to the French foreign office is received by the state department.
 Officials of the state department pub licly think the French government may see fit to test the contentious of the United States and the men will not be released until further communications have passed between the two govern- ments. This opinion is based on the as sumption that the commander of the Descartes was acting in accordance with instructions.
 The French ambassador here is believed to have been advised of the intentions of the United States during a conference late yesterday with Secretary Lansing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
WILSON HEARS BOTH .S|DES0F THE WOMAN SUFFRAGE QUESTION
More Than 1000 Women Shake Hands With Presi- dent Wilson During
 the Day

Washington, December 15.-Both sides of the woman suffrage question were presented today to President Will son. A delegation from the National Opposed to Woman Suf- frage thanked him for his announced opposition to a federal constitutional enfranchising women and delegates to the annual meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage association asked him to support such an amendment and use his influence to have it indorsed in the next plat form of the democratic party.
 The President did not commit him. self further on the question. He said nothing to the women opposed to suffrage To the suffragists he ex- plained that he already had under con- sideration request that he change his original position in opposition to the federal amendment
 More than 1000 women shook hands with the President during the day, the suffragists numbering about 800 and their opponents 200. In contrast to pre- E1OuS S1InlldT utiliOHStA atiOAAS at thN White House, neither delegation today carried banners or was headed by a band.
 Dr. Anna Howard Shaw. president of the National American Woman Suf- frage association. in presenting her delegation to the President. thanked him for voting for the cause in New Jersey. She added request that he use his influence with Congress to secure passage of the desired consti- tutional amendment and with the dem- ocratic party to have woman suf- frage plank incorporated in the next pla ssorr.
 ais Arthu- M. Dodge, president oi th. Nata IA ssociation Opposed tt w n,an tffr ye, made one of the br, fest aad1 es heard by the Pres idsnt sipea entered office, thank int him fof posing federal action on woman lge in the past and in trc sncina s elegation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
.IINDERWOoD IN BALTIMORE

Mashinetou. December 14.-(Speclal.) J |Senator Underwood delivered tonight be- fore the Churchmen's club of Baltimore an address on the recent message or the
 and especially that portion or the message which dealt with the neces- eSty of the government inquirins into |the condition of common carriers. The address was delivered in response |tc an invitation from Bishop Murray ol |MaI yland. former rector Of the Church |of the Advent, Birmingham.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
MEMORIAL
 APPROPRIATION BILL

Washington, December 14.-A bill to ap propriate $5O0,000 to aid the Andrew Jack son Memorial association to erect a monument to General Jackson at Nash vile was introduced today by Repre- sentative Byrnes of Tennessee.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
WANTS ARMOR PLANT

Washington, December H-(Special) An armor plate plant for Birmingham to be constructed by the government at a cost of $4.O0O0O is provided for in a bill introduced in the House this morn inr bv Representative Huddleston of the Ninth Alabama district.
 MT Huddleston declared in statement to the press that he doubted his ability to secure the passage of the bill naming |Pirmingham as the site for the plant, but that inasmuch as the government was determined to construct such plant, he thought it timely to present the claim or Birmingham as the ideal place m "nicn tho plant should be built. The IIuddleston bill Is the third pre- sented to Congress and the only one in which the site for the proposed plant is mentioned.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
NATIONAL DEFENSE DAY OBSERVED IN
 CHARLESTON TODAY
Secretary Daniels Scheduled as Principal Speaker Be fore the Southern Con-
 mercial Congress

Charleston, s. C., December 14.--The tablish among nations a vigilance com mittee similar In many ways to those which were the first steps toward legal authority on the frontier in the early days of the republic, Dr. Abbot Lawrence Low ell, president of Harvard university and chairman of the executive committee of the league told delegates to the South ern Commercial congress here tonight. The day and night sessions of the con plans for settlement of international diff faculties without resort to war. Speak CTS stressed the necessity for preventing war rather than attempting to stop it after strife once had broken out.
 In the afternoon visitors and delegates to the congress were taken aboard the Utah and other warships sent to Charles ton for the congress, while few were taken for a cruise on the torpedo boa { destroyer Worden.
 Tomorrow will be national defense day" with Secretary of the Navy Daniels scheduled as the chief speaker
 The League to Enforce Peace, which was organized at Philadelphia last June. with former President Taft as president, had charge of the night session. Philip H. Gadsden of Charleston. member of the league opened the session, and after brief address turned the gavei over to Dr. Lowell.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
EFFECT ON U. S.

New York, December l4-SteamShtp men here expressed divergent opinions today concerning the effect that the com mandeering of Greek ships by the Greek government will have upon ship ping conditions at American ports, In the main it was held that the action Will not tend to lessen the available tonnage as it was believed that the Greek gov ernment would seek to move cargoes be- tween this country and Greece with more dispatch than has marked recent ship ping In addition it was believed in some quarters that more Greek ships would be sent here during the next few months than have been here during the last five or six months.
 The freghter Frlxos of the National steam Navigation company of Greece is the only Creek ship in port now and late today her agents had not received the notice that the vessel had been com mandeered. But they admitted that their freighter Andreas, now loading at Bos- ton. had been communicated.
 The passenger steamers Thessalonilxi and Ioaninna of the same line are en route to this country.
 Local agents of the Greek steamers Georgios and Charlton. on their way here from Greece. had not heard anything to- day of the Greek governments order.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
VESSELS COMMANDEERED

The Greek government, 1t was learned here today has communicated all Greek shipping in British and American ports, in an effort to supply the defici- ency in food and coal which exists in Greece as result of the entente allies restrictions.
 The Greek vessels will be loaded with cargoes purchased by the Athens govern ment, which does not anticipate the same trouble as is experienced by the regular owners of the ships in getting these necessary commodities to Greece.
 A dispatch to the Central News from Cardiff says the object of the Greek government in communicating Greek ships is to use them to carry foodstuffs from the United States to Greece. All Greek vessels of over 1500 tons net. loaded or empty, have been ordered to proceed to Hampton Roads immediately. accord ing to the dispatch.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
America Will Await Reply, But Will Not Recede an Inch From the Original Declaration
HUDDLESTON'S BILL PROVIDES FOR ARMOR
 PLATE PLANT HERE
Senator Underwood Deliv- CTS Address to Church. mems Club of Baltimore Dealing With Carriers
By HUGH ". ROBERTS

Washington. December 14.-tSpe- ciai.)--Thc cooperation of the Amer ,can press with the United States gov ernment Is responsible for the fact that tbe anxiety with which the adminis- tration regards the Austrian situation has not been communicated to the gen eraI public.
 From the date on which the American note respecting the Ancona incident was addressed to the Austrian government the situation has been regarded as delicate . in the extreme Press dispatches today asserting that Austrian officials are high | lv indignant because of the positive po- sition of the American government nave led every department to anxious specula- ton. -
 The President with the members of his cabinet discussed the situation this aft- ernoon, but nothing that might nave transpired was made public. It IS salo' however, that the government reached determination to await the reply or Aus tria before taking action respecting the charges pending against Baron zwiedineK' Austrian charge d'affaires, and Count Von Nuber, Austrian consul general, at New York.
 The question of Zwiedinek's status has arisen from the publication of letter ad- dressed by him in August, 1914 to Von Nuber, directing the latter to obtain neu- traI passports for Austrian reservlsts about to return home, and expressing the conviction that such could be obtained al '.comparatively slight expense" The charge d'affaires defends himself by the declara ton that he was acting in ac- cordance with instructions from pr. Con- stantin Dumba. former Austrian ambas- sador. who, since, has been recalled.
 Baron zwiedinek called upon Secretary Lansing the day after it was published and explained that he was acting under Dr. DuInba's instructions .. Secretary Lansing did not indicate what his view would be, but 1t Is learned that there is no disposition at the department to ques- ton the charges starement.
 WILL NOT RECEDE
 The Amer government, it is
 learned, will not recede in any par ticular from the position delineated in it's note to Austria. The govern <~NSr@~.- rounce the illegal and indefensible' act of the submarine firing upon the Italian boat Ancona, and injuring and killing innocent American citizens; to
 punish the commanding officer Of the submarine to make reparation for the
 injury done and to guarantee that the
 incident will not be repeated M
 But the government Is unusually silent. It is regarded as certain, however, that, irrespective of the tone of the Austrian reply, the case of Zwiedinek and Won Nuber will be delved into immediately after that reply is received. The idea obtains in official circles that the tense situation will not lead to an open rup- trre with Austria. Nevertheless. In its policy of .watchful waiting" the admin istration is displaying that anxiety which invariably exists while matters of great diplomatic import still pend.
 WANTS ARMOR PLANT
 t
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
EXPORTS INCREASE

'The total agricultural exports in the fiscal year ended June 30, 1915, practically the first year of the war, were $1, 470,e00, 600, which is an increase of s56,0Oo,00o, Or 32 per cent over those of the preceding year and of $4Ss.oOo0oO. or nearly 42 per cent over the average of the five years 19l0-1914''
 What is needed more, perhaps, than anything else, the secretary says, is an increase in meat animals. To that end, the department has extended it's activities as far as its funds would permit. Elimi- nation of common live stock diseases, from which losses are said to be enor- nous, would result in a material increase of the meat supply.
 ''It has been conservatively estimated, the report continues, lon the basis of data for 30 yearsss that the annual direct losses. from animal diseases are ap- proximately $212,000,o00. The indirect losses, which also are great, cannot be estimated at all. The direct loss ascribed to each disease is as follows:
 "Hog cholera, $75,o00000 Texas fever and cattle ticks, s4O,OOO.0oo; tuberculosis, s25, ,o0o0co; contagious abortion, s2o ,ooo; b.ackleg $6,O00, 900; anthrax, $1,500,000, scabies of sheep and cattle, s4,600.000; glanders. s5,0O00O0; other live stock dis eases, S22 O00, GOO; parasites $5,000,000; poui- try diseases, $S,750000."
 CITRUS CROPS
 The citrus fruit industry of the gulf states the report asserts, is seriously threatened by citrus canker, a highly in- fectious bacterial disease While the greater number of infected centers in
 Texas, Mississippi and Alabama have been eliminated, complete eradication of the disease from Louisiana and Florida,
 1o,-e expenditures for at least two years. The potash situation. the report states, continues serious. There is practically no potash available for fertilizer and in dications are that the supply for that purpose will not be increased materially next year.
 LEGISLATION RECOMMENDED Recommendations for legislation made Secretary Houston to Congress include the following:
 Legislation designed to promote better handling and storage of farm products and trading on the basis of fixed grades and standards, including a permissve warehouse act a cotton standards act, a grain grades act, and provision for a market-newS service
 A land mortgage banking act intended to inject business methods into handling farm finance and to place farms securi- | ties upon the market in responsible way
 Assistance to communities near the na- tional forests in road building and simi- lar improvements through a plan involv- ing the advancement of funds for these purposes to be charged against tho states future share of receipts from the forestS.
 Authority to grant water power permits within the national forests for fixed periods.
 More effective control over the produc- tion of hog cholera serum. A plan in volving the establishment by the federal government of a station for testing all serum intended for shipment in interstate commerce, is outlined.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
Secretary Houston's Report Shows Unprecedented
 Values
THIS YEARS CROP TO
 EXCEED THAT OF LAST
Phenomenal Increase in Exports. Legislation to Promate Better Handling and Storage of
 Farm Products Asked

Washington, December H-Secretary Houston's annual report, made public today, places an estimate of $s,S73, ,000,0 600 on the value of American farm crops and animal products for last year, valuation without precedent. This, how ever, probably will be eclipsed by the present years showing.
 This valuation is an increase of about $S3, ,000 over the value of 1913, hitherto the highest ever recorded. The increase occurred in the face of a decline in cotton from 12.5 cents pound for the 1918 crop to an average of 7.3 cents for 1914. The total value of the 1913 cotton crop, esti- mated at sS46,o00, GOO, was s2s3 100000 more than the 1914 crop, although the latter was IA per cent greater in quantity.
 Of the tremendous flood of exports which began near the end of the fiscal year covered by the secretary's report, hundreds of millions represent farm products.
 Between August l, 1914 and February 1, 1915,'' the report says, exports were ST. 157, ,00o. .O00 and imports $771 000.00o, giving a favorable balance of s3S6, GOO, 900. Of the total value of exports, s662 900 rep resented agricultural and only 95,000, 900 nonagricultural commodities, chiefly man ,,fo ot,,raS
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
PROGRAMME OF
 REPUBLICANS A CUT
 AND DRIED AFFAIR
Chicago Coliseum to Again Be Scene of Great Con- vention-Seating Capacity of Building Is $40
Fly HUGH ". ROBERTS

Washington, December 1A.-(Special) The republican national executive com mittee, as a result of Il continuous ses- sion today. selected Chicago as the place of the national convention and named the date as June T.
 While the committee required two days in which to reach formal conclusion, it is known that the programme was a cut and dried affair. In the first place the republicans planned from the begin ming to hold their convention a week prior to the democratic convention. and while St. Louis was flirted with. Chicago was favored from the start because the democrats had previously selected the Missouri metropolis.
 Negro delegates prominent in the lobby of the Willard tonight, expressed indig- nation in that the national committee had not favored them with extreme attention, Among the negroes whose pride was hurt was Pinchback, the reconstruction governor of Louisiana.
 Alabama in the committee meetina was represented by P D. Baker of Mo-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-15
PEACEFUL METHODS

peaceful settlement between nations rather than resort to war were made by three other speakers beside Dr. Lowell and MT. Gadsden. Oscar Straus, former ambassador to Turkey; Herbert S. Hous- ton, chairman of the committee on infor- nation of. the league and John H.. Stew
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