davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-15

SCuuyIng opamSh seriously.
 Is There Hope of
 Am Early Peace :?
 IN ERMANY'S peace proposal will M not be rejected rashly by the entente allies, winch in the last analy- sis means England. And that fact, if it be fact as is foreshadowed by London dispatches, is encouraging to the millions of people throughout the world who are praying for an early ending of the war.
 The British government may de- cline to enter into negotiations for peace at this time-probably will-but until they do so there will be at least ray of hope that an armistice is not as far in the future as the chancel- leries of Europe assume it is.
 The Paris press see in Germany's overture only trap. Inflammable editors did not hesitate minute in turning it down.
 Some of the English papers settled the whole question in the negative by an outburst of disapproval of any, thing that might be proposed by the Berlin government. But the men who constitute the British cabinet have discretely lefrained from committing themselves in advance of details con- corning Germany's terms.
 Lloyd-G George, the new premier is the most potential figure in England today. He has the confidence of the masses, and he has gained it by his pluck and his compelling methods; for his genius in the art of leadership. In becoming premier he promised more vigorous prosecution of the war; prom ised, to all intents and purposes, drive against the enemy such as Britain had never seen. But in states manship of the sort that England has been used to he will hardly shine.
 For continuance of the war MT. Lloyd George was the man for the hour, but as statesman he is not in the class with MT. Asauith. The man in the reorganized cabinet most competent to handle the German peace proposition is MT. Balfour. He has the temperament and the experience. He was protege of his eminent kins- man, the Marquis of Salisbury, one of the greatest statesmen England has produced in modern times, and prime minister intermittently for many years. Balfour was himself premier for short time and nobody in Europe knows better, perhaps, the grave in ternational policies than he. Others in the cabinet are noted for their tact and their capacity for deal ing with difficult problems-Lord Curzon among thenl-but Balfour, as secretary of state for foreign affairs, will frame the answer to the imperial German chancellor It may be more conciliatory in tone than the bellig- erents expect, or it may be positive rejection of Berlin's terms. If it proves to be a step toward peace on the side of the entente powers. it will be hailed with rejoicing by humanity in general. All but the most intense partisans are for peace now on any thing like an equitable basis, rather than wholesale butchery for months Tor years to come.
 Efforts of neutrals may be futile, but a peace proposal, if it have any semblance of sincerity or justice. is not to be treated lightly, much less ridi- culed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-15
ETERNAL REST.

'Youngeby seems to be an indolent fel- low"
 "so he is. I suspect Loungeby's idea of heaven is a vast hotel lobby filled with big leather chairs, where person can ioaI forever without having the house detec- tive sneaking about and casting suspi- cious looks at him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-15
ALWAYS IN SAME PLACE.

ALWAYS IN SAME PLACE. "Conductor," said the fussy old lady, '.are you sure this train will take me to Bunksville?'
 I'm reasonably certain that it wi, madam. "Ive been travelling this routo for 20 years and to the best of my knowl- edge, Huntsville has never eluded us yet"
 PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-15
TELEPHONE

Experience is by industry achieV'd'
 And perfected by the swift course or time, Two Gentlemen of Verona
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-15
DIFFERENT NOW.

In sunny June for frost we sighed That
 Was
 Before We shook with cold and loudly cried, Please
 Shut
 The door!'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-15
TROUBLES AT HOME.

Do you think England Is justified in claiming that she must beat Germany tc her knees before peace is declared?" Don't bother me about the war" an swered the ultimate consumer.
 What I'm thinking about these days is whether or not we will be able to beat the food pirates to their knees"
 INDEPENDENT. 9Th ecost of living frights me not" Said Alfred Fuller Bitts; "When nothing else Is in the pot,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-15
ONE WAY OUT.

My wife wants me to go shopping with her. I don't see how am going to get out of It."
 eff she were to send you back to your office after less than an hour of shopping and told you she would never take you on such an expedition again, you would consider yourself well repaid for your trouble, wouldn't your"
 Certainly. But how am I going to do that?'
 Let her catch you flirting with fas- cinating female clerk"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-15

peace and good will between the peo- ples represented by the republics joined together for commercial and cultural upbuilding.
 There is a lively interest in this country now in the study of Spanish, with a view of applying it to trade ex- ransion in Central and South America. Birmingham is reaching out for Latin American trade, and that being so it would be well for the Spanish classes here to spend a week or two inN Washington next year for the pur- pose of accepting the hospitality of the Pan-American union and getting in close touch with South American diplomats who make the union build- ing social headquarters. Such a trip would we'll repay young men who are studying Spanish seriously.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-15

Entered at the Birmingham, Ala.' postoffice as second class matter un- l der act of Congress- March 3, 1879.
The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, 1916-05-15


.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-17
Evolution of the Tanks"

"In the south and west of the United States the tractors were employed for clearing out irrigation ditches," says Reginald T. Townsend in the World s Work. writing of the new British tors. "The great engines (they can sur mount 49 per cent grade hauling load) would crawl down into the bot tom of the irrigation ditches, scoop up a load of dirt, and chamber up the bank again just as easily as the hippopo- tamus taking it's matutinal bath in the Nile. Up in Alaska as it laid and trav- eled upon it's own rails it was found
 in many cases to be superior to the logging trains for hauling great logs. and as it could force it's way through a flve-foot snowback its value was great In Africa in many cases the cat erpillars replaced the gangs of 100 to |150 husky negroes hauling timber from the forests. and as it can pull down a tree by a direct pull it was of great value for clearing land of stumps for cultivation. Throughout the Gallipoli campaign and at Saloniki the British are said to have had at least one in use for hauling big guns and ammuni- tion trains.
 Indeed. before the outbreak of the war the majority of nations throughout the world possessed one or more of these caterpillars, but their significance as weapon of war-and then only as a motive power-was not discovered until after the war had begun, by Aus tria.
 But to the British must be given the credit for making them a real weapon of offensive warfare. By building ractor, the tread of which ran around
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-17
WINTER JOURNEYS IN THE
 GOTT7lTJs


 By John Martin Hammond (64 illus
 trations) J. B. Lippincott company,
 publishers Philadelphia.
 The kingdoms of wonder for the golfer. the automobilist, the fisherman and for almost every other type of pleasure seeker are revealed in this book. MT. Hammond is an enthusiastic traveller. and he knows where to go to find the pleasure and fun which l. wise man wants-incidentally he be- lieves in the pleasures which may be found in America. He has tramped. r.otored, pullmaned in and out, and round about the south, from White Sulphur to New Orleans. to Palm Beach. and of course, Aiken, Ashe- vile. Charleston, St Augustine and many another place of fascinating in terest have heen stopping points upon his journeyings.
 You perhaps know the north. the east and the west, but do you know. even If you live there yourself the traditional, the charming south? If your thoughts turn southward when the snow besins to fly, you will find no more humorous and suggestive travelling companion than Mir Ham, mond.
 In Florida. you know. there is palmy Palm Beach. so far away that only the very wealthy came to go to it. so high in price that only the very rich care to stay--was the seeker of the unusual ever disappointed there St. Augustine. how old it seems, and vet how young it makes you feel Miami on Bay Biscayne, truly it is mas ses sportsman's paradise with ls lue fishing as there is on the plar md driving, riding, tennis and the off days.
 Cu be gulf there are Biloxi. Missis- 1c ty Pass Christian and among
 ser aces where you may have q rnEeu6&6 round of sea food and happy
 here is New Orleans-old with a dash of old Spain. il- frustrated by the Creole girls, the Mardi Gras, and the best restaurants in the United States
 And in the Caroiinas what more could mortal want than that wel-known Aiken. where all the world is on horseback; Pinehurst where good golfers go; Charleston. the city with a brilliant past and a delightful present; quiet Summer vile, and Asheville, the center of the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-17

renewed its gayety and it's other inst trtional features, amid surroundings mort gorgeous than ever before. Regal splen- dor distinguishes it today among all the resorts of this continent, if not of the world, just as. half century ago, the White Sulphur Springs was the most sumptuous resort of it's time. and just as, a century ago, no other resort wa so magnificent
 Nobody who has been to the White and nobody who expects to go there should fail to get Governor MacCorkle's volume. It's 40 type pages are packed with lore of the Springs. Some of the literature that 1t contains was written by Charles Durley Warner and Mrs Roger A. Pryor; here in full is given the Journal of a Lady-Year 1S7" Indeed the volume Is treasure-trove, which not orly comprises the best of the voluminous literature that has been written of the White Sulphur Springs during the past 150 years, but it's 49 full-page illustrations also cover a period of a century or more Here. for example, are photographic re- productions of bills for entertainment rendered to Commodore Decatur and Henry Clay.
 Tn every respect the volume is worthy it's theme. Few publications so hand some have been issued in this country.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-17

God can be made an inspiring one to begin the duties of the day.
 Among the contributors to the book are Wilfred T. Grenfell, Prof. w. H. Grif- filth Thomas, Revs. John Clifford, F. B. Meyer. Washington Gladden., Hugh Black, Timothy Stone, Bishop Quayle, Russell II. Conwell. David J, A. L. Burrell, Hoyt NJ. Dobbs, Ira Landrith, Floyd w. Tom kins. Bishop Woodcock, Maud Ballington Booth. President E. Y. Mullins and many others eminent in the evangelical reli- gious world. The first edition of 21,00o copies was sold in advance of publication. The publishers have made the book pos sihle of the widest circulation by the modest price at which it can be pur- chased.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-17

campers paradise, the Sapphire country.
 Virginia has royal riches to offer. There is White Sulphur Springs, with it's lux urious Greenbrier, and it's tradition en- cased White-can you conceive of a place with a richer flavor? And Hot Springs, that rich maiden lady nestled among the hills in her staid comfort, luxury, oruence and ease! Do not forget Old Point Comfort a charming scene for q honeymoon, a splendid retreat for a win ter sojourn, and incidentally, the focal point for the foods that come from that vast treasury, Chesapeake Bay.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-17
"THE INVISIBLE BALANCE SHEET

THE INVISIBLE BALANCE SHEET" By Katherine Trash; the John Lane
 company, publishers, New York.
 Not to many young men, just start ing out in life, comes the temptation that assailed John Wright when q New York lawyer stepped into his humble farmhouse home and informed him that his great-uncle had left him s60,o0o000, There were several pro- visos. however, in the will, one being that he should not marry. Herein came the struggle in Master Johns soul, for he had long looked upon Marion Mere dith. the rector's daughter, as his fu- ture wife; was. in fact, on the verge of proposing to her when the great news came. Next morning, however the die was cast. John left behind him a broken hearted girl and hur- ried to New York to enjoy his new for tune. Then the story follows the ca reer of John amidst his fashionable friends of the city and shows how sor- row stepped in to prove to him that "all is not gold that glitters," tragic act melted by his vast wealth, brought him and Marion together again for q few brief moments, but John hav- ing once made his choice, had to abide by the consequences
 The story is told with the pie turesque beauty that is characteristic of all Mrs. Trash's work. No modern author has offered so effective a pro- test against the barter of love for gold or rung more clearly the spiritual message that it would profit a man nothing to gain the whole world and lose his own soul
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-17
GODS MINUTES. T
By 365 eminent clergymen and layme
 The Vir Publishing company. No.


 By S65 eminent clergymen and laymen. The Vir Publishing company, No. 200 North Fifteenth street, Philadelphia
 Gods Minutes is tiny little volume, hut full of beautiful thoughts. It is book of 365 daily prayers-60 seconds long-arranged in calendar forn-a prayer to a page, with a verse of Scripture at the top of the page on encouragement to worship. The prayers were written ex- grossly for this book by 365 of the most eminent evangelical clergymen and lay men in the English-speaking world. Cloth, 34 pages; price. 35 cents net. The Vir Publishing company. 200 North Fifteenth street, Philadelphia Pa.
 The idea of the book was suggested by the thought that so many Christian peo- pie offa~ as an excuse for not having family devotions that they haven't time This spiritual contribution to the Chris tan worlds literature proves that only a minute daily devoted to the worship of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-17

THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTER PAYMENTS With 100 illustrations and decoration. By Louis Rhead Harper Brothers, publishers, New York.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-17

JUNGLE SANI'S OUTDOOR MAGIC" /" By Percy Reese Fitzhugh. Illustrated. Harper Brothers, publishers, New York.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-17

"CIARLEs FRoHMAN, MANAGER AND MANI By Isaac F. Marcosson and Daniel Frohman. With An Apprecia- ton by James M. Barrie. Illustrated with portraits. Harper Brothers, pub fishers, New York.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-17
"rIENRIK ESSEN; BRAND

t1ENfSlh lBSE4Ns DEeAND
 Translated into English verse by Miles
 M. Dawson. The Four Seas Publish
 ing company, Boston.
 This is the only authorized translation of one of the worlds greatest dramatic poems. Edmund Gosse calls Brand "one of the great poems of the world. In the literature of Scandinavia it has not merely been unsurpassed, but in it's own province it has not been approached" /" Vet it Is little known to English readers and certainly is not so well appreciated as many others of Ibsen's plays, as, for instance, "The Dolls House. Ghosts, !" O. even the Ieat companion dramatic poem, Peer Gynt,' And this, notwith- standing that in the original it's appeal is more profound and lSeener than that of any one of them The explanation is that the language of the poetry in Brand in 1hsen's own tongue has the magic which. for instance, sets forth the psalms of David-that simplicity and drectness which makes the sublinest ideas the common property of all nlen-but some how the English translations have fallen so far short of the original that Brand remains well-nlgh a closed book to Eng lish-speaking people. This translation is an attempt to remedy such a situation and Mir. Dawson has succeeded in making English poetry of an order in itself worth while, thus offering English readers an opportunity to appreciate the nobility and powerful sweep of this great dramatic poem. The fact that Ibsen himself read the first draft and gave special author ization for this translation is ample evi- dence of it's accuracy. No other transla- ticn received his approval
 THE WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS" ." By William Alexander MacCorcklc,
 IL. D. The Neale Publishing company
 publishers, New York.
 When the White Sulphur Springs was discovered by white 5nen, more than 200 years ago, it had bsh frequented by In- dians for centunSM, Indeed, says Gov ernor MacCor1BH, Ions before the h. dian knew the ,plesce, "tne wild animals Of the the forest forest a to the .Is lick, , in the he n5e fro its seio conrmedt ama 0otalnGo o trei, velr-ra vel soverflowin' were ereetsd ,o ", the forces surrlG9@ng en,1vthe springs before the end o5 thfb tlhsfbeHig sias af at aohary war, and nearly n 1oof cd ngt prasre there % and the the White was t1oinclddge ft it's glorious ca c, reer. For arly hasxeears it has easily led all other pleasure resorts on the American continent.
 In recent years the White Sulphur Springs have taken a new lease of life,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-17

OTHER BOOKS RECEIVED. (aE-
 VIEWS LATER.)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-17

THE SHINING ADVENTURE" By Dana Burnett. Harper Brothers. pub fishers, New York.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-17
EVERYDAY WORDS AND THEIR
 IJSES."


 By Robert Palfrey Utter, Ph. D. Harper
 Bros, publishers, New York.
 A dictionary is like a thermometer; we believe it only when it agrees with our feelings. Usually 1t doesn't, because it hasn't any feeling of its own. Every day Words is intended to be an inter- medary to establish friendly relations between the person who wants to know and the sources of information. It eX- plains the meaning and use of thousand or more expressions which are frequently n1isused or misunderstood. It is intended to give the information most often want ed. and to present it in compact, ac- cessible form. It is intended to save the person who wants to know from the labor of searching through dictionaries, grammars. rhetorics, and such, and of piecing together for himself the informa- ton he wants on q given word or phrase. The author has had the advantage of the results offered by the highest scholarship in the Oxford dictionary and not access sible in it's present nearly completed for,n to the authors of previous books more or less similar in purpose to this. THE BOYS PRESCOTT"
 ("The Conquest of Mexico'') By Helen
 Ward Banks. With F illustrations n
 color by J. H. Robinson. Frederick A.
 Stokes Co.,. publishers, New York.
 Even more interesting than the sue cessful Boys Motley" is the new vol tune, taken from Prescotts History of the Conquest of MeXico"-the most bril- liant work of this eminent American his torian--a book that most educated peo- pie have read and. safe to say, have never forgotten. Such is the vivid strength, the thrill of action of this story of the destruction by the Spaniards of that fascinating early cfvilization-the Mexican empire under the great Aztec chief Montezuma- Hernando Cortes who with a handful of Spanish fighters pene- trates to the heart of unknown Mexico and by diplomacy or strength of arms races and finally the mighty Montezuma himself. stands out an unforgettable he roic figure in history.
 CAMPAIGNS AND BATTLES OF THE
 ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA By George Wise. The Neale Publishing Co.,, publishers, New York.
 The author of Campaigns and Battles of the Army of Northern Virginia" served from May 1861, until the surrender, in 1865, in the army of which he writes and his splendid abilities as an engineer won for him high praise from Gen. Robert E. Lee and others in high command He dug the pit and arranged the chambers and bomb-proofs of the largest gun ever mounted on the Confederates lines and surveyed and drained the lines and at tended to all repairs to the works on Evans, Gracie's, and Colquitt's saiients. IF the opinion of the publishers this work is fully as important as any that ! may be named that relate to the war of the states.
New Britain herald., 1916-09-16
Moving Picture Censorship.
(BridgepOrt Telegram

Censorship of the motion pictures in Bridgeport is one of the matters be- ing considered in connection With the work of the Welfare commission But to establish such a censorship and maintain it intelligently is something more easily said than done.
 There are scores of moving picture houses in Bridgeport, and nearly every house has daily change of bill including on each bill a number of different films. Who is going to look them over before they are shown? To censor them in advance would be a colossal task, requiring the services of a number of trained men, They must be trained men, too. But even then, there will be question as to their ability. Who is the man in Bridge port who is so conceited as to declare himself better fitted than anybody else to say what films the people shall see?
 How many of the patrons of mo-
New Britain herald., 1916-09-16

tion-picture plays in Bridgeport feel the need of body of censors, to tel E. them what plays they may see and what plays are too strong for them?
 But if the films are not to be cen sored before their production, ther& how can censorship be applied a@ all? As they are shown but once, as# a rule, in any theater, @ censorship applied after the fact would be ridic- ' ulous. Are the censors to take some one else's word for 1t then? That isS to say, when a certain film is adver- tised, is the local board to take tha1 word of some magazine, or some otherz group of censors, that the picture isa unfit, and so bar it in advance?
 If that is the kind of censorship that is purposed, the community oughtI to be quick to throttle 1t.
 One of the great questions of the| day is the liquor question. Occasional ally the movies present subjects which, touch upon this problem, directly or| indirectly. Suppose that prohibition enthusiasts dominate the board of cen- sorship How many films presenting
 the liquor side of the case would get by their scrutiny? Or putting the shoe on the other foot; Suppose that ] the liquor men nominated the censor ship board. How many prohibition . films would they think it for the pub lies interest to see?
 Such censorship could be turned very promptly into a political weapon | for the complete suppression of the freedom of the film play.
 If a book containing scurrilous and ! indecent matter is published, it can be suppressed by due power of law and its authors and publishers pun ished. The same situation holds in regard to the film plays. Public opin- ion can judge whether or not they are fit to be presented. The statutes and the police powers have ample scope to deal with unfit ones when neces- sary. Why should any group of peo- pie be reared up to interfere in what is actually none of their business?
New Britain herald., 1916-09-16
CHASE TAXES LEAD IN TENER CIRCUIT
Daubert Drops to Third-Speaker
 Gains on Cobb

Chicago, Sept. 16.-Hal Chase has taken the lead in the race for the National League batting champion ship, according to figures published here today, which include the records Of last Wednesdays games. Jake Daubert, long the leader, has dropped to third place, into a tie with Hernsby, while Wheat went into sec ond place. Carey, Pittsburgh, leader in stolen bases, now has 50; Flack, Chicago, in sacrifice hits with 85; Williams in home runs with 12; Wheat, Brooklyn, in total bases with 238; Burns, New York, in runs scored with 86, and Brooklyn in team hitt- ing with .25S.
 The five leading batters who have