davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31
TAGoRE ON ENGLISH RULE

From the Chicago Herald.
In q robe of white, with sorrow for
his own beloved india written deeply in
his face, Sir Rabindranath Tagore held
spellbound an audience that filled Or
chestra hall The Indian philosopher has
high chldlike voice that has wonderful
carrying power and there was no missing
anything he said. At times he was cold
and judicial, condenlning the evils OF ma
tionalisrn, which he denounced as a cult
and likened to a terrible octopus, suck
ing dry the heart of man." and then
pleading eloquently for the Indian people,
the people of no nation"
Nationalism he defined as the process
of turning a whole people to self-interest
and selfishness. He admitted the eff
cheney of natiCnalism, but declared it was
turning out men as if they were SO many
bales of merchandise, cut and trimmed
for particular purposes, rather than hu-
man beings put on earth ito seek truth
and walk in Gods way
Tagore declared that India was better
off in the old days of local government
than it is under British rule today
''Then, at least said the speaker, the
future was not a white granite wall. Ma
tionalism is removing the good and hui
| man from mankind. 1t is holding India
| in bondage, is taking her customs and
| her ancient wisdom and engulfng her in
an ocean of modern inhumanity, in which
! she must writhe and suffer, while no help
| is at hand
/ Upon her neck is the heel of England;
| the governing officers know nothing of
| her ideals, her religion. They need not
| even speak her language. Yet, they may
institute so-called reforms, even perpetu-
| ate the vilest evils on her people-and In
/ Ola must stand by and keep silent No
| she cannot even keep silent; she must
sing paeans of praise for the govern
ment which holds her in subsection.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31

Chicago is one of the most prosperous
cities in the United States today" said
John r. Patton, who has made his home
in that city for the past five years, and
is at present on a visit here. "Condi-
tions in Chicago are excellent. People in
all lines of endeavor are meeting with
great success. There is no longer an
army of unemployed in Chicago. Things
are on a boom.
GAS for Birmingham, I cannot say it
looks as good today as it did the last
time I visited here, although L under
stand conditions are improving daily.
There has been quite lot of scandal in
local politics in Chicago lately The chief
of police was deposed, much gossip has
been going on about putting Mayor
Thompson out of office and it seems that
the entire crowd of local politicians in
Chicago are at outs When left there
three days ago the weather was freezing.
Everyone was wearing their overcoats
and the wind from off the lakes was
cutting. Birmingham is we'll advertised
and everyone speaks of this city as being
one of the most progressive in the south. +"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31

From the Louisville Courier-Journal.
nm HE MEDICAL RECORD says long
it has been known that among
q enlisted men drug addictions are
comparatively frequent.
without any reflection on their capa-
bility for their duties, their potential
fighting abilities. or any of the qualities
necessary to make them an adequate part
of a great war machine, 1t is usually con-
coded that many of the privates come
from lower stratum of society, and in
some cases are actually inferior constitu-
tionally. not to say psychopathically pre-
disposed. Men of this kind, of course,
are the natural prey of drugs. They
have few or no ethical considerations
to restrain them, consort freely during
their leaves of absence with prostitutes
and their parasites, a class which fur
nishes large percentage of drug users,
and chafe under the restrictions of mill
tary life to such an extent that it seems
necessary for them to have recourse to
drugs to help them adjust
From this a reader might infer that the
enlisted man is dissipated, and a drug
user as often as not But the figures
do not prove that this is true.
"An exhaustive study of the use of
habit forming drugs by soldiers has been
made by Capt Edgar King. M. c., U. S.
A. military Surgeon, September, 1916,
whose report unfortunately deals with
soldiers under sentence only who would
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31
BECAUSE A BIRD SANG

BY Joe Lincoln.
Because a bird sang ere the raindrops
were dry,
Or sunbeams had driven the clouds from
the sky,
A dark life was frightened. faint heart
made strong,
For trusted and glad were the tones of
that song.
He sang till he quickened hope that
was dead
BY singing that song on the roof Of the
shed.
The hope had been buried SO long that
Twas only some beautiful thing I had
dreamed.
1t quickened and started and wakened
once more n
And filled with the visions that charmed
me of yore.
So gladstone the tune and the words that
he said
(That bird in his song on the roof Of the
she'd. .
He sang and he warbled: "Oh, longing
heart, wait!
Though dim is the future, yet kindly is
fate.
Believe it and trust 1t, oh. mortal. to bey-
Replete with the dearest of treasures for
thee"
So hope has arisen. and doubling is fled
Because of that song from the roof Of
the she'd
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31
JAMES THE BOURBON

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Spain is talking war. She probably
will not fight, for she is weak, and
is far removed from the main inter-
terests of the great conflict, but she
The tone of her talk is prevailingly
anti-German.
There are many Germans in Spain,
and there is an active pro-German
propaganda But the sinking of Spanish
ships by German submarines and a
generous sympathy for Belgium have
the efforts of these
jealous devotes of "lxultur" Moreover
King A1phonso is almost as English as
wife.
James of Bourbon. the Carlist pre-
tender to the Spanisha throne, is strong
ly pro-German. His residence is the
castle of Forhsdorf, near Vienna. From
here he plotted revolts against Cousin
Alphonso, and issued proclamations to
his few faithful adherents. in Spain
These bulletins have ceased since the
outbreak of the war. Moreover, no one
Somewhere he is remaining very still,
seeking to. attract no notice. Having
seen what war is today he is quite con-
tent with peace.
The chances are 100 to 1 that Spain
will not get into the European war.
The cost is too great, the chances too
uncertain. But it is likely that this war,
in which Spain is not concerned, may
put a definite end to the Carlist plots
that have agitated the monarchy ever
since the accession of Isabella II. The
Carlist uprisings of the past have been
mock war OF play-war. Now both Car
lists and Alphonsists realize what real
war means, and they do mot desire it.
Wherever James of Bourbon, the
lCarlist chief may now be secluding
himself 1T is likely that the future will
hear very little of him. A royal pre-
tender today is a complete anachron-
ism. Real kings are of SO little i'm
.portance that mock king attracts
scarcely any notice at all. James of
Bourbon will do we'll to interest him
self in cabbage culture or stock raising
at FrOhSdorf
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31
SOLDIERS AS. DRUG USERS

naturally be expected to furnish large
percentage of drug users. He finds as
matter of fact, per cent admittedly so
and per cent more suspected. He be-
lieves that among enlisted men not in
this class about / per cent are addicts.
The majority Of them acquired the habit
after enlistment"
1t has been stated time and again that
there are 100000 drug addicts. at least,
in the United States, or, in other words,
per cent of the population are drug
users. 1t should be borne in mind that
the population includes infants in arms
and children between infancy and adde's
cence, practically all of whom, it may be
assumed safely, are nonaddicts. The fig
our population may or may not be cor
rect. They have been, at any rate, rather
popularity accepted as being approx
mately correct. If per cent of SOL
diers under sentence, and perhaps l per
cent of soldiers not in that class, use
drugs the enlisted man, when his expo
sure to communicating influence is con-
sidered, is not weaker brother than
the civilian of any social stratum.
What has the army to say to the,
broad assertion that the enlisted man
commonly is scum, habitually associates
with profligate women and hangers on,
and has no ethical considerations to re-
strain him? Is the enlisted man, oftener
than others, such a man? The figures
do not seem to prove it.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31
wANAMAKER's MEMORY

.Girard, in the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
A couple of weeks ago John Wanna
maker did something which he said he
had not done before in his IS years. ex-
sperience as a merchant. He opened his
store on Sunday. That will interest you
even less than something else which Mr..
Wanamaker did that afternoon and which
was told me by one of the dozen persons
who were present There had been
dinner for a party Of distinguished jap
anese visitors, and Mr.. Wanamager vol
unteered to show the oriental gentlemen
the inside of his store.
Before departing from the big. granite
building Mr. Wanamaker said to the chief
guest:
Baron, there is book hero I wish you
to have"
Thereupon he walked to a certain case
and extracted a story of Mount Vernon.
Naming another book, Mr.. Wanamaker
walked to another case and got 1t. Then
he proceeded to present to each gentle
man present a volume or two, in each in
stance naming what he intended to give
before he went to a bookshelf to get 1t.
Which feat of memory caused my in
formant to remark when he related the
incident to me:
II have seen John Wanamaker do a
great many extraordinary things in ~
years, but his ability to pick here and
there a book out of many thousands
amazed me the most"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31
Municipal Ownership

The work of the apprsisement of the
properties of the Birmingham Water
works company is going on steadily
said Commissioner Weatherly yesterday.
Thus FIR all the negotiations between
the city and the waterworks company
have been satisfactory to both sides.
There are, numerous details to be
worked out before the actual taking over
or buying. in of the warterworks win be
completed All of these matters necessa-
rily require time. Nothing can be done
within a few weeks time I confidently
expect an amicable agreement between
the city and the waterworlxs company.
The ownership of municipal corporations
serving the people necessity has always
been my strongest point of contention.
The time is coming when every city of
any size. or consequence will own the
public service corporations and all this
will mean the betterment of the masses
as a whole"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31

From the Memphis Commercial-Appeal.
The people of Cleveland and the north
are getting excited about the presence
of an increasing number of negro
laborers. The Cleveland Plain Dealer
discusses the situation In a leading ar
ticle. "
1t is feared that friction may arise,
and it is stated that Just SO soon as
the white supply of labor increases the
negroes will be replaced. This sop is
thrown out to the white labor leaders,
who are all becoming restless The
first breath of cold weather and the
first slack of work will affect those
negroes who have been lured away
from the south by promises of higher
wages and better working conditions.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31
THE TwANGLEss VOICE

From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
In these days when violent and per-
sistent efforts are made to preserve our
neutrality, when, from the leading
candidates down we are all for peace,
and when, after a period that was at
times painful and generally distressing.
we have managed pretty we'll to forget
the hyphen,- doesn't it seem rather
brave for an important woman's college
to announce plan for curing Ameri-
can girls of their Yankee twang'
voice and replacing it with the broad
CA of the English women? Such is
the word that comes from Wellesley.
! Modern American speech" says the
official who speaks for the college,
sis distressing beyond measure to any
American who has the cultural inter-
est of his country really at heart
Soft spoken graduates are to be
turned out by the school hereafter, II
this professor has her way. They will
emphasize their speech "by carefully
modulated Infections" rather than by
shrill, excited ordinations. Presuma-
bly, slang will be barred.
Naturally anything that makes for
culture is to be commended, I'm spite
| of the extent to which culture can go
and what Interpretation can be put on
it. as the world has recently had OPP
portunity to note. There must be in
| dorsement. too. Of the view of the
| Wellesley teacher that good many of
| her sisters are conducive to a certain
degree Of pain when they do open their
! mouths. And yet, what becomes Of all
| the romances we have read and heard
| about the charm of the American maid
| whose beauty and sprightlfness and vi
vacity made her supreme among her
Kind and hence deserving of considers
ton even when prone to shrek out OF
| order or put overmuch prep" into her
voice and words?
Is it not possible for the plan to be
amended SO that the qualities which
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31

From the Savannah Press.
bench in Mount Vernon, N. Y. In this
day of woman's rights and votes for
women and alimony courts we are very
glad indeed to see that there is one judge
who will see that mere man gets Justice
once in a while. Judge George c. Appel
of the domestic relations court of Mount
Vernon has recently shown his fitness for
his job. He has allowed Henry Erb Of
that town 81 a week spending money,
boon that had been denied him by flint
hearted spouse. We quote a dispatch
from Mount Vernon:
"Erb, who is employed by the Harlem
Railroad company and earns $50 month,
said his wife regularly took possession of
the pay envelope containing s25, every
two weeks.
He always wants 81 a week to spend
for chewing tobacco said Mrs. Erb. It's
"a nasty habit and all pure foolishness.'
docs he spend it all for chewing to-
bacco?' inquired Judge Appel.
"'He doesn't get it, replied the wife.
He would If he\got it.
Judge. please. may 1 have a dollar d
week for little things need? pleaded Erb
and Mrs Erb strenuousIy objected be-
cause she said her' husband would spend
it for beer.
Please, your honor, may y take
glass of beer once in a whi1e?' "sbroke in
Erb.
The judge told Henry finally that he
might have a glass of beer once in a
while, but he must not drink to- excess.
His honor failed to state just how a man
was to drink to excess on dollarVa week.
We think he slipped a judicial mental
cog here. If he was going to see Henry
get fair play he might have slipped him
that dollar without Illuminating him by
advising him not to get drunk. on one
bone q week. If Erb can make "a dollar
stretch from Monday to Saturdayiand get
excessively drunk on it then we are
forced to believe that the Mount Vernon
saloons are cutting prices.
But the fact that husband succeeds
in getting as much as a dollar week
from his pay envelope shows the sex is
making progress toward emancipation.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31

have been peculiar to the American
girl, and made her undeniably charm
ing, may be retained and the modu-
lating process made so to work that
her speech shall be both charming and
characteristic? Why the need of i'm
porting the style of those across the
sea, some of whose peculiarities are
just as distressing as our home
grown twang? If we have developed
and American girl let us have one
with her speech and her manners all
her own Anyway, this isn't time
when the made-in- Europe stamp on
anything ensures it more appreciation.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31

Canada naturally resents the charge
that she isn't doing her "bit' for Eng
land. The Canadians couldn't fight more
CALAMITY if merely the width of the Eng
lish channel separated their country from
Germany.
A circuit of hippodromes will be estab-
Iished in a number of the larger cities.
where there is dearth Of spectacular
afnusements except when circus comes
to town.
Some of those Virginians who have LAID
lin a supply of liquors for consumption
later on may be, compelled by Jealous
rninions Of the law to hide the stuff
y !, y
Cabrera might have gone STEP further
lin his denial and accused that poor news
paper man of eavesdropping while Senior
Cabrera was talking in his sleep.
The demand for Hawaiian musical in
struments is said to be greater than the
supply. However, it is possible to have
a happy home without a ukulele.
The governor of North Carolina thinks
the southern republican is tragic fig
.ure. He seems to enjoy life passing we'll
after he bets a postoffice job.
Villa probably realizes how hard it is
to attract any attention while Messrs.
Wilson and Hughes are running neck
and neck for the presidency.
4 y
PittsbuIg is hundred years old and
probably has more millionaires to the
square yard than any other city of its
size in the country.
n i;
The Trans-S Siberian railway will enter
tain tourists, with moving pictures and
thus make strong bid to be known as
scenic route.
Ere now postscripts have been known
to get people into all kinds of trouble,
but most of them were written on scented
stationery.
y y
Heavy Sunday dinners are again under
fire, but who nowadays can afford to in
dulge in a heavy Sunday dinner?
n
Doubtless there are many times when
Woodrow Wilson longs for the peace and
quiet of his academic days.
Questions of veracity are nearly al
ways numerous as a presidential CAM
paign draws to a close.
"
At any rate the percentage of beauty is
just as great among "wilsonettes" as IL
is among "Hughesettes."
Birmingham strengthened her claim to
a farm loan bank by sticking to facts
and avoiding hot air.
!; II 4:
Thanks to the weather man, the fuel
question has not yet become acute in the
Birmingham district.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31
From the Literary Digest.

From the Literary Digest.
81 T Ochrida, in Macedonia, and IN
ZZA\ some villages of Sardinia, fine
- x white earth forms an essential
part of the local bread, and is brought
to market together with other articles Of
food. Other countries of Europe where
earth is eaten are Treviso, in upper
Italy, Syria, in Austria, and certain parts
of Germany around the famous Kyhauser,
and in the heath of Luneburg. Here the
working men butter their bread with a
fine clay, nicknamed by them stone but
ter" Finally, in the northernmost parts
of Sweden, and on the peninsula of Kola,
in the government of Archangel. fine
clay, cleaned of mud and pulverized. is
mixed with flour to make the bread
tasty.
But the real home of earth eating -
Asia. The famous earth Nishapur. Per-
STA, is used either raw or, roasted and
is often prepared with spices and per-
the Eskimos are great consumers of va
rious kinds of earth.
Passing to India, we are told by Doctor
Rabitsch that in the markets of Calcutta
burned clay is offered for sale in the
shape of small disks. The women are'fts
principal consumers. Women and chill
dren in Siam consider steatite a delicious
dainty. The women Of the coast towns
of Java swallow their ampo in the form
of small square tablets or tubes, mainly
with the purpose Of preserving their slim
ness Upon the Island Of Timor. of the
Malay Archipelago. burned clay is con-
sumed with solemn religious rites.
The earth eating centers of Africa are
Nubia and certain parts Of the western
coast. The negroes of Guinea, for in
stance, have become SO fond of their
couac that no means OF persuasion is
strong enough to prevent their overeat-
ing. On the shores of certain rivers in
Senegambia the natives use white.
soapy earth, as soft as putter, to replace
fat in the preparation Of their food.
The inhabitants Of New Guinea con-
sumo great quantities of a greenish SOAP
stone, while the natives of New Gale
donia eat a ferruginous clay either fresh
or preserved in the form of dried. per-
forated cakes for their dessert.
A classical land of earth eating, &C
cording to our authority, Is South Amer
lea, where we meet with it under Its
most various forms. from the Rio Grande
del Norte down to Parama and Pilcom-
ago. In many parts of Mexico earth is
eaten passionately. not only by children
and women. but by grown men; and ~
the markets of Guadalajara. San Luis,
Puebla and other towns. pastils of white.
burned clay are offered as dainties. The
inhabitants of Guatemala use instead OF
powdered sugar . white and yellowish
earth, probably an efflorescence of vol.
canic ashes. On the western coast Of our
continent. we find earth eating popula.
tons from Colombia to Bolivia.
Evidently, earth eating is not limited
| to any particular latitude although mos.
prevalent in the tropics Women are 1t.
principal adopts. Our authority does moi
Iagree with the famous ethnologist, DR. F
! Won Kellwald, in finding close relation
ship between malaria and earth eating.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-31
LUKE M'LUKE SAYS

Anyway, it must be heap Of con-
ISOLATION to a bow-legged girl to know
that her arms are not built that way.
Another reason for the record crop Of
divorces is because too many couples
imagine that they have to Quit being
lovers when they are made man and wife.
About this time of year it is a good
thing to remember that your political
opinions are less important than the way
you do your days work.
The old-fashioned man whose idea of
high living was round steak with brown
flour gravy now has a son who has
to have T-Bones with canned mushrooms
and who blames the FL. C. of l.. for his
poverty.
The fashion authorities are taixing
about bringing the Wasp Waist back
into style. If they do the Corn Feds
Will find that they have been stung.
Don't rub it on. A man will come to
your rescue four or five times. But
| ii you persist in falling in he is going
to let you sink.
| The old-fashioned girl who used a half
a paper of pins to fasten her lingerie
| now has daughter who makes couple
of buttons do all the work.
I You may not believe it. But the man
who is too busy to hang a motto over
his desk often gets more salary than
| DO 1t Now stuff.
There is a bright side to everything.
The man who has lost all of his hair
doesn't have to worry over the fact
that he is becoming bald
| Some fellows seem to wear diamond
studs in their shirt fronts to call your
attention to the fact that the shirt ism t
as clean as it was when they first put
Lit on.
Every married man wonders why his
wife can't make coffee like he gets it
when he eats downtown.
1t makes man sore if you keep ON
reminding him that he is wearing new
clothes. But it makes woman sore if
you don't.
Married women should remember that
the reason why George Washington never
told a lie was because Mrs. G. w. never
asked him foolish questions when lie got
home after midnight.
A man is as vain about his looks as n
woman When his hair first turns a
grizzly gray he will tell you that it was
that way when he was q.