davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14
Today's Events

Informal Reception. supp<r and dance By souti
porthwest. D. n.
Reception W Real Est.te Brokers Association oi
Washington 70 delegates to American CIVIC Associa
ton. New Willard, D. m,
BAH, y. m.
stereopticon lscture On west Indies. ouha and
Centrsi America." at Fourth Presbyterian Church
b. George T. nibbttts, D, m.
AMUsEMENTS.
Nattonal-Coha1 Revue sD.
Belasco-"The Brat" SD.
B. 2. Kefth's-vaudeyille. 2ls and sls
Pohs-fhe Woman He Married" l:ls and SIS
Gfety-Burlesque 2a5 and sa5.
Lyceum-Burlesque. 2l5 and s:E.
Lewis Columbia -Photopiays, II o. m 20 Ns
.. m.
Cosmos Vaudeville. 10 to II .. m
Garden-PhotoDlays. 10 q m. TO 100 D. N
straDd-Photoplas, 10 q. m. to 100 .. m
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14
HoIlweg "Passes the Buck. !"

There is little likelihood that Herr
Won Bethmann-Hollweg, chancellor
Of the German Empire, is familiar
with the well known American game
of poker. Hence he cannot possibl,
have any conception of the playful
American pastime of passing the
buck" but on the average sentimental
paci6st and sincere neutral who see:
nothing in the war but its horror, he
has scored.
There are many well meaning per
sons throughout the world who will
be beguiled into the belief that pro-
longation of the war can now be
charged to the entente powers. Tc
those who understand something oi
the intricacies of international pol.
icies, however, the peace overtures oi
Bethmann-Hollweg ring as sincerely
as the Kaiser's lament: "God knows
/ have not willed this"
Certainly there can be no doubt
that the German offer of peace met
no responsive chord in. Great Britain
The Kaiser's government is suspected
there of everything from piracy ur
and down. What Great Britain thinks
of the peace proposal its allies will
echo.
Hence their will is not likely to be
any peace parley on the Kaiser's basis
liberal and fair as it seems to be fol
the Kaiser.
In the United States the offer o.
the German chancellor did not cause
profound excitement. Obviously il
has not disturbed the equanirnity ot
the American State Department. Ant
in that connection it is we'll to point
out a misconception of the chancel
lor's interview with the American
charge at Berlin.
The United States was not asked
to mediate or to suggest peace to tht
belligerents opposed to Germany.
This may or may not be a snub.
Americas representative, as diplo
matte agent of the befligerents II
Berlin, was asked merely to transmit
note to the belligerents through
the United States. Mr.. Lansing's de-
partment is utilized as a messengel
service and it is not asked its opinion
or advice on the peace proposal.
The real motive of the chancello,
may have been to appease the clamol
for cessation of the war in his owr
country. How we'll he succeeds Of
how urgent the need for such a state
ment may have been, can hardly b
gauged here, what with censorship
rifled mails, interrupted cable com
munications and the other difficultie.
encountered in getting the truth o.
actual conditions within the boun
daries of the central powers.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

The war has rendered US all too familiar
with horrible things. but there Is some
thing especially shocking IN the brief
dispatch from London that twenty six
women have been killed and thirty
injured by an explosion in a NUM-
tions factory. From disasters in in
dustrial plants, mines and the like
women have. before this, suffered
times innumerable, but that suffering
has usually been indirect, due to aps
prehension or to sorrow for husband.
sweetheart or some male relative. Now
peril Is immediate and the suffering
II direct-Baltimore News.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

The annual report of the Secretary of
War is notable not for what 1t says but
for what It doesn't say. Mr.. Baker ap-
parently cannot bring himself to the
point OF officially admitting the failure of
the Hay army reorganization law. Sec
retary Baker does not say that the Hay
reorganization has been in any way a
success. Nor does he put on record his
evident belief that 1t has been an unre-
lieved failure His silence, however. is
eloquent And the figures he gives Of
the mobiiized strength Of the militia and
of the present strength of the regular
army prove conclusively that the grotes-
que first line army provided for by the
Hay law does not exist today. and GER
tainly never viii exist-except on paper
New York Tribune
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Gen. Scott could get a far clearer
notion OF the opinion of the average
parent toward universal military serv-
ice IL he would present a plan of uni
versal service and give the average
parent . chance to discuss it. Uni
versal service based upon German
military theories would be oyerwhelm-
ingly rejected. Universal service
adapted to American theories of gov
ernment and American habits of life
might meet with general appreciation.
Everything depends upon the nature
of the plan. and when Gen. Scott de-
clines to evolve a plan he leaves the
question where it was befor.. Unless
the General staff has something def
mite to offer in the way of solving the
problem, its arguments are of no more
practical value than are those of tie
Natioaai Security League.--New York
World.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Federal agents are reported to
have found evidence justifying the
indictment of transportation interests
as manipulators of the price of food
stuffs. But if they will only disclose
some means of bringing down the
prices three rousing cheers will be
theirs.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Arlie Barber, Socialist commission
er of Birmingham, Ala, has intro
duced an ordinance placing the ban
on love scenes in moving picture
shows. Is Arlie just plain diseon-
tented married man or was he dis
appointed in his first grand pas
sion?"
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14
"A Word to
Christmas Shoppers

Last year The HERALD alone of
the, four Washington newspapers waged
a "Shop Early" campaign that resulted
in early Christmas, buying to an extent
that practically eliminated the ".last min
ute" rush of previous years.
This year the "Shop Early" cam
paign of The HERALD has been slim
ulated by similar action of two other of
the four WASHINGTON newsnapers. Yet
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Reports from the border tell of
one OF the United States army svia-
tors who has for a pet an Airedale
terrier. For the sake of harmony,
we suggest sending Gen. Pershing a
setter.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Are the experts keeping account
of the depreciation going on during
the process of valuation of electric
power and traction properties in the
District?
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

1t develops that ~Oliver Osborne" !"
who nodded the sentiments of girls
to his amorous liking, really is named
Wax And he seems like wax in the
hands of the prosecutor.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

The worm will turn, it has been
said. The Kansas City Railways
Company has been awarded $3.50
damages against "jitney" bus driver
who bumped into a street car.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Now the Boston 6remen are to
form a union and affiliate with the
A. F. Of L. All their demands prob
ably will be granted if they present
them when big FIRE is under way.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

With the farmers resorting to re-
prisals on urbanites who boycott
butter and eggs, the influence of the
war on the arts and artihces of peace
becomes increasingly apparent.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Because some q the high-spirited
youths OF Colfax, La, took a group
of chorus girls on a joy ride, the city
council has placed a ban on such
shows in that town. What would
the city council do if some one
should oyercat? Abolish food?
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Reports from Ssnto Domingo state
that "all is quiet" But just wait un-
til those American marines come
back home.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

England has, arrogated to itself the
right to determine exactly what amount
of food Holland, Norway, Sweden and
Denmark shall be permitted to purchase
from the United States ION the theory
that If they are permitted to take more
from US than they actually need. the
surplus will go to Germany. As a re-
suit, American foodstuffs sell far lower
in England. a country engaged in war,
than they do in neutral countries which
are, in theory, supposed to have the
right of unrestricted trade with the
United States. A complete and utter dis
regard for neutral rights by all bellig-
erents alike Is the feature of the pres
ent war. dnerentiating it from any other.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14
A RESOLVE.

I'm Just q bit o. human seed
The Fates have Planted on this earth,
And whether be flower or weed,
A thing Of sorrow or Of worth.
I'm goin' to get my roots In deep.
And day by day, and night by night,
Without cessation ever keep
A-growin' upward toward the light.
Copyright lNS.)
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Madison Square Garden has been
sold again. The property seems to
be rapidly becoming the favorite ar
ticle of barter in the Metropolis.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

We suggest to Mr.. Bryan that he
begin his prohibition campaign in
Martinez, Cal They only have one
saloon there, and they are paving
the street with the profits. The city
owns it.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

There is now a clear-cut issue upon
which the decision Of the war to a great
extent depends. 1t is the fact that the
other powers operating in conjunction
with Russia promised her Constanti-
nople and the Dardanelles at the con-
clusion Of the struggle. The new
premier Of Russia has made the state
ment in the Russian Duma as a means
Of overcoming the influence OF the
German peace party and stirring the
people to renewed efforts in prose-
cutting the war.-The Lowell Sun.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Down in Memphis, the police have
raided the Eagles, Buffaloes, Bats,
Night Hawks, and other clubs where
it was alleged liquor was illegally
dispensed. 1t will be noticed the
Bryan club is not mentioned.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14
A LINE o. CHEER
EACH DAY O. THE YEAR.

Ffnt printing q an original poem. written daily
for he Washington Herald
By John Eendrick Bangs.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

ordered them to the States for the holi-
days. The Hancock. now In Southern
waters. is to bring them back. This
leaves $500 in Santo Domingo and Haiti.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14
NAVAL ORDERS.

MOVEMENTS OF VESSELS
Arizona sailed for New York December Il; Chat
tanooga arrived at MGnLanillo. December IL; Ohat-
tanOoGa sailed for San Dieso. Decsmbsr L.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Village expert (on the duration OF
the war)-Zome yes this. and ZONE zes
that an tother. but wot zes is
there amt no known an no tellin,
an b'aint far wrong neither-Punch
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Pa, what's a running account
It's an open account in q dry goods
store, my son, which keeps your mother
running downtown all the time to buy
things. Transcript.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14
Jottings from Jokers

What are you crying for, Jamier'
I've been a-goin' to both the Metho-
dist and the Presbyterian Sunday schools
for six weeks, and just found out they
are goin' to have their Christmas trees
on the same night."-I1ife.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Miss n. +. jackson has gone on a vaCa-
tion until the first of the year.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Miss NJ. HiltoR division Of registered
mails. has gone on a vacation until the
drst of the year.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

J. H Collins. of the Office of market
and rural organization, is away on tw
weeks leave.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

At least 400 marines will spend Christ
mas at home. The Navy Department has
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Hugo Rudolph Schmidt, OF Washington
a member Of the senior class Of Harvsr,
University. has recently been awarde,
the Price Greenleaf scholarship.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

w. c. Mason, who has been making a
business trip to points in Pennsylvania,
New York and New England. Is expected
in Washington in the next day or So
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Charles A. Stancliff has returned
Washington from a vacation.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

Charles de Sales Wheeler a former resi-
dent OF Washington. was elected justice
Of the peace Of the East Phoenix Precinct.
Arizona, at the recent election.
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

William F. Doing railway mail service
, returned yesterday from a two weeks
IVacafion
The Washington herald., 1916-12-14

After more than forty years service
Brig. Gen. James Miller is dead at his
home in Temple, N. H. He died Mon
day. according to Information from the
Office of Adjutant General Mccain. Gen.
eral Miller served throughout the war of
the rebellion and saw service during the
Indian uprisings He was in Cuba and
Porto Rico. He retired in 1903
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-12
ECHOES FROM THE STORM
By HUGH GAYLORD BARCLAY

To one who has witnessed and weathered the many fierce tropical storms that have harassed our gulf coast region during the past 30 years, the cyclonic orgy of yesterday and last night appears the most spectacular and sublimely impress sive of them all.
 At the present writing d0 a. m., July 6th), the full extent of life loss, and damage to property, has not been fully ascertained and chronicled, but from all present indications, and a very careful personal attention bestowed on the con- ditions as they developed and transpired within the radius of the writer's immedi- ate circumspection, no storm has ever wrought widespread havoc to all sorts of property as that which suc- denly broke loose over our city on the afternoon of the memorable 9th of July. IL came almost nheralded-certainly without due warning of its terrible scope and possibilities of danger and death :; and it would seem that our august weather bureau at Washington, main tained at such prodigious cost to the people, might reasonably have given us more prompt and definite intimation of such a widespread and destructive ava lanche, as might have helped us at lea t escape some measure of its ruthless ravages.
 There was a sort of grim and grue- some pathos in stepping from the quiet, restful portals of our grand and inspiring old Independence Day-when the patrl-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-12
ASK CITY AID FOR
 TRAFFIC BUREAU
Chamber Committee Asks City to Appropriate $2500 Annually
 to Project

The request of special committee of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday that the city commission appropriate $2500 annually to the support of the proposed freight traffic bureau was referred to Commissioner James Weatherly and City Attorney Ullman for recommendation
 J. D. Moore, president of the business council of the chamber, and R. A. Porter, member of the special committee, made the request of the city commission It was announced that the proposed bureau would cost approximately $15.OoO an- nually and it was requested that the city appropriate about $250O each year for the support of the organization. A similar request had been made of the board of revenue of the county several days ago by the committee, but County Attorney w. K. Terry had ruled that the county had no authority to make such an appro- priation.
 It will be- recalled that the matter of establishing a freight traffic bureau has been under consideration by the Chamber of Commerce for the past several months. It has been proposed that the Chamber of Commerce, the city commission, the county board of revenue and the ship pers maintain the organization. The committee which is handling the details of the proposed organization was named by the Chamber of Commerce and the business council
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-12

The city of Toledo, Ohio. is typical city for comparison, governed well and not by a commissionI It has more than twice the revenue per capita than the city of Birmingham. It has about one- half the physical area of Birmingham to be lighted and policed, and yet there is dissatisfaction there.
 "A recent statement from the bureau of census of the United States shows that Birmingham is the enc city in the United States of considerable size living within it's income, and yet it's per capita income is the smallest of any in the United States.
 Fair men in their public utterances should be concerned not with how they may libel public officials to serve their personal ends, but they should rather be concerned with an honest investigation of the true cause of the present de- plorable condition and with an honest patriotic effort to supply the true and proper remedy in the crisis.
 That remedy is more revenue. That the only way to raise it is by an in- crease of the property tax is obvious to any man of real intelligence who will
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-12
CITY NEGLECTS
 GARBAGE CANS

To the Editor of the Age-Herald:
 Will you please publish the following complaint of the management of the city ir. handling garbage. We have had con- siderable trouble for the past several months in getting our garbage cans emptied. At present the cans have not been emptied for over two weeks and we have notified the Ensley office num- Der of times, by telephone, about this without results, and have also called the sanitary inspectors office in Birming- ham and made complaint and they claim that Ensley is not in their Jurisdiction, but was up to the Ensley department. and as yet the cans have not been emptied.
 As the city sanitary laws require each person to buy closed garbage c-n, I do not see any reason why we should do this and then not get them emptied until several open buckets have been used to take care of the waste from the kitchen, This is very unhealthy way of handling our garbage and some one is responsible for this condition and would ask, that something be done if possible ot remedy this.
 The city is doing so much talk about cleaning up but if they would do what they say they are doing there would be no complaints.
 MRS. MORRIS R. JOHNSON.
 Ensley. July g. l9l6 1886 Pike avenue
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-12
ENGINE FATALLY
 INJURIES EGGLER Railroad Machinist Was Working in Avondale
 Yard When Struck

c. W. Eggler, BPS North Forty-nihth street. Woodlawn. machinist at the Southern roundhouse. Avondale, was fatally injured yesterday afternoon at 4:15 o'clock when he was mashed be- tween the cylinder of an engine and a post in the roundhouse. He was rushed to a local infirmary in an ambulance of the Warner & Smith Undertaking company. where he succumbed to his fn- juries at 4;45 o'clock,
 According to eyewitnessts to the ac- cident, MT. Eggler was setting cylinder valves on an engine and in some man. ner he got caught between the cylinder and the post, mashing his abdomen.
 The deceased is 32 years of age and is survived by his wife. three children, his parents. MT. and Mrs. c. r. Eggler; four sisters. Miss Annie Eggler, Miss Alice Eggler Miss Dora Eggler and Miss Amy Eggler, and one brother, Fred L. Egsler Funeral arrangements will be announced later by the Johns Un- dertaking company
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-12
JEFFERSON BANK
 DEPOSITORS TO MEET
Financial Statement of Banks Condi-
 ton Will Be Read

A special meeting of the Jefferson County Bank Depositors' association has been called for next Tuesday night by H M Abercrombie, president of the asso- citation. The meeting will be held in the county courthouse in Judge Pughs di- vision at o'clock. At this meeting a financial statement, up to July IS, of the assets of the Jefferson County bank will be submitted by the officers.
 The Jefferson County Bank Depositors' association was organized June 8, at which time mass meeting of the de positors had been called. The associa- tion has as it's purpose the furtherng of the interests of@the depositors whc lost in the Jefferson County bank. and the meeting for Tuesday night will he held to hear report on the work as- signed to the officers. State Superinten- dent of Banks A. E. Walker has been invited to attend the meeting
 The officers of the association are; H. M. Abercrombie, president; Joseph Gluck, secretary; Dr. Eugene Jacobs, treasurer. The executive committee is composed of John w. O'Neill. chairman; Dr. T. F. Cheek, D. D. Decker, c. NJ. Parrish and the Rev. James Downs.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-12
BIRMINGHAM IS THE MOST
 EFFICIENTLY GOVERNED
 CITY IN UNITED STATES
President Ward Gives Figures to Prove It and Says No Other City Is Run At Such Small Expense Per Capita-Shows
 Why Speedy Relief Is Necessary to Meet Situation

Birmingham is conducted more economi- cally and more efficiently in proportion to it's revenues than any city in the United States. l make the assertion broadly, and I challenge contradiction.
 The real trouble in Birmingham is not inefficiency of the city commission or the commission form of government The real trouble Is the inadequacy of revenues provided by the constitution and the law to operate it.
 In 1875 when Birmingham was vii- lage of probably not more than 25O0 peo- pie, the state constitution adopted that year limited Birmingham's tax rate to , mills. That sum was too small for a country village, let alone growing, pros- porous city. No community in Alabama is able to discharge essential functions of city government on 5-mill tax rate with out regard to it's size.
 No other state in the union has limit so absurdly low. This fact has been printed thousands of times, but no man seems to absorb it.
 Judge Sharpe has recently decided in the Mcdonald suit in effect that we are still governed sby and limited to the con- stitutional provisions made in 1875 for a country town.
 Whether he is right or not on the law is matter for the supreme court to say. Till that court acts we can only submit but it is preposterous to suppose that the city can operate satisfactorily or dis charge as it should discharge the duties that lie at it's feet, on a revenue so ab. surdly low.
 Tt is scarcely short of criminal for public men holding a responsible position in the community to cry "Inefficiency! Inefficiencyr in the face of this fact. It is an unjust and cruel libel which they utter when they do it.
 The figures have been often published but here they are again from the United States census:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-12

George B. Ward, president of the city commission, issued lengthy statement yesterday in answer to the critics of the local civic government
 MT. Ward calls attention to the fact that the city's needs must be cared for right now, and that the city cannot wait indefinitely the result of theoretical legis- lation.
 Following is the statement of Preside ent Ward:
 T notice three letters in yesterday S Age-Herald telling us what the city should do
 MT. Walter Moore wants a boss Mr. Altman wants us to look pleasant. Dr. Dickinson wants us to step around the corner to the street railway company and the waterworks company and take them over.
 Tt doesn't seem to occur to Dr. Dick inson that the waterworks people and the street railway people might have some objection to being taken over, and that the process might take little time and cost some money, and that these things are not usually done by consent. They are usually accompanied by long delays and expensive litigation.
 The remedy we need in Birmingham is not a remote, but an immediate one What we need just now is some clear thinking When anything goes wrong the tendency is to cry Inefficiency! Inef- ficiency.'
 When Lee surrendered at Appomattox 1t was not inefficiency-it vas lack of men and munitions. When the Germans are defeated in the present war Gf they ever are) 1t will not be due to lack of efficiency on their part, but lack of resources.
 Not every setback is the result of in- efficiency.
 T deny that the city government of Birmingham is inefficient affirm that