davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-07-29
This Concept

This to me seems the most immediate and
effective possibility. Imagine terrific
concentration of sun rays projected up
on the German trenches. And in that
whitening blast passing along like
shifting searchlight, the bodies of the Ger
mans wither up-an army turned to cinders.
A little smoke rising from the trenches.
Silence of the enemy fire. Victory by the in
Fiction of silent death No one can say this
is impossible Some discovery in the use of
powerful metal mirrors of high power lenses
may make the projection of this heat-ray
practicable Let us consider how it may be
employed otherwise.
Our enemy depends upon his ability to
transport troops and munitions to the front.
Through those "eyes of the enemy''-the
aerOplane scOuts-we discover the location
off transport lines and the movement of
troops From the projecting station back
of our lines a volume of heat rays will be
flashed over the transport lines-and the
trains, carrying food, will 60 up in puff of
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-07-29

warfare and destruction. The suggestion
has been made that electricity might be en-
piOyed to paralyze the foes. Or it may be
projected to infict death much as death is in
ficted in an electric chair Thus. suddenly,
a group in the enemy trenches would ex-
perience deadly shock. Their guns would
fall from their hands and they would curl up
in the grip of an invisible death. Death
would carry along down the lines.
New troops would be rushed forward to
take the places of the dead in the trenches,
but as soon as they reached an invisible line
they, too, would perish. No explosion of
shells Nothing visible Only a vibrating
death passing over the lines. In panic, terror
those behind would fee The news would
carry to the reserve armies and they would
turn But the power that carried spasm
of death through the trenches might follow
the retreating forces And they, in a con-
vulsion, would be destroyed. So far no
means of employing electricity to such an
extent has been discovered. But it cannot
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-07-29

be said that such
a thing won ( be
done.
tricity
might be used IN
various ways. 1t
may be possible
to find S o m e
means whereby
the guns of the
enemy may be
rendered ineffect-
i've.
How this might
be done L do not,
of course, know.
But one Of these
days some inves
tigatOr may find
a method Of EN-
ployjng the cleo
trical ray to de-
strOy the weapons
of the foes. Thus,
when they at
tempted to use
their heavy guns
the highly com
plicated mechan-
ism would not
work. Mysteri-
ously. strangely,
{ he nOnStrOus
mOrtars would be-
come inert. This
might happen
through some
form of electroly-
sis. Or the en-
ergy directe i
might so interfere
with the mechan-
ism that the guns
would not oper-
ate. On the same
principle som e
means may be
found Of making
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-07-29


2any miles distant, new engines-such
the British tank-have been invented. To
the degree that explosives have been de-
velOped and armament increased in power
the carnage has been all the greater. And
yet the end of the war does not seem def
uitely in sight.
Is it possible that some new weapon may
be invented which will surpass in annihi-
.atlng power anything now IN use2 A
weapon that shall render the armament of
the enemy ineffective, or devastate In some
burning breath the armies of the foes them
selves7 Does science hold the promise of the
miracle that will prove decisive2
In ancient times men placed their hope of
victory in their arms plus the support of SUI
pernatural powers We know to-day that
that army will win which possesses superior
scientific weapons.
What are the miracles" that science may
give9
To say that electrical energy may be en-
ployed in paralyzing opposing armies may
seem fantastic. But is any possibility lying
within the range of scientific discovery fan
taStici
Nothing that the imagination of man can
conceive is In q sense impossible. We know,
too, that necessity is the mother of inven-
ton. The dominant purpose of the world to-
day is the ending of the war To the exclu-
sion OF every other object the purpose of the
allied nations is TO vanquish Germany. How
can this most readily and successfully be eff
fectedf Perhaps by discovering some
weapon which the Germans do not possess
Therefore our scientists are working
toward the discovery of some such weapon.
No time can be lost, for we may suppose the
German scientists are similarly working
toward this end If the German scientists
should discover the miracle" frSt-well. it
would be certainly TO our disadvantage /
am not fearful. however. for we know that
German science is not original but adaptive
Therefore. if it is TO be found, l believe the
"miraele" will be found among the Allies
What Forces might be utilized you ask 1t
could seem big guns and high power ex-
olosives had reached the limit of their de-
,eopment What force that is more deadly
.hsn the colossal guns might be foundY
Do YOU remember those battles written of
in the Scriptures IN which destructive fire
descended from heaven and left the armies
of the foes a mass of incinerated bones upon
the battlefield That picture of an army
shrivelled IN one consuming torrid blast has
impressed the imagination of men for thou
sands Of years Yet the actual occurrence of
such miracle" in the present war IL not
without the range OF possibility IL the
Biblical story it was produced by a super-
natural agency. If such victory by annihi-
lation Is to happen now it will be through
the agency of science
How might this be donei 1t is not impoS-
slble that some means may be discovered of
focusing and ntensifyiag the rays of heat
Uch as A.chImedeS did IN ancient times
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-07-29

to him pauseS irresolutely, then his gun
drops from a nerveless hand. And so down
the line You have perhaps seen crowd
give way TO hysteria. You have undoubtedly
heard how an alarm of fire-perhaps base
lesS-will cause a factory mob TO glut hall
way or exit and trample one another "a
death. Fear, like any contagion, spreads
So, if science could discover some ray which
would peculiarly affect the brain and nerves
1T might be possible to send an army scurry.
ing precipitately away like herd Of fright
ened sheep,
Such a possibility is purely scientific. We
feel through our nerves The brain even
registers impressions conveyed by the
nerves, of which the surface mind is not
conscious. The nerves of some people are
so acute, so sensitive that they are accred-
tied with the power of mind reading But
this phenomenon IS simply an ability to
sense the nerve vibrations that come from
another. Sometimes a sensation of Joy
comes over you, again an ineXplicable fear
It may be that without realizing IL you have
nervously sensed JOY or anxiety IN another
All physical life is vibration; eli mental
life is vibration Mental vibratiOn-Or
thought and emotions produced by physi-
cal vibration conveyed through the nerve
senses. Now the feeling of JOY or the feel
ing of sorrow, of confidence. fear. are but
vibratory conditions Confidence and repose
may be explained as a tranquil state of the
nerves. Panic-fear is q highly charged ex
cited vibration of the nerves. It is quite
probable certain rays may be found in this
vast stOrehouse, which is the universe
which when projected. viii set up such o
vibration as will jar the nerves and upset
all mental poise of those affected.
Therefore it is not fantastic TO consider
soldier in an enemy trench suddenly giving
way to a panic-ray, and all others in turn
being suddenly plunged into q shaky
trembling excess of sheer terror. An army
thus affected-like a pack of sheep fright
ened by lightning give way in a mad
hysteric stampede.
It has been suggested that IL may be pos
sible by the use Of peculiar rays to put an
army TO sleep For that army able to pro.
,walkoyer.
At present we are graveIy concerned in
finding some means Of combating sUbma
rine warfare. The most effective method
has been by the use of nets and bombs We
all hope some vastly moro effective agent
me- be discovered and any day VIC ma
hear Of il. In the larger aspects of warfare
however, and in what may be called the
imaginative possibilities. | am inclined tc
think the most hopeful miracle" would b.
the application of powerful concentrates
heat RAYS. We may discover methods OF
utilizing electrical force as wireless ageot
of destruction. Or we may discover rays that
are now unknown. What we cannot say Il
that anything dreamed of VIII not be dona
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-07-29

Nothing That the
Imagination of
Man Can Conceive
IS'ImpOSSibLe.
fit Is to Be Found,
I Believe the
'MiracLe' Will Be
Found Among
the "AUieS. -
-GUGLIELMO MARCONL.
MARCONI.

the highly complicated shells as harm
less as a baby's rattle. The enemy
would then be without means of fight
ing.
What are the possibilities of employ.
ing rays which might disorganize our
foes by affecting their emOtiOnsf We
know that rays of color are employed
in the treatment of mental disorders
We know that certain color rays ex.
cite and others tranquihze the mind
Red is disturbing. while blue and
green are reStful. Color rays cannot
be employed at distance, and up to
the present electrical rays have not
been found to affect the brain. But
can we arbitrarily deny the possibility
of discovering a ray which Will affect
the brain at distance7 We can only
say there IS no limit to scientific dis.
covery-that everything is possible
Just as the X-ray was discovered
and employed, scientists may discover
other rays. There may be rays that
could be employed to affect the brain
and produce hysteria. Imagine the
use of a ray of fear. An army, appar-
emily securely intrenched, suddenly
loses its morale There is no gunfre
No troops emerge from the opposite
first line trenches. Yet one day a
soldier-one single soldier-drops his
gun. He looks around, with white
face, with fear-a nameless, inexplca-
bile fear-in his ewes The soldier next
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-07-29
By GuglielmO Marconi,
Inventor OF Wireless Telegraphy.
lin an interview).

TT THROUGHOUT the world the
problem uppermost in the
minds of men relates to the
termination of the war On both
sides the thing most desired is that
supreme advantage which shall
bring victory. For three years the
armies of the opposing powers have
struggled with the most deadly in
struments ever devised by men. Ex-
plosives have been intensified in de,
structive power, guns of unprece-
denied range have hurled death
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-15
The LIQUOR TRAFFIC n Cnrsc,

The liquor dealers of the country
are sending out a hroadside headed
why You Pay More for Liquors, -
the burden of which is another state
ment in which the president of the
National Wholesale Liquor Dealers
association, replying to an inquiry on
the subject said;
YOU can blame the Saloon
league for it.
And then follows "A long story about
the effort to prevent the distillation
Of whiskey during the war. phe state
ment follows that as the stock OF
whskey now in warehouses Is small,
naturally those who own these whis-
kies are asking full price.
Just why an industry, the curse of
the world, which brings suffering and
sorrow everywhere, which lessons tht
moral and physica! and mental fiber
OF the people should have the gall
to be Constantly flooding the matis of
the country IN defense of that ac-
cursed business. il is impossible for
any decent, right-thinkins man to un-
derstand The liquor traffic is curse.
1t should be wiped out of exist
ence, and the sooner IL IS done the
better for humanity --Manufacturers'
Record
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-15
,p slyE1 { S y:
CONVENTIONS.

Conventions were invented by hon
est men engaged In the same line OF
business, for TIE purpose OF gather
| ing together ana discussing the good
of their profession with the various
menus prepared by the entertaining
city.
At first only the politicians held
conventions. These affairs, however,
proved so popular and did the To'l-
ticians SO much good that the idea
spread RI pfdly into other lines of busI-
mes. Nowadays everyone coAvenes.
Governors hold conventions. So do
state house janitors. The religions of
the earth meet in vast gatherings aud
England, the United States and Maua-
gascar scrap for the privilege of be-
ing tho next hort. The athletes OF
the world meet in Olympic games.
The doctors. lawyers and undertakers
have their national societies So do
the interior decorators. the canary
breeders, the fgurehead carvers, the
vacuum cleaners, the am&lgamated
organ bumpers, the American Insti-
tute Of Pie Bakers, the students of
the third Latin corjugation, the brass
railing polishers, the opponents of the
long ballot and the North Carolina
poplar, the tarpon catchers. the jour-
neymen dynamiters, the survivors of
Grover CleVelanns speeches and in
Vulnerable other bodies. Practically
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-15
Watch How the Income
Tax Affects YOU

II your salary is SIS q week, you
are exempt from taxation under the
war revenue Till, II married II sin
gle you will have to pay Uncle sam
a tax Of 2 per cent on the amount
YOU earn in excess of 81 coo AS s25
per week is $l.300 a wear. your tax
viii ne ? per cert Of $500 or So.
The war revenue tax is levied on
persons not men" and so before
the first Of March next, every single
man or woman who makes s25 per
week must appear al the office of the
Internal revenue collector in their dis
trict ana make out n schedule.
II he or she owns real estate. an
equity in house. or Is paving inter-
est on any form of Indebtedness. ex-
enption may he claimed. Fer in
stance if the s25-a week man owns
an equity in n residence, paving $3.50
rs interest on his mortgage, 500 in
tfXes and $40 more in water rents.
he viii not he required to pay the
government any tax whatever
In other words, his exemptions
would cancel the amount OF his tax
Where man owns rented property
he may even claim exemption for
money spent in repairs.
II il q persons met" income that
must I've figured in determining what
amount is due the government. This
means income from all sources, and
Uncle sam Is going to be very sure
that he gets what is coming to him.
Hosts OF collectors and deputies are
on the lob and there Is little in the
way OF taxable income THAI will es-
cape their attention
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-15

the only uuorganized profession in the
United States is that OF expresidents
The object of most conventions is
TO elect officers and choose a meeting
place for the next year, Entertain
ing conventions is ono Of the greatest
American industries. After a city has
entertained few hundred conyen-
lions you can discoveries hotel keep
ers By their diamond suspender but
tons. Conventions are usually let out
TO the highest bidder, and a coliseum
two banquets, an automobile ride
around the city. a steamboat excur-
sion. smoker and a two pound badge
together with a speech from the
-inayor, vii! +4nd tho st1yest and most
dittident body.
Occasionally, In remote places like
Detroit or Chicago, a strange collec-
tion Of human species has sometimes
been noticed, travelling, grip in hand,
/ bound for the nearest shelter. These
! persons. generally OF a lugubrious cast
! Of eouutenance and with a despon-
dent, sometimes menacing air about
them, arc Humorlsts OF the American
Press, come together to standardize
the jokes Of the nation. and to recon-
mend the passage of law making
/ Ford jokes a felony. These strange
! people sometimes wear an air OF great
emharrassm about them, for it is
/ frightfully disconcertlng to know that
at any corner one is likely 10 run into
the very person from whom one has
borrow ed" ones latest original joke.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-15
Beer Hihgcr in Holland.

Let beer drinkers in America cheer
up. They are not the only goats in
the world.
The retail price of beer has again
advanced rs per cent in Amsterdam,
being now 20 to % Dutch cents (S to
10 American) per glass fer first class
beer. through inferior grades are sold
H. cheap drinking places for half that
price.
Retail prices for all kinds of beer
have pow doubled since 1913. Brew
cries announce that they shall dis
continue the practice of taking back
beer which is not entirely satisfac-
tory.
Raw materials are very dear and so
scarce that the brewers declare that
they must cease operations unless con-
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-15

One Of the features OF the for'hcon-
,oc annual report Of the State BOARD
.-A.rf,t,s and Corrections as told in
WIZ ~ .
he established an orthopeo!c h"spi'ai
under the supervision Of the state de-
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-15
SLUMP IN NUMBERS
OF CHICAGO JOINTS

The shrinkage of dramshops in
Chicago has been preparing and actu-
ally taking place for year past Last
November I50 of them failed to re-
new their licenses: in May 400 more
fell out. but Wednesday night. Octo-
Der 81, when the half-year period
elapsed, saw the largest slump in sa :
loon licenses ever known in the city's
history.
1t is estimated by George Lob
mann, chief deputy city collector for
Chicago, that approximately 700 sa-
looms will turn out their lights and
lock their doors for the last time
when the semi-annual city license
must be paid this month. He further
estimates that when The next license
day rolls around, In May. at least
1000 others will follow suit. Mr.
I1ohmann says that most OF these
zoo saloons which are prepa ring TO
quit business are located in the out
lying districts and sections of the city.
where ten-cent whiskey has prevail
ed. The increased price of whiskey
Is the excuse of the saloon men for
closing their places. Mr.. Lohmann Is
basng his estimate of the number of
Quoted by him. Chicago saloons pay
an annual license fee to the city of
$1,000.
The imminent prospect of the sub
stitution of the water wagon in the
place of the beer wagon as the ma
tional vehicle. in addition to the high
taxes. is given by many OF the sa-
loon men as their reason for failure
to renew The prohibition of the
manufacture of hard liquors is an
other of the reasons assigned willis
the testimony is quite general thai
raising the price of drinks has re-
suited in decided falling off of Gus
tom over the bar. Some of the closed
saloons had cabaret attachments
which will also he closed. The Sun
day closing law also helped to cut off
some saloons.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-15
BAKER ASKS PROTECTION
Demands Moral Protection for War
Camps--Points Ont Possible Threat
To Life OF Whole Nation.

Every now and then we hear--I
don't know anything about the truth
of it----that our adversary in this war
has been sending germs around to
inoculate the people with disease and
using that as a means of warfare
But we may DO ii If we are not
careful. If we take a million men
out of their homes anS simply throw
them together haphazard and give
them no consideration, leaving them
to find their way in these untried
problems, and then when this war Is
over scatter those young men over
the country, with all the things they
have learned, and ought not TO learn
we shall have lowered the whole
level of the moral life of this nation
in a way that we cannot afford to do
AS a consequence of that there is
thrown upon our cities and villages,
thrown upon our ordinary citizens.
the great task of making the enVi-
ronment of the military camps whole
some and slim Ilating.
Our soldiers when they get away
from camps become boys away from
home, and the question OF what pe-
comes OF them is one of the most
tremendous problems we have. from
every point of view 1t is tremen-
dous from a moral point of view. If
he is sick in mind or morally sick,
he affects prejudicially the whole at
mosphere OF the military cont:ngents
of which he is a member.
The only kind of army that is fit
to represent the United States when
our country Is starting out on an en-
terprise characterized by lofty and
idealistic motives must be made up
Of young men of choice quality of
body. mind. and spirit. something that
is highly important from military
point of~view.
The value of the experience when
our army was modified on the Mexi-
can border was very great, because
when we came to mobilize this new
army and to ask the mothers all over
this country to let us have their sons
and to put them in our hands for
training and safekeeping 1t was clear
that the obligations to those mothers
as well as the obligation to the boys
themselves, was to see that this new
army should be surrounded by a
wholesome environment.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-15

The Right of Petition.


Editor Virgtnlan.
Sir ;~-W While the writer dlslikes an
lhcohoclaHtic reputation, yet there are
times when fidelity TO the cause of
truth compels all fair minded men to
do so, and this Is one OF the times
IN Richmond. For instance. the press
OF this city. without a solitary excep-
! ton, that this writer is aware OF, has
stigInatized. as far as possible the eff
! forts OF some OF its citizens TO OBJ
tam signatures TO petition which
they have perfect right TO do Are
The gentlemen aware OF the fact that
I denial OF the right OF petition was one
OF the principal causes that led to
the American revolution? Did not
Patrick Henry say in his marvellous
| arrangement Of Great Britain that
Americas petition WAS spurned from
the foot of the throne?" To be sure
he did Why then should any one in
+. liberty loving, patriotic Richmond try
TO cast slur upon other Richmond
ers who choose 10 exercise this in
ahenahle right? AS to the merits OF
the question. we say nothing. except
this; II is for the people of Rich
nond TO decide, This city is as dear
TO those who ere Them bers OF the ad-
lninistrative board and other CITY Of
fjcers, as II is'to those who oppose
them why seek 10 isolate them and
70 intern them in the camp of pub
lie opinion TO themselves, as though
they were alien enemies OF their own
city? This writer knows not n single
member OF the board has never
spoken a word 70 ony one on the
subject Of the petition. has never seen
the document and fair play is his
B sole motive for this article
Yours.
4. A II A u
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-15
ITALY AND THE WAR.

D,anatcbes from the Italian front
,.a. n.nn. a.nra far fran, assuring
,-......-
"i 'ne s''0''''o'i Icing ''''-' ''' - So
''i'~ u "'''i0''' y" '''7 ii So - N'' ''N
eh@' nefce 'e'' x 0'' u "''''+'' - = "'
laying me advance % '''e enemy
lns Germans 4rs no" '0' nine '''''eS
from \ s'1''e'- d '''''''ie'i i''''' ''''-
ing ois'Shoe 's q fUsF''" '''i0 f''''S NV
fehoeo coon'fE' ''""'7'e'' '''e' = Seems
N De NO serious intention o' N'e p"''
OF the i'a''''" s''s'' e0f'''''e'' ~ "''-
oeFtaHe serious aeIe''Se - '''e'' 'i''s'
oeauutui CITY 'he io"a 'he rather We
ing 70 spare H. u p"ssio's' ''ie "''' an"
eesoi&tlon 'ha' ""olo 'o surely
"foosHt III III ~ "'e U'' III
X Is nope" 'F the'a 'il"' IL Ni'i Ho'
ne "antofiy devastated a"ho0sn 'heS
nave no FsaLF Bo"a GROUNDS lot Such
nope "heh many OF germany e@'
p'oits against detehee'ess peoples ana
communities arc ''hs''e'e0'
mere IS TINS 20 DC SAId ABOUT the
i's aah s''uat'oa- II II very easy 10 OK
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-15

the remainder Of the world more frm-
iy than ever that SO powerful. so un,
Ecrupuious and go bloodthirstv com
biastion as that fighting with the Ger.
man kaiser shall he thoroughly and
permanently broken and disarmed.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-15

I'TOI eiSed NUst OF IIVuIu gOOus Il given
as the reason for the change.
Public sentiment very generally APP.
proves this action. and for once the
temperance elements find it possible
to enthusiastically endorse an action
OF the Liquor Dealers association.
Unless for some sinister, hidden oh
ject, no one can divine a reason why
any body of cit employees should be
supplied with free booze. II 1t was
not a tax paid for protection, why
should such custom have grown IN
in the city?