davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-04-27
COTTON AND FOOD

Houston Post: The argument made
by not disinterested persons against
diminishing cotton acreage and in
efeasing acreage for feed and food
crops is note in solid opposition to
the governments campaign to ward
off famine in this country and among
its allies in Europe.
The farmers would make a fatal
blunder to heed such fallacies. To
say that the proceeds of the cotton
will be so advantageous in a money
way that Texas can afford TO pay high
prices for grain and meat in the north
is nonsense.
1t is not the lack of money that
threatens the country now, but lack
OF food bulk. 1t is greater food bulk
that is needed, not money. Initiation
Of the money supply can not operate
as a substitute for an increase Of food
bulk.
No one advises against cotton pro-
duction, but for largely increased food
production.
If Texas farmers make 100000
bales of cotton this year, they will re-
ceive less in actual cash for it than
they received for last years short
crop, for the simple reason that for
the present the world will use less
than last years crop, and whatever
the world might need in the way of
cotton, it can live with a shorter sup
ply, whereas any shortage in food sup
ply entails irretrievable disaster.
1t is true that cotton is in part a
food crop, but 5,0O0,000-ba1e crop
produces only about 100000 tons of
seed, whereas the people of the state
consume annually about 100000 tons
of food, to say nothing of their feed
requirements.
We can see now that food prices
are going to be higher, much higher
unless the government takes control
of the food supply, which is not likely
Texas needs above all things to
avoid being an importer of food. If
she must buy corn she will probably
have to pay 81 buslel for it next
winter, for the whole world will be
Juggling at the stock of the great Mid
die West, and we may as we'll face the
fact that the armies in the field are go
ing to come first
We are making common cause with
the Entente Allies, and that means
sharing the food supply with them
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-04-27
Champ Clark De-
nounces Draft Bill

Washington, d. c., April 25.-Al-
though Speaker Clark took the floor
in the House today and aroused great
enthusiasm among opponents of the
administration army bill by his Wig
orous denunciation of the selective
and draft and defense of the volunteer
system, champions of the measure
still were confident tonight that it
would pass not later than Saturday
virtually as approved by the Presi-
dent.
1t was announced during the day
that poll of the House made by sup
porters of the bill disclosed favor
able majority of between 60 and 20.
Its passage i'll the Senate is consider
ed assured and unanimous consent 70
vote on it there by Saturday will be
bought tomorrow Minor changes
made in one house or the other>prob-
ably will necessitate conference sc
that the bill is not likely to become
law for a week or more.
Speaker Clark spoke for more than
an hour Most of the House mem
bership and many senators heard him
plead in characteristic fashion that
the volunteer system be tried again
and declare that in the minds of the
people of his state the word con
script" is classed with Convict" AID.
plausc frequently interrupted him.
In concluding Speaker Clark an
nounced that his son, Bennett Clark
the House parliamentarian, was going
INTO the army, lin any capacity il
which he can be useful, either as al
officer or a private"
he may go into battle not by til,
side OF the slackers and loafers whom
the advocates Of this bill say they de
sire to reach. but shoulder to should
er with freemen who serve gladly
Il hope and pray" said he, "tha
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-04-27
A bill is pending in congress now to

A bill is pending in congress now to
empower the shipping board to oper-
ate, lease or charter German and Aus
trian ships seized in American ports.
Within few days the shipping
board viii begin to let contracts for.
a great fleet of wooden ships to bl
built on the coast and along the 1arg-
err rivers. Steel ship builders will be
called into conference within week
or SO to discuss means of hurrying
construction.
1t was made clear today that the
shipping board does not intend to OPP
crate any ships if they can be leased
or chartered to private concerns. The
board intends to charter or lease the
wooden ships and to operate them it
self only in event shippers do not
come forward to take them over.
The reason the government itself is
having wooden vessels constructed, it
was explained, is because it was fear
ed private concerns would not build
them
The government has no intention, it
was said of competing with private
interests in the operation of ships.
German ships almost ready to be
put into operation are the Nasovia,
Armenia, Portonia, Clara Mennic, Ma
ia and Pisa, all at New York, and the
Arcadia, at Newport News. Twenty
three German vessels under repair by
the War Department in the Philippine
Islands also can be used.
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-04-27
U-BOAT
SUNK BY j. s,
GUNNERS

London, April 25.-Captain Rice, of
steamship Mongolia, which
has arrived at a British port, told the
Associated Press today that the Mon
golia had fired the first gun of the
war for the United States and sunk a
German submarine
The submarine, Captain Rice, said,
was about to attack the great liner
in British waters on April 10. He de-
clarcd that the U-boat was hit and
there was every reason to believe it
was destroyed. !.
The naval gunners on board made
a clean hit at 1000 yards. The peris-
cope was seen to be shattered.
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-04-27
Oil Seen on Water

Even more pertinent fact, as re-
CARDS the ultimate fate Of the sub
marine, was that the shell disappear
ed Immediately after the hit was
made. The captain stated that shell
always ricochets in the waters and
can be seen again unless it finds the
mark. Oil was also seen on the water
after the submarine disappeared.
The Mongolia was gong at full
speed and was long distance away
when the spray and foam subSised
but from the bridge the officers OBJ
served the spot through their glasses
and they are confident the submarine
was sunk.
The periscope was sighted dead
ahead OH the last afternoon of the
voyage. The captain gave the order
for full speed ahead with the inten-
ton Of ramming the submarine.
The periscope disappeared and few
minutes later reappeared on the ships
broadsidc The gunncrs fred, hitting
the periscope squarely and throwing
up a mountain Of water.
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-04-27
Sponge ar,msn.

Fragments of sponge transported 20
another locality heal in about three
months, when they again begin ia
grow. Irregular bits soon become
spherical AMI rapidly increase in size.
adding twenty times their own
value in the course of four or fge
years. The growth Is. of course, slow.
especially during the first year, main
~ because of the necessity for hea-:ns
she wound caused by the tearing off
If the fragment from the main body
for trausp!anting.
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-04-27

less message stating that submarine
had been sunk.
That's about all the story, except
this: The gunners had named the
guns on board the Mongolia and the
one which got the submarine was call
ed Theodore Roosevelt: so Teddy
fired the first gun of the war after all"
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-04-27
ST. MATTHEW'S EPISCOPAL
CHURCH
West Pine Street

Third Sunday after Easter.
Sunday School 10 A. M.
Morning Prayer and Sermon, II
o'clock.
Subject: Shadows of Heavily
Things"
Evening Prayer and sermon 7:3O
o'clock.
Subject: The Divine and Human
Side Of Efectual Prayer"
Everybody invited.
J. w. BLEKER.
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-04-27
High Tribute to Gunners.


Captain Rice outlined the incident
with modesty, but could not quite
conceal the pride he felt in the
achievement Of his ship. He paid a
high tribute to the gunners and es-
pecially to the manner in which they
were handled by the officer who di-
rected the firing of the telling shot.
For five days and nights, said
Captain Rice, 81 hadn't had my
clothes off and we kept a big force
OF lookouts on duty at the time 1t
was $40 o'clock in the afternoon of
the 10Th that we sighted the subma-
rine. The officer commanding the
gunners was with me on the bridge
where, iii fact, we had been the most
of the time throughout the voyage.
There was haze over the sea at the
time. We had just taken a sounding,
for we were getting near shallow wat
er and we were looking at the lead |
when the first mate cried There's
submarine off the port bow"
The submarine was close to us, too |
close in fact, for her purpose, and she
was submerging again in order to
in a better position for tor
pedoing us when we sighted her We
saw the periscope go down and the
swirl of the water I quickly ordered
a man at the wheel to put it to star
board and we swung the nose of the
ship toward the spot where the sub
marine had been seen
Big Guns Doomed
We were going at full speed ahead
and two minutes after we first sighted
the U-boat it emerged again about
1000 yards off. Its intention prob
ably had been to~catch us broadside
on, but when it appeared we had the
stern gun trained full on it.
The lieutenant gave the command
and the big guns doomed We saw
the periscope shattered and the shell
and the submarine disappeared.
81 can't speak too highly of the
cool manner in which the lieutenant
handled his crew of gunners. Ii was
a fine exhibition Of the efficiency of
naval men. The lieutenant
knew before the she'll struck the sub
marine that its aim was accurate.
There is no guesswork about it, but a
case of pure mathmatics. Taking the
speed at which the Mongolia was
travelling at the time and the speed |
at which the submarine was undoubt-
eddy would make and computing these
hgures with the distances we were
from the submarine when it was first
can be shown that the lieut.
enant had his gun sighted to the inch.
And it must be remembered that the
whole affair took only two minutes.
Gun Named Theodore Roosevelt
Il assure you we did not stop to
reconnoiter after the incident but
steamed away at full speed, for it was
not improbable that there was anoth-
er submarine about The one I got
undoubtedly had been lying on the
bottom at this spot waiting for the
ship anS "fme up when it heard our
propellerA / Immediately sent a wire
Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-10-04
PATRIOTIC AUTUMN OUTINGS

Rumor has it that English children
will throng the autumn woods as
usual this fall joyously frolicking in
the sunshine and invigorating air, and
incidentally gathering nuts. But this
year there will be a difference The
children will concentrate their efforts
on gathering horsechestnuts, and
they will be rendering war service
in so doing. For it has been found by
experiment that ripe horsechestnuts
furnish a satisfactory substitute for
the grains used in making munitions.
There may be some unscientific
minds unaware of the fast that grains
are used in munitions manufacture
1t is so, none the less, and ton of
horseche5tnuts will save half a ton of
grain
not to be scattered and haphazard af-
fairs. Regular outings will be or
SohiHSu hiouSu SoHLAilteeS WoihlHS
with the schools. 1t is safe to say
that the woods will be more thorough
ly ransacked than ever before.
A lot of joy will be added to life,
and possibly a good many youngsters
who haven't always enjoyed oppor-
tunities for hikes through autumn
woods and fields will get a little more
fresh air into their systems than US
ual. A considerable number of half
tons of grain ought to be saved, too.
Aren't there some American NUM-
tons makers who would like horse
chestnuts?
Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-10-04
g. w. MCGOWAN, Editor
SLACKERS

1t is an oddly interesting Stacker"
story that comes from Cleveland Six
men were hailed before the district
attorney, charged with failure to reg
lister for selective service They were
five negroes and a white man.
"You men ought to be ashamed of
yourselves!" said the district attor-
ney. why aren't you willing to
fight for the country that protects you
and gives you the chance TO make
good living?'
"Why, boss,' protested a strapping
colored man in tattered blue over
alls, we're willing-all of us!''
That's right" chorused the other
four negroes.
Read the law, then, retorted the
attorney, "and see what you've done
by failing to register"
Boss, We can't read,' was the
mournful answer. 1--WE never had no
schoolin'. We never heard bout that
law"
"Are you willing to fight?'
''You be we are, boss!'
Then the federal attorney turned to
the white prisoner, who sat scowl-
ing silently, and asked him whether
he was willing to fight.
"Oh, I don't believe in war" he
muttered. "I'd rather go to Jail than
serve in your army So he went to
jail. The others are joining the army.
Now isn't that an odd situation
the illiterate5 eager to fight when the
situation is explained to them. and
the intelligent citizen shirking? The
incident is not a solitary one. 1t has
been observed with little variation,
over and over again, in nearly every
part of the country.
What does it mean? So far as that
white man and his like are concern
ed, it may signify that there's some
thing wrong with our scheme of edu-
cation. As regards tne rest, it seems
to prove that the heart of the 'lower |
classes" is sound and patriotic to the
core
Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-10-04
ROMANCE

The young gentleman from West
Virginia who wrote his name on an
egg shipped from his farmers farm
together with the statement that he
wanted mice little wife" has re-
ceived a blow in he answer from a
woman VINO replied briefly and effec-
lively "You poor boob!"
"Has romance died?' is the cap
ton put on the story by an editor
who prints it. That question is easy
to answer. Romance is deathless.
But the woman who got the inscribed
egg had sense enough to know that
the type of romance indicated was a
flimsy sort on which to build a life
work.
Love may be blind, but the true ro-
nance has vision. And it requires a
more substantial foundation than an
eggshell.
May the sentimental youth find a
sensible happiness around the corner
One doesn't need to wish romance for
the iconoclastic young woman. She'll
get hers all right.
Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-10-04
WHEN IT WILL END

Secretary Baker has given a happy
answer to the question, when will
the war end?" Here it is: "The war
will end when we win it," That is
the American answer. 1t is an an
swer that takes no account of mys-
tical signs and tokens. 1t does not
give the day, the month or the year.
These unknowable things are made
contingent on the zeal, vigOr and
steadfastness with which we pursue
the mission upon which we have en-
tered. 1t is no longer a question of
when the war will end, but when we
will end it. The time for idle specu-
lation and for watchful waiting has
passed. 1t is comforting to know that
our allies are fighting our common
battles with undiminished courage
and enthusiasm, but we cannot hold
back in the belief that they will win
and end the war. The question which
Mr.. Baker answered is one that nat
urally is on every tongue, but there
has been no answer more definite or
timely than that which ne has sup
piled
Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-10-04
TWENTY-FIVE TO ONB

More figures have been compiled
that show what the soldiers chances
at the front today are for coming out
of the war alive. 1t is said that the
American soldier has 25 chances of
being alive at the end of his first year
to one of being dead His chances on
the western front may be even better
than that, for the death rate has been
considerably boosted by cond tions on
the Russian line, where unarmed men
have been driven by machine-gun fire
from the rear to storm the deatn-deal-
ing German trenches.
Today the soldiers chances of re-
turning alive. are better than at the
beginning of the war because the arts
of protection have been developed to
fine degree. Cover, trenching and
barrage fire have reduced the number
of killed.
Death from disease and wounds is
becoming more rare as medical and
surgical skill at the front continues
it's marvellous work.
1t is estimated that about IS per
cent. of the American armies will be
wounded in year of active service.
Of these, 40 per cent. will completely
recover and return to the front. An
other 40 per cent. will be able to do
valuable work behind the lines. Only
20 per cent of the wounded Will be
permanently incapacitated, and more
than half of these will still be able to
do some kind of light work in civilian
life.
The soldiers have hard enough
times ahead of them, to be sure. But
their chances of coming home alive
are cheering rather than discouraging.
Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-10-04
THE CLOTHES OF THE ARMY

General Pershing's request for con-
trlbuuons of wooden sweaters for our
boys at the front raises the highly
important question of whether the
Government has done all it is requir-
ed to do toward providing clothing
and equipment suitable for a winter
in the damp trenches of Flanders.
Information gathered by "The
Press" correspondent at Washington
tallies only too we'll with reports
from the other side as to the pitiful
inadequacy of every article of our ar
Ny's apparel, save only its hrts.
British military men were prompt to
say that the boots would not do. 1t
is no secret that the materials of
which the uniforms and top coats are
made are inferior to the French and
British cloth. The shirt is the only
garment worn by the American SOL
der free from shoddy or other infer
lOf maKeSnl1tS. we, the richest ma
ton in the world, suffer our fighting
men 70 rely on private donations of
sweaters as their only protection
from pneumonia.
The situation is reminiscent of the
"embalmed beef scandal of the
Spanisn-American war. Then, as now.
the trouble was due, not to Govern
mental niggardliness, but to ineffi-
cheney. Grafters and traitors were
permitted in 1898 TO enrich them
selves out of the public purse and at
the sacrifice of health and comfort of
our soldiers. Is that scandal to be
repeated now on larger scale?
Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-10-04
THE KAISER IS BEATEN

Every day brings new evidence
that German is finally and decisively
beaten. She and ner allies are grad
ually giving ground on all fronts, ex-
cept, perhaps, the Russian-and even
there the Teutons are unable to take
advantage of wide opening to pun
ish Russia.
Every attack by the British, by the
French, by the Italians wins ground.
And practically every counter attack
by the Germans and the Austrians
fails.
Statements by prisoners recently
captured indicate that the Germans
are suffering from the want of food,
from the want of ammunition, from
the want of clothing and even from
the want of rubber tires with which
to operate their motor vehicles.
The submarine warfare, on which
Germany staked so much, is falling
slowly, it may be, but certainly. Last
weeks toll of British shipping was
| the lowest since the beginning of Ger
many's campaign of ruthlessness.
1t would be miraculous if Germany
were able to weather another winter.
She is in desperation. 1t is entirely
likely that if the German people could
| ful1v realize the acfua1 condition of
the fatherland there would be an i'm
mediate surrender. The kaiser and
his crowd are maintaining the fight
| ing spirit of the German people with
falsehoods and false promises. The
latest scheme resorted to by the kali
er to keep his pople from revolving
is a lot of bombastic talk about i'm
mense indemnities. Only the people
outside of Germany know how ridicu-
lous is the suggestion that Germany
may make peace upon the receipt OF
a few billions of dollars from the
Allies.
No indemnities will be paid to Ger
imany. No territory will be surren-
ldered to Germany. No terms will be
granted Germany that will leave hel
in condition to resume the war
The kaiser may get away with mis-
scalp If he does he will be- lucky
The German people may escape the
Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-10-04
FAITHFUL WOMEN NOT A FEW

FAITHFUL WOMEN NOT A FEW
Among the many faithful women
who are doing patriotic work at this
time those of the stage should not be
forgotten. Busy as they are in their
professionalism their lives are filled
with constant and exhausting toll
they still find time for labors in the
national behalf. They cheerfully take
part in benefit performances, though
this means serious encroachment
upon their scanty hours of leisure.
They are working with the needle as
industriouslyr as any of their sisters.
They are helping to raise money for
various funds, contributing, too, with
generous disregard of their own de-
sires. The zeal of the stage in any
good work that appears TO it's follow
ers has long been proverbial. But it
has often gone with small recognition.
There nas never been time, howev-
er, when it burned brighter. Are
there not still idle women who may
be stimulated by such shining exam
pie?
Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-10-04
CHEERFUL STEEL MEN

The prices of important steel pro-
ducts are cut to less than half. That
radical government action might be
expected to spread thick gloom
through Wall Street and arouse dire
forebodings of business disaster. Yet
we read in the financial news that
"the market is stronger Strange to
relate, as the price of steel plates
drops, the price of steel securities
rises.
Experts claim that the cut in the
selling price of steel is not nearly so
drastic as it appears, because there
has been a corresponding cut in the
basic raw materials, pig iron and
coke. The former has been reduced
from $5S ton to $33, and many big
contracts at prices UGH below the
prevailing market price. The gov
ernment action, too, has been dis
counted somewhat in anticipation, so
that the blow is felt less.
Still, the reduction is big and vital
any way you take it. And the unas-
sumed cheerfulness of the steel men
under the new arrangement is high
ly Illuminating. If they are so conf
dent of making liberal profits still
WI Of enormous profit, fbo,, ,,,,,,+ Iox-
been making before!