davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-01

that purpose, by the Duke of York, and was decorated with gilt crowns. Authors frequently referred to it and in Pope's writing we find:
 Where the tall May Pole once o'er- looked the Strand.''
 In the year 1713, the members of both Houses of Parliament went to St. Paul's Cathedral to render thanks for the Peace of Utrecht. On this .occa- sion the orphans of London were seat ed on stands directly back of the Pole, which was decorated with English flags for the occasion. They watched the procession from this point and sang hymns as the parade passed. The Pole was taken down four years later and purchased by Sir Isaac Newton, to be used at Wanstead, England, for the support of his great telescope, which had been presented to the Royal Society by the French astron- omer Hugon. Other May Poles are scattered over rural England one of which supports the weather-cock in the church yard at Pendleton.
 In Germany, especially in Sudbury and Munich the May Pole is still pop ular. Wooden figures dressed to rep resent German peasants are set up at it's base and the girls and boys dance around the wooden figures singing German folk songs.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-01
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known in American slang as rough house. This burlesque was finally stopped by the authorities.
 Morris Dances.
 The famous Morris dance given on May Day had it's origin in England during the reign of Eduard III. but did not become universal until the time of Henry VII. At that time it became most fashionable and Royalty took part in it. It was by no means easy to dance and required long prac- tice. The performers usually had 1it- tie bells sewed on their costumes which were tuned in musical inter vals. During one part of the dance the men leaped over swords while the girls danced back and forth between ribbon streamers. At another timo during the dance hobby horses were introduced. In the early days the Morris dancing on May Day was car ried out with no little ceremony. While Royalty breakfasted about noon boy would come into the room with his face blackened, his forehead bound with white and yellow bands and bells affixed to his ankles. The boy then proceeded to give a dance, the great feature of which was to strike the right and left heels upon the ground twice alternately and then both heels together to produce jingling of bells. When he had finished, the Court went to the veranda and watched the Nor ris dance on the green near the May Pole. A sword bearer usually accom- panied the Morris dancers, holding a pound cake on the end of his sword. The cake was deftly sliced by the dancers, great skill being required to cut off an even slice. .4
 The Furry dance is also revival. of the ancient May Day customs and originated in Cornwall, England. It begins with the collection of flowers and the making of garlands. Then couples hand in hand trip around the green. A wreath of flowers is worn by each dancer, and as the partners are continually changing the effect is that the dancers are linked together in a great chain of flowers. The couples sing as they dance. A fine May is said to augur a prosperous year for the crops and the dances are to celebrate s.ca good fort1D>
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-01
which may be pre-

requirements which may be pre- scribed.
 The Bureau of Nursing Service of the American Red Cross has under it's direction the organization of the nursing staff and certain supplement tary personnel which will be needed for base hospital units, Navy detach- ments of nurses, and such other nurs- ing units as may be required in the event of military necessity. This bureau has as it's head, Miss Jane A. Delano, who has given voluntarily seven years of tireless work to the task of enrolling nearly eight thou sand trained nurses to be ready on call in case of war. The requirements of the Red Cross for the enrolment of nurses include not only graduation from training school for nurses of excellent standing, but also in States where registration is provided for by law nurses must be registered.
 To supplement the work of the trained nurses a special organization of lay women has been under instruc- i ton for the past fifteen months, the | course being open to women who have l expressed themselves as anxious to serve as aids to the nursing service 1 of the Red Cross in time of stress. This course of instruction for lay women includes elementary hygiene, dietetics, home care of the sick and the making of surgical dressings. The course is intended to qualify women for service as aids in hospital wards
 but the Red Cross has also placed on file the names of those whom the instructors have found especially adapted for service in supply stations linen rooms. diet kitchens. rest sta tions and in conva1escent homes Pro- vision has been made for the assign
 ment to the base hospital units of 8
 limited number of these women, who
 will serve as nurses aids without pay
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-01
Great American Nursing Organization Began Two Years Ago. Mobile seHospitals for Army and Navy = Today It Could Care for Sick and
 Wounded of Army of One Million Men,

1uCeFndC1Ouai SyQu1CdCe. quate hospital equipment if he should become sick or wounded, for the American Red Cross is prepared to meet all exigencies of war, and is making every effort to safeguard the sick and wounded military men at every point.
 Possibly the most remarkable achievement of the Red Cross within the past two years has been the or ganfzation and equipment of 25 mobile base hospitals for the Army and Navy, which will follow the move ments of the service and take up their stations where they are required. They are ready and can be put into opera ton on a few days notice-equipment medical and nursing staff enrolled for work. This is the beginning of a chain of base hospitals which will eventually spread throughout the country fSsom coast to coast. In re- spect to preparedness the American Red Cross today stands ready to care for the sick and wounded of an army of 100000 men. and to bring instant relief to the dependent families of volunteers.
 Despite the fact that it has distri- buted millions in money and supplies and sent splendid units of medical skill and trained nursing to the aid o1 warning Europe, it has built up a magnificent, enrolment of physicians and surgeons, with a. list of 5000 | trained nurses, carrying on their pri- vate work in times of peace bur pledged to give it up at the call fo1 the nation for war work.
 The Red Cross is the great officia
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-01
through which volunteer

organization through which volunteer relief service is rendered to the Army and Navy in time of war. It is the only organization so designated by Congress and acting under a charter by the Government The very act of it's incorporation prescribed that it's central committee shall have upon it representatives of the Army and Navy, and the President of the United States is it's official head.
 Management And How Sustained. '"
 The American Red Cross is sus- tained solely by the voluntary contri- buttons of the American people. It can make no official call upon them, however relying solely upon theif humanitarian instincts and the ssenti- ment of interest of man for his fellow man.
 The national officers of the Ameri- can Red Cross are a president, vice. president, treasurer, counselor, and secretary. The President of the Unit. ed States is always president of the Red Cross. The Central Committee of which ex-president Taft is chair man, consists of eighteen members and includes the Secretary of State and Surgeons General of the Army and Navy. This committee delegates its responsibilities to MT. Eliot Wads. worth, who is acting chairman, ane | whose office is at the National head quarters.
 | Under this Central Committee ar, two divisions, that of Military ant that of Civilian Relief. The Director General of Military Relief is Colone Jefferson R. Kean, U. 5. A., who i | largely responsible for the magnifi
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-01
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ity of the scheme. This mobilization was an entire success and demon strated that the Red Cross base hos pital is a reserve organization of the utmost value to the medical service of the country and can be relied on in very short period of time to be ready to receive patients and to afford them the highest grade of professional skill in any place where their services are needed.
 The Medical Bureau of the Military | division of Red Cross work, which is | under the supervision of Major Robert V. Patterson, U. s. A., has general charge of the male personnel of the | organizations. Red Cross base hos pital units are organized for service with the Army and Navy, and when reported by the national headquarters of the Red Cross as ready for service they are placed on roll in the Sur geon Generals office of the branch of service for which enrolled
 The Red Cross muster-in roll con- templates an engagement with the Red Cross by which the individual agrees to hold himself ready for serv- ice in the organization for period of two years. When, however. unit is called into active service with the Medical Department of the Army or l Navy, this engagement is terminated by the various classes of individuals entering either service in their differ ent capacities and under the condi- tions prescribed by law for the several grades. It is anticipated that in the case of Army enlistments these will be in the volunteer forces and the term of enlistment will be limited to the duration of hostilities.
 Men To Enlist In Medical Corps. A class known as Male Administra- tive Personnel includes all men who, when the unit is called into active service, will enter the service of the Medical Department of the Army by
 enlistment. At least fifty are required
 for enrolment in an army unit. The I period of enlistment is four years un- less sooner discharged. For such en-
 listment, applicants must be between
 the ages of IS and 45, and must meet
 the physical educational and practica
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-01

2 M Army and Navy and making W intensive efforts to equip them to fight its battles. guard US ports and man it's fleet, and while It is diverting the service of its young men in civil life from office, shop and field, inspiring them to Ego down into the deep in ships" and to go up in the air on wings, in the vital cause of their country, there is service which has been quietly and effectively pre- pairing for the breaking of the cloud burst here since the time that Eu- ropes sky became darkened by the smoke of war.
 This great branch of war service is the American Red Cross. the arm on which the American Government is to lean when its soldiers and sailors are sick and wounded. It is the branch of war work in which every man, woman and child of the nation may have it's share, and through which Z those who may not fight may do their bit as loyalty as the soldier at the front ~ Ready To Meet All Exigencies.
 It is to the everlasting credit of the small band of men and women who have labored unceasingly for the past two years and over to bring its present state about that, whatever else is unready, the Red Cross is prepared for war; and, thanks to these laborers no mother who has son about tc enter need fear that he will suffer from inefficiency. neglect or made
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-01
Civilian Relief.

When the citizen so1diery of the country is called into military service the American Red Cross stretches it's arms to the care of the needy fami- lies and crippled non-combatants. This is undertaken by the Department of Civilian Relief. In commenting on how this branch of the Red Cross is prepared for eventualities in every re- spect save the urgent need of funds, MT. Eliot Wadsworth, acting chair man of the Red Cross Central Com mittee, said recently: -This depart ment alone may need million dol lars a month in the event of serious crisis to care for dependent families of soldiers. Our experience with the recent mobilization of the National Guard shows that caring for the de- pendent families of soldiers imposes a heavy burden on the department of Civilian Relief.
 We are ready now to provide per sonneI to care for the sick and wound ed of an army of 100000 men. and to bring instant relief to the depend ent families of volunteers. In one year we have added to our rolls more than half million members. Today we need a million new members at once The time has come when we must ask and obtain the undivided support of patriotic citizens every | where." z It is a fact significant of the interest of the people that the Red Cross is growing at the rate of between 60, 1000 and 100000 new members a month.
 It has AS active membership cam paigns going on now throughout the country, and new chapters are being formed at the rate of ten a day, the
 enrolment in some communities com
 prising from 15 to 20 per cent. of the | nnnn1o
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-01

The May Pole customs were brought to the United States by the English emigrants. and nearly every city still has its May Pole in the park on May Day. In New York City the fete is carried out on a large scale, hundreds of children taking part and dancing around the huge pole set up in Gen. tra1 Park.
 Dancing has always been a part of feast days-in ancient times part of the religious exercises and in late years part of all festivals. It seems especially appropriate as a part of the May Day fetes. In Rome during the feast of Flora the most beautiful dances were executed by professionals who were gathered together from the different places of amusement and all day long various exhibitions were given. Many of the dancers repre- sented certain flowers and formed chains of haonan posies. In Holland, Germany, and England May Day dances were most elaborate and re- hearsals were held for weeks before the event.
 Robin Hood
 Often plays were given in which dancing was the important part. Dur ing the fifteenth and sixteenth cen turies in England the play of Robin Hood was popular. This was general ly held on a large green field roped off so as to keep the spectators from pressing too close to the perform CTS. All the characters so well-known to Americans through the opera of Robin Hood took part, Maid Marian being the premiere danseuse of the occasion. Little John and Will Scarlet danced on the green waving branches of spring blossoms while Friar Tuck did a Bachinalian dance with his jug of wine. At the close the villagers were allowed to join in the dancing which continued far into the night. In Scotland the Robin Hood games were enacted with great vivacity at various places, particularly at Edin- burgh and in connection with these were the sports of the Abbott of Iso- bedience. A strange half serious bur- lesque on some of the ecclesiastics of the day. The Abbott usually took
 part in the dance and was robbed over and over by Robin Hoods merry men
 Maid Marian shot him with Cupid's $ darts and he fell at her feet. At times the dances became what is
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-01
How These Customs Originated With the Romans mauaT Two Centuries B. C. and How They Are
 Being Revived Today.
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Copyright. 1917. by The International Syndicate.


 ~HERE are certain days in the year which from time immem-
 orial have been the occasion for
 - celebrations having some re- ligious or national or seasonal signifi- canoe. May. day. is partly religious anc partly seasonal, or rather it may be said that May first was selected as a feast day because at that time of the year all nature is budding with new life and beauty affording an ap- propriate season for expressing the Joyousness of human nature in the hope that it will be inspired with the freshness and invigorating spirit which nature so gloriously and = bounteously exhibits at that time.
 ;sssS7- sss:7Ss7z- Festival Of Flora.
 The actual basis for the May day festivities seems to have been the Roman Floralia celebrated from April 28 until May 3, and instituted at Rome in the year 23S. B. c. Flora, to whom the feast was consecrated was likewise a fertility goddess and it may be taken for granted that the clements of her rites were similar to customs which -had previously been associated with the festival of Maia. So like many of our feasts May festivities are a | survival of pagan days. For centuries it has been the custom for all ranks of people to go out Maying early in the morning on the first day of that month.
 Even today in the north of Eng land and in Sweden people rise short ly after midnight and walk to some neighboring wood, marching to the rythm of music and after breaking off tree branches return home at day break and deck their homes with gar lands of leaves and flowers. After part of the day is spent in feasting it has long been the custom to set up a May Pole and dance around it gar landing it in flowers. In the ancient Jays 1t was erected in convenient
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-01

part of the village and, consecrated to Flora the Goddess of Flowers. In Sweden the oxen were wreathed in garlands and driven in from the farms to the pole, the boys and girls danc- ing about the animals as they ,um- bered along the roads. Frequently there was battle of flowers and the crowning of a Queen of May. There was music and feasting all day long
 One of the songs sung at these fes- tivals away back in the sixteenth cen tury runs as follows:
 Come 1asses and lads, take leave of U your dads,
 And away to the May Pole fie;
 For every he, has got him a she, And the minstrels standing by, For Willy has gotten his Jill, and Johnny has gotten his Joan, :.
 To jig it, jig 1t. jig it, up and down." May Day In England.
 While many, of the countries cele- brated May day by erecting poles and by dancing, England. seems to. have been the leader in establishing the i festival. In speaking of May in Eng land in 1923, writer of that day bemoans the fact that many of the finest trees were sacrificed for May Poles to satisfy the pleasure loving people, who "frolicked from early morn until midnight" singing the couplet: - | ''The May Pole is up
 | Now give me a cup,
 I'll drink to the gar1ands around if 1 But first unto those
 i Whose hands did compose | The glory of flowers that crown'd it. :"
 The May Pole was usually paid for | by popular subscription by the vil- lagers. Several men were paid to go into the country on May Day eve and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-24
Another instalment
tomorrow
Redfeld Warns
Against German
Trade Craft
He Declares Attempt Will Be
Made to Dominate the
World After War

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.-Warning
of the craft, energy and application
with which German business will seek
to regain favor in tn, world markets
after the war was sounded to-day by
Secretary Redfeld in the interest Of
American trade.
He counselled familiarity with Ger
man trade theories and what he called
'the artful and formidable organiza-
ton that with government aid at every
turn has been built up in Germany
during the last twenty years TO DOM
mate the world markets"
The Department of Commerce an
rounced to-day that German prepare
tions for trade are being scrutinized
carefully by its experts and that its
recent report on German trade or
ganization," by Chauncey d. Snow, is
sued TO enable understanding of COM
ing German trade moves, has been in
such great demand as to establish a
new sales record for government trade
reports.
The department officials say that fut-
ure prosperity Of the country will
depend partly on Germany's loss OF
good will in practically all foreign
markets and upon American ability TO
maintain its new prestige. The depart
ment will get out supplementary bull
letins on German trade and prepara-
tions for the commercial future early
in the new year.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-24

down the staircase, seized the Bur-
gomaster, who happened to be pres
ent, pushed him into motor with
the wounded men and went straight
to the German headquarters to ex-
plain that the attack had been made
by two men from Antwerp who knew
nothing Of the agreement reached
between the city and the German
forces, and to plead that no reprisals
should be made upon the city. The
general said that he was prepared
to accept the statement of the vice
consul on this matter, and that he
would not therefore visit retributiOn
on the town if the acquisitions which
he had demanded were promptly fur
nished. The acquisitions were heavy
and he was apparently afraid that
they might not be sent. He said
that he would send in troops to oc-
cupy the town until the supplies
reouisitioned were actually in his
possession, but finally agreed to re-
frain from doing so on condition
that the vice-consul should give his
word Of honor that the supplies
would be forthcoming.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-24
All Eager for
News Of Brussels

I got back TO the hotel and found
all the colleagues waiting for me 10
hear the latest news from Brussels.
] played my part, and was nearly
torn 10 pieces in their eagerness for
news from the town where there is
none. They were all there except
the Papal Nuncio, who is most I'M
happy in the midst Of wars alarms
and hardly budges from the epis-
copal palace.
After dinner ] was again asked
70 20 TO the Grand Hotel to see the
Prime Minister. lie had nothing
startling 20 say, but was anxious to
know what was going on in Brus-
sels. He showed me his kilograms
from France, England and Russia,
and his maps with the recent move
mcnts worked out with little flags.
Monsieur de Brocqueville told me
an interesting incident that had
taken place at Client. II seems that
when the Germans arrived there
they sent in an officer and several
soldiers 70 arrange for acquisitions,
etc, a promise having been given
that they would not be molested.
OF course, the whole town was on
the qui vive, and everybody had been
warned 10 refrain from mourning