davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02
THE WARS MILITARY CLIMAX

Accounts which come from France,
Germany, and Britain agree in the
one detail; that all the countries
are preparing for operations in 1917
on the most colossal scale the war
has yet known. Scraps Of informa-
tich which have reached this country
through travellers are in some ways
more suggestive than the large gen.
civilizations which are permitted to
be forwarded as news. Thus, the
other day a man was in Washington
who has seen, in a certain section of
remoter interior England, a single
explosives-making plant, now just
getting well into operation. He de-
clared that this British Hopewell
was a succession of plants twenty
one miles long. Though it was not
by any means in complete operation,
5000 operatives were employed in
it.
This one plant, built absolutely
from foundations to the last brick
since the war started. will be cap
able of turning out, and in the near
future will turn out, more high ex-
plosiVes, it is declared, than the
whole worlds capacity for that pro-
duction represented before the war
started.
From Germany come reports of
like sort. France has perfected per-
haps the most complete industrial
and social mobilization of any ma
ton, for the purpose of putting
every national resource back of the
supreme war effort. 1t is not hard
to understand how, in the crisis
where the last ounce may swing the
balance to victory, France is able to
effect an even more complete con.
secration of her all than Germany
For France has felt the heel of the
conqueror on her soil. Germany is
the perfection Of preconceived or.
lganization; but that organization
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02
WHAT'S ON PROGRAM
Many Interesting Events Of Import
anee Are Scheduled.


Entertainment, with refreshments. by Ladies'
Auxiliary Of the Army and Navy Veterans.
IS. A.. for George Washington Post. No.
1, Pythian Temple, p. m.
Meetings, Retail Merchants Association COM
mittees. advertising mems section, II m
automobile section, p. m. and business
women's section, p. m, in association
rooms.
Meeting, Johnson-Powen Teachers' Associa-
ton, Powell School, p. m.
Meeting, Georgia Society, New Ebbitt. 7:5C
D. m.
Entertainment, Shakespeare Society Of WASH
ington gold parlor, New Ebbitt, 8 p. m.
Meeting Columbia Heights Citizens Asso-
citation. Postonice Hall. Park road. Oh
Fourteenth street northwest, p. m.
Meeting, informal, Anthony League, at home
OF Mrs. Anna E. Handley, Soo7 Columbia
Masonic-Natioual, No. L. social Arminius,
No. Is; Myr6n II. Parker, No. n; KIM
David. No. ..
Royal Arch Chapter-La Fs,ette, No. s.
Washington Naval. No. s.
Scottish Rite-MIthras Lodge OF Perfection,
No. l. fifteenth degree
Eastern Star Chapters-MizpsAh, No. 9; F1del-
fly, No. 10.
sIor. No. "a; Capital. No. "A, and Myrtle. No
Is, installation.
ODD Feliows-washington. No. 6; Golden
Rule, No. Il; Amity. No. "a, and Mt
pleasant, No. Is. installation Of officers.
Rebekah Lodges-Fidelity. No. 2. degree.
Red Men-Idaho Tribe, No. 5, and Waneta
Council, No. 8, installation
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02

has not had inspiration breathed into
it, as has the French nation. Ger
many and England are the two coun-
tries which have mot known the
actual sensation of invasion; they
have not heard the tread Of hostile
hordes, have not seen homes In
flames, have not felt the shock OF
battle. It is impossible that either
of them can feel everything that
France has felt.
Probably when the historians, in
the light of completed knowledge,
shall write of this war. they will de-
scribe the years 1914, 10, and '16
as years of preliminary. They will
see that neither social, industrial,
nor military organization and
methods had attained perfection I'M
til 1917. Undoubtedly, with the
calling up of the new elements in
men, machinery, munitions, the COM
ing year will have crowded into its
span a total of great operations
equal to all that have gone before.
If that total does not prove more
decisive than the efforts of earlier
years, then indeed will the period
of slow, progressive attrition have
been reached. For it is hardly be-
lievable that the immense power
that will be put forth in 1917 can be
duplicated in any succeeding season.
The numbers and resources of the
nations will not stand it.
In military methods, it may be
imagined, there will be some decided
changes. Everything still points the
belief that the allies will make their
bid for victory on the western front
They are organizing for the supreme
effort there. Strategy and tactics
have been developing; commanders
have been feeling their way toward
new methods; troops have beer
learning the lessons they are now to
apply. The war is going to be more
than ever a contest of engineering
and factories and mechanism. It be.
gins to be sensed that the man-powel
problem will at the last be less i'm.
portant than that of economic power;
of capacity to bring up and use
and wear out and replace the vast
enginery of this titan conflict.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02
MORE CHILD PROTECTION

Desirable and beneficial as are
child labor and compulsory education
laws, they have been operative in
many States long enough to bring a
realization that they are but a be-
ginning, a sort of negative protec-
Hon, to the development Of future
citizens.
One point IN which supplementary
6fort Is needed Is the transition
stage between the period which a
child may not work and must 30: TO
school and the time when he sud
, dsnIy energies from the scope of
other law, and finds himself free
agent. Overnight the youth changes,
a the eyes Of the law, from child
Who must be kept in school and kept
from work, to one who may work.
20 10 school, or, what is far worse,
loaf, if he pleases.
Students have spent much time
IN this condition. It is doubtful
whether the remedy is Legislative.
One of the best suggestions made
recently is that, in States where
these laws are in operation, the
schools shall give each child who is to
leave school upon reaching the limit
Of compulsory attendance, prelimi-
nary training in some occupation.
Such a benefit should not only be
extended to those who leave school
at an early age, Of course, and it is
q commentary on schools if laws
have to be made to compel them to
train children for a definite vocation
But the suggestion points a way tc
alleviating a situation that many
States are facing, and may lead to q
bigger and broader constructive eff
fort, to a positive development Of
child life, rather than a negative sort
of protection for it.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02
A SQUARE DEAL DEMANDED

The navy needs and is entitled to
assurance that its requirements of
fuel oil will be amply provided for.
They are amply cared for, however,
without the necessity that the Gov
eminent shall infict a rank injustice
on men who have in perfectly good
faith undertaken to develop oil fields
whose product is now pressingly
needed for commercial use.
There can be no two views on the
essential merits Of the claims which
are. being pressed by certain Califor-
MIA oil producers, for patents to lands
whose development they have under
taken and in which they have in
vested heavily. They did not at
tempt to grab something to which
they had not the right. Rather, the
Governments whole proceeding has
been more in the nature Of an effort
to grab something away from them
after they were entitled to it.
II Is a dangerous DuSlnSSS 70 as
sumo that such q slogan as that
raised in behalf of navy supplies
shall be permitted to interfere with
the everyday needs of the country.
There are other us& for petroleum
than the navy's Prices of petroleum
are just now rising very fast in the
general market. The country's re-
Guirements are growing, with the in
creased use Of internal combustion
engines, faster than it can be hoped
the production Of oil will grow.
There is such thing as getting pro-
portions awry; and in reserving a
greater stock Of oil for naval use
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02
SWITZERLAND EXPLAINS, TOO

Switzerland IS taking no chances
that its Endorsement of President
Wilson's peace suggestion shall be
misunderstood. The suspicion has
gained circulation that Switzerland
vas under some measure of duress
from Germany; that there was
Threat, express or implied, of in
vasion; and that military dis
positions by both Italy and Germany
indicated fear that the central ma
lions were preparing for possible
incursion through Swiss territory,
which Italy was moving to resist If
need might be.
Just to make its position in this
world perfectly plain; to remove any
suspicion that Switzerland might
have uncertainties as to its course
IN such an event, the President Of
the little republic sends to President
Wilson a fraternal New Year greet
ing: from the President of the old
est to the President of the greatest
democracy. If it was addressed to
Mr.. Wilson, it was aimed elsewhere,
plainly enough. The Swiss people,
this greeting finds occasion to note,
"will never allow a foreign army to
invade their soil" That means ex-
actly all it says. julius Caesar met
one of his most lurid adventures
with the Helvetii, who two thousand
years ago were the Swiss, as the
Swiss federation today is officially
the Helvetian republic. Switzer-
land, we suspect, will not be invaded.
: A atriumphal march" over its Alps
would be quite a different affair
from a steam-rollering of Roumania
or an assassination of Belgium while
e slept.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02
"DIyINE" SARAH MYSTlFIED
Sen. Gifts, But eiver Didn't Mean
Il That Way.

NEW YORK, N. Y, Jan. 2.-Who
was the promoter of the movement to
nav tribute to Nine. Bernhardt, by
presenting her with a bronze statu'
cite of herself as the Queen in "Ruy
Blas?" John Drew, Mrs. Samuel kie'
son, Nine. Bernhardts manager. and
incidentally, Nine. Bernhard herself
would like to know.
1t was with much ceremony that ut
a special matinee in the Empire Thea
ter ON December Mr.. Drew, repre-
sentiug the actors of America, made
the presentation speech. On the stage
he had a bronze statuette of Mime.
Bernhardt which had been modelled
in Paris, in 1879, by Samuel Kitsop,
an American sculptor. Nine. Bern
hardt at that time had won high
praise in Victor Hugo's play, and
the sculptor, enthusiastic over the
actress genius, had worked the statu,
cite in clay and had 1t reproduced
in plaster of Paris.
Mr. Drew explained at the matinee
that Mrs. Appa NJ, Kitson, widow OF
the sculptor, had presented it to the
actors, who, looking upon Nine. Bern
hardt as the genius of their profes
sion, were delighted to give it to
her.
There were many curtain calls and
Mrs. Kitson, who was present, was
pleased with the event. She and her
friends were presented to the actress
and Mrs. Kitson received the actress
warm thanks and everything was
lovely.
But a few weeks elapsed and now
the statuette is back In Mrs. Kitson's
studio at % West Sixty-seventh
street. It seems that, William F. Con
nor, manager of Nine. Bernhardt's
American tour, received a bill for the
statuette and he refused to pay II
Several actors we've asked to pay tbs
bill and they refused. A bill for $3.50
was presented to Nine. Bernhardt By
some OF Mrs. Kitson's friends, and
then the actress, appreciating thai
something was wrong, hastily return
Cd the statuette by messenger.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02
OUR HISTORICAL FACTS ARE THE
OUTGROWTH OF OUR EMOTIONS.

Sir: Let's get our history on
straight. Doubtless your leap year
anecdote of the late Solomon Is au-
thentic, and valuable, but why date it
a thousand years before he began his
career as a. collector of wives? OF
course, we know he kept up his liter
airy activities for many centuries af-
ter his death-his well known song
having been written, probably, about
600 years after his funeral-but why
stretch him backward, too7 Anyhow,
Huck Firms Niger Jim was right
about Solomon. He's one of the most
colossal frauds in history: a sort Of
premature Wilson. A very successful
financier, unrivaled as a collector in
his line, but otherwise much overesti-
mated. Some day I'm going to take
him up in a serious way. Meanwhile,
/ object to any further expansion of
his tradition. H. w.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02
TURKEY CLEARING THE
BOARDS

Only students of the near Eastern
situation will grasp the full sig
nifcance of the announcement that
Turkey has served formal notice Of
abrogating the treaties of 1866 and
1878, dealing with the Balkans. Was
it Lord Salisbury who said there
were only three men in Europe who
understood the Balkan situation?
Perhaps Bismarck; anyhow, it was
famous witticism in its day: one
of the three was dead, one wouldn't
tell what he knew, and the third
the cynical commentator-admitted
that he had forgotten.
The point is that the whole politi-
cal status in the Balkans, the distri-
button of territory, the interrelation-
ships of administration, the precise
phases of suzerainty by Turkey in
some areas, by Austria in others,
has grown up through a long COM
plication of treaties. There is almost
nothing left of human rights, of ma
tional authority, of fundamental,
natural relationships, in the whole
Balkan area, save that which is
pledged by treaty, guaranteed by
some group Of powers, conditioned
on a variety of circumstances.
Whether it be the navigation of the
lower Danube, the use of the Darda-
nelles, the tribute that some yilayet
shall pay to some overload, or the in
dependent right of either little state
to make treaty engagements, there
is always a complication with some
pact which drags in the ancient and
discordant concert of Europe.
So Turkey, anticipating that there
must come a revision of the whole
scheme of Balkan things, announces
purpose to wipe the slate clean of
all these old engagements. Incl
tdentaily it is stated that Turkey
'fhas definitely abandoned its some
what subordinate position under the
collective guardianship of the great
powers" That means that Turkey,
assuming to be an equal partner OF
the alliance of the central empires,
expects to be raised to the status of
full national and international
autonomy. No more confession OF
inferiority; no more admission of a
weakness which justifies it in accept
ing Christian terms imposed by the
Christian powers for the protection
of their coreligionists unfortunate
enough to live in Turkey.
Austria and Germany are to fol-
low with like reputation of these
old engagements, so that nothing
may stand in the wayof the entire
Reorganization of the Balkans. Which
means that, if the central powers
dictate peace terms, the groundwork
will be prepared for wiping out
every national line in the peninsula,
for redistributing the peoples with
out regard to national or ethnic or
historic conditions, for parceling out
territory among the conGuerors to
please themselves.
Here the world gets view Of the
prospect for a rehabilitation of Mo.
hammedan power in Europe. Charles
Martel of Tours, and John Sobieski
of Warsaw and Vienna might well
turn in their graves; betrayed by the
twentieth century. Mohammedan
power, backed by the legions of a
dominant Prussian militarism, aim
ing, of course, at the restoration Of
the Prophets authority in all the
lands about the Mediterranean from
which it has been more or less shaker
off in recent generations.
| A "
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02

MeetInK, committee on schools. Chamber of
Commerce, In rooms, $50 p. m.
Address, From Verdun TO the Somme," John
Barrett, National Press Club, p. m.
Lecture. The Artistic Development Of
Warrington Fro the Patriotic Slide" Glenn
Brown, under auspices Of the Woman's Sec
tion OF the Navy League, 1Sos Twentieth
street northwest. n:SO a. m:
Meeting, with election Of officers. Citizens
Association Of Chevy Chase. Chevy Chase
school house, p. m.
Reception for Rev. DR.. John r. Edwards and
MT. Edwards, by congregation OF Metro
politan Memorial u. E. Church. In church,
ID. m.
Reception, to members Of Guard Chapter, o.
r "a By 1. Cabell Williamson and Mrs
Mary c, Williamson. "a Iowa Circle, D. m.
Lecture, The Romance OF the Telephone -
y o. Martin, before Washington branch
Of the National Association Of Engineers.
laea nennsylvania avenue northwest. s p. m.
Meetings. committees OF Retail Merchants
Association china and glassware section.
II m: cigars and tobacco section. 1 p. m,
and coal and wood section, p. m. In head
quarters.
Mssonic-washington Centennial, No. IA:
Osiris No. g; King Solomon. No. 81. day.
light lodge, E. A.; East Gate, No. 81.
Royal Arch Chaptsrs-columbia, No. !. mark;
Knights Templar-Potomac, No. J.
Eastern Star Chapters-Areme, No. 10.
odd Feilows-Eastern, No. ]. and Harmony.
No. g. Joint installation by grand master
and officers OF Grand lodge; Federal City.
Kniehts of Pythias-Mount Vernon, No. 5,
and Equal. No. II. installation.
Pythian sisters-Friendship Temple, No. 8.
installation.
Red Men-White Eagle Tribe, No. II, instaIla-
ton: Osceola Tribe. installation and report
Of officers; White Eagle Council. No. 4.
Installation and social meeting.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02

The Kaiser's New Year greeting 20
his armies and navy reads, also. like
a supplement to the Teutonic peace
proposal. II the central empires are
everywhere victorious, is there any
great certainty what sort Of peace
they have in mind TO maker
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02
VAST POSSIBILITIES
IN new OILREGION
Virgin Field Untapped in
Northwestern COL
! orado.
EXTRACTED FROM SHALE
Quantity Equal to Output to
Date Discovered by Cow
eminent Experts.
EXTRACTED FROM sHALE

There is sufficient oil shale in north.
western Colorado alone to furnish TO-.
900. OO0, 600 barrels of crude oil. guam.
tity greater than has been taken from
all OF the oil wells OF the United
States to date, according to report of
an investigation by Dean 2. Winches-
ter and others OF the Geological Sur
vey.
Process Heretofore Unfeasible.
It has long been known that some
of the shale in the Green River forma,
ton in northwestern Colorado and
northeastern Utah would yield pc
troleum when subjected to destructive
distillation. Petroleum has been OBJ
tanned from the oil fields, however, In
quantities so great and at a cost 80
low that its production from shale by
distillaton has not seemed CONNER
cially feasible, despite the fact that
in Scotland such an industry has long
been paying dividends on a large In
vestment, and, according to current
report, Is furnishing fuel oil to the
British navy.
Extends Over wide Area.
The winchester and other investiga'
lions have shown that whenever eco
nomic conditions necessitate or justi
fy the distillation of oil shales for
their products and by-products the
shales Of the Green River region In
Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Wyoming
can be made to yield vast quantities
of oil, gas for use in the process OF
distillation and fertilizer enough u
enrich most OF the farms Of the mid
die West.
Valuable By-Produets.
In northwestern Colorado alone there
is sufficient shale, in beds at least
three feet thick and containing more
oil than the average shaie now mined
in Scotland, to yield 1--WE times the total
amount Of crude oil produced in the
United States to date.
In Utah there Is probably nearly as
much shale Just as rich This shale oil
will yield 10 to 10 ped cent of gosolene
by ordinary methods Of refining. This
shale in Colorado should produce not
only the oil but also. with only mod
crate added cost. about S0O,000.O00 tons
Of ammonium sulphate, a compound
especially valuable as q fertilizer.
The industry requires a. large and
costly equipment Of retorts. condensers
and oil refineries, as well as Of mining
machinery. so that It probably can moi
be profitably organized on q small scale
known to RaneherA-
Rich oil siiale is exceedingly tough
rssists erosion remarlcablvstan and wall
burn when ignited As 1t bleaches blush
white on weathering. the ranchers II
some parts Of the region refer to Il
as white rock, that will burn" When
freshly broken, It gives off an odor Of
petroleum.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02
A Communication From Archy.

boss you oughta bsen
here last night we
had ball on
top of your desk in honor
OF your getting 1t cleaned
for 1917 three
cockroaches q katydid
two spiders and
peruvian flea that came
in with the decayed
gentleman who tried to sell
you his autobiography In
poetical form the
other day and compromised by
borrowing a dime finally
a thousand legs came long
and made q hit by
dancing a dozen different
dances all at once each
pair of legs keeping step to q
different tune what we
need here worst OF
all is two or three crickets
for an orchestra
am inventing a new
step called that cockroach
glide archy
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02

than the navy is going to need, while
denying to the general consuming
public the right to get its oil sup
plies at as reasonable prices as pos
sible, there is danger of making just
this mistake.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02

after reading your article on vers
Iibre the other day." writes r. p, II
gather that you could not advise a
young poet to go in for that sort OF
thing"
/ Young man, you get US! Rather
than write vers libre It were better
that a milestone were tied around your
neck and you were dropped Into the
Atlantic Monthly.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02

Bulgaria's announcement that her
task Is done leaves nothing to add
save the somewhat essential guaran-
tees that it will not have to be done
over.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02
We Rise To Rhyme.

Say, cap, note your rhyming error.
The words you mention are a terror,
But why not couple Rembrandt aye
With that dear lady, EN- Bronte?
Then in her cemetery cairn heart
You'll find the proper rhyme for Bern.
hardt;
Tor, Anglicized, how will you yearn,
heart,
At memories OF Sallie BernhardtD
So much for you And as for
Freckles,
Myself and other rhyming Haeckels,
The innovators, show the isthmus
That forms the only rhyme to Christ
mas!
When you find such q rhyme, Freck,
stay with it,
Somebody else might get away wiz
it! CLEMENT WOOD.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02

"Allies Leave Loophole for Naming
Terms" says a headline. Also an in,
creasing number to shoot an increas.
ing number of cannons through.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02
Don Marquis
Column

Judging by the way Information
trickles out of Washington to Wall
Street, what the present Administra-
ton needs is q good plumber.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-02

National-'"Turn to the Right" s:15 p. m
BeIasco-Annette Rellermann, in "A DAugh-
ter OF the Gods" 2:15 and BIB p. m.
MISUNDERSTANDING, 2:I5 and SIS p. m.
PolTs-"which One Shall Marry" 2:ls and
S:l5 p. m.
Lyceunl-Burlesque, 3 and p. N.
lows Columbia-Motion pictures, 1870 q. N.
to IL p. m.
simultaneously, 10 a. m, to 1850 .. m.
Garden-Photoplays, 10 .. m. to 10:S0 p. m.