davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01

OF Philadelphia in the moment Of her
supreme Offering. She is used to walk
ing with honor. She has felt the pangs
of a nations birth and paid more than
once with blood, drop by drop, for the
integrity of her principles and the per-
petuation Of her ideals She sends no
warriors onward now with grieving. She
feels the drive and sting of victory they
augur and knows that new, imperishable
glory waits for them. They go eventually
to Join men whose heroism has thrilled
the earth and will thrill endless genera.
tions of human beings to come. They
will stand side by side with men who
have slipped the devotion of Thermopylae
and by their own actions magnified the
glory Of that devotion. New standards
of herosm have been set. Our repre-.
sentatives will measure up to them The
ages themselves stand waiting for a de-
csion, as they did at Pharsalia, and of
the men who will determine that decision
many pass in parade today along our
streets What reason has the city to be
but proud?
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
A TRADE UNION CANDIDATE

To the Editor Of the EUening Ledger:
Sir-Hats off to the EVENING LEDGER! II
is racing to the front with the speed of a
Busy Bertha. 1t is a mighty tonic. 1t is
satisfactory to the writer In every way but
one; that is, it seems to me that the great
numbers of trade unionists of this city can't
find much publicity relative to their activi-
ties
This should not be Labor unions are a
big factor in the makeup of this city. They
are daily showing that they are as loyal
and as patriotic, as safe and sane, as the
best of our citizenship, Labor must get
greater representation If we are to solve
our common problems.
For the first time to my knowledge a
trade unionist is making a fight for Com
mon Council. Frank J. Schneider, of the
Central Labor Union, is his name He is out
for the office in the Forty-third Ward He
is fit for the job. He is honest, he is earnest
and intelligent The general interest is
first. FRANK AIcKOSKY
Secretary of the Central Labor Union
Philadelphia, August 81.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
THE NAVY IN ACTION

| TUST why the American navy escaped
- the malign influences of unprepared'
| ness advocates it is hard to say. Ger
| tainly they did their best to prevent de-
| velopment of a proper military establish
ment. But a kindly fate smiled on naval
expansion. Since the days of John ID.
| Long we have had a fine, vigorous mod
ern fleet in some degree worthy of our
dignity as a nation.
Never has the good fortune which our
warship programs have enjoyed been so
strikingly demonstrated as now We
have time to raise an army, but the call
for a great fleet brooked no delay. Upon
the capacity of the United States navy
depended the life or the American mer-
chant marine, to protect which was one
of our cogent reasons for going to war.
After nearly four months of belligerency,
Washington announces what amounts
substantially to brilliant victory. War.
ship conveys and expert naval gunners
on merchantmen have so superbly warded
off submarine ravages that less than one
vessel in two hundred has been a victim
of Germany's piracy.
Without our strong naval arm the
lanes we seek to keep free for commerce
and the transport of the necessities of
life to our allies might have been choked
with wreckage. The bare thought of
what might have been had our power at
sea been as weak at the outset as that
on land is sickening.
The moral of our gratifying success
warrants repeated emphasis. We can
save our shipping now because our navy
is large enough to take care of it. But
Britains merchant fleet is far too big
for adequate protection even by her huge
armada, and the rate at which we are
building merchantmen foreshadows a
similar American situation. Warned in
advance, we must prevent such a crisis
from ever coming to pass. The remedy
is, of course, unceasing, virtually un
limited expansion of the navy.
The American people have got the
need for merchantmen thoroughly into
their heads. Naval construction must
more than keep pace with the merchant
ship program If we are to maintain the
proud record of the opening months of
strife and make our victory permanent
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
JEWISH WORLD" IS LOYAL

TO the Editor OF the EUening Ledger:
Sir-May I ask you kindly to publish In
your valuable paper a brief statement as to
the truth in the matter of the anti-conscrip-
tion circular issued by the Socialist party
which was printed in our establishment. In
the first place, the Jewish World. as such,
had absolutely no knowledge of or connec-
ton with this matter This company has a
commercial job-printing department doing
outside work, and in course of business that
circular found its way into that department,
purely as an outside job My attention was
not called to 1t, as the foreman did not think
1t objectionable, and so the circular was
printed and delivered in the usual way. It's
contents, when subsequently discovered,
were as much surprise to me as they were
to every one Of the editorial staff
In this connection permit me also to state
that in the present crisis the Jewish World
is persistently and consistently supporting
the Government, editorially and otherwise.
JACOB GTNSBURG.
President and editor of the Jewish World.
Philadelphia, August 30.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
THE YEAR THAT THE CITY WENT
"BALLOON-MAD"

HNHE Fourth of July, 1884, was to have
l. been signalized by a balloon ascension
in these parts, the aeronaut being a Mr..
Carnes. of Baltimore, who proposed an
ascent from an inclosure in a field near
the city. The prices of admission were
81 and $3.50. A subscription was
started to raise the price of a balloon
and all prominent citizens contributed.
Benjamin Franklin was, of course, a
prime mover in all such undertakings.
In order to stimulate public curiosity a
ing that he had seen in France the
balloon in which Professor Charles and
the Robert brothers had ascended.
Carnes failed to put in an appearance
on the Fourth, but on July II he at
tempted the ascent, not from the field
as announced, but from the prison yard.
The aerostat was Of silk, thirty-five
feet in diameter, and was inflated with
heated air, the furnace weighing 150
pounds. Carnes attempted the ascent,
but when the aerostat had reached a
height Of ten or twelve feet It struck
against the wall which inclosed the yard
and he was thrown out
Thus lightened, the balloon shot UP
with great rapidity. Thousands of per.
sons had gathered in Potter's Field. now
washington Square. and on the appear
ance of the balloon floating above them
at great height sent up a tremendous
shout' Most of them were much more
edihed than we were at sight Of our first
aeroplanes.
But soon hush fell over the multi.
tude' 1t was seen that the basket was
dangling empty in the air and 1t was
supposed that Carnes had been flung
thence from midair. Later it appeared
that carnes got off easy. in being thrown
out at the start, with a few bruises. For
when the balloon had Travelled southward
unti II seemed no larger than barrel
= broke into flames. having caurhf are
from tho furnaos In 1 - - w sit
~ eonpletely deetse1d ( s a, n (.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
ARTILLERY OBSERVERS

Artillery observation is one of the most
important branches of the service So in.
dispensable is the airman in connection with
modern artillery that noted authority re-
Gently stated that If one side had airplanes
while the other had none the war would be
over in six months.
Pilots and observers work in conjunction
with battery They arrange beforehand
with the general staff just where that bat
terry Is to operate, If they are ordered to
seek out an enemy battery that NAV be
lodged at the end of wood or in some con-
cealed position the pilot maneuyers about
under the instructions of the observer until
the battery is spotted, whereupon its posi-
tion is signaled back by means of a wireless
set to the battery commander.
After notifying his battery to open fire the
observer hangs over the position at a beieht
or, say, 5000 feet, to avoid the trajectory of
the shells passing beneath his machine and
as the shells burst near the position nndar
hre the observer notifies his battery how
short or how far ahead or how much to
either side the shells are falling, The oh.
server then orders the pilot to proceed over
the next position, and the operation is re-
peated' When the work is completed the
airmen are ordered to return by means Of
signals in the form of canvas strips nIaced
on the ground
All the while the observer is directing mr..
tillery fire his machine is being subiected 20
intense bombardment by anti-aircraft guns
which are firing shrapnel shells by the hun
dreds. Flying fragments of shrapnel are all
ABOUT the airmen--beneath them, all around
them and above them. For three hours ~
times the airmen must endure this intense
commandment. and there is no telling at
what moment the tail of the machine or
some other vital part may be blown awsv
or when the machine may become wranneI
IN names The work Is most dangerous and
neave.Iackins. s., ana most of the pilots stutter
ossn known to Be unable to screw 4 nut ~
no,S eve 70 nervous ailment.- --scienfiSe
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
Old Pensioners Protected

One lone administrative voice against the
insurance plan came from the commissioner
of pensions, and what he had to say was
evidently the sentiment of many of the
Grand Army men before the President
swung in line for the plan outlined to him
by the Secretary of the Treasury. The
pension commissioner defended the exist
ing system, which, in the words of Lin
coin, is said to care for him who shall
have borne the battle, and for his widow
and his orphan" Nor is it clear to what
extent insurance companies and Grand
Army influences may exert themselves
against the bill.
The proponents of the bill assume not to
oppose the insurance companies except to
provide lower rates of insurance for men
in the military service than the private
companies pretend they can stand. It is
further contended that the insurance by
the Government of so large a body of men
not heretofore insured will stimulate all
other insurance.
AS to the Grand Army men and PEN
soners under existing laws, they may be
appeased by the assurance that existing
law, so far as il relates to them and their
dependents, will not be violated by the
passage "in lieu" thereof of insurance or
compensation laws affecting the new army
and navy.
new edent-breaking measure of the
ADMINISTRATOR 10 re1er DrleHy TO the eX-
isting pension system. 1t is now fifty
years old and has not generally found
favor with the party now in power. From
1866 to 1916, inclusive, 1t has provided
for old soldiers, their widows and de-
pendents to the extent of more than
S5 100000 In 1866 there were more
than 10000 pensioners The number in
creased steadily year by year, taking in
Revolutionary soldiers, veterans of 1912,
and of other wars. until S902, when there
were 999,446 pensioners upon the payroll,
From 1902 the number has been decreas-
ing until at the close Of 1915 the total
was slightly In excess of 100, 900.
The amount of pensions paid I'm 1915
exceeded $159,000, 900, which was less than
any annual pension payment since 1889
There are now no Revolutionary depend-
ents on the pension roll but in 1915 in
addition to Civil War and Spanish-A -Ameri.
can War pensioners. the Government was
supporting lis widows of the War 90
1912, 5l3 survivors OF the Mexican War
and 37s5 widows of veterans Of that war
In plain language the bill now under
consideration would take away from the
soldiers OF the European war a pension.
able status and put them and their a.
pendents under new classification. ,rhsv
would be insured or Compensated
psnsaease. ~ HAMPTON MOORE,
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
FRUITFUL THOUGHTS

ThtIif III IHOJGHTS
When child, and I SalO on the shcl, n
nice peach,
on a shelf that 1oos high and far out o,
my reach.
ia cry for IT,
When youth. and peach 7 beheld nm
tree,
II the peach looked as though tpere In
tended for me.
I'd try for 1t.
When a man. and the peach 7 cspied nm
the street,
And it spmned my attention and beat n
retreat,
I'd sigh for It.
But II 1t should girc me nod or n smile
Then ribbons aud laces to reach half n
mile,
I'd buy for IL.
II erer ii gaze me its promise to 1,cd
I'D sDedr on my knees, by mn heart ond
my head,
I'd die for IL.
And then 1chen I tired aud ,oanted III.
rorce,
To make MP case good, as a matter n,
course.
I'd he for IL.
Noto don't you believe II, I'm only IN tun
Just making some rhymes In the ,pau of
pun.
I'm high for II.
p. NUT.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
What Do You Know?
QUIZ

1. The fine line at the top or bottom Of capital
letters is described by % certain technical
name. What Is that name?
z. What boat was called "a cheese box on
raft"? "
8. Who Is John Parker and Of what State Is
he u citizen?
4. What was the Roman name for what we
- call France?
8. What was the central principle of the teach
ings OF Buddha?
does II mean?
7. CARLYLE described a leader Of the French
revolution as "the sea-green incOrruptl-
, blc;' Who was this leader?
D. scaii;H;wag," or "Scalawag." originally was
What was Its original meaning?
u In what American political campaign was
the slogan 'The full dinner paii1 used
with greatest effect?
TO- What is u chpmunk?
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
The British military exnsrt ,,.,

Inc BRUSH military expert, Lieu.
tenant Colonel Repington. inquiries as to
what Germany has done since Hinden.
burg became commander-in-chief a wear
ago. She has done enough to line up an
armed America against tyranny and to
cause the Allies. whatever the original
intentions of some of them may have
been' to subscribe to the noblest princi.
pies of democracy and the rights of man.
kind. We shall repay our debt to Ger.
many by beating her, but when the
yorld y Get free Il win be idA to denv
fhet h VERY vtepe shewed v The way d
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
The Russian War Mjnjstr,,s

The Russian War Ministrys an
nouncement that the Kaiser wanted to
begin Armageddon in 1909 ought uncom.
fortably to remind that monarch that. If
he had had his way, pain from the sting
of defeat would be diminishing in 1917
and he would not now have to face the
prospect Of swallowing that bitter Dill of
disaster which his foes are preparing for
him.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
Any report that Rome g %

Any report that Rome is to give
an ovation to such warriors of the Istrian
campaign as are home on leave should
be set down as erroneous. In the great
days Of the empire an ovation officially
meant only a minor triumph" The
present victory has nothing to do with
diminutiyes
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
Mayor Smith wou,d douht,oss

Mayor Smith would doubtless well
come some assurance that the forty.two.
inch pie which Captain Mueller, of the
Broad and Filbert streets field bakery,
is making for him is not listed in the
department of heavy artillery.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
TRAFFIC'S ENOIrCu
p. NUT.

Dollars to doughnuts some cop arrested
college professor or some other euv
who is in the habit Of carrying a die
tionary. How else may we account for
the new signs posted on Chestnut streer
by the Police Department: CLOSED 10
vehicular traffic." What's "vehicular" 10
the average hick?
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01

The Stacker who refuses to register
"is like an army deserter," declares
the Philadelphia Federal Commissioner.
Like" is superfluous.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01

Emperor Carl Avoided Trieste"
says headline. Trieste avoids Emperor
Carl" looks like the inevitable sequel
planned by fast re-won Istria.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01

Fargo, N. D., has always been re.
garded as one of the coolest places in the
country, and its protests against receiv.
Ing the Peoples Council of pacifsts now
fully confirm that reported frigidity.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01

braggart coming back from the Van.
derbilt races pulled that old one about
going so fast through the farm country
the corn and beans looked like succo-
tash. Godfrey s. Mahn. who takes no.
body's dust, snorted. From my car. =
said he, "the telegraph poles looked like
one hatraclsy Naybs you "a afvojaa
something mdee sz1EaSoo,nH z 6
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01

If Germany chooses to rejoice that
she has lost no merchant ships in many
a day, civilization will not want to rob her
of an atom of such satisfaction.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01

At the rattle of September's wei.
come 'r" the shells of oysters bountifully
burst across the frontier of Autumn.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01

The win" in Baldwin is being EN-.
phasized to the tune of nine complete
new locomotives a day.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01

Speculation as to what Mark Twain
| would have thought of the war is stimu.
lated by the fact he was Cleveland Mof
| fett's most distinguished kinsman.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01

decided that no American will fight from
the motive of fear or from lust for glory,
hut only for a principle
ONE WHO WILL GO.
Philadelphia, September 1.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
Working Out the Pension System

Since the Introduction of this so-called
insurance measure is attracting the atten-
tloh or old soldiers. and is necessarily of
interest to existing insurance companies,
II Is worth while quoting Secretary McAdoo
as TO the real intent and purpose of the bill.
BetOre the Committee on Interstate and
Foreign Commerce the Secretary referred
10 the policy of the Government with re-
SpeCt to insurance. He said it almost uni
iormly carried its own insurance, such as
fre insurance. war risk. etc, and that II
could DO this with more satisfaction than il
could be done through insurance companies
Then referring to those features Of the bill
winch are intended to apply a part of the
soldiers pay to the support of their families
and to insurance he said
This bill. to my mind, will effectively
satisfy the country with respect also to
pension claims that would otherwise arise
out of this war. 1t is in lieu of pensions
The pension system would be relegated to
what has already transpired in our history,
and with respect to this war these compen-
SationS and indemnities would be substi.
tuted They have been worked out upon
the basis of the best experience of all the
States which have had to do with laws for
compensation and indemnity for extra haZ-
ardous occupations Everything has been
put upon scientific, actuarial basis in this
bill. 1t is more equitable in its operation
therefore, than any of the existing pension
laws would be If applied to the new situa-
tion, and it goes further than the pension
laws"
At other times, in answer to sympa thetic
members of the committee, Mr.. McAdoo re-
peated his belief that this new law, if
enacted would be lin lieu" of the existing
pension system and would run its course
applicable only to the war in Europe or to
such subsequent wars as might occur. In
this the Secretary of the Treasury has been
supported by Mr. Gompers president of
the American Federation of Labor, Who
takes the ground that insurance and COM
pcnsaton laws are preferable to pension
laws, since the latter are too often made
the sport of politics AS Miss Lathrop
chief Of the Chdrens Bureau has also
come out strongly for the bill it is evident
that the labor forces have lined uD with
the Administration in It's Sunnnrt
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
COMPENSATION,
NOT PENSIONS
Arguments For and Against New
System Heard in
Washington
Special Correspondence Of the Evening Ledger


Special Correspondence Of the Evening Ledger
WASHINGTON, Aug. 81.
NNTHETHER the pension system. which
w has now been in operation in the United
States for half century is to continue
may be determined by the passage of a
bill to amend the war risk insurance act,
which Congress is now considering upon the
recommendation of the Secretary of the
Treasury, supported by the President of
the United States.
The bill proposes to enlarge the Bureau
Of War Risk Insurance by adding to II n
division of marine and seaman's insurance
and division of military and naval in
surance, in charge of a commissioner of
marine and seamans insurance and a conf
missioner of military and naval insurance,
respectively, each of whom shall receive
salary of $4,000 per annum. 1t proposes also
to appropriate S141, 900, to be known
as the military and naval family allowance
appropriation for the payment of family
allowances; S12,t50,O0O. to be known as
the military and naval compensation ap-
preparation, for the payment of the COM
pensation, funeral expenses, services and
supplies. and $23,OOO,O00 to be known as
the military and naval insurance appropria-
ton.
FUNDS are to be created from premiums
to be collected from the pay of the sailors
and soldiers, which are to be set apart in
the Treasury of the United States for the
purpose of carrying out the provisions of
the act In addition to the insurance
feature, over which the soldier or sailor
may have a certain right of choice in the
apportionment one-half os the monthly
pay of the enlisted man y to be reserved
for the benefit of his wife and children or
other dependents. The bill is quite lengthy
and somewhat involved to the lay mind
although it bears evidence of careful prep
aration by insurance experts. 1t was tackled
on to the war risk insurance law as
proposed amendment although that act
originally had to do with nothing except
the insurance of ships and cargoes going
into the war zone.
The fact that the war risk law orig
lnally carrying S5,000,0O0, was amended to
ADMIT OF capitalization of $50, 900. 900 to
permit of the inclusion of insurance upon
the lives. limbs and effects of seamen,
WhetbAr native or foreign is responsible in
measure for the inclusion of the soldiers
ana sailors insurance idea in the jurisdic-
ton Of the War Risk Bureau.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01

If Frank Hill weren't in the insurance
business you couldn't believe half the
things he tells you. Much familiarity
with figures makes for exactitude, of
course. Well anyway, Frank says he
was sitting in Thirteenth street car the
other day, when suddenly a man in the
seat behind him said, right out loud
isn't anybody going to say anything?
Oh, very well, then I'll break the mo-
notony. Did you hear about the acci
dent at Wayne Junction? No? Man had
both feet taken off. Yep! Conductor
came through and said 'Gainst the rules,
pardner; mustn't put 'em on the seat in
front. Keep 'em on the floor"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01

We are Requested to Remind OUR
Readers that this is the first of Septem-
beR and that the world is OUR OYSTER.