davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
.OTTUMWA BOY
GOES TO FRANCE
J. e. vANoAGR1FF, STUDENT At
BOSTON UNIVERSITY SAILS
JULY7 TO DRIVE CAR.

J. Earl vxndaerin, son Of Mr.. ana
Mrs j. c. Vandagrih, 334 SuEth Shy
Ter street. has enlisted with the Amsck
can ambulance corps and saSls ny Z
from an eastern port for France to be-
gin his work
Mr.. Vandagrin has been st1ti1nt at
Boston university for the past yesr.
Previous to that time he -attsoAed Iowa
Wesleyan college at Mt Peasant aad
is to receive his diploma as bachelor
OF arts from that Institution ON June s.
He attended grade school at Fair
field and then entered Iowa Wes3eJan
academy. While in college there no
was prominent in scholastic, foreaaic
and fraternity circles, being q member
OF the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.
While in Boston Mr.. Vaadagrtn he's
been Studying for the ministry and q
week ago was ordained there BY
Bishop Edwin Hughes of the Methodist
Episcopal church
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
LITTLE BENNY'S
N oTE OOK
BY LEE PAPE

After supper last mite me and Pubs
Simkins and my cuzzin Artie was
wawking along jest waWklng along,
and all of a suddin Pubs yelled. Exter.
exter, million thousand Germins
taken primer vile they wasent look
ing. Wich he hadent hardly got throo
yelling it wen some boldly opened a
end story window and old lady stuck
her, he'd out, saying. Watts that, boy,
watts that?
G. she thinks I'm boy selling pa
pers, says Pubs. And we kepp on
wawking, and Artie yelled, Exter. 13
submereens have revilootion. exter.
exter. WITCH 2 windows and 3 front
doors opened at wunts, and men
started to wissel for papers. and me
and Pubs and Artie termed the corner
and kepp on wawking, me yelling, ing
lind hits Germany krack in the nose,
1000 fingers broken, exter, exter-
WITCH sun1body started to wissel for
a paper GROUND the corner, and we
keep on going. and sumbody came run
ming up behind us, saying. Heer you
are, are you def, give me paper. Be
ing pop on his way home frum the
segar store, and wen he saw who It
was without papers he looked mad as
enythfng. grabbing me by the arm and
saving you've bin out long enun, you
come home with me.
WITCH ! started to do. the last thing
herd being Artie yelling, Exter. exter,
16 million Germins fall on bananne1
skin.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
HERE'S NEW WAY FOR
BEATING BLUE LAWS

Des Moines, May 26-If you run oct
OF tobacco Sunday, ask your doc.
tor to prescribe a supply and thereby
beat the blue laws.
They have tried out the stunt at
Newton with marked success and It Is
expected that doctors Throughout Iowa
will prescribe tobacco freely for tooth
ache, especially on the Sabbath.
Last Sunday Newton pharmacist.
remaining open on Sunday TO fiji pEe-
scriptions only had this one present
ed to him:
Star tobacco, 10 cents; FIVE Cinco
cigars, % cents. To be boiled and
sprayed on the animal"
1t was properly signed and there was
nothing for the druggist to do but to
fill the prescription, which YVES iss1ed
by a veterinary surgeon.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
Children's Evening Story
Copyright Newspaper
Copyright Paget New!

Il don't seem to have any peanuts,
Uncle Sammy Coon said at last.
"Well-h2ve you any nutmegs: -
Sandy Chipmunk sfyfy took six moro
ears from the basket. He had more
corn now than he could carry. So he
quickly tossed it out through the door.
way.
Uncle Sammy Coon had to admit at
las that he had no nut1negs. But San
dy kept him busy hunting for almonds
and Brazil nuts and pecans. though he
knew well enough that nothing Of the
sort grew in those woods.
BY the time Uncle Sammy stopped
looking there was no more corn left
in his basket. But there was a great
pile of corn on the ground Just Outside
his door, where Sandy Chipmunk had
thrown it.
Then Sandy said he must be goinE.
And long before Uncle Sammy stirred
out of his house Sandy had carried the
corn away and hid it in good, safe
place. He thought that if he left it to
dry 1t would make just as good food
for winter as the wheat Uncle Sammy
had eaten. And that was just what hap.
pened.
That night. long after Sandy Chip.
munk had left the store, Uncle Sammy
Coon had great surdprise. When he
went to the basket, to get some green
corn for his supper, there was not Z
single ear there.
That's queer" Uncle Sammy Coon
exclaimed. 1T was full this afternoon.
And now there's not an ear left. don't
remember eating it." He thought deep
~ for long time. II wonder il it could
have been that Chfpmunk boy?' But
he decided that Sandy was too small
to have carried away all those big
ears under his very nose "I must have
eaten it," he told himself. I'm getting
terribly forget1ul"
And since he thought he had already
had his supper, Uncle Sammy Coon
went without any supper at all.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
THE BASKET OF CORN.

What are those nuts on the tor
shelf?" Sandy Chipmunk asked Uncle
Sammy Coon.
Now, Uncle Sammy had been keep
ing store so short time that he didn't
exactly know what was on every one
of his shelves. So he wheeled around
and looked up. And as soon as his
hack was turned. Sandy Chipmunls
reached down under the table and pull
ed an ear Of corn out of the big basket
They're buttternuts. Uncle Sammy
said. "And they're the same price as
the beechnuts.
GIVE me one handful" Sandy said
~Give you handful" Uncle Sam
my snapped.
But Sandy ChipmIlnk smiled at him
II mean, sell me handful" he ex-
planned. And here's your ear OF corn.
It really was Uncle Sammy's ear OF
corn. you know--just as Sandy said.
But Uncle Sammy didn't know that.
He didn't know it had come out OF
his own basket. So he threw It into the
basket and set handful of buttexnuts
before Sandy Chipmunk.
Sandy was longer eating those, for
the shells were harder and thicker
than beechnut shells. But in a little
while he was ready for more.
"How about your chestnuts?" he
asked.
And Uncle Sammy turned his back
again.
81 have a few" he said.
"I'n buy handful" Sandy told him
as he pulled another ear of corn out OF
the basket.
And after that Sandy bought hickory
nuts and hazelnuts and walnuts.
How about peanutsT' he asked
then. I've never eaten any; but I've
heard they are very good"
Uncle Sammy stood up and searched
his shelves very carefully. And while
he was searching. Sandy Chipmunk
took six ears of green corn out OF the
big basket under the table.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
orruMwA sEM1-wEEKLY COURIER TUESDAY, MAY q. 1917
war in which America has engaged

war in which America has engaged
to win.
The stymie, as golfers know it, is
the obstacle between the players ball
and his objective. 1t has decided
championships unfairly and unjustfy,
and it is doomed.
The stynlie. as America knows him,
is the food gambler who is trading on
the grim necessities of his fellow men,
pocketing blood money and disregard
ing the brutal injustice of his course.
Golfers know the stymie as the enc
my of good sport and skill. Consum-
ers know the stymie profiteer as the
enemy of America and Of humanity.
The profteer is doomed. There will
be no division in congress over the
enactment of proper laws to prohibit
the wringing of unjust profits from the
consumer by means of speculation.
The food gambler is the enemy of the
country to which he owes Only loyalty
and service.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
REASONS FOR OPTIMISM.

During the past few Gays tnere nave
been numerous reasons for feeling en-
couraged over the present phase of the
war, not the least of these being the
decrease in the number of entente yes
sells which are falling victim to the
German submarines.
- Although the participation OF Amer
lean and Japanese naval detachments
II, the chase of the subsea boats al
fords some explanation of this de
crease, there is ample reason to believe
that Yankee inventive genius has de
yeloued some means of combating the
JT-boat which will not be revealed tc
the world until the end of the war.
And the world can wait, will wait
gladly Such an exercise of censor
shin powers is eminently proper
But there are other reasons for op
timism too. Here are some:
The brilliant achievements Of
the Italian army in its operations
AGAINST the Austians, in which It
was aided ably by the British arti'-
lery.
the gradua, and resistIess bat
terfno down Of the Hindenburg
line BY the forces under Aaig and
Petain.
The news that the Sebastopol
garrison in Russia has demanded
the privilege Of taking the FIELD
AGAINST the Germans to renew the
warfare which has languished
since the Russian revolution.
The confirmation in parliament
Yesterday Of last weeks announce
n,ent that Japanese war ships nave
arrived in European waters.
The indication that the monarch
Of stria-Hungary is firing OF the
kajser,s domination, as shown oy
the resignation Of his pro-Gern'an
cabinet.
The multiplicity Of evidences
that the internal situation In the
nations Of the central powers Is In
imicaI to successful and continued
prosecution Of the war.
The bright side of the war looks de-
cidedly good.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
MR. BLOCK ON WAR.

Among members of Masonic lodges
in Iowa the address delivered April
ON the eve Of Americas entrance
into the world warts receiving wide
and deserved attention. For it's liter
airy value. for it's patriotic sentiments
and for the reason that Mr.. Block is
a native Of Germany this speech is
worthy Of reading and re-reading.
The following excerpts are particu
lariy deserving of thoughtful consider.
alton just now:
Let us ask ourselves why it is
that we stand face to face with
this terrible crisis. At the close
of the Franco-PTussian war the
German government, carried away
by the intoxication of its success
over the French armies, began to
build slowly but surely for itself
and for it's people the steel and
stony idol of militarism.
Realizing what they had gained
by the power of the sword, they
came to think the sword was su-
preme. The worship of the soldier
penetrated to the heart OF the
family circle. The toys of the
little children were soldiers.
remember we'll in my own home
how as little tots we played with
these soldiers.
The literature and periodicals
we read at the fireside were large
ly about soldiers and military af-
fairs. Even the jokes in the
funny papers concerned them
selves with the Observation-Disclosures
of the recruit who was being
drilled into fighting machine.
This was followed by the tales
of the smart-alec lieutenants who
strutted the sidewalks of Berlin
shouldering the common people
of into the gutters-war and sol
diering came to be idolized as
god The military were the real
people of the country and the
common citizens were clay be-
meath the feet of the soldier.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29

The German people had the the
DRY and the doctrine of blind, I'M
questioning obedience pounded
into them. They were borne to
the ground with burden of taxa
ton to boost the soldier. And
finally there was built up in the
land such magnificent and ter
rible war machine that it was
called upon to give an excuse for
its existence and then the war
broke out.
It had been ready to break for
a long time and it needed only a
pistol shot fired in southern Serbia
to turn the raging conflagration
loose.
Now, with all this we must be
very careful not to think that it is
either crime or disgrace to be
German. For in spite Of what
their government has done, the
German people are at bottom a
truly noble people and have done
a great deal to serve and bless
humanity.
And now why are we going to
war. Simply and solely because
there is a wild beast that has
broken loose in the neighborhood
of nations. that must be caught
and chained: because crazy man
Of might has begun to run amack
in the world, who must be re-
strained. The Tight we are going
into, believe. VIII be the last
stand that despotism and autoc-
racy will be able to make in the
world. It is contest in which the
cap of liberty contests with the
crown Of tyranny.
This is war against war 1t Is
a war waged to wipe the war lords
from the face Of the earth.
IT is we'll that in the present crfsf
uch facts as Mr. Block states be hell
q mind by the people Of America. o
is own knowledge he tells how tn
pirit of militarism was whipped int
he German people by all the wiles o
which scheming government wa
apable. The result is that war that Il
the world today.
Americas position is clear IN tn
resent war Her reasons for enter
ng the conflict are the highest an,
oliest. Each American soldier ant
ach member of the great American
rrny Of universal service is sustained
Y the KNOWLEDGE that he Is wagin!
war for humanity and right. for civi
zat;on and Christianity, for democ
acy and for the aboIishing Of despot
SIN and international outlawry.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
Euening Story
HIS BELOVED WIFE.
Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate-)


There isn't thing you or anybody
else could possibly say against Mel
Satteriee. He's steady going and
thrifty. He's got that big farm ON his
hands and money in the bank, and
don't see what more than that you
want, Mary Ellen, or what you expect.
Land alive. when l was girl we'd
have thought half that was catch
Mary Ellen smiled, little wistfnl
smile. close Tipped. unsatisfactory, al
together aggravating to any one who
tried to influence her one way or the
other. Her mother said you might
inst as we'll strike up conversation
with a telephone pole as talk to Mary
Ellen when her mind was set the other
way.
"And she don't get that from my
side of the family, either" she would
add triumphantly. That's all Taylor,
clear through
She stitched along now, on her side
hoard scarf of tan linen, keeping one
eve on Mary Ellen, nursing a lame
chick by the kitchen Are. There had
been four Taylor girls. every one OF
them clever and pretty. and all the
other girls were now safely married
off: but the youngest had been like the
lame chick in her hands. delicate when
youny and brought up with extra tend
erness and forbearance. She was
twenty-five now. ripe old age in
Rahviek. Girls who had not stepped
off, before twenty-five were regarded
with dubious eye. And the worst of it
was Mary Ellen never seemed to
sense that she was hurting traditions
one bit She had gone to high school
and later to normal school.
Not from my idea at ALL Mrs. Tay-
Tor was fond of saying sadly. Her
father wanted her to be teacher. and
she did teach for spell, but she didn't
take to it one bit. Likes to study bot
any and the stars. Reads ali the time
anything she can get from the library.
think too much learning Spots a
woman for what she was intended for
1t didn't hurt ME bit to marry and
raise big family. and ! do wish Mary
Ellen'i make up her mind.
How old is Mr.. Satterfee. mother,
do YOU SUPPOSE Mary Elens voice
held a low contralto note that always
seemed to clear the conversational at
u,osphere when she spoke.
mot a day over forty answered
Mrs. Taylor stoutty. Fine looking
man, too. and you can't say he isn't,
Mary Ellen"
1T isn't himself at ALL" said Mary
Ellen. ITS his beloved wife. Ann
Every time / think of him'I see her as
/ remember when / was little girl.
Wasn't she dear. mother? You used to
send me up to their house after straw
berries, know, and she'd gather ilacs
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
BEHIND THE SCENES.

Right now. behind the scenes, IN
Washington, Paris, London and IN oth-
Or capitals, not forgetting Berlin.
events of historic moment are occur.
ring The world audience, confronted
Nv the vast performance of war, stares
with distended eyes. The khakiclad
.ctors following their lines even TO
+he crave. obtain only momentary
eJimpses back to where the ropes are
nuIled and the scenes are shifted, 1or
] their rests between cues are brief.
And when for fieeting moment the
hack drop is lifted inst a trihe. the
glimpse Of wars secret machinery
sends thrill coursing up and down
the world.
II was with such a thrill that the
world heard of yesterdays significant
announcement before the house OF
commons by Premier Lloyd-George.
He Is cautious in the use of WORDS; ne
does not speak until he can speak Win
authority. and there was much TO re-
assure the people Of the United states
and their allies in Europe in his deifb-
crate announcement:
All I can say is that II ssbnta-
rine warfare is Germany's main
hone Cor success it is doomed to
djsappointment. ! say 1t with q
fun sense Of responsibility and on
behalf Of the government, after
full consideration Of the whole
facts.
What conferences among the pre-
mier and the cabinet members pre-
coded that announcement the world
NAV only guess. What secrets were
whispered across council tables behind
BARRED doors will not be known until
after peace comes and the inner facts
Of this war are barred by historians.
But there is this assured: solution
If the submarine problem has been
found and is known not only to the
british premier but to President VIII
.son and his official confidantes. and to
the heads Of the other governments
(which are joined in the war against
#Potsdam and autocracy.
The world must wait IN patience for
the revelation Of the invention which
PROMISES so NTH to humanity. Be-
blind the scenes the secret is known,
land properly 1t guarded SO 1t may
siremain a secre from the enemy.
u But there is assurance in the an
,ouncement by fr. Lloyd George-re-
"a ssurance and eund for proud
american hope It when the masking
curtains ffnalf e raised and when
there nc long need for secrecy,
We viii find Il Ghe submarine men,
ace has been foiled by the inventive
genius Of the Yankee.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
rHe IOWA IDEA.
admir-

Iowa manufacturers set an admir-
able example for the whole nation
when they adopted ringing patriotic
resolutions including an appeal for the
purchase OF liberty bonds and pledge
10 assist in their distribution by buy
ing and by encouraging their employees
to buy.
This was not all they did. for they
soffered the Iowa manufacturing plants
Ito the government for war purposes on
basis Of cost plus only such fair
profit as the government might fix.
This is proper patriotism.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
ASIDE FRoM SENTIMENT.

sons for wartime prohibition which
are entirely separate and distinct from
any sentimental argument that might
be urged at any time against traffic in
liquors These business reasons are
receiving attention now at the hands
of members of the council CT national
defense and at the hands also of some
of the senators among whom are Mr.
Professor Irving Fisher of Yale
head of the defense councils commit
tee on alcohol, lists the economic OBJ
iects of wartime prohibition thus:
Food conservation;
The diversion Of grain from al
cohol to food
The diversion Of alcohol from
beverage uses to military and in
dustrial uses;
The freeing of cold storage
plants of breweries for storage of
foodstuffs;
The diversion of labor from the
manufacture and sale of alcoholic
beverages to military or Industrial
pursuits;
The prevention of diseases
traceable to alcohol:
improvements in military and
industrial efficiency.
It is but natural that brewers and
distiners are opposing the movement
for wartime prohibition, but because
Of their financial interest it is well to
investigate their assertions. The brew
ers have but recently published wide
ly the fact that they use only small
proportion of the nations grain crop,
but it Is notable that the distillers
have issued no figures showing the ex-
tent to which grain is used in making
whiskies and other beverages contain
ing high percentage of alcohol.
The facts as revealed by the council
of defense are that nearly ~ per cent
of the total crop of those cereals used
in manufacturing alcoholic drinks is
diverted to that use, while 5 per cent
of the American rice crop and "a per
cent of the barley are so diverted.
More than 10000 900 bushels Of
grain are used in breweries and distil-
leries annually: 100000 pounds Of
grapes and 152. 100000 pounds of mo-
lasses. In all about 1900, 900 900
pounds of Notwithstanding grains,
grapes. grape sugar, glucose and mo-
lasses-are used each year to make
booze.
After making allowance for the pro-
duction Of denatured alcohol the total
fuel value thus diverted each year is
sufficient to supply the yearly energy
requirement of more than 100000
men.
The 1910 census reports show that in
that year there were employed in dis
ti1leries and breweries about $1,000
men. There were 101 900 bartenders,
6s, 900 saloonkeepers. and enough 9th
ers-salesmen and the like-to bring
UP the total number of persons owing
their employment directly or indirect
~ to the liquor business to about
$4,000.
Ordinarily the large numbers en-
ployed are cited as reason why pro-
hihitinn, by dislocating labor. would
be injurious. but today it is this very
release of labor which is needed for
the production of food and munitions
and for filing the ranks in our army
and navy.
The figures given here are obtained
from the reports Of the council Of ma.
tional defense. They have to do with
only the economic. practical side OF
the prohibition question as 1t affects
and is affected by the war situation.
They leave no doubt as to the advisa.
bilfty of legislation to stop the manu-.
facture of alcoholic beverages for the
period of the war.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29

settlers at his heels. Mary Ellen rose
and laid her hand half unconsc1ously
on the granite shaft.
"Elwood,' she called clearly, wait
for me Just for moment she paus-
ed, bending her head until her lips
touched white rose on a little bush
at the head of AIMS grave.
Not for the world" she whispered.
i choose love first" And she went ON
to join E1wood down the road.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
AGENCY.

AGENCY.
Miss HiRred Warder spent the week
end with her friend. Miss Jeanette Per-
dew, in Ottunrwa.
Clarence A. Joseph of Ottumva vas
here Friday evening.
Rev. w. H. Perdew, district superin-
teFdent OF the Ottuuva conference.
viii preach at the Methodist E:1e1rupni
church here Sunday. May Il.
A. c. Sefrft Of Ottumwa was cx&3sae
on friends here recently.
Warren Grimes Of Chariton.ApUe tie
weekend with friends here.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29

Since the United States entered the
war Indiana, with a population OF
about 100000. has furnished 5.459
volunteers for the army. In a single
DAYS fighting the Italians captured
more than 5000 Austrian soldiers. And
vet there are Americans who do not
favor conscriptton.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29
CLEANLINESS A LUXURY.

Des Moines, May 26--Cleanliness
will soon be luxury in Des MONIES.
Soap has gone up.
Druggists and grocers have boosted
the price of FIVE cent cakes to seven
cents.
Bath soap. which formerly retailed
for ten cents, is now fifteen cents.
Here's the alibi:
Oils, used in the manufacture Of
soap are about exhausted
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29

Former Ambassador Penfeld, just
back from Austria, brings the news
that the Austrian people still MINK
their armies are winning in the war.
Censorship prevents the newspapers
from printing the accounts OF Teutonic
defeats. There will be an awful awak-
ening when the news OF Wednesuays
italian victory reaches vienna.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-29

A Chicago Judge, answering CUES
tions about the law on conscript1on, re
piled to query from a one armed man
as to the necessity for his registration
The indge wrote: Even If man be
deaf. dumb, blind, armless and legtess,
he is not exempt from registration.
That should relieve him of several in
uuiries in the future.