davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08
Now Is Time to Enlist

There should be no hesitation about anyone joining the army at this time" said Capt. James Hutchinson, who is recruiting men for the government "As yet, Alabama has not shown as much patriotism in numbers as had been expected. In fact, not more than 15 men day are being sent into the army from the state.
 '"Fhose who enter now will get the glory of having enlisted before they were conscripted. They will be given months of valuable training under ex- perienced officers and will be fit for any test which may come. It seems that every man is waiting for the oth- CT to start. This attitude should be dropped for the south must furnish it's full quota to uphold its traditions of honor and loyalty
 %Now is the time for all to get busy"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08

The American flag floats proudly in the breeze.
 Birmingham is ablaze with the Stars and stripes-bunting streams from every to be draped in the red, white and blue Every loyal mans lapel shows his colors.
 There is a reason. Henry Ward Beecher. the great American orator and preacher, well said: "A thoughtful mind, when 1t sees a nations flag. sees not the flag only, but the nation itself; and whatever may be it's symbols, its insignia, he reads chiefly in the flag the government, the principles, the truths. the history which belong to the nation.''
 There are nations where the country's flag has been trailed in the dust, na- tions whose colors have been smirched by tyranny, nations whose symbol has mocked. at freedom; but every man who today looks at Old Glory knows 1t has ever waved for liberty
 It has been nobly said: Under it, rode Washington and his armies; before It Burgoyne laid down his arms. It waved on the highlands at West Point; 1t floated over old Fort Montgomery" Yes. the his- tory, of this banner is all on the side of liberty.
 Some one asked why should the flag Of such a young country be called Old Glory? Answer was made by one whose name is unrecorded: Because it is 23 years older than the present flag of Great Britain, !17 years older than the French tri-color, nearly 100 years older than the present flag of Germany and Italy. and eight years older than the flag of Spain James Whitcomb Riley. in his beautiful poem. "The Name of Old Glory says; And seeing you fly. and the boys march- ing by.
 There's a shout in the throat and a6blur in the eye,
 And an aching to live for you always or die,
 IIf, dying, we still keep you waving on high.'
 This is but giving voice to what every
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08
-MRESIDENT WILSON has provei
 himself to be a great man.

1MREsIDENT WILSON has proven IF himself to be a great man.
 No President since Lincoln has had such conditions to contend with.
 He has exhibited the conservatism of Mckinley; the brain of Jefferson; the de- termination of Washington and the com nonsense of Lincoln
 Woodrow Wilson kept us out of the Eu- ropean war until conditions became such that America would have been the laugh ing stock of the world had we not re- sented Germanys sinking our unarmed ships on the high seas
 Germany seemed determined to make of us a China-a nation of novices and nonentities. But when the limit was reached, we turned, and now this country is in full eruption and at~war, prepared
  to show its power to the world-to put an end to the world war and upturn the monarchies of central Europe.
 In this war American inventive genius will have full opportunity to develop, and unless am much mistaken we shall fur nish implements of warfare which will end this conflict within the year.
 At home, here in Birmingham, there have been German conspirators and Ger man spies; and plots have been matched to destroy our manufacturing plants and excitement. The conspirators are, how ever, being carefully watched and prob ably many of them will be in jail build- ings before a week shall have passed. Some of these very men have attempted to arouse feeling against the negroes here. But this will be of no avail. The great majority of negroes in this district are good, substantial working men, and the better element of white citizens will not tolerate for moment any hostile acts toward thep1.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08
LUKE M'LUKE SAYS

The trouble with the woman who dresses to attract attention is that she attracts the wrong kind.
 Nothing makes girl madder than when she tells fellow to quit and he quits.
 Before she sets him she acts as if he is a god. and after she gets him she acts as if he is a doormat.
 What has become Of the old-fashioned girl who used to buy her gentlemen friend a pair of embroidered silk sleeve supporters in glass-topped box?
 Few of us are as bad as others think we are, but few of us are as good as we should be.
 Once upon time there was man who could make his wife believe that-~he wasn't chasing another woman when he was out all night. All fairy tales begin with once-upon-a- time.
 The new fad which provides that a girls clothes must match her hair isn't interesting the men folks much. There are no bald-headed women.
 The cheapest thing found at any bar gain sale is husband who is waiting for his wife to make her purchases.
 Ever notice how easy it is to convince man that he needs a rest?
 The reason why sll.a girl is glad that she is not a Corn Fed is because she be- lieves that there is more vivacity in an ounce of kitten than there is in ton of elephant.
 The reason why girl can't learn how to peel a potato is because she can learn a new dance in about two minutes.
 Many married woman thinks it is her duty to pretend to keep on loving her husband long after she knows that she doesn't.
 A woman can express as much with a cursory glance as man can say with a flock of cuss words. When a man is always bragging about his political influence, 1t is sign that his political influence consists of one uncer- tain vote.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08
Am@ricam Government
 Will Not Be MMlcted

e o far it appears that only one ~ munitions firm has attempted to charge the United States government an extortionate price for it's output. The day when un-American and un- patriotic conduct of this kind will be tolerated has passed. The government is now authorized to take prompt steps against any person or persons so lacking in public spirit as to attempt to profit by the nations necessity.
 The E. w. Bliss company of Brook lyn demanded 5000 each for torpe- does. An investigation was made which showed that the company could fill the governments order for $1578 per torpedo, the price previously fixed by the ordnance bureau, and still make a reasonable profit. Representatives of the company then announced that it would gladly accept" the order on that basis.
 There is no extenuation to offer for conduct of this kind. It is encouraging, however, to know that this is an iso- lated case. American manufacturers and business men have rallied to the support of the government with con- mendable promptness. They are go- ing to do all in their power to aid the nation at this critical time. The ques- tion of dividends will not enter into their calculations.
 Next to an out-and-out traitor, the man who seeks to grow rich at the expense of the government under which he lives, even when that gov ernment is at peace, is most inimical to the public welfare.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08
Free Lots for Cultivation

We are ready to help those people to feed themselves who wish to be so fed" said City Commissioner George B. Ward. "We still have about 5000 lots available for planting purposes. Of course. we can't make the people plant them. but we are more than will ing to furnish the land free of charge.
 "This Is a serious time in the his tory of Birmingham and T do not doubt that every citizen here will see the time when he wishes he had planted something to eat. I understand that a great part of the foodstuff that is now shipped into Birmingham from eastern markets will be cut off. If this is the case there is nothing to do but feed ourselves or starve, and I hope the people won't prefer to starve If any body wants a vacant lot to cultivate. he should call on us.''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08

| As a matter of fact, there are several | thousand good negroes in this district who are ready and willing to enlist in the army and fight for this country.
 We of the south have talked much of our loyalty; and we of the south have asked much of our government.
 We have asked for a nitrate plant for north Alabama and for an armor plate plant for this Birmingham dis trict
 Yet when the President of the United States goes before Congress and asks Congress for a declaration of war against the imperial German govern ment, which has sunk our ships of commerce on the high seas and taken American lives ruthlessly and without reason, two of our Alabama congress- men vote for surrender.
 One wants a nitrate plant, and the other wants an armor plate plant. Yet with the President to protect American honor and American lives against a foreign foe.
 I refer to Mr Almon, who represents the district asking for the nitrate plant, and to Mir Burnett representing a district asking for the armor plate plant
 Personalities are unpleasant, but it strikes me that these two good sturdy tricts, are very much in the category of MT. Kitchin, the democratic leader of the House, who represents a good agricultural district in North Carolina, and who thinks more of his districts desires than he does of the good of this great country.
 The time has come when the polti- elan who thinks more of his reelection
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08


 ton Square church few days ago flags of many nations hung from the gallery The German flag was con- 1 spicuously displayed near the pulpit, while the flag of France was missing. A heated discussion arose, but before resolution of protest could be put to vote well known Methodist pastor pointed to the objectionable emblem and shouted: "In the name of the gov ernment of the United States I de- mand that the flag of Germany come down at once" He then seized it, bundled it up and laid it out of sight. His act was unanimously cheered. A motion was then carried that French l flag be put in place of the German. The Methodist conference main tains missionaries in many foreign l lands and it seems that the committee on decorations thought it fitting that flag of each nation to which Meth odist representatives were laboring should be displayed in the church. The professional decorator, in the ab- sence of explicit instructions, included the German flag inadvertently Chancellor Day of Syracuse uni- versity, who is happiest when in the spotlight, made a speech in which he contended that the German flag was not out of place; that the United States had declared war, not on the | German people, but on German autoc- racy, and that the flag represented only what was good in the German | nation. Such foolish talk met with no approval. And Dr. Day had to Ego back and sit down." The preachers are all right when it comes to know ing what's what in the matter of flags and insisting on the proprieties. The Germans claim that they bagged about 10000 Russians in a recent engage ment. Whether they did or not, there is no getting around the fact that the Germans have considerable punch left. * * * The number of erstwhile pacifists who are offering their services to the govern ment is encouraging. It is right and proper that personal differences of opin- ion be buried when the nation is at war. ;. * * Montgomery heard that Birminghams s Terminal station had been blown up. Plenty of buns have been discovered there, but no bombs as yet. * * .s Uncle Sam will never be able to use worth of other German ships in his pos session, he should worry * < *e l It certainly is gratifying to note the high esteem in which President Wilson is held by the statesmen of England and 1 France.
 *
 l Those Germans who think the declara- tion of war made by Congress is nothing but bluff, will soon be sadder but wiser men
 The most famous COW in the country
 is dead, She passed away just as butter was reaching a prohibitive price. * < :: ] The steel trust will assist the govern ment. just as if no unkind words had
 ever passed between them. l It seems only a matter of time until
 Brazil will join the mighty struggle against autocracy.
 The most militant suffragette never did look as stern as Miss Columbia does now
 Those Virgin islands were taken over in the nick of time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08
OUR FLAG-By Frank Willis Barnett

mothers son of us felt as we stood with boys marched through the streets on their way to the border.
 In burst of song Riley closed his ode with these great words:
 "as float from the steeple or flap at the
 mast,
 Or droop OCT the sod where the long
 grasses nod,
 Thy name is as old as the glory of God, L. .lSo I came by the name of Old
 Glory"
 The national flag should be hoisted preferably at, but not earlier, than sun- rise, and never later than 8 o'clock. In no case should the flag be allowed to touch the ground. I spent 10 days at Johnson City and every afternoon drove out to the Soldiers Home to see the flag lowered
 It was a great and patriotic cere- mony Around it was thrown the glamor of romance, the pomp of war and the
 
 soldiers, the officers gave it a set ting never to be forgotten. All stood attention waiting the signal gun at sun set. And then as the color faded out of the sky as the sun went behind the hills down came the stars and stripes, to be tenderly folded. always had a tug at my heart and a lump in my throat, and mist in my eyes.
 I wish every boy in the land could witness such performance, and then go home and read Dr. Edward Everett Hale's masterpiece, called "The Man Without Country" It tells the story of la young officer of the army, Phillip Nolan. by name, who had joined i'll Aaron Burr's plot to overthrow the gov- ernment of the United States In 1895.
 When Nolan was tried by military court he exclaimed, in a moment of passion, that he wished he might never hear the name of the United States again. The sentence on Nolan was that his wish should be carried out, and that he should in fact never hear the name of his country spoken, nor know
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08
Increase I'm South's
 Food Crops Urged

WO years ago an active campaign 4 for crop diversification was started in Alabama and the move ment spread to other cotton states. The results were as satisfactory the first year as could be expected; less so last year owing to the flood condi- tions throughout this section.
 Diversification was urged as an economic proposition. Cotton was still to be an important factor in the south's wealth, but other crops could be raised in addition at good profit. Moreover, it was poor business policy on the part of southern farmers to depend entirely on cotton and buy a large part of their food supplies from the north and west.
 Southern soil is adapted to all the crops. In the production of corn, wheat, oats and hay Alabama can compete with states like Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, noted for their grain records Then, too, Ala bama is remarkably well adapted to { cattle and hog raising, and certain counties are especially inviting to truck farmers.
 In ordinary times the south should not only feed itself, but should have an abundance of foodstuff to ship away.
 But now this food problem is looked at from new angle-that of war. The United States government is starting a campaign for increased food crops. Carl Vrooman, assistant secretary of agriculture, was not ex- aggerating when he addressed the southeastern states food crop confer ence and delegates to the Southern Cattlemen's convention in session at Atlanta Thursday and asserted that unless the south increased it's food production it would, like Germany, face starvation. "This condition would not arise," he said, because the United States would not have food enough to supply this section, but that such condition threatens be- cause of shortage of freight cars and the possibility of other sections being unable to ship food here. The department of agriculture estimates that 100000 to $700,oOO,0O0 worth of foodstuffs are brough into the south annually, and, as Assistant Secretary Vrooman reminded his southern audience, this section would ro hungry without this aid"
 Even if the car shortage happened
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08
HOTEL LOBBIES
pr. wirpam on Heredity

q wish to congratulate Professor Brown and the city of Birmingham on the splendid lecture course which we have had this year." said pr. Thomas P. Byrnes, a lyceum and chautauqua lecturer now living in this city. But" said MT. Byrnes q wish to suggest to the people of this city that the best lecture of the course is still to come, the lecture on Heredity,' by my friend, Albert F. Wiggam
 'In this great address Mir. Wiggam answers many questions row pressing from the great loss of the best blood of the natifns in this war? What ef- feet will unrestricted immigration have on The future of our nation? What about the wisdom of the social policy which preserves the unfit and permits them to multiply? How can heredity taint be modified and over come by education and environment? How can insure the health and san ity of my unborn child?
 These and many other questions will be asked, answered, discussed and made plain by Dr. Wiggam, with simplicity of speech and with a power more gripping to the audience than is dramas of today Such is Dr. Wiggam's great lecture on hefedity, which I have heard many times"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08
lH1ED BRACE TALKS ABOUT THE MEN OF NERVE AND THE SELFISkI.Y NERVOUS ONES

than he does of the greatness of his government should be put aside.
 The Almons and the Burnetts who place personality above party and above country, are entitled to no further con- sideration.
 Tom Hefin may have been enthusi- astic but he was right when he called down the Alabama congressman who, because of few German votes in his district would not support the Presi- oent of the United States in d4clara- ton of duty which was necessary.
 Were I President Of the United States, I would see this Birmingham district and this Alabama territory in the demnition bow-wows before [ would give to it either the armor plate plant or the nitrate plant.
 We send men to Congress who are just as good Americans as the Sho-Gun of Shanghai.
 We have a sheriff who permits pris. ioIJ I, commissioner of police who criticizes and abuses the President of the United States; we have congressman who vote against declaration of war because they have a few German sympathizers in their district; we have a state which ranks among the lowest in education; and yet few of us stand about and talk about Alabama being one of the greatest industrial states in this coun- try.
 The burden for our shortcomings Is not upon the ignorant, but upon the men of education and wealth and re- fnement and dignity, who sit in their offices and talk about what should oe done without doing anything them selves.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08
Signs of Patriotism

T thought Atlanta was some pa triotic town said Homer George, for merly of Birmingham, now of the Georgia city. But I don't believe she has anything on Birmingham. I have never seen a more lavish display of patriotic decorations. I was especial ly impressed with the corner window of Loveman, Joseph & Loeb's store, which is dressed in strictly Ameri- 5an decoration.
 "The form of Liberty draped in the American flag and the enthusiastic looking soldier boy form an interest ing feature There are several patri otic notices in the window reading, America First Enlist Now and the like. I think it is a great idea to de- vote space to such decorations.
 There's another interesting fea- ture in connection with this store That is the chorus of 15 voices, sing ing patriotic songs, on the balcony each afternoon at o'clock. If all per- sons were as patriotic as these peo- pie seem to be there wouldn't be any necessity for talk about standing be- hind the administration"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08

BEGINNING THE DAY-O day of the birth of the year! o morn of the sprouting seeds! o resurrection time! 0 anniversary of my SaviOur's rising! In thy golden hours I would renew my faith. In Thee sin lost it's power, darkness fell from its throne, despair was manac1ed, death was slain. God help me to live to- day new man. In Christs name. Amen.-H. M. F.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08
Gernnam Flag i'm
 MeGhodlisG Church

M NE of the many evidences of " unity of sentiment touching the attitude of the American people on the war situation is the patriotic fervor of the clergy, regardless of creed or denomination. Many there were who hoped and prayed that this country would keep out of the Flu ropean conflict, but now that the gov ernment has acted American pastors, like other good citizens, are practical ly unit in support of the administra- tion's war policy.
 When the New York district Meth
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08
THE ROAD.

The sun in the west is sinking. The voices of birds are still; In fancy lies before me A road that winds over a hill It leads l know not whither, On it's course my feet are set, And I must push on till the light is gone And the falling night is met It winds away in the future And it's mile-stones are the years; My comrades there must burdens bear And mingle smiles with tears And may it lead still upward To the heights of song and dream, Where a Voice shall speak: "Tis here
 men seek
 The woes of a world to redeem
 TRUE. An optimistic frame of mind Is useful to acquire For cheerfulness as you will find, Is not so apt to tire Your fellow man as loud complaint And accents of despair, That try the patience of saint And make the godly swear.
 FORTUNATE. According to her press agent. this dan cer is so affected by any shade of red that she becomes violently ill." q see. She's highly temperamental person. It is lucky she is not affected that way bv> green and yellow" "why?"
 Because those are the colors of money"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08

anything of her history so long as he should live.
 Scott in the Lay of the Last Min strel." wrote:
 Breathes there man with soul so
 dead, Who never to himself hath said This is my own. my native land!
 Nolan was misguided but not will fully traitor, but the hot and fool ish words spoken in boyish bravado were his ruin I'm not going to tell the story of how he was kept at sea. never permitted to know anything of Amsri- ca. Get the story and read it.
 l can't help, however, mentioning, how, when on his deathbed, the flag was brought to him and one of his faithful companions told him the story of each star in the union-star by star ito the broken man who had learned to love his country as only an exile can. I'm glad the story was imaginary
 For if true, after his expiation, I think he should have had q soldiers
 tContinued on Page Five)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08
AMERICA

 By Thomas Bailey Aldrich Wide open and unguarded stand our
 gates. Named of the four winds North, South
 East and West; Portals that lead to an enchanted land of cities, forests. fields of living gold. Vast prairies, lordly summits touched
 with snow, Majestic rivers sweeping proudly past The Arabs date palm and the Norse-
 mans pine A realm wherein are fruits of every zone. Airs of all climes for To! throughout the
 year The red rose blossoms somewhere-a rich
 land, A later Eden planted in the wilds, With not an inch of earth within It's
 bound But if slave foot press 1t sets him free. Here, it is written, Toll, shall have its
 wage, And Honor, honor. and the hunblest man Stand level with the highest in the law On such land have men in dungeons
 dreamed. And with the vision brightening in their
 eyes Gone smiling to the fagot and the sword