The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-30

habit that "costs you $0O day! lie calls it "an American disease of the mind that stunts our brain develop ment." "No one questions the value and service rendered by newspapers" says this self-constituted authority. "But newspaper must be read with an object in view. Usually all the real, vital news of the day can be read in few minutes"
 This is the typical "highbrow' att titude with which most newspaper workers are familiar. Granted that in the haste and confusion of getting out numerous editions every day, often only a few minutes after the news they carry is received over the wires, newspapers make mistakes, the won der is that they don't make more. As to the quality of reading matter they coatain, in the best newspapers, it IS literature--literature off the day, written in a style that many ponder ous novelists and essayists might limitate with profit. In keeping mil lions of people informed of what is going on in the world, as soon as it happens, the press stands without even an approximate rival. To say that "Usually all the real, vital news of the day can be read in ] a few minutes" is nonsense. People who do that merely read headlines, with the result that they have but a hay idea of important events and |cannot for the life of them discuss momentous happenings intelligently. It. is, to be sure, waste of time to Tread much of the alleged "news" that lis published, but any person who reads good newspapers with discrimi- nation will always be well informed lard will eventually become well edu- lcated. Such journals as the Boston Transcript, the Philadelphia Public Ledger, the New York Post and the New York Sun, to mention but a few Of the ab!est newspapers in the coun- try, are not only good purveyors of news but they are more instructive than the majority of magazines, and books published.
 | Maybe one reason why mashers con- gregate on the street corners of Birming- ham-or formerly did so-is the fact that all the pulchritudinous young women in this country are not working for movie magnates.
 l That Spanish count who tried to borrow millions from the House of Nor gan received a light sentence. Why not? Gotham has not yet lost it's sense of humor.
 1 Much bitterness is evinced against things German, but tourists kept at home still have a warm place in their hearts beer.
 ! Professor Corbett pays the late John L.. Sullivan many handsome compliments l In his syndicate writings, but he might not do so if he had failed to lick John l.. # 4. + l In the present emergency could General Pershing do otherwise than offer the services of the American army to bat ting Briton and gallant poilu? 1 # a * l "Old age is a habit of the lazy ones," declares Mrs. Wilson Woodrow. A human dynamo of 96 is marvel, yet who wants to be one?' l Automobiles are insensate things, yet flivver always seems to be self-con- scious when it is pulling big touring car out of a mud hole. l + * x | The British concede the loss of 1oo tanks. Probably due to the fact that the tanks have not yet learned how to retreat.
 1 A great many short and ugly words are being applied to Lenine and Trorzky these days with every appearance of sin cerity.
 l The chests of our .Sammies" ara broad enough to display any number O! French and American decorations. l !: + # l If the Germans are defeated in their latest offensive, Won somebody or other will have to shoulder the blame. 1 ---------.s.---------- l LUKE M'LUNE SAYS 1 Another good bet is that you'll never
 get to the front if you depend on your ] friends to push you there. l No matter how hard of hearing a
 tery.
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