davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09
THE WHEAT PRICE

Although it may not have been an- icipated the action of President Will Ion in vetoing the agricultural bill in which provision was made for increas- ng the price of wheat so that the slaranteed minimum would be $40 ! bushel instead of s2.2o as at the pres sllt time can hardly be looked upon as 3 surprise. '
 : 4 hard fight has been made upon this matter and the insistence of the senate that the price should be $2.50 a lnlshel indicated for some time that the appropriation bill would be sac r1ficed in order to get through the rider. With the house equally firm fpr the retention of the old figure the best that could be accomplished was the compromise on $40. But what ever the price fixed by congress it was open to the claim that it was the work of politicians and in this case it total ly disregarded the advice of those who Save been named to carry on the price
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09
MIRBAcH's ASSASSINATION.

Additional light is shed upon the situation in Russia in a new way by the assassination of General Count von Mirbach the German ambassador at Moscow, who was killed in his priv ate office by two men who escaped Ambassador Mirbach was at Moscow because of the relations between the imperial German government and the polsheyiki as the result of the Brest Litovsk treaty and his murder indi- cates that the relations between the two governments are not sanctioned by all the Russians.
 Who the murderers were and to what faction in Russia they belong is not known, or is not indicated if it is known. Under the present state of af- fairs it is entirely probable that they will be able to get away from the city without being apprehended, but the act points unmistakably to the fact that there is apprehension in that part of Russia which is supposed to be under Russian control that it is only ques- ton of time with conditions going along as they are before Germany will have the whole country throttled, and that the belief exists in some quarters fhat it is time to arouse the Russians -before it is too late. It is to be in serpreted as the same outburst of feel ing which is being manifested in the Ukraine against the methods which are being used by the Germans there. What the effect will be in Russia is difficult to tell. It can be expected However that Germany will take ad- Eantage of the affair to push it's army further into that country regardless of the treaty relations for they, like the promises to Belgium, have long since been regarded as scraps of paper.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09
THE WAR PRIMER By National Geographic Society.

The Piave-"The student will search in vain through the pages of most of the widely-us encyclopedias for any account of the River Piave; it was of compara lively little importance either commercially or historically until the Austrian armies invaded the Venetian plains and were held upon the banks, or just beyond the banks Of this stream" says today's war geography bulletin, issued by the National Geo. graphic Society from it's Washington headquarters.
 Further accounts of Italy however, might as we'll omit to mention the Rubicon as to remain silent concern ing this waterway which meanders down from the Carnic Alps and after a course of 125 miles, flows into the Adriatic 22 miles northeast of Venice.
 Throughout nearly four -fifths of its course the Piaye runs down pictures que valley with the famous Dolomite peaks rising to the west and the fene- tian Alps to the east. The Dolomites were once chiefly famous for their scenery and were visited every sum mer by thousand of American tourists. Now, however such names as Monte Antelao Qo,7o0 feet), Monte Sorapiss (1o,500 feet), Monte Rochetta (S,000 feet), Monte Schiara (S,400 fee), Monte Serva (7O0O feeD, Monte Pig zon (7,300 feet), Monte Pavione G. 500 feet). Monte Tomatico (5,200 feeD. Monte Grappa (7.6O0 feet). and last and least in height but looming larg- l est in current interest, Il Montello Q,- 1 200 feetl, are written into the annals of ItaIy's heroic resistance to the Huns. All these peaks are on the west bank of the river and from many of them the Italians launched their countr- at 1 tack which resulted in disaster to the Austrians.
 Below Il Montello the Piave enters the Venetian plain and the remaining | 35 miles of it's course lie through delta land. The point at which it centers
 the sea is the inconsequential port of 1 Cortellazzo.
 ] "Feltre with 5 800 inhabitants, and
 Bellune with a population of 1000 are l the principal towns on the banks o1 this now historic stream
 Perhaps the hamlet of Pieve dl 1 Cadore. with TOO inhabitants, is held by the Italians in chief affection
 among the communities of the Piave
 valley for it was here that that great
 genius of the brush, Titan, was born
 in the last quarter of the 18th cen i tury."
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09
THE FAIRGROUNDS.

With the opening of t6e playgrounds season sight should not be lost 7of the benefits which these recreation cen ters have in store for a large number of the children of the city. That there is recognition of this fact is pretty well indicated by the provision which is made each succeeding year for their retention and the efforts which are put forth by those who understand the advantages which it has been found accompany such work.
 There are of course hundreds of children who have spacious yards where they can play to their hearts content and even entertain others out side of the family circle. There are those who go away for the summer so that the matter of pleasure at home does not bother them, but there are a great many who have no yard in which to play, who must resort to the streets with their dangers, who must look out for themselves the best they can and who are open to the many temptations to get into mischief of a more or less serious nature. It is for such children that a playground be- ,omes a necessity. They need an op- portunity to gather with others, to be shown how to enter into games in the proper spirit. to have a chance to en- gage in sports. to be kept away from the harm which is likely to befall them and to have the supervision of those who will guide them in the right way and to give them whatever instruction i3 necessary for their own welfare and to show them how to engage in useful hand work as is done to a greater or less extent. The playgrounds are only what the children are entitled to and every effort should be made to see that they are what they should be They are capable of becoming valuable summer schools
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09
THE POSTPONED STRIKE.

Q After pressure had been brought by the secretary Of labor and Samuel Gompers the head of the union of commercial telegraphers called off the strike against the Western Union which had been arranged for Monday. He is to be congratulated over the wisdom displayed by his decision but 1t is impossible to look upon it as any, thing more than his duty under the circumstances. Had he insisted upon the strike 1t would have disclosed how much strength he could have mus fered. but it would have been the coun- sry which would have suffered from the interruption of the wire service. 4 would have been a blow at the gov ernment as well as at the telegraph Company and even the demands of the telegraphers did not warrant such a Course. The fact is that such a ser fice must not be interferred with un- Her the existing conditions, and while Euch disputes ought to be settled with Nut resorting to strikes there ought es- pecially to be no thought of such d move at the present time.
 < The action of the union in insistine apon its demands bids fair to bring sbout the government control of the telegraph, together with the telephone cable and radio lines as a war meas ure. This would meet with the ap- proval of the companies and would not oe opposed by the union, for to a cer. ain degree it would be interpreted as showing the strength of the organiza. ton. Thus while the hands of the government have not been forced a. quickly as might have been expected there are indications that it will b. 70. that the postponement of the strike
 :hrows no disadvantage in the way O
 he union.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09
THIRoEs OF COMPOSITION

T see that Mir. Birdsong's new piece is being featured in the music stores,' observed Mrs. tBirdsong's caH- CT. T envy you the privilege of en- toying his composition so long before they reach the clamoring public"
 "Oh, my dear" exclaimed the wife of Mr. Birdsong, please don't speak of those direful days preceding the appearance of new one--or I'll burstI"
 Surely, there's nothing unpleasant about it,'' the caller apologized. T often picture you sitting beneath the piano lamp playing the new airs ten- derly, while Mir. Birdsong leans back in the shadowy big chair listening to your interpretation of the harmonies that originated in his own soul"
 That sounds awfully nice and poetic and it would look good in a picture frame" said Mrs Birdsong, "so I hate to disillusion you. But you might as well know that those har- monies you speak of are born into the world through painful aesthetic tra- vail''
 I'm surprised. His compositions sound so exquisitely effortless. I sup posed he dashed them of on a Pull man or apSwhere-just like that!"
 My goodness" gasped Mrs. Bird song. You force me to tell the horrid details. First, MT. Birdsong comes home from a trip, drops his grip, kisses me bfiskiy, snatches off his coat and rushes to the piano. Listen, he says, how do you like this? l just made it up last night
 T rave over it at first because like the melody and at the end of the seventh day I rave because he won't stop playing it.
 'He pounds it out the instant he jumps from the bed in the morning and the last thing at night-about a. m.-he is playing it with the soft pedal. He dfsregards meals. His soup coois before he gets to it and he never waits for desert.
 Sometimes he forgets and takes his napkin along to the piano when he thinks of a new strain to insert And he drags me along, too, whether I've finished eating or not. You see he plays by ear strictly, while studied music. So he depends upor me to write the notes on the man. uscript paper for him.
 I'll think it's all done and ready to send to the publisher when he yells l frantically: Two minors should fol 1 low each other. Change it here. Nov | I'll play it. How do you like that?'
 Then he asks ne to play it so tha1 he can get the effect. 1 do. Ther he blurts out: You can play tht
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09
STORIES OF THE WAR
Still Far From the War.

Correspondence of The Associated Press):
 The war seems to most of the newly arrived of the American army in France to be still very far away. Aside from the air raids that reach far back of the lines there is little to suggest that a gigantic struggle is going on almost within hearing dis ance.
 How far is it to this war, any way?" asked one of the recently ar rived men. He was swinging his legs from the doorway of what would look train pulled into small station on the way from somewhere in FranceP to somewhere else in France"
 We've been here 'Steen days all ready" said another, and we've seen just nothing that looks like battle.
 The distance from that station to a part of the line where some of the boys may "go in' some day is not so far as it seems to them, but almost right up to it the grass is still de- lightfully fresh and green. the wild flowers are as thick as they are wont to be at this season in France, and LElS D4IdS SluS W1tA d5 Ico( oS they do hundreds of miles from the battle front. The weather aids the il- fusion of peace. There has been just enough rain to wash the dust from the foliage along the roads. The nights are just cool enough to induce good sleep, the days just bright enough to bring out all the beauties of fertile region
 l. The line between this unstricken region and the country where only shells have plouehed the land for several seasons is a sharp one. On the other side the villages have l crumbled Some larger towns give out no other sound than the bursting of shells and the falling ruins. None may go into the wreckage for in the
 shell holes, among the piles of debris 1 turks the subtle poison the shells bring from the German lines. The
 streets are kept clean of debris by the
 British army. As soon as shell
 knocks down the remnants of a wal the masonry is picked up and carted | away.
 l Just outside this dead zone the vii hration from the fire of big guns
 shakes the branches of the trees, but 1 the birds perched upon them are un- mindful. Shrapnel sent from German guns in reply bursts all around bu the nightingale's song goes on quite the same as it does farther back from the lines where the war appears tC the American boys to be still so fal away,
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09
PROTECTING THE TRANSPORTS.


 When the German submarine man Q ged to get past the warships which were conveying the vessels returning to this country from Europe and send a torpedo into the troopship Covington and thus send it to the bottom, it re- suited in the loss of a large vessel, formerly German property, the effects Of which are bound to be felt in the despatch of soldiers to Europe, the samo as in the case of the sinking of the President Lincoln and the Antilles All were troopships which were capa- h.e Of transferring many thousand in inc course of a month and their de- Structiou means that just so much greater burden must be placed upon available shipping and the new ships which are being put into the service.
 Although it is something about which we have no actual say it was most fortunate in this latest instance as well as in the previous cases that the sinking took place on the return voyage when much fewer lives were endangered. And this fact leads to the impression that the returning ves- sels are not given as great protection as those which are carrying troops. There is of course reason in this policy for too much care cannot surround the troop laden ships. but with the con- stant production of new destroyers as well as other ships it seems not im- probable that the time will arrive i'll tke not distant future when the trans ports on the return will be as carefully guarded as those which go east. This of course cannot take place any too soon for we need to retain every transport possible and the protection when it can be provided is cheaper than the loss sustained from sunken ships.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

There is demand being made that Secretary McAdoo be placed in charge of the telephone and telegraph lines when taken over by the government. A great idea for of course this cabi- net official hasn't now and probably will not have during the period of the war very much to do.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09
High Regard For American Soldiers.

High Regard For American Soldiers.
 The highss regard in which the American soldier is held by experi- enced British fighters is attested by a correspondent of the Liverpool Post He writes:
 "The official testimony as to the
 quality of the American troops is confirmed by unofficial evidence that the new fighting force is appreciated
 highly by the veteran warriors of
 three or four years of war. Our own men at first were inclined to be suspicious of the Americans because they thought they would 'swank about coming in to finish the war, but when they found that the Americans did not 'swank' and were eager only to learn the art of warfare. all suspicion van ished, and comradeship in arms is springing up.
 The Americans in this country ! are creating an excellent impression, and when we get over our shyness, l and when the American wounded are entrusted to our care, relationships l will become still more intimate. An Australian officer told me that he and his friends had come to regard leav9 to England as equivalent as nearly as possible to visit home, and l it is hoped that the Americans will
 soon come to have the same feeling. 9
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09
City of Norwich Water Works
Office of

EHce or
 Board of Water Commissioners.
 Norwich, Conn. July 1. 1918. Water rates for the quarter ending June 30. 1918. are due and payable at the office July 1. 1918. Office open from s.so a. m, to 5 p. m. r Additions will be made to all bills remaining unpaid after July 20. WILLIAM H. M'GUINNISS. Cashier.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

In keeping with the changes follow ing the taking over of the railroads and the merging of the express com panies it can be expected that there will be increased telephone and tele- graph charges when federal control takes place.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

It is Gern1any's plan to keep the Finnish army busy just as long as one exists. The Films struggle for inde- pendence was only dream in which Germany becomes worse taskmaster than Russia.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

The removal of the Austrian field marshal like that of the demotion of the commander at Zeebrugge was probably prompted by the excellent defense which he made along the Piave.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09
EDITORIAL NOTES,

Nothing is more gratifying these days than the frequent arrival of coal barges and the daily string of coal cars.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

The greater the need of Germany for war funds. the greater the burden which Belgium has to' bear. That country like the Russian provinces must pay for the benefits which Ger many has given 1t.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

The sudden death of John Purroy Mitchell marks the passing of a young man who had most promising future before him.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

A second circus is now involved in d railroad wreck in the middle west. That is pretty harsh method of get ting free advertising.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09
Views of the Vigilantes
NO ROOM FOR DESPAIR
By Abbie Farwell Brown

of The Vigilantes
 When our NatiGn went into this fearful war--with high hearts and wide-open eyes-we knew that man gallant boys must die; still others must be hurt, dreadfully hurt. With dread we anticipated the day when many would ba coming hoTe,-not the bodied lads we knew, but crippled and Inaimed, perhaps; seem
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

The assassination of the German ambassador at Moscow makes it evil dent that Germany has made more than friends in Russia.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

The man on the corner says: It is pretty state of affairs when people stay at home. because it is so cold that summer fursf cannot be worn.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

Germany might as well understand that when it comes to declaration of peace it will not bear the brand Made in Germany"
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

Six cent trolley fares now prevail in 32 American cities, from Portland
 Ore. to Salem, Mass. Twenty three of them are in New England. In Se cities, ranging in size from New York to .Binghamton, the traction interests are vigorously working fol the increase. Nearly all of the & are outside New England In this instance, New England led the way willy -nilly Republican.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09
OTHER VIEW POINTS

The general merchandise store at the country corners is not what 1t used to be. Big things are going on in the world for discussion, but anti loafing laws forbid sitting on cracker barrels to talk them over. The crack CTS in these flour mixtures days are not what they were, either.-New Haven Union.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

right hand that way, exactly as want
 it, but not the left. Can't you fake a bass? I want that F sharp played
 with A. Is tSaAt the way you have
 written it? Get away minute! I'll
 get the doggone thing! See now. isn't
 that pretty harmony
 About that time he strikes a fresh
 chord unexpectedly. Whats this"
 he cries. Here, what's this? Play
 chord, and play the treble with your
 left hand. so you can write down the
 chord with your right hand
 When l have done that obediently he announces: Now, we've got to 1 change that top note. Should it be c or Az Alter we change IL he huns: Ta-ta- -ta-ta-ta ta,' and de- cides it yill be too high for the ordi- nary voice and tells me to transpose it 50 the top note will be E.
 T procure a clean sheet of manu- script paper, and do it all over again. Then he has a brand new inspiration. He thrusts his pencil behind his ear and plays the new idea frantically. get that? Doggone it! There it is! See it! Doggone it. I knew I could pick that up. That's the right change, isn't it? Wait a minute. Let's see how I do it.
 T wait and listen. Then he says: How is the bass to this thing? May | be that bottom note ought to be changed I tell him it is correct ac-
 cording to the rules of harmany. ''I don't care about the rules he 1 flares. My ear tells me how it ought
 to go. Dad gum it! I take liberties with the piano that nobody else does.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

Would not the food regulations, permit the preparation and sale, by milling firms of known reputation, of a flour containing a legitimate wheat saving combination of wheat or rye four and substitutes, which might be marketed just as wheat flour has been? Its formula could be plainly printed on the bag or barrel. if thought de- s!rable. It might offer a combina- ton which would keep for req sonable time at any season of the year, and would make a satisfactory bread. Reliable milling firms could be trusted, under food department supervision, to prepare this accord ing to formula. It is hardly to be doubted that many domestic us-
 CTS o9 bread making stuffs would welcome it, and it is equally sure that it would remove some difficult ties of supply experienced alike by retailer and consumer. = Hartford Times.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

It takes a variety of cash to keep Uncle Sam's family going. right here to home, as his New England folks would say. No less than TIA, 4,139 199 pieces Of cash came out of the mint. All this is small change, halves, guar ters, dimes and pennies.
 Right here in Bridgeport we know the great call for small change es- pecially pennies. One has to carry a handful in order to meet the ordi- nary demands in the way of taxpay- ing, at the theatre. the games, and other entertainments, to say nothing of the trolleys.-Bridgeport Telegram.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-07-09

About that time I slip over to the table and take up the book I had be- gun reading one quiet night while MT. Birdsong was away. Before I've found the place where I left off he calls me back to the piano and asks sweetly: What are these notes here my dear? suppose 1 ought to learn how to read music"
 Cant he read music?" The caller was amazed.
 He doesn't know one note from the other. When the green and white proof sheet comes back from the pub fisher I have to go over it with him at least hundred times to make sure it's just the way he wants it'
 Well, think your name should ap- pear on the finished copy-you do most of the work
 Did any woman on earth ever get full credit for the amount of work she does for her husband? Well, the wife of musician is no eXception.''- Exchange.
The daily Alaskan., 1918-09-03
ENGLISH COUPLE MAKE
 SIDE TRIP TO ALASKA

Among the passengers Arriving In this port yesterday on the Prin- cess Sophia were MT. and Mrs. G. Beeching, of Hull, England. For over three years this couple have been travelling, and learning of the beauties of the Alaskan trip, de cided, to see the great north. They came via Edmonton to Prince Ru- bert on the Grand Trunk, expect ing to come to Skagway via that line, hut upon arrival at Rupert and finding that the G. T. P. serV- ice had been discontinued, would not De turned from their purpose, 50 finished the trip on the c. P. R.
 Mrs. Beeching has been in ill health for the past three years suf- fering from a nervous shock re eeived the time the Lusitania was sunk, and if the season was not 30 far advanced undoubtedly would have remained over here for some few weeks, but desiring to spend the fall Ia Minnesota, at the Mayo in stitute, decided to return on the Princess last evening.