davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24

American citizens of any decoration or
gift from any foreign country. there Is
a movement afoot to cancel this law IN
regard to the war medals. Secretary
Baker advises the chairman of the Sen
ate military committee that legislation
to permit Americans to wear decora-
tions conferred by the allies is being
favorably considered.
There is a provision in Mr.. Murray
Hiibert's bill before Congress on the
subject of medals that any person who,
since August l, 1914, has received from
any foreign nation a medal. cross, rib
bon, wreath or other insignia of honor
for gallantry or meritorious service of
any kind may retain and wear the same
under the rules governing its display.
To any one who has seen the be-
stowal Of the foreign decorations upon
the American soldiers this seems a wise
repeal, If it is enforced. Despite the
law, however nothing can detract even
shines from the face of the men who
are fortunate enough to be drawn up
before the French commander to re-
ceive the coveted Croix de Guerre and
a parchment citation issued in graft
tude and admiration for the soldierly
quality shown by them in their en-
gagements against the armies OF the
imperial German government
The ceremony is concluded with the
statement from the French officer: You
are not allowed to wear 1t, but keep it
in your possession until your Congress
authorizes you to place it upon your
breast" Already an American COM
pany has been so honored, likewise
lieutenants, sergeants, corporals and
privates. to say nothing of daring avia-
tors who have been in the foreign ar
mics since the outbreak of the war.
These foreign decorations. which will
doubtless distinguish many United
States soldiers, are many and varied.
From Great Britain may come the Vic
toria Cross and the Distinguished
Service Order. Raoul Lufberry. the
most decorated American fighter. an
ACE of the Lafayette Escadrille,
wears this last mentioned decoration.
From France comes the French Cross
of the Legion of Honor, the Croix de
Guerre and the French Military Medal.
From Italy one may win for distin-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24

which the governments bestow to de-
serving claimants. the various unofficial
organizations such as the aero clubs
are offering special medals for special
prowess in the particular lines in which
they are interested.
Another branch OF the United States
government service gives to partici-
pants the right to wear an insignia
that marks them as servants of Uncle
Sam. This is the public service reserve.
that branch of the Department OF
Labor, which controls the great body of
civilian workers who have volunteered
to be the men behind the guns" While
the government has lot yet conscripted
labor, it has issued a call for volun-
teers to carry on the vast work of pre-
pairing material for the prosecution of
this war. Thousands of men have vol
unteered for the governments service.
Their names are enrolled with the
public service reserve, and many of
them are already engaged in the mani
fold tasks connected with the wars
work. They are soldiers just as truly
as their fellows in khaki, and Uncle
Sam recognizes this fact.
Members wear a buttonhole insignia
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24

Gulf" whose extreme destinations
would be Key West in the east and the
Rio Grande in the west.
These seven great highways would
eventually be crossed by countless
small anyways until the entire country
would lie under a network of aerial
roads, whose courses would deviates no
more than those of ships at sea-,
Italy maintains an air line for mail
between Turin and Rome. This de-
creases the time of delivery between the
two cities some twenty-four hours II
is further reported that this spring
Sweden proposes to begin an aerial mail
service between Stockholm and Petro-
grad The time of mail delivery. will
consequently be shortened from five
days to twenty-four hours.
The new machines which are now be-
ing manufactured in this country ara
capable of flying from three to FIVE
hundred miles without landing. Much is
expected of the new liberty motor.
Many versed in aeronautics claim that
it will certainly outdistance the flying
radius of the old motor by full 100
miles in a sixty-minute period.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24

guished service the Military Order>of
Savoy. Russian honors. before the rev.
olutionists stepped in and upset the es-
tablished order of things, consisted Of
the Medal of st. George The Order of
Leopold from Belgium completes the
allies assortment of decorations.
Decorations. be it said. are of two
kinds. There are the particular war
medals and the special medals given
for general meritorious work, service,
heroism or craftsmanship. Among this
latter class are a number of medals
which the soldiers may win. The silver
medal for craftsmanship. with the
word Expert Marksman'' engraved
thereon, is won by the soldier in peace
time as well as in war. and a mans ELI
gibility to win it depends upon his
prowess with the rife. There is also a
badge which is given to enlisted men
who have served the full term of their
enlistment. which distinguishes high
class soldier.
OF course. in addition to the medals
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24


valescent and diseased to the full
ness of health and happiness. Music
she believes-and it might be said here
that she has been instrumental in
demonstrating the truth of her tenets-
possesses a tremendous force as a
medicine.
The part this force may play to-
ward winning to normal activity our
soldiers-those who are sick with minor
ailments before they go to the front or
wounded after their excursion to the
trenches--is no small one. Mrs. 1lsen
knows whereof she speaks. For
nearly two years she has been the vol
unteer superintendent of the Military
1nf1rmary at Hamilton, where have
been treated Canadian soldiers suffer-
ing from all the wounds and illnesses
that this war has caused. She has
proved the value of the use of music
in the sickroom.
At present she is drafting a plan
for the United States military authori-
ties which will give them an idea of
the possibilities to be gained from the
application of her principle and the
benefit of her recent experience along
these lines which will suggest the
means for utilizing the power Of music
to the fullest extent of the posi-
bilities in therapeutics.
Music begins where speech ends"
quoted Mrs. Ilsen. ut also takes up
the work of healing. where medicines
leave off. But this is a fact that has
been very slightly put to the test up to
the present time. Sporadic attempts
to place music in the fore as a curative
power as well as beautiful art have
interested the students of psyche
therapeutics in the past All agree
that If it were used correctly it would
undoubtedly exert an undreamed OF
influence in the wards and sickrooms
of our hospitals.
experience L have made use of the
power or music. 1 have watched its
effects on various types of patients, and
! have tried to learn more and more
of its secret influence on the brain of
the human being. :.
"Of course most of US are well aware
of the results of the many experiments
made with the instrument used to de-
termine the effect of different kinds of
music on the human mind. We know.
definitely. OF course. that If you want
to get the biggest response from people
brass band music is the type to play
for them. And IL you want to depress
people and make the world look blue
and gloomy. the music of the violon-
cello will more certainly have this eff
feet than any other instrument in ex-
istence The zylophone with it's quick,
staccato notes will SO influence a baby
everything In its little. life but re-
spending to the rhythm Of the sound.
! have demonstrated to hall full of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24
Service Long PLANNED Now Assured by Post Office Departments Latest Move

Virginia and North Carolina landscapes.
1t was in North Carolina that the
Wright brothers made the flight that
made them famous.
Another Of the four great air routes
does honor to the names of Alexander
Graham Bell and the eminent French
man of engineering fame. Octave Cha
nutz, who claimed aviation as an avoca-
ton from its earliest days. This air
road keeps to the north. running from
Boston through Albany. Syracuse.
Rochester, Buffalo. Erie, Detroit and
prominent towns in North Dakota and
Montana. to Seattle.
The Langley" airway, which has not
been planned in detail, will have as its
two terminals Washington and Los
Angeles. An aerial club of America has
also charted two aerial highways run
ming north and south. One goes from
the Puget sound district to San Diego.
the other from Bangor. Ne, to Key
West, Fla
In addition to these still another main
route has been devised, which will in
clude the cities along the Gulf of Mexi-
co. This last would be known as the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24

an enormous decrease in the cost of
delivery in the course of year.
By steamer and road the trip was
decidedly more circuitous. stretching
the $50 miles as a plane would fly to
526 miles. Today the faithful dogs of
Alaska pull the sleds, with their
precious burden of mail, over the white
northern wastes. Not only would
aerial service mean a tremendous
saving of distance and cost but also
of time. For instance, from Seward
to Nome mail by aeroplane would take
but eighteen days. BY road twenty
one days more are required, and Nome
is very eager to be twenty-one days
nearer news of the world.
Just when Nome and other Alaskan
towns were delightedly telling them
selves that their dreams were about to
come true. along comes the United
States entry into the war and a rush
order for aeroplanes, and more aero
planes. So Alaska will have to wait a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24

subject of medals for American SOL
diers.
Those who realize full we'll the IN
SEPARATION which medals of honor hold
for the fighting man are urging the
government to provide for the present
conflict in a suitable manner. 1t is said
that the iron cross of Germany. which
represents to the. kaiser's fighters the
ultimate honor and browning glory OF
existence, SO inspires these fighters
that il may be considered a definite
factor in their work. and also it is said
that when the Huns are called before
their emperor to receive this decora-
tion they are so overcome with the
event that they Outlines fail to return
the royal salute.
While there is no desire in the Amer
lean breast to emulate the German Gus
toms. for the German cross has been
turned out by the thousands and Is
worn by heroes" who have never been
there is a strong feeling that this
country must do as much for its boys
as the allied countries are doing. That
is, Americas medal roll must be en-
larged to take rank with the coveted
crosses and other decorations of the
countries across the sea
1t was great pleasure to the boys
on the other side, therefore, when they
message which authorizes the award
ing of newly created decorations for
acts of heroism. meritorious service,
length of service and wounds. similar
to those of the allied armies The
order creates several rev decorations
in addition to the present medal of
honor. which is rare and extremely
difficult to secure.
military decoration which takes prece-
dence as the chief recognition awarded
by Uncle Sam for heroic service. is
one of the hardest medals to gain.
The United States requires a far higher
degree of valor before granting this
medal than is required by any other
nation for its similar decoration. There
fore the American medal is the least
known and understood of the famous
military decorations. 1t might even
be said that it is the fewest in number.
Formerly it has only been awarded by
act of the President. Now this prece-
awarded directly by the commanding
general to person mortally wounded
or otherwise. although he must send
a recommendation by cable.
The medal of honor was first inst1-
tuted by act of Congress of March 3,
1863, to be presented to officers and
men of Army. Navy and Marine Corps
who have most distinguished them
selves in action. 1t was conferred by
the President in the name of Congress
to a man who in actual conflict with
the enemy had distinguished himself
conspicuously by gallantry at the RISK
of his life above and beyond the call
of duty The medal takes the form
of nve-pointed star and hangs from
a ribbon on which white stars cover
a field Of blue.
Such is the highest decoration of
honor to be gained from the American
government 1t is true that .ofhcers
and men wear other medals-the
Philippine campaign, the civil war, the
West Indies campaign, the Cuban paci-
fication, the Nicaraguan campaign and
the Mexican campaign-but these are
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24

little longer. but she is assured that in
time she will hear the buzz Of the pow
erful aeroplane motor and will know
they joy of quick mail service.
Extensive preparations for the ex-
pansion of aerial service after the war
have already been considered by the
department in the way of maps, pro-
posed airways. etc. Clubs and individ-
uals interested in aeronautics have
suggested innumerable air roads. Four
s,rways have been mapped and are
more widely known than others among
airmen of this country.
The first, known as the Woodrow
Wilson, runs from coast to coast. 1t
starts in New York and threads its way
to Cleveland, Toledo. Chicago and on
through other cities to its final goal.
San Francisco. The second great aerial
highway is called the Wright Broth
ers." 1t extends from Washington.
D C. to San Diego. Cal, and one or
two states through which it passes
have become aerially historic. An aero
plane leaving Washington over the
Wright Brothers" airway will shortly
find itself skimming over the beautiful
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24

The Post Office Department has on its
hies list of towns in different parts OF
the country that would profit very con-
~siderably could they secure the adj
vantage of aerial mail service. In ex-
aiming this material it was observed
that in mountainous districts many
long miles and much precious time
could be saved if mail could be trans
ported by aeroplane rather than by
train or, as in some cases, by the PRINT
tive stage. 1t was estimated that there
were cases where distance by aircraft
was but an eighth of the distance by
rail.
Naturally. the aerial route is urged by
those who have the interests of these
particular localities most at heart. There
are two busy towns in California
Shale and Santa Maria, that are of no
mean Importance as oil centers. These
towns are separated by range OF
mountains 1000 feet in height, and di-
rect communication by rail is out of the
question. At present the citizens of one
town are compelled to wait fifteen hours
Tor their mail to reach them from the
other town. The train that noisily puffs
its way between the towns covers 4i0
miles each trip. The immense advan-
tage to be gained by the introduction
or aerial mail service can easily be
imagined. BY aeroplane the distance
shrinks miraculously to nfty-two miles
and the time to but one hour
In Colorado the mining towns Of Sill
verton and Telluride are victims of
conditions. Mountains 1900 feet high
divide the towns. At present the train
that makes the 2oO-mile run cannot
be coaxed nor bullied into accomplish
ing it's journey in less than thirty-six
hours. Furthermore, there are stormy
weeks each winter that cut off entirely
all rail communication To establish
an air route would be solution. A
plane could scar over the mountains
from Silverton to Telluride in half an
hour. and the distance would be but
twenty miles.
Mr.. Praeger has been disappointed
because his plans for Alaska have so
far failed to materialize, though even
tually he feels confident that they will.
Some time ago things looked brightly
promising for that far land of mys-
terry and cold. Indeed, things went so
far that the Alaskan capitalist. who
had made a bid for the aerial service
contract, was given it. Mail was to
be dispatched regularly from Seward
to Iditeroud and through such towns
as kint, Sustina and McGrath. and in
time the route would lend itself to
expansion. The aerial trail embraced
some $50 miles and was to be .traversed
twice week at a cost of only 62.6
cents a mile. The Post Office Depart
ment estimated that there would be
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24
THIS TYPE AmP1ANE WILL BE USED TO CARRY MAI.

Van Cortlandt Park in New York city
and League Island Park. Philadelphia.
=
A return trip will be made daily and
on schedule time. 1t is not unlikely
that in a comparatively short time more
than one round trip day will be made.
Only frst-class mail will be carried and
at a higher rate Of postage. The exact
charge as yet has not been determined.
but it probably will be some amount
between 10 and "a cents per ounce.
There have been a number of in
stances in this country in which aerial
mail service has been tried out expert
mentally. Several years ago the Post
ONCE Department authorized as many
as sixty-nine aerial routes over which
mail was to be conveyed from certain
cities to their respective fair grounds.
In issuing these authorizations it was
stipulated that carriers were not to be
at the governments expense.
For one reason or another airpIanes
were in operation over but forty-seven
of the designated routes. In number
of cases no record was kept of either
the weight of the mail carried or the
number of pieces. However from the
reports which the department has been
able to obtain. one learns that the larg-
est number of pieces which at any time
passed over any given route was 43,247
The route. which at that time was
authorized. and which covered the
greatest distance, was from New YORK
to Los Angeles. going by the way OF
Chicago. Evidently the distance SEEM
ed too great to be attempted just then.
for the fight was never made. For
one week mail was carried between
Nassau boulevard: New York. and Mine
ola N Y. Fight different aviators
took turns in transporting the mail.
The speed records over the forty
seven routes actually in operation va
ried. The greatest speed attained was
twelve miles in ten minutes and forty
nve seconds, over the route between
the aviation fields and the fair grounds
at st. Louis in 1911. NAerial mail serv-
ice there was maintained only four
days. but during that time no fewer
than $4,000 letters and post cards we're
conveyed from one point to the other.
Only one death was reported over
any Of the routes. An aviator ventured
his first flight at the fair grounds at
to have carried mail to the post Office
at Birmingham. However, 1t SO hap
pened that he was not carrying any
mail. An accident occurred as the re-
suit Of which he lost his life.
During the latter part of 1915 Miss
Katherine Stinson, the first woman
aviator ever authorized to carry mail
Tor Uncle SAM. few from the temporary
post ONCE at the fair grounds near
Tucson. Arix., to. the town of Tucson,
where the post once Of the town took
charge OF her bag OF mail. She had.
previous to this time. convened mail
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24

ton. Many of the most serious surgical
patients are taken there.
Mrs. Ilsen points out that the sol-
diers are mentally depressed. They
feel done out" when their wounds are
serious and it is sometimes very hard
to make them want to get well and
live useful lives once again. Their
pensions serve to encourage them
in feeling that they have no need to
make anything out of themselves or
turn to some new occupation. As a
direct stimulus. music. she points, out.
not only serves to revive their hopes.
but also to arouse them and to indi-
rectly exert an economic influence
which cannot be underestimate.
Some time ago Mrs. nsen worked
among the mountaineers of Tennessee.
She says that this experience Illus
trated to her as nothing else possibly
could have the tremendous part which
music plays in human life. .---.
'I met an old mountaineer.'' she said.
who told. me that these people just
must have noise as he named it,
And what do you think they. would do
to get that noise? They went out into
their woods and cut down a tree: they
sawed il into five-foot lengths and laid
il way in the kiln or the smokehouse.
When it was dried out after few
months, the men who were sklted IN
carving would take one of these
lengths and fashion it into dulci-
mer. .ss
"But where do you get the strings@
was the question that l putto this old
mountaineer There's plenty of cats
around here was his droll reply. Which
meant that they went to the trouble
of killing the cats and getting the nee
essary catgut to make the strings.
Their instrument was crude TO be sure.
but it represented such an intense love
and craving for music that they were
willing to go to an immense amount OF
trouble to get the materials necessary
to manufacture an instrument that
would be capable of producing the
noise 70
This was a great lesson to me. I
believed then that music was a funda-
mental craving of the human soul and
that life could not get along without
it. Stop and think OF the development
of the babys senses. First there Ii
taste: it eats. Then there is touch; it
is warm or cold. Then there is sight'
it learns to know its mothers face.
Smell and hearing are developed last
of all When the baby responds to the
mothers grooming lullaby it, has estab-
lished a faculty which reaches into the
innermost part of it's being. - =
Florence Nightingale was allowed
to have music in the wards OF the hos
pitfalls she maintained in the Crimean
war. Nowadays the necessity has in no
whit decreas sd. Before they go to the
front, when they have such distressing
ailments as measles and when they
lie at life's low ebb after an encounter
with actual warfare. music should be
provided for their needs OF course thu
world has long since realized the value
of music to stir the soldier about To-
go into battle. But more than tbs
should be realized the value of mu61c
for the man who has como from battle
Its, power to soothe. to revive and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-24
Music Now Being Used to Heal Soldiers Wounded i'm Battle

people that a crying baby may be
soothed Immediately by the music of
the zylophone. There was a fretful
baby in the audience and 1 diverted
from the subject of my lecture and ask
l quoted the baby by scientific treat
ment. l put a zylophone record on a
phonograph at hand and the crowd
was amused at the instantaneous re-
Spouse it brought from the baby. AS