davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-27

weevil. The plant had developed a hardi-
hood to resist the pest after long years
OF cultivation in place where the weevil
was abundant
You see the Government brought
some of the bolls and seed here for free
distribution said the superintendent in
ending his talk. TO encourage American
planters to cultivate it. There isn't any
thing, yet known that will stop the
weevil. But we didn't try very hard. for
the average spread of the weevil would
not make IT reach here for six years yet,
but II is already here. You know the
from Guatemala here by migrating an
average of sixty miles year. 1t was in
Mexico when first notice was taken of It,
Then 1t spread into Texas and is gradu-
5tIf 5eit. spreading through the whole cotton
And you say it is already here?"
asked Dixie. Why, It seems to me that
the cotton. around here is pretty healthy"
Ihis right around here Is early cot
ton, reJoined the superintendent, "and
was pretty we'll developed 1t is the buds
that suffer from the weevil. Once the
weeVil has drilled into a bud that bud
the later cotton which will be affected
ms year, and next year all of it. If
plans go through, however. / won't have
70 worry about next year. but | am
ouy now that the weevil has already
come"
You were thinking Of selling?" asked
Dixie interested in drawing the young
man out in hopes that some clue might
be uncovered in regard to the boil from
thousands of miles away.
Well not exactly selling" explained
the superintendent, Colonel Moulton's
syndicate was going to guarantee us
our average income for the last five
years for the next fifteen years. They
intended to take the whole area here and
encircle IT with half mile strip Of land
from which all vegetation had been erad-
lcated: You see, 1t has been estimated
that the greatest distance that the indi-
vidual boil weevil travels Is a quarter
hatched ones travel a quarter of a mile
and new eggs are laid. This is the
theory of its migration. Well, Colonel
Moulton figured that the half-mile strip
would keep them out, and that after the
whole belt had been infected his syndi-
cate would make a small fortune by
having good cotton and large Yield.
It's pretty popular plan with the plant
ers around here. for we will all be satis-
fled with the same income for fifteen
years to come that We have averaged for
the last five years and let some one else
have the worry"
Didn't Colonel Mouton make any ex-
animation of your fields2" asked Dixie.
Not himself" was the answer but
while he was talking a Mexican expert
he had with him visited every one of my
fields and gathered sample boils in
large pastebpard box he carried. But
the boil weetil hadn't appeared at that,
time. ! hrst noticed II about fve days
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-27

cret Service badge, land don't let that
man escape"
The sight of the small automatic she
held in her hand held the spy stationary
in his tracks until other workers realized
that he was the man to which me littie
Secret Service operative had referred.
Then they seized him, and at the touch
of the captors' hands, the miscreant
threw himself into a desperate struggle.
which suddenly ceased with yells of
anguish from him. Extra cylinders of
acid, which he carried in his coat pocket,
had been broken in the struggle and the
acid was soaring his flesh.
Leaving IL to others to relieve his suf-
fering. Dixie thrust her hand into the
center of the cotton which had already
been placed in the compress. tew sec
onds of cropping, and her hand reap
peared ClutChng a glass lube filled with
a cloudy white liquid Taking out the
cork gingcrly, she placed a few drops on
IA handful of cotton In a moment the
fiber was eaten away, and nothing re-
NAMED but a damp bunch of waStage.
Dixie demonstrated the extraordinary
carrying quality of the acid by placing
the damp wasIagc in the centre of pile
of unspoied cotton. In few moments
the whole mass had been eaten away
until nothing but wastage remained.
While the spy was being taken to the
county Jail, Dixie whirled away TO the
nearest telegraph station. in the automo-
bile of the superintendent of the COM
the offices of the Secret Service in every
southern city. telling them of her discov.
cry, and advising a simultaneous raid
on each compressor in the cotton tlelds
This work completed. she returned to the
open air to be confronted by the young
Superintendent of the compress. who had
driven her to the telegraph station.
Il don't want to bother you, Miss,
he said. but | have got something mere
that has caused me considerable wonder
ing. and | thought it probable that you,
being used to puzzles and such likes
could explain 1t right Off.
Dixie examined Curiously the object
he had taken from his pocket and hand
ed to her while he was speaking. The
object appeared to her TO be part OF
cotton boil similar to thousands CT others
she had seen in such abundance since
her arrival in the cotton belt.
"I don't see anything puzzling about
this" she said There must be million
of these in sight from here
"Not that kind. am said the su-
perintendent THAT is Guatemala cot
ton, and its been mighty puzzling to me
as to how that boil came to be In the
lower field of my plantation l know
for fact that there hasn't been any of
that in this section for nigh on to five
years. | kinder wish now that the weevil
has found my fields that | had made
greater effort to cultivate that"
In response tC
DiXie's question the
Guatemala Cotton superintendent en-
Not Affected by plained that Guate-
Boil Weevil mala cotton was
the only known
fiber that was i'm
pervious 10 ravages of the boil weevil.
1t was discovered under cultivation by
Indians in a certain part of Guatemala
by Q. F. Cook. of the United States De-
a special study of enemies of the bell
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-27

Shifting their blows to the southern
and Rheims, the French have struck
the German line north of Port-a-
Binson, which lies on the south side
of the Marine and about mile south
of the village of Chatillon. 1t is
officially reported from Paris that
the French lines were advanced at
that point.
Further east on the Champagne
sector the troops of General Gouraud
by local operation south of Mon
tagne Sans Nom (mountain without
a name), have pressed forward over
half a mile along front of almost
two miles.
The advance east of Rheims was
seemingly for the purpose of restor-
ing the Allied line in that section
of the battlefront.
Secondary Pocket
The attack at Port-a- -Binson, how
ever had another object. German
troops We're reported early in the
week at MarfauN and Pourcy, north
east of ChatillOn and south of the
western spurs of Rheims mountain.
A considerable success near Chatil-
lon would put them in a pocket with
in the larger pocket and tend to force
their withdrawal to new lines fur
ther back toward the middle of the
German salient
West Of ,Port-a- -Binson the Ger
mans hold the north bank of the
Marne for considerable distance and
the French apparently have struck
AT the angle between the German line
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-27
BY the Associated Press

Amsterdam, July 27.-A dispatch to
the Cologne Volks Zeitung, a copy of
which has been received here. says the
monarchists' conference held at Kiev
was attended by many leaders from
throughout Russia. A majority of those
present desired the formation of an alb
solute monarchy or military dictator
ship in Russia.
out of consideration for the opposi-
tion, namely, the Octobrists and Ma
tionalists, who advocated a constitutional
monarchy, the congress passed a resolu-
tion demanding a form of government
for Great Russian like that before the
February revolution. The congress then
adjourned.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-27

half an hour the dock was buzzing with
the efforts OF scores OF workers, each
searching bales of acid-destroyed cot
ton for traces of a little glass cylinder
similar to the one which Grant had
found in the first.
Glass was found in more than a hun
dred bales examined before Grant or
dered the search stopped for the night
He told the cotton broker however, to
have a guard placed around those which
had not yet been examined and then
telephoned to the Criminology Club and
arranged for members to come TO the
dock the next day to supervise the
searching OF the rest of the shipment
Then, with the aid Of list of members
work Of checking on all shipments. of
cotton which had been received in New
York recently The losses were not as
great as he had feared, but the reports
Just started recently, for shipments up
70 ten days previous had been free Of
any destroyed bales, while shipments
after that time had steadily increased
fected by the acid.
The drab murkiness of the night was
giving way before the first filtered light
of the new day when Grant left the Of
fee of the broker 20 catch an owl troll
ley. no taXicab being in sight in the
night ht-deserted neighborhood OF the
warehouses, and ride to the Criminology
Club. There he sat in his private office
his discoveries, a warning to be sent to
each cotton shipping center and then
lengthy dispatch to Dixie Mason be-
fore he sought his bed for well-earned
sleep
The message was delivered to Dixie
while she was at breakfast In the dining
car Of the train which was carrying her
rapidly toward the cotton belt.
Good old Grant" she murmured.
Trust him to find traces of crookedness
no matter how adroitly they are con-
cealed. 1t seems as If my work is sim
ply to seek the first compressing station
of any size and watch. Then If | can
discover the way In which 1t is being
done a general raid can be conducted"
Following out this idea she consulted
with the conductor of the train as to the
first compressing station which would
be reached with
the result that late
that night she
Dixie Gets Her changed trains and
Man Red-handed the next morning
found her In the
midst of the north
ern part of the cotton belt. AS soon as
the compressing started Dixie was sur
prised with the ease in which she dis
covered the man who was doing Imperial
Germany's despicable work at that par
ticular compressor, AS the cotton went
into the compress two men stood nearby
guiding II. She noticed that one Of
them was Stacking on his work and as
the compress was about half-filled she
saw him reach into his coat pocket.
hastily witt l5raw his hand and thrust it
stop" SFisd Dixie. showing her g.
IT.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-27


London, July 81.
The Provisional Government at Omsk
has assumed supreme authority in
Siberia and proclaimed Siberia's indie
pendence, according to a Reuter- dispatch
from Pekin under date of Tuesday.
The Provisional Government has an
nulled all Bolshevik DEGREES and re-es-
tablished the Siberian Duma. Approval
of these actions has been requested Of
the NladivOStok Government
telegram received in Peking from
Omsk says that in view of the co-opera-
tlon of the CZecho- -Slovaks. and owing
10 the numerous war prisoners in the
BolSheNlk ranks, and also the opposition
OF conservative quarters and commercial
and industrial classes who are under
mining the position of the Siberian Gov
ernment in the eyes of the population.
the commissioners of the provisional ST.
berian Government have decided to as
sumo supreme authority in Siberia.
This authority. it is added rests in
the council of ministers. constituted at
Omsk, pending the arrival of all the
members. All the sovets have been or
dered closed and decrees have been is
sued restoring the land to the owners,
pending a solution of the agrarian ques-
ton by a constituent assembly.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-27
GERMANS LEARNING
AMERICANS ARE ON JOB
Col. Caedk Says Foch Was
Only Able to Succeed
Through Their Help
Special Gable to Evening Public Ledger
Copyright, 1918. by Nctc Yorl; Times Co.
The Hague, July 27

Special Gable to Evening Public Ledger
Copyright, 1918. bv Nctc Yori; Times Co.
The Hague. July e7.
Colonel Richard Gaedk. writing in
Vorwaerts on Foch's big flank attack,
argues that it was successful only in the
beginning All the papers emphasize
the idea that the German attack was
known to the Entente weeks before it
began. but that Foch was able to sue
ceed only because Americas help had
begun to work gradually.
"a year and a half after Americas
declaration of war they were able to
throw 100000 trained soldiers into the
battle" says Gaedk. Freight space
and measures of security sufliced to
transport them continuously over the
ocean. Then their training was COM
pleted in Frances camps, with the help
of French instructors, according to mod
ern warfare. Other brigades We're sent
to help the English divisions and to fill
up gaps. and Italians also were called
to the west front. So Foch succeeded
in massing considerable troops near
Paris"
The paper declares that these troops
We're thus ready to defend Paris or be
sent to Flanders. Amiens. scissors or
Chateau-Thierry. and that in the mid
die section of the front southwest Of
Rheims and south of the Marne there
were enough French, American and Ital-
ian forces not only to repulse the Ger
man push. but to make a decisive at
tack Gaedk insists that the attack
must he viewed as whole frontal
movement in order to gain freedom and
initiative. Fochs attack. he says. which
was carried on with tremendous fury,
was not without success in the begin
ming. but that the force of the storm
was broken on the third day, because,
in spite of American help, Foch had
not enough troops to continue with the
same force on the fourth day.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-27
76 FOE FLIERS TOLL
OF ALLIES IN WEEK
Fifteen Others Sent Down Out
of Control-Many Bomb
ing Raids
Special Cable to Evening Public Ledger

Special Cable to Epening Public Ledger
Copyrioht. 1918. bv Netp York Times co.
London. July 81.
Despite frequently unfavorable wea-
ther conditions. the present week has
seen no dminution of aerial activity on
the western front. T. The intensity of the
air-fghting is shown by the fact that
seventy-six enemy machines have been
brought down by the British alone and
fifteen driven down out of control, while
ffty-one British machines were reported
missing in the same period.
More than 154 tons of bombs have
been dropped on points within the Ger
man lines
Another feature of the week has been
the large number of bombing raids made
by the British-American-Fre inde-
pendent force in German territory.
Whether judged by the number of towns
visited, the tonnage of bombs dropped.
the distance covered or the material
damage caused. the weeks work con-
stitutes one of the heaviest records of
long-distance bombing of the war.
Twenty-Five separate raids have been
made. Among the military objectives
attacked We're the railway station and
sidngs at Thonville, four times; the
famous poison gas factory at Mann
helm, twice; the Benz Works, LanZ
Chemical Works and Gebruder Guilini
munition factory at Mannheim. the
works and blast furnaces at Burbach.
the railways and factories at Offenburg,
twice; the railway station at Heidel-
berg. the powder factories at Rotteweil
and Oberndorf. the furnaces at Wad-
gassen and HaeOndange and the air
dromes at Boulay. Dieuze and Nor
hange.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-27
grn'nn Agents, Banished From the Country, Return
q to PreUent Allies From Getting Supplies From
America and Scatter Mexican Pest in Southern
Fields by Unscrupulous Means
Novezed by COOPER from FACTS furnished bv
WILLIAM J. FLYNN

EQNNT upon discovering evidence Of
4 ohe other crime as a means of
Heinrich Won Lertz to the bar OF
st'ce to expiate in part his flendish
lassAck upon the children of America by
tne scattering CT infantile paralysis
~. sesms e. Dixie Mason fairly haunted the
fhs AL, mere was scarcely a moment of
NJ. and there was very little that he
'utu ABOUT which she did not learn in
cxne way or other. A casual call at his
S, 0ce ana then an alleged misplaced
siove or purse. would give her an op-
portunity of glancing through the eX-
RSsed papers On desks and tables in the
yGice. Won Lertz as stupid and egotis-
k.cel as ever, put down her frequent
appearances at the office and her evil
cent desire for his company as proof of
tne fascination he felt he had for won-
eI He regarded Dixie as another CON
Xuest, ana as long as it served her ends
willing to let him have that opinion
y 1t was not many weeks before Dixie
became certain that another plot on the
part OF Imperial Germany against Amer
S4a lea was in the
planning or already
in progress. Numer-
evidence Of New Gus kilograms and
Oerman Piot mail messages be-
gan to arrive at
of Franz Won Papen, where Won Iertz
ana Wolf Won Igel made their head
quarters, all from one city in Mexico
numerous answers We're sent and
great number of messages to southern
cities in the United States were dis
patched from the New York office.
Dixie. acquainted with the great part
messages played In any German planned
plot, became uneasy because of her in
ability to learn the subject matter of
the messages She many them.
but they were all evidently in specially
prearranged code and she had no op-
portunity of copying any of them ver-
oatim as basis for work on the part of
the Secret Service experts in discover
ing the key by which they could be dis
ciphered.
II am going South" she said enc day
to Harrison Grant during one of their
numerous meetings for the purpose of
Il haven't much to guide
me after | get there. but I am satisfied
Of one thing-that whatever the new
plan OF Germany the center of activity
Will be somewhere below the Mason and
Dixon line. / am half inclined tC be-
lieve that it is another attack upon the
Ootton industry, but what form it will
take this time is beyond me-
1T would seem as if they had done
about all that was possible in connection
With COTTON" commented Grant. After
hey failed in their attempt to import
Ill they needed through neutral coun-
Eries they tried to- corner the entire out
put here by depressing the price through
.Alse reports on the cotton exchange.
rhe only result of that was the near
ruin of many small growers"
"Yes, and then German agents almost
10 make a request to have cotton taken
~ the contraband lists through the
sympathy aroused for the poor southern
Dotton grower by the 'Buy-a-Ba.e-of-
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-27

And included in the messages which
Dixie Mason had sent to Grant was q
personal one which read:
Have suspicious as to identity OF
plotters in Mexico. which | will tell you
when ! arrive in New York"
And the result of that message was
that Grant met the train which carried
the little Secret Service oDerative back
from the South. After dinner she re-
lated in detail her experiences and then
said: '7aa
"Thc MeyAean never heard the names
of the two captains. but from his de-
scriptionS | have come to the conclusion
that Won Papen and Boy-Ed are again
on American soil and that it was Boy
Ed who acted as Colonel Moulton. Moth
ing came of the alarm sent out for him,
and with him still at large and Won
Papen on this side to help. we can expect
more trouble at any time"
You are right. Dixie" responded
Grant. IF your SurmiSe is correct, ii Is
safe gamble that even now they are
talking of some other nGfarious scheme
against America"
Grant found out later how prophetic
his words We're. for AT that very moment
Won PapCn and Boy-Ed. in Mexico were
to enter the United States secretly by
different routes.
II will &c. direct to san Francisco and
look after bail for Won Ropp and the
ptntIS- Sdlu bOS-lsu. Later | VIII go
to Newport and there join with the
greatest weapon Imperial Germany has
ever used against America. the weapon
which. should have been employed long
since.
And II" asked Won Papen. once the
leader but now the follower of the
more crafty former naval attache of the
German embassy at Washington.
you go direct to Maine. there to
gather the supplies necessary that the
new weapon may be effective for many
weeks"
Next saturdays erisodr--No. I6-Thc
attempts of German agents to build N u
boat base within II half hours t-ip of
New York. The visit Of the U-53 and tho
escape OF Karl Boy-Ed from America
after his month of plotting in disguise
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-27

Cotton movement" said Dixie. "It is
evident that Germany Is badly pressed
tor cotton, but | cannot think of any
ceasible plan by which agents here could
age eSes 70 get any past the DF'''S" ''o'N,
.Neither can l." rejoined Grant, but
there Is this to remember. If there was
no cotton forthcoming from this coun.
try the Allies would be as badly on
through lack of it as is Germany. II
Germany could conceive any plan FOR
stopping the shipping, OF cotton from
here she would do So"
walt a minute" interrupted Dixie
excitedly. "Do you know Of any way. IN
. which 1t would be possible 70 destroy the
are suspicious. All the messages WHICH
Won Lertz or Won Igel have sent, aside
from those to Mexico, have gone 70 m
portant growing or shipping centers t'r
the cotton industry"
sT believe you have hit 1t. Dixie" de-
olared Grant "Only this morning there
are dispatches published from New Or
leans that the boil weevtl. the deadllest
!, enemy there is to growing cotton, mas
4 made Its appearance in various isolated
b ri6Acfions. III German agents are engaged
y q scattering this little insect through
4 hut the South ii is time we knew i, for
!; would mean the destruction of TINS
5Year's crop which has not as yet been
harvested.
y 5s.I start for the South tonight" was
/ fDixie's answer. Why don't you come
aJso2"
J ~ ssFf may develop that / may be OF
{rTeater use right here In New YORK
6nid Grant
Il sWeil, the best Of luck to YOU" said
s111xie. II will have to hurry to make
Z - night train as II is.
"a '41fav YOU have your usual success"
1rered Grant. Il will keep my eyes
<r35n here and If anything turns up
k1ch may be Of aid to you | VIII send
.<.115Ss,fss heart -prompted desire for the
joty OF the little Secret Service opera
~ tempted him to invite her to remain
E''~57 1 downtown for din
ner. He felt. how
f4.i <spaut Makes an ever. that her devo-
M - - portant ton to duty would
Y 0lseoyery cause her to refuse,
~ and rather than risk
this he contented
Z r~oif by holding her hand a trifie
52oP than was necessary In bidding
7Snod-by after escorting her 70 a
~. After watching the machine In
she rode until Il had disappeared
3n traffic, he suddenly realized that
~ alone on Fifth avenue with no
Tor the remainder of the after
~ evening. moment of thought
"a him to begin at once In ac-
Sfing himself with the cotton con-
~ In the harbor So calling an
nObife he had himself driven to
4 <aPko storehouses which held the
6h1Dmfnts from the South await
- - carry II across to Engls.nd.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-27
HELFFERICH OFF FOR RUSSIA
New German Minister Takes Bat:
talon of Soldiers With Him
By the 4xsociofeJ pros.

London. July 27-DoctoT Helfferich
the newly appointed German ambas.
sador to Russia, started for Moscow
Friday, according to an Exchange, TeIe-
graph dispatch from Amsterdam. On
the same train went a battalion of Ger
man soldiers.
Doctor Helfferich, former Vice Chan
ceHor, takes the place of Count Won Mir
bach, who was assassnated in Moscow
early In July.