davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26
DON'T MAKE THE SAME MIS-
TAKE TWICE

THERE seems TO be difference OF
= opinion in Washington whether the
President or Congress should fix prices
for wheat The President says that 1920
bushel Is proper minimum price. The
Senate is considering $3.50. II is esti-
mated that the difference of thirty cents
bushel means difference of $400,-
100000 in the amount which the consum-
ers will have to pay for flour this year.
This is a considerable sum, regarded
from the financial point Of view. But
the real problem to be solved is the way
to secure the production of enough wheat
to supply us and our allies. The money
saving part Of it is incidental. II is pos
sible to figure out the saving of billions
with the price of wheat fixed at 81. But
dollar wheat on paper and none in the
market would feed no one. The con-
sumer is ready to pay whatever price is
necessary to get wheat, just as last win
ter he was willing to pay any price in
order to get COAL
The coal price-fxing experiment was
not successful enough to encourage the
public to have much confidence in any
Government price-fxing. We were told
in the summer that the Government
would see to it that there was coal
enough for every one and that it would
be available at price lower than that
which prevailed in August But there
was neither enough coal nor low prices.
Somebody blundered, and it is pretty well
known who it was.
An attempt was made to encourage
production by disregarding the we'll
known economic laws. The veriest tyro
in political economy knows that the way
to increase production is to increase the
price offered. If the Government had
kept its hands off coal prices and had
allowed the ordinary law of supply and
demand to work with freedom as to
prices there would have been coal enough.
1t might have cost more than the house
holders had to pay last winter, but they
would have had the coal
No one knows today whether $3.50 or
$3.50 is proper minimum price for
wheat next fall. 1t is impossible for any
one to find out in advance what is the
exactly fair price, for no one can tell
what the crop will be and no one can
know what the cost of harvesting it will
be. We do not know how many farm
| laborers will be available for work in the
| fields four or five months from now, nor
what wages they will demand-and can
| get.
If price-fxing is to accomplish what
| is hoped for it regulation of prices cam
not stop with the wheat crop. 1t must
extend to farm labor and fertilizers as
well, or the farmers will find themselves
| hampered and CONSTRUCTED, as the rail-
roads have been under policy of Gov
ernment regulation of freight rates,
restricting income, followed by popular
demand for increase of wages, increasing
outgo. We assume that the men in
Washington do not wish to bring any
such catastrophe to pass. To avoid it
they will doubtless profit by the mistakes
made in dealing with coal. At any rate,
the people who must eat wheat hope they
will do so.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26
Life in Texas

To the Editor Of the Evening Public Ledger:
sIr-I have Just been reading in the Bryan
Eagle an "interestin' and entertainin'" ac-
count of the days doins" at the "Sapp
trial" The case has been brought TO Bryan
from Beaumont by change OF venue and is
a CHASTITY affair.
II appears that Sapp married an old
woman for her money. took her on hunt
ing party and arranged to have her shot by
an obliging friend, as though 1t was an ac-
cident This was accomplished but the friend
took to drinking heavily (getting timber
drunk and talking Of the episode. There
was another man who knew too much." 80
the sapp brothers one fine day got both these
parties fairly climber" and took them out
to nice cool woods and shot them "ali to
pieces"
The whole business took place three years
ago and they have been trying the case all
over Texas. the Sapps having spent most
OF the time In the 'jail house" Incidentally.
a frank outsider trmped In and attached the
bank account Of the brothers. and ther6's
mo tsllin' how It will all end. The town
Is full OF picturesque looking people. an enor-
nous amount Of tobacco IL being chewed.
small rivers OF spit are being spat. ''six-
shooters'' are being creased. knives honed
and the town undertaker - leaning up
agsinst his doorjamb ready for any smsr-
~ 1sysa esntinc,.t q drsftea ';n,s-
issss sss; n X ;s'' 's'''
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26
ENTER THE TANKLET

A N AFFECTIONATE regard for diminu-
4 \ tive things is a common human trait
and 1t is for this reason that Henry Ford's
proposal to fling 10000 small tanks on the
western battle lines within three months
will have a general interest and an ap-
peal altogether aside from the potential
value of the imagined fighting machines
The soldier in the new Ford tank would
be a lonely warrior. He would have only
a mechanician for company. There would
be room only for the gunner and the man
at the lea ers. The inventor would send
his tanks forward in shoals-in a culmi-
mating charge to finish the war.
Mr.. Ford is an original-minded man. His
high faith in little things is but another
proof of an incurable goodness of heart.
He may yet show that he Is cleverer at
making war than at making peace. 1t is
important that he has learned what many
less sincere pacifists have failed to learn
that peace must be fought for if the
world wishes to enjoy it. Everybody ought
to wish him luck with his tanklets Who
knows that he may not yet help to get
the boys out of the trenches by Christmas?
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26
HOW FAR
CAN A GUN SHOOT?

TN SPITE of the apparently authentic re-
i ports that the Germans are bombarding
Paris with a gun seventy-two miles away,
no one believes It, Military experts here are like
the lawyer who told his client that he could
not be imprisoned for the offense with which
he was charged. But l am In prison. re-
torted the client.
The reports say the shells are falling in
Paris and that there is no German gun
nearer than seventy-two miles. And there
you are.
Until this still Incredible achievement was
reported no gun had sent shell further
than twenty-five miles. This happened
when the Germans bombarded Dunkirk
about a year ago. Investigation showed
that this achievement was accomplished by
naval guns with an ordinary range of ten
or fifteen miles. A German artillery expert
suggested that the elevation of the gun be in
creased In order to increase the range of the
weapon. When his theory was put to the
test it was found to work. with the result
that made Dunkirk famous. The gun car
riages in all the coast defense works of
America were Immediately remade In order to
permit an increase in elevation of the Amer
lean cannon
The naval gun has been perfected in re-
cent years so that II has a longer range than
any other military weapon. In the battles in
the South Seas between the British fleet and
the German raiders the firing began when
the ships were ten miles apart, and at no
time did they get within three miles of one
another
The artillery used by armies in the past
has been portable and. consequently, less
powerful than the guns in fixed positions on
ships or In coast fortresses. In the Italian
war of 1859 the Austrian smooth-bore can
non had range of 1850 yards and the
French rlhed guns would send a shell $500
wards In our own Civil War the range of
the ordnance department three-inch guns
was $500 yards, and the gun known the
Napoleon had a range OF 1900 yards The
Germans made improvements In their artil-
lery, profiting by the experiments of other
nations, so that in the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870 they had gun ready for use that
would send a shell $500 yards or little
more than two miles. This Is seventy miles
| less than the alleged range of the latest gun
| in the woods of Gobain.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26
Where Policing Falls Down
TO the Editor Of the Evening Public Ledger:

~ tHo EutuoT oy INC evening f,uOtC Leugef.
Sir-The city of Philadelphia will never
be properly policed under the present plan
and in a few lines desire to show you why
My arguments will be from personal OBJ
servation.
Philadelphia has hundreds of undesirable
loafers. The patromen on every beat know
that. These officers Of the law see on every
trick" they work some minor offenses, which
should result in an arrest for the future bet
terment of the city even though the arrest
should only go as far as the police station.
This is especially true on the men who
work from to ~ or 12 to 8, the afternoon
and night tricks" Now, sir, It is the truth
that these men, paid by the city, do pass up
men who would be far better behind bars,
but they know that through the present
system of Magistrate hearings 1t means that
they lose from two to four hours from
their rest time II they make the arrest, and
no plan Is made to return the time lost to
the men, Magistrates don't get to the police
stations at the time the night men arrive
from their tour Of duty and the men will not
make arrests when they know 1t will mean
a four-hour walt at the station house In the
morning.
1t certainly is a shame that a plan could
not be made possible whereby the house SER
geant could take an AFFIDAVIT In minor cases
from the man making the arrest. SO that the
patrolman could get home after his time on
the street is served. If technicalities arise
at the fearing further hearing, at time
when the officers sleep is over. could be
arranged.
Philadelphia would be cleaned up II the
men didn't have to spend much time wait
ing for the morning hearings. I have studied
the situation and these are the complaints Of
the men, CLEAN CITY.
Philadelphia. March 23.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26
WHAT BECOMES OF THE WATER?

vNTATER is pumped into the mains at
w the rate of 200 gallons a day for
every man, woman and child in the city.
This means that about 1000 gallons are
pumped for every family. Experts admit
that $50 gallons. or fifty gallons per cap
ita, is about all that an average family
can use.
What becomes of the other $50 gallons?
After a generous allowance for the use
of water l.. industry there is an enormous
amount still unaccounted for. Mr.. Davis,
chief OF the Bureau of Water says that
pumping water into the mains is like
pumping it into a sieve. The holes are
the 2.500.00O spigots in the houses. hotels
and office buildings and factories. 1t is
notorious that tens of thousands OF these
.spigots leak. There is constant dribble
through them either because they are worn
out OF because the washers need replacing.
The obvious and imperative remedy is
an inspection OF plumbing and the repair
OF the defective spigots. There is water
enough II 1t is not wasted.
The fact that more than thirty barrels
for each family are pumped daily into the
ms.ins leaves no other conclusion possible
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26
THE DECIDING BATTLE

Mo ACTION is complete or decisive in
q military sense until the reaction has
developed to its elimination. The British
have not yet attempted the great counter
attacks which must ensue on the western
front before the greatest military effort
Of all times reaches crisis. Inapproprl.
that Haig is playing a waiting game-as
any fighter must do who opposes great
odds and waits his opportunity.
1t Is apparent on tho other hand that
the Germans must win and win quickly
or lose in disastrous climax. The awful
record Of the fighting shows with definite
ness what the Kaiser has been unwilling
70 admit, that this is the deciding action,
the final toss of the cards. 1t is incon-
ceivable that the generals and the princes
ana Wilhelm himself can ever return in
safety over roads clogged with the bodies
Of men whom they spilled into the fire
like water and find a patient nation walt
ing them In the rear.
The British have lost ground and saved
men. The Germans have followed the
reverse process. Haig's force is still in.
tact; his line sways but it is unbrozen.
Ino nlupcuuOuS Ddtllc, WHlCl appear .
every moment to be at its climax, may de-
velop for days as the commands plot sue
cessive actions upon the nature Of the
terrain or the natural advantages or dis
advantages Of the general situation. But
the chances are all with the Allied forces
until the eliminating counter-attacks have
been launched. Haig's army apparently
Is not ready for that move.
No development Of the British forces
IS possible until the lines are broken. The
AYied armies may fall back to Paris and
beyond and yet be undefeated. They will
betundefeated until they are driven into
the sea Like the gun that shelled Paris,
the present movement is great adver-
I tisement for the Kaiser. 1t may be little
\ more. 1t may be the most disastrous ex-
I pertinent of the Kaiser's reign. The new
q Elm is sure to be put out Of business by
! sifcraft- Other guns like 1t are similarly
destined. But the German generals cam
not lose and go home.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26
s A Hymn of Hope

Now no boasting and no pride.
Nor no hatred, shall suffice:
All the millions who have died
Call us to our sacrifice.
That the weld. through breadth and
length,
May be free. God give us strength.
Through three hundred checkered years
We have loved our western stars:
Liberty. In smiles and tears.
known in all her avatars.
She has blessed us; now we bleed
For the splendor of her creed.
Brother men. the planet shakes:
Old, old dreams may yet come trIs--
Out Of anguish glory breaks.
Carry on. and see 1t through!
Burst at last these iron gives.
Set men free to live their lIves
Brother men. It is not long!
Pass the word. and speed the day;
With the swiftness Of song
Kings and empires pass away.
That the world. through breadth ana
May b nee, God stvs " strength.
cHRxyp oPz1l7n 11F>gx.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26
GETTING TOGETHER FOR
RETIREMENT

TTNHE Public Service Commission has JUS
titled the confidence of the people when
they complained to 1t of the inadequate
service rendered by the local rapid transit
company.
Its order calls for the relief which the
people demanded. Cars must stop for pas
sengers at the street corners, even if the
motormen are behind time and are trying
to get in the desired number of trips in a
day. The primary purpose of the street
cars is to CARRY the people to and from
business and not to give employment at a
fixed wage to motormen and conductors.
The increase in the number of cars
for years. The new line in Fifty.sixth
street has been demanded by West Phila-
delphia business men so long that they had
begun to lose patience with the inactivity
of the authorities. The orders and recon-.
mendations of the Commission will crafty
inadequacy of the present service.
More heartening, however, than the spe-
cifc orders of the Public Service Commits
sion is the evidence afforded by the hear
ings and by the attitude of the city and the
rapid transit company that there is here
after to be cooperation between the men
who control the street-car system here
and the authorities in the City Hall to the
end that the transit problems may be
solved quickly without waste of energy in
futile fighting over details.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26
NEVER TOO LATE FOR LOYALTY!

lTyHE Wisconsin Loyalty League. which
n attempted yesterday to persuade Joseph
y. Davies and Irwin L. Lenroot to agree
tolpooi their issues in the senatorial con-
te4 In order that there might be no doubt
Of the election of a genuine American Sem
ator. reports that it has failed, as It began
too late.
It is never too late for loyalty. II two
army divisions In front of the enemy
wasted their strength fighting each other
their officers would be summoned to face
. firing squad In front Of a wall at dawn.
Tho nation expects the loyalists of Wis
lconsin to get together at once and to
present q united front to the La Toilette
9<aiserism gang and administer to it such
q defeat that there will be no chance for
fejpicing In Berlin.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26

(this is the gals name) got Paffesser Smiths
wife to read for her. Ishero Duncan CHATS
our janitor) told me that he's satisfied"
that now that them niggahs is ovah there
dain gwine be long befo' this d wah is
ovah; cause eff they wuz to put about two
hunded in the front row and about two
hunded moh back o. them. an then let them
white boys come along in .behlne them. them
d Germans wouldn't want no moh fight
In" He's about hundred years old and
Is always complaining because his wife won't
let hin, 60 to the war! G. A. G.
College Station. Tex, March 21.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26

mistic citizens as the rising tumult en- the
western front.
1t is not so long ago that the city sought
to have priority orders issued for steel
for the Frankford elevated. The subway
work on new lines has already been in
definitely postponed because of war condi-
tions. A great deal Of work is yet to be
done at the Byberry extensions of the
Philadelphia Almshouse. 1t is said that
the Government feels the necessity now
of conserving for war purposes every avail
able bit of energy and material Such a
policy is, Of course. dictated by intimate
knowledge and a pressing sense Of actual
needs and conditions.
II dwellers near Hog Island can help the
Government by finding homes elsewhere
they should do so and the city should help
them to avoid incidental difficulties or con-
fusion. II the city can help in the general
crisis by letting every public work wait SO
that labor and material may be used else
where, then every pick and shovel and
hammer not essential to the preservation
of existing municipal property should be
freed to help win the war. There should
be no disputes. Everybody should be will
ing to do all that the Government asks
and, when It is possible, bit more.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26
Mr.. BAKERS BAPTISM OF FIRE

Is necessarily rather re-
~ mote from the war, and perhaps it is
.{6rtunate that the Secretary of War should
happen to be across the water during the
great Hun drive. With the vibration of
that terrific onslaught shaking the air and
soil Of Europe. Mr.. Baker will gain
sense Of the urgency and crisis of the
,struggle that no man can get over here.
After his conference with French and
British officials and after what he has
seen of war-stained France, we may be
|conhdent that the Secretary will return
home with messages of vital Importance
'en6 With . keen and inspiring sense Of
Enoorncss TO the firing line.
~ truth, this Is no time for complacency.
|I( ~ have done big things in the last
1ar, now y the time to do bigger. And
|5ore Re have failed we can make hayse
fHpqt the failures and press on to the
~ of our high calling. which is to meet
GvormAteh the enemy al his own game.
-
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26

Scott or fight is the latest Ware uiti-
matum to Penrose. The rest of the State
cannot be persuaded that this is a choice
between two evils.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26
|1komE-MADE GERMAN DYES

according 70 German formula are
5& 10 b made in wilmington and
Chemists have been at work for
>G<hs experimenting with the formu-
y ~ patents taken out In this coun-
n ypa11s end they have discovered
e an~4htnations to produce he
Y. n - mieht caa-
G|f4r ~ Wal. yoG'- 80. 80
ake yourseiyes ri fast may
~ ,ss ssrrylt q the success
Il S9r term American chemists
re- e9 ulns and the black
okl)dren Win not turn
= ~ wqan. Hut Amer
y coofinre their work
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26

The kick Of the Ger
Administered From man seventy-two-mile
the Rear gun that has been
shelling Paris must be
tremendous. indeed. Yet 1t is nothing to the
kick that will hurry the Kaiser ultimately
into oblivion.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26

The Department of
A Rope Might Serve Justice is a little late
with promises to
tighten It's grip on suspected Germans.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26

What is needed just now to supplement
the Federal raid on bootleggers is a similar
campaign against leg-pullers
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26

One q reminded these days Of Chauncey
Depews famous remark that platform is
made to get In on and not to stand on.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26

Tho Germans have had so much expert
ence with long-range lying that the reports
about the new gun suggest that they have
been trying to apply their propaganda meth,
DDS to balistics
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26

Prince Henry of Reuss has been killed
in action, but all the Kaiserlings are still
alive.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26

Bring the boys homo
Campaigners Arc to a dry Pennsylva-
Doing Their Best mia! declaims j.
Denny O'Neil. Recent
political orations have been dry in mose
ways than one.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26

The German admiral
Too Much Ballast who was lost on
mined transport in the
Baltic went down, of course, because he was
wearing all his decorations.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26

No, Angelina. there is no anthropological
connotation In the term prlmate.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26

' The Womens A3n1
II Il OesA fsr NE Army being orgen''z
Cenpisxisn, Iee 70 do farm xos
10 I' Psunsylvanta w1u
: Z '|;|||'Il '' I a n
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-26

: I
The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-06-28

A manager of a large dairy COM
pany, out int he northwest who hap
pened to be in Jacksonville last
week, made the statement that his
company had shipped into Florida
$4,000 worth of fresh cream since
the first of last month to augment
the supply produced within the state.
He sends out one carload a week
from Michigan, the express charges
he says amounting to almost 5000
per carload, and two carload lots
from the state of Virginia. Now all
this to Florida-what shame and
this Florida, too, the land Of perepet.
ual sunshine. Can't some of our
ranchmen rise to the occasion and
keep the money at home? Fresh
cream indeed from Michigan and Vir.
ginia! 1t should be fresh cream in
Michigan and Virginia from Florida
each morning.-Ocala Banner.