davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1918-08-11

paio ~ u NotC "tIC
taken as to the most p6pu-
lar institution n the world.
he would wager that "the American
Red Cross would he the correct num-
Der of beans in the jar" His eccen-
trio method of expressing himself
found vent in adding that "the Red
Gross is Ezekiel on the spot. with a
big broom in hand, to cast into OBJ
livion a nations catastrophes."
But this organization so much in
the worlds eye, does little things,
too; unique. never told things. which
one doesn't hear of unless he inquiries
at headquarters, There. the other day,
Just returned from France. where he
1ulhlled commission for the Red
Cross. He had something to say
about the out t-of-the- ordinary things
The unheralded. supposedly less
important things eh?" said Mr.. MUIR
ply. eenially. ''How about jam and
base ball, to begin with?" laughed
this person. whose chief enthusiasm Is
spelled spells, with the letters of the So
one to thirty-one, whether in khaki
Or palm beach. and in France or the
United states are not far removed
trom rom the jam stage. Our national
game ta s OF baseball has every boy in
Tow. So. while 1t isn't OF the pro-
found aid one associates with the
institution founded by Miss Barton,
Sabiegram requesting 5000 base
paiIs Tor Sammee is u matter given
;,mmediate respectful attention. The
importance OF recreation in the Army
is not overestimated.
~
while as to jam. another request,
held important enough to give to the
wires OF the Atlantic. covered 500
tons of the delectable mixture of
fruit and sugar. which makes the
men think Of home and many escapes
from the pantry all regular boys
have have made. The scarcity Of all
rood IN France. and the necessarily
etrict regulations connected with the
almost total absence of sugar, make
for bread grave matter. The cost Of
hxing up such stun for sick or we'll
soldiers overseas would be far ahead
OF the combined production. manu-
facture and shipping from America
AS one instance. very small but
typical Of the high cost Of things
which make 1t better for purchases
to be made here and sent, over when
the demand is large enough-the Red
Cross In it's various efforts to al
leviate a little ON the poverty in
Russian households had to pay sc
cents for a pair OF shoestrings. Per-
haps I'm flippant, but the man in Toll
stoy's story of the stolen shoestring
You remember he died Of the dis
honor-must have looked forward to
such a value being put on the humble
commodity.
"Shoestrings are necessities, but
there are things which are super
fous. Every household has them.
Therefore the Atlantic division of the
Evening star., 1918-08-11
Red Plans Send Letters Into Countries of the Enemy

unnecessary trial had been inflicted
upon them.
There was but one chance of i'm
portant messages reaching those on
the other side who were confined
within territorial limits of the foe.
This was by means of neutral coun-
tries. Letters might first be sent to
a neutral country and from there to
was far less direct and consumed a
much greater length of time than
normal methods. hut 1T could not be
helped. The chance of loss and other
creased and these missives We're al
ways subject to the check of the
French or British censor, providing
they got that far. On the whole, COM
munication of this sort was neither
successful nor satisfactory to the ma
jority of those who were forced to
resort to the method. In despera-
ton. there were people who wrote re-
peatedly and posted letters hopefully,
and occasionally, by some great GOODS
through.
Then came another blo'v to these
offenders who were entirely innocent
of any malevolent intent. Tho trad
by Congress and received the sane
ton of the President. This made the
briefest and most harmless OF mes,
sages positively illegal and subjected
inc OIItnUeTS Vi tHe " bGNCIC
reprimand and punishment. Uncle
Sam was in dead earnest.
There was but one exception to this
new ruling. and that was relative to
prisoners Of war. According to In
prisoners of war Is permissible. Were
1t not for this many a war prisoner
would. indeed. languish and despair.
but each black day which stretches
itself before him is forever lightened
home. Letters to Americans who are
now prisoners behind the German
lines can be sent to these men with
out postage, and every effort will be
made to deliver them.
~
Otherwise international law opposes
the conveyance of the most purely
personal messages between fighting
nations. However. the practice OF
communication has become a custom
which has generally received interna-
tional respect. In fact, during the
present war the United States Is said
10 be the only nation which ever put
this practice outside of the law.
There are government authorities who
realize that this legislation causes
real suffering among their own peo-
pie. There are countless numbers of
naturalized Americans who earnestly
long to send news to people in the
enemy territory. German-Amerlcans
were prevented from making the most
innocent inquiries respecting citizens
of the fatherland.
Some authorities further contended
that In spite of the stringency Of this
law and In spite of the many hard
ships 1t imposed It only theoretically
put an end to the communication be-
tween the clever German spy and his
native land. Spies can, OF course. be
Evening star., 1918-08-11
\ HE American Red Cross. as the
result OF a request from the
United States government. has
est N hi shed n hiirnnu of CONF

United States government, has
a established bureau of COM
nunication for the benefit of persons
in this country and those in the aev-
eral countries of the enemy who have
for a number of months been de-
prived of that privilege. w. r. Castle
las been made head of the new work.
and he Is enthusiastic over the serv-
ice. He has felt that just such work
os the bureau has recently taken up
has been needed ever since the out
break OF the war.
Suppose. through illness or other
misfortune. one had friends stranded
in an enemy country at the beginning
of world hostilities. OF course, ones
with these unlucky ones and, natural
ly: an anxious letter would be bur-
Iiedly written and dispatched. But
the writer, all In good time, is told
that no such letters are en- route be-
tween the countries Of belligerents,
nor will be for an indefinite period.
Imagine the utter CONSERVATION and
amazed incredulity! But the entire
ease with which these facts are veri-
When the United States broke with
Germany automatically. rumors of
countless unbelievable things filled
the air, and among them was the pos
sibility Of severing all communicat ion
sons doubted that this would actually
be done even II war were declared.
But swiftly upon the heels of the
diplomatic break came the declara-
tai service between this country and
Germany came to an end.
~
As a result Of this measure, not a
scattered few, but many hundreds OF
men and women found themselves en-
tirely unable to get the most vital
personal messages through to rcla-
tives and friends situated within the
boundaries Ct enemy territory. 1t was
quite in vain that they made their
pleas to the government. Uncle Sam
was decaf to all entreaty. because 1t
was then a we'll known fact that the
German system OF espionage had
reached the high-water mark of per-
fection, and It was thought wiser to
than on that Of leniency.
no one knew positively TINT the
most innocent-sounding Of personal
meesnges might not be written Ac-
cording to a Hun code and laden with
hidden meaning IrOm WnlCn tne
trained spy could glenn the most
carefully guarded military secrat.
Uncle Sam cared to take no chances
|He could not afford risks OF that
sort. Yet, in spite OF this. the fact
that there were many loyal American
because OF the interrupted communi-
[cation between The United States and
.Germany brooked no denial. II
seemed to some OF them that very
Evening star., 1918-08-11

message, rather than getting news Of
the injury or death of the hero OF the
household. through the columns of q
newspaper. f9'r :t.S
&[,-~4- ~ <'s- - y
- 49,. y ,,sk ssss - 4.'t'',
,"This same motive actuates the new
plan Of sending letters to Germany.
which the, American Red Cross has
adopted. following conferences with
the State Department. The state De-
partment. Holding the idea that the
sending of letters behind the enemy's
lines. was wholly a humanitarian ef-
fort, presented to the society tie plan
being put into operation now, super.
vision to be maintained by the de-
partment.t g. sR'..c !ts-sr ~ r
'The intricacies Of code messa ges
are therefore done away with. and
any possibilities OF valuable informa-
tion reaching Germany. There are
many people in this country, for in
stance, who have close relatives mar
ried to Germans. There are French.
Belgians and Italians who come beg
ging the American Red Cross to find
out IL their families in the German.
invaded communities are yet living.
This condition has existed ever since
the war began, the prohibition Of
sending messages being very strict.
Now an average of 1900 letters pass
Evening star., 1918-08-11

application. This letter is made fast
to the duplicate of his application and
carefully filed for future reference IL
need be.
al letters eventually pass through
inc hands of the Red Cross at ma
well started there is every reason to
believe that from one to three thou
sand letters day will be received
by 1t. A little later it is expected
that. the post oEce will put a censor
IN the communication bureau of the
Red Cross, which will greatly facili-
tate matters The actual delivery of
letters cannot possibly be guaran-
teed. but the Red Cross will do ev-
erything in its power. The Red
the letter will be entirely without
cost to the writer.
1t is taken for granted that IL mes
sages are received they will be an
swered. The ANSWERS will be sent
by way of neutral countries to the
munication will translate or para
phrase whatever letters 1t is neces-
sary to change in this way and the
answers will be forwarded to those
who made the original inquiries. This
work will all be handled with as
great speed as Is compatible with
accuracy.
Mr.. Castle says that the bureau Of
communication constantly rec ives
the most pathetic appeals from peo-
pie who declare their loyalty to the
United States. but at the same time
are greatly perturbed because they
have been unable heretofore .to> get
SO much as a line through to some
very dear friend or relative in one
of the countries OF the enemy.
There was the case of Seroian
country TO get recruits. For many
months he had been unable to get
in touch with his family In Serbia.
Naturally, his anxiety was extreme.
Hearing OF this new work which the
Red Cross had recently begun, he
visited headquarters and to the bu-
reau of communication related his
story and told of his hopes and his
fears in regard to the lost family.
The Red Cross pledged him its word
to do everything in Its power to get
some some trace tnrSs, Of the family; Immedl-
were started. The work took time,
and to the waiting man SO eager for
news affairs seemed to move with
agonizing slowness. ~
But In only two months the Red
Cross was able to give him news Of
his family's health and whereabouts.
Again, there Is the story of Thomas
Hitchcock, young American aviator,
whose plane crossed over the enemy
lines and failed to come back. After
time his worried father made urgent
inquiries Of the State Department
and endeavored also to obtain news
through Spain. But II was the Red
Cross. working through the German
Red Cross. that gave him the news
OF his son, who was held in n German
N n Erot Avv-r ~
SIX months is usually required to get
news of missing men.
Evening star., 1918-08-11

MAN whose reflections are
worth listening to recently
said that IL a vote were
taken as to the most p6pu-
Middletown transcript., 1918-11-23
RIFLE SHOT THAT COUNTED
American Soldier, Within the German
Lines, Wiped Out Party Of Boches
Who Were Laying Mine.

Private Joseph Moore of the Per-
shing forces is in base hospital
suffering from shell shock, but 10 Huns
were blown to pieces by this Yank be-
fore he was d0wned.
"Pve had a hummer of time" said
Moore. "GOt q bad case Of shell shock
and went deaf and dumb for while.
II had been working pretty hard and
was pretty near all in when we adj
vanced and drove the enemy back some
miles. got ahead Of my battalion
and was about a mile and half in
side the enemy's lines. 1t was mir
ncle that did not get caught. Disor-
der all around is what saved me, l
guess.
II came to the end Of some woods
and got behind big tree. I saw a
bunch of Germans with explosives, and
of course l took a chance and shot ut
the stuff they were putting into the
ground. hit it, and it went off with
a terrific roar. wiping about 40 Boches
off the map. The conclusion from the
explosion was so great that I was rem
dcred unconscious.
"Well, woke up in the hospital; the
nurses tell me l wandered about the
fields like crazy man for two days."
Exchange.
Middletown transcript., 1918-11-23
LIVE ON ARTIFICIAL ISLAND
Salt Water Natives Who Wage An Al
most Conatsnt War on Solomon
Head Hunters.

Built up artificially on reefs or
s"ndy pits, numbers Of miniature Is
lands dk,t the tranquil waters of shell
tered coves among the Solomon is
lanes, Gertrude Emerson writes in
Asia Magazine. Here live, separate
from the head hunters who inhabit the
unhealthful mangrOve swamps and I'M
dulating grasslands of the interior or
the lofty spurs running down to the
Sea, saltwater people more or less at
enmity with the bushmen. Yet these
salt water people arc as fond of their
fruits and vegetables. for which there
is no room on their narrow, crowded
island. as the junglefolk are of their
fish. Truce is declared on regular BIZ
weekly market days and on neutral
territory along the coast the women of
both peoples meet and do their bar
gaining. The jewellers on the artificial
islands are skillful in all things per-
tanning to the sea, especially in the
building md handling of canoes. For
Middletown transcript., 1918-11-23
&G7alazHl IlCSI-G0
THANKSGIVING DAY IN PARIS
How American Exiies Celebrated Be-
fore the Great War Changed Con-
ditons Over There.
)reSSiVe unfOldin!

Have you any idea Of what is the
Thanksgiving Of the American resident
of Paris? Let me tell you. We have
turkey with cranberry sauce. The tur.
key is stuffed with things which only
the French tongues can define, and the
cranberry sauce is usually bought in a
can, ready-made, from an English fac
tory. Still, it is real turkey, and the
sauce is red, with real cranberry skins
in it, so that we complain not. We are
even glad that we are commonly all
widows and orphans temporarily-
who assemble to eat the Thanksgiving
dinner at home. Our husbands and the
fathers of our children are wont to
grace the dinner given by the Ameri-
Middletown transcript., 1918-11-23
AuEN n H6tent Lawyer, Washington,
- d. c. Advice and books free.
Rates reasonable. HIGHEST raferences RestsarYices
CINE HAD BEEN OVERLOOKED
Soldier Evidently Had Not Taken a
Census of His Wounds Before Ap-
plying for Treatment

In one action soldier got ma
chine gun bullet through the arm As
he was walking to the rear, Il shell
burst near and a couple of pieces of
shrapnel struck him. AS he was 60
ing back in an ambulance second
shell overturned the vehicle and he
sustained more hurts. He was still
able to be up and about at the dress
ing station. however. and was patched
from one end to the other.
"There. now" said the doctor, finish
ing his seventh bandage. SIS that all"
II believe it u.s." said the soldier, as
he ambled off the dressing table.
"1n about ten minutes he came back.
"Say," he said, "here's another one
in my shoulder didn't find until just
now."-Stars and Stripes.
Middletown transcript., 1918-11-23

upon this slender thread their exist
ence hangs. The deliberately carved,
crescent-shaped canoes may always
be seen plying busily among the il.
lands. Frequently they are the only
sign of human habitatiOn in world of
otherwise empty sea and rooted palms.
When the interminable circle of the
horizon softens and disappears and
the fever-laden evening mists creep in,
when the pale waters reflect as in
mirror the burnt-out sky of day, the
canoes, silhOuetted against the lumin-
GUS water. slide swiftly to the method
ical beating of paddles. accompanied
by the low barbaric chanting of dark
skinned men.
Middletown transcript., 1918-11-23

is not as other men, but in greater hui
mility because he has perhaps been
more greatly blessed than others.
Outside Of the many material bless
ings that have come to the American
people during the past year, which are
good in so much as they contribute to
wholesome human happiness, there Is
reason for the people Of this country
upon this Thanksgiving day to be TN
usually thoughtful concerning their
place in the world, and to remember
how this eminence has been obtained.
Who can look back and not see the
hand of Providence shaping the des-
tiny Of America? This liberty which
is the marvel and the hope Of the
world today was set up ON these shores
by Godfearing men-the pioneers who
inaugurated this very Thanksgiving
holiday. 1t was for the love of the
service of God that liberty was estab-
lished in America, and 1t was this lib
erty that has been the basis of our ma
tional greatness and which is to be
the political salvation Of the world.
America cannot look back upon its
history without seeing God, and by
taking thought cannot fail to acknowl-
edge its gratitude for all his benefits.
With that stage Of our development
passed we are now permitted to enter
upon that new era when America par
ticipates in abolishing tyranny and in
justice, ever hateful to God, and to
carry to the oppressed nations Of the
world those principles of liberty
through which our own chief blessings
have come.
This is the supreme service that one
nation can render to another-to safe
guard the liberties Of its people. In
this mOmentOus time the burden of our
Thanksgiving this year 1t seems should
be that we are to be chief among the
ministers in working out the Divine
purpose to have all men-Greek and
Barbarian-free.
Middletown transcript., 1918-11-23
This Year the Spirit Of Thanksgiving
Should, Properly Be Filled With Praise

can club, where every man resident of
Paris who is true patriot goes burst
ing with sense of gratitude because
he is citizen Of the greatest country
on earth. To this dinner are hidden
each year a certain number Of innO-
cent and unsuspecting Frenchmen, who
are made to consume even larger guam
titles Of American eagle than Of tur-
key, and who must go home sad
enough, If they believe all that the
speakers Of the evening tell them Of
how Americans ore doing everything in
the world that is worth doing; that
any small affair which the French
may still be carrying on, we, the peo-
pie Of the United States, shall apprO-
pirate If we take the nOtion.-Ex-
change.
Middletown transcript., 1918-11-23
New French Rail Lines.

A vast light railway system has
been created in France, according tc
the British war cabinet report fol-
1917, involving the supply during last
year Of approximately LOO miles Of
track and the whole of the equipment.
Exclusive Of these light railway sys.
tens the total mileage of permanent
railway track supplied complete to all
theaters Of war was about 5000 miles
Middletown transcript., 1918-11-23


seaboard has proved the greatest sue
cess in government the world has ever
known. Democracy sits ut the tables
Of the land today. Brotherhood asks
its helping from the amply filled
boards of the American home. These
two attributes of the American people
fully express the secret of Americas
success as a nation. The growth Of
the nation has been in accord with the
extension of these ideas. They are
both home ideas, and therefore they
are both ideas that express the inner
spirit of the day of thanksgiving.
The fatherhood of God and the
brotherhood of man-these were the
leading conceptions of the Pilgrim Fa-
Tiers. They are the leading concep-
tons Of the sons Of those fathers to-
day. They are the conceptions that
can never be made hackneyed by hypO-
critical use or by designing abuse.
They will stand forth in the genius
and action Of the American people I'M
til each year shall add praise to praise
in the measure Of the fullness Of rea-
sons for the giving Of thanks.
Peace, provision, prOtectiOn-these
are the priced possessions Of ma
ton whose one aim is to exalt the
ends of human liberty. to extend hu-
man democracy and to exalt the ideals
Of human equality. AS this nation
touches the world at large 1t does so
through its leading national concep-
tons. and only when these are vitality
assaiIed can it take up arms for its
own defense. It has the obligation
resting upon it to conserve the true
needs Of liberty, and this can be done
only by insisting upon the sacredness
Of human rights and human opportu-
mites. Hence the day set aside for
thanks is day Of pure and unadul-
terated Americanism, into which no
alien sentiment can possibly enter.
Hence it is that every head of the
family in acting in his capacity at
the head Of the family board becomes
the priest of the things made precious
in the life of the country and of which
mention is made rs thanksgiving
themes of the day. No more can the
nation depart from its lofty mission
and progressive ideals than can the
earth swing away from the solar at
traction. The day of home happiness,
the day Of praise, the day Of felicity
is a sacred and singular day in the
annals of American progress and Amer
lean world influence.
Middletown transcript., 1918-11-23
Beet-Suqar Industry.

The United States and Spain are the
cnly countries which produce both
cane and beet sugar in any consider
able quantity. The development of
the bect-sugar industry in the United
States has been one Of the great ag-
ricultural and manufacturing growths
of this country. From 1898 the beet
sugar production in the United States
increased from $4,000 tons to spproxi-
mately 100000 tons in 1915,
Middletown transcript., 1918-11-23
The Truth of II.

swell, Nettie, did you know that we
had all come for Thanksgiving" asked
Uncle John, as he chucked his little
niece under the chin.
Il expected you," she said, sweetly.
Mother said that the whole family
was coming. and It was a dreadful
Lore, but that Thanksgiving only
comes once a year."
Middletown transcript., 1918-11-23
Kidney TROUBLE Often
CAUSES SERIOUS BACKACHE

When your back aches, and your blad.
der and kidneys seem to be disordered,
go to your nearest drug store and get
bottle of DR.. Kilmer's Swamp Root. It
is a physicians prescription for ailments
Of the kidneys and bladder.
It has stood the test of years and has
a reputation for quickly and effectively
giving results in thousands of cases.
This preparation SO very effective, has
been placed on sale everywhere Get
bottle, medium or large size, at your near
est druggist
However, if you wish first to test this
preparation send ten cents to DR.. Kilmer
\ Co., Binghamton, N. Y, for sample
bottle. When writing be sure and men
lion this paper-Adv.
Middletown transcript., 1918-11-23
Catarrh Cannot Be Cured

by LOCAL APPLICATIONS, as they
cannot reach the seat of the disease.
Catarrh is a local disease, greatly inf1u-
enced by constitutional conditions. HALLS
rATARRH MEDICINE will cure catarrh.
1t is taken internally and acts through
fhe Blood on the Mucous Surfaces Of the
system HALLS CATARRH MEDICINE
is composed Of some of the best tonics
nown. combined with some of the best
blood purifiers. The perfect combination
IT the ingredients in HALLS CATARRH
MEDICINE Is what produces such Won
dcrful results in catarrhal conditions.
rcee chsn ass Co., frops ' Toledo o.
Middletown transcript., 1918-11-23
kultur Again.

"How can the Germans boast to us
about their kultur. and their old Ger
man GCtt while ut the same time bomb
ing babies and torpedoing hospital
>hips7"
The speaker was a senator.
1T was German" he added "who
nee pulled out his chest at Krupp
.anquet in Essen and declared:
Modern civilization, or kultur, gem
cmen, has not reduced crimes. 1t
virtues"