davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-27

, hicles to be employed, and in awarding new contracts the department will specify that motor trucks shall be employed on all routes where the roads are such as to admit of their use These contracts are advertised for bidders, and where payment asked for the service is deemed to be excessive the department is au- thorized to provide government owned motor trucks and to employ drivers for the operation of these routes.
 A further extension of the employ ment of government owned motor vecicles by it's adoption for the parcel post serv- ice of the rural routes will be made whenever Congress enacts a law now pending for that purpose.
 Operating under the law as it now stands as applied to the star route serv- ice. motor truck routes. some under con- tract and some operated with government owned motor trucks, are in process of establishment from:
 MOTOR ROUTES NOW IN SERVICE
 New York city to Port Jervis, N. r., via Bellville, Montclair and Dover, N. J., a distance of S6 miles; New York city to Hammonton, N. J., via Mount Olive, Bordentown. Trenton. Princeton ana Elizabeth, N J., 1l4 miles; New York city to Easton, Pa, via Montclair Norris town and Somerville, N. J., 94 miles; New York city to New Milford, Conn.,, via Pawling, Yorktown Heights, Briar Cliff
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-27
SUNNY ITALY ADDS
 WORD OF PRAISE TO
 AMERICAN TRUCKS
After-War Prediction Is in Accord With the Developments in This
 Country Today

Kenosha, Wis, January 26.-"While we realize that your 'sammies need the Nash Quad as much as we Europeans need your 'Sammies, says recent let ter from Enrico Minetti, Italian automo- bile distributor to the Nash Motors company, we implore you to spare us at least one truck, with which we assure
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-27
ATLANTA TO BIRMINGHAM

Atlanta with Birmingham or Mont Eomeryy Birmingham or Montgomery with Jackson, Miss. Routes will he es- tabIishcd Jackson to New Orleans and Jackson to Mobile.
 These routes are now surveyed and arc being advertised for bids. Where satisfactory bids arc not received gov ernment owned trucks will be used.
 The routes already in operation with government owned trucks are from Washington, D. C., to Leonardstovn, Md. 54 miles: from Annapolis. Md, to Solomons, Md, 65 miles; from Washing ton, D. C., to Baltimore, via Ridgeville; from Baltimore to Philadelphia, via Be- lair, Md, Oxford and West Chester, Pa, l10 miles, and from Baltimore to Gettys- burg, via Westminster, 53 miles.
 Routes in the middle states will form a chain from Indianapolis, to Colum- bus, O.; Columbus to Zanesvilles, O.; Zanesville to Wheeling, w. Va; Wheel ing to Pittsburg; Pittsburg to Union- town, Pa; Uniontown to Cumberland. Md; Cumberland to Hagerstown. Md !; Haserstown to Staunton, Va; Staunton to Lynchburg. Va.
 Further extensions contemplated but not yet surveyed are from Charlestown. W. Va, to Columbus, O.: Columbus to Cincinnati; Cincinnati to, Louisville. Louisville to Chattanooga, and Chatta- nooga to Atlanta.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-27
The Eternal Feminine

From the Florida Times Union.
 St. Peter-Right this way, ladies, to get your halos.
 Shade of Mrs. DeStyle--Now, Mir Pe- ter, before I take one l would like to know if you allow the privilege of ex- changing 1t If I find when l get home that it doesn't fit?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-27

tion and aerial transmission repair trucks. etc.
 AS you will we'll realize, new stand ards, both in motor car and in motor truck design and operation, are being set just now. The construction of such vehicles is following a new trend, whiGh is undoubtedly being set by the arrdy transport service"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-27
Western Hnsnifalitv

Santa Monica, Cal. should be a mecca for motorists. It provides municipal kitchens for the tourist and there is no charge. Electric stoves furnish heat for cooking, and sinks with running water and tables are also available If the visiting motorist desires he may even get his food free by fishing from the municipal pier. Towns, like people gain regulations which count for or against them
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-27

| ley and Wiliston. S. C., 77 miles; Savan- nah to Statesboro. Ga. via Pooier. Bloomington, Marlow and Brookie, 55 miles; Augusta to Macon, Ga: Macon to Columbus. Ga; Columbus to Mont gomery; Greenville. S. C., to Atlanta, to Montgomery, and Birming gham to Mont gomery, via Verbena and Marbury, lO5 miles.
 With the exception of a branch be- tween Washington, D. C., and Richmond, Va, the course of which has not vet been decided on. chain of routes has been adopted linking Portland, Me, with Nashua, N. H.. Nashua with Worces- ter, Mass; Worcester with Hartford, Conn: Hartford with New York city; New York city with Easton Pa; Easton with Philadelphia; Philadelphia with Oxford, Pa; Oxford with Baltimore Md; Baltimore with Washington. D. C.: Lynchburg, Va, with Winston Salem, N C.; Winston Salem with Charlotte. N. C.: Charlotte with Greenville, S. e.; Greenville with Atlanta Ga
New-York tribune., 1918-04-28
China Shipping More
Tobacco to United States

The increased shipment of South
China tobacco to the United States dur
ing 1917 has continued into the p~es-
ent year in even increasing volume,
and there is reason to believe the trade
will continue after the war, according
to tie American Consul at Hong Kong.
Normally Chinese tobacco can be had
ct much lower rates, comparatively,
than the tobaccos from Turkey and the
Near East, which it has been supplant-
ing in the American and Egyptian mar
kets. Shipments of tobacco to the
United States through Hong Kong last
year were valued at S40,910 in the first
quarter. $89,471 in the second quarter,
$195. 1870 in the third quarter and $135,-
9l3 in the fourth quarter, q total of
$461, ,474, as compared with a total Of
$110,994 in 1915 and s35,573 in 1915.
Before the war shipments were con-
fined to Tobacco for the use Of Chinese
resident in the United States. The ex-
ports promise value of about $125.-
600 for the first quarter of 1918, or
substantially three times the ship
ments for the corresponding period a
year ago.
New-York tribune., 1918-04-28
German Exchange
Fails to Mirror
Fortunes of War
Decreasing Confidence of
Neutrals Clearly Shown
by Fall in Marks

Germany's great military effort in
France to obtain a decision before
America comes up with her great re-
sources in men and materials has
failed to bring response in the way of
an Improvement in German exchange
in the neutral markets of the world.
Actually the exchange value of marks.
the German unit of currency, has, after
slight rally, developed renewed weak
ness both in Switzerland and Holland,
indicating a decreasing confidence of
neutrals in the German economic state.
The normal exchange value of 100
German marks in terms of Dutch cur
rency is 1926 forins. On March 13
last the Dutch quotation 100 marks
was 41.90. On March 27, after the ini-
tial German success had been won, the
rate rallied to 42.85 florins. Since then
there has been a steady decline, until
on April % the rate stood at Ats
forins, or Is points under the early
March level.
The normal exchange value of 100
German marks in terms [, Swiss cur
rency is 1913 francs 45 centimes. On
March 13 the rate was "a francs so
centimes. On March 27 it stood at IS
francs SO centimes and on April %.
80 francs 90 centimes.
New-York tribune., 1918-04-28
w 7HILE all other nations Of the
wv world are trying at the present

wv WOIlU 0AC eAy1alS dI VIC ASoCAe
time to increase the production
of those things in the growth or manu-
facture of which they excel, Brazil
finds itself in the position of having a
staple product in such large quantities
as to be unable to dispose of it profit
ably. This staple is coffee. The condi-
tions surrounding the production and
marketing of coffee are the subject of a
study recently made by the statistical
department of the Guaranty Trust
Company of New York, from which
much of the data given in this article
is derived.
Americans generally nay believe that
coffee is a favorite beverage through
out the world, but as a matter of fact
millions of people have never tasted it
and in many countries where it has
been introduced it has not become
popular. Among the nations of the
world, the ones which drink practically
no coffee at all are Russia, China, Eng
land and the British Colonies, all of
these countries being accustomed to
the use of tea as hot beverage.
In England and her colonies the an
nual consumption is not quite one
pound per capita. "The Statist' gives
the following per capita figures for
normal consumption:
New-York tribune., 1918-04-28
What to Do With
Our Merchant Marine

Mr.. Wheclwright's suggestion was as
follows:
LET the government retain owner
ship of the feet and lease the ships to
such American individuals, firms and
corporations as shall apply for them.
at rates prevailing in the worlds mar
kets for ships of like type, upon what
is known as the Government Form of
Time Charter. These contracts should
be made for periods of five years or
more, the rates to be adjusted every
six months or so and allowance made
for depreciation in serviceability. I'm
der this form of charter the owner
pays the wages of officers and crew.
supplies. provisions, etc, while the
charterer pays only the hire of the
bottom, cost Of coal and port
charges"
Under this plan the war cost of the
construction Of the vessels would be
borne by the whole nation while at the
same time the nation would get the
market value of such vessels and the
whole labor problem would have to be
met py the nation rather than by shop
owners. This would avoid all friction
between labor and capital under the
oeaman's Act and the injustice of pre-
sent navigation laws and tonnage
measurement would be equally distri-
nuted throughout the country. The
american operator holding the posi-
tlon known as chartered owner" will
De able to compete with the ship own
ers of other nationalities on equal
terms; and the nation will have en-
tire control Of ships in peace and in
war to adapt them to its needs. This
would naturally lead to such ownership
by the government of many vessels
now requisitioned. but privately own
cd, though not necessarily Of all.
Under this plan, too, Individual in
itiative in foreign trade would be re-
tanned, highly desirable thing. 1t is
individual initiative which has char
acterized the best periods Of Ameri-
can shipping and has always character
lied British enterprise. The fear Of
suppression Of such initiative is max.
ing many British merchants fight viz.
orously against government plans for
future control and even in Germany
there are those bold enough to seek
New-York tribune., 1918-04-28
German Trade
Is Fostered by
Long Credits
Authorities Urge Special
Financial Facilities TO Insure
Successful Competition

A study undertaken by the British
Board of Trade Committee on Tex
tiles of the necessities of after-war
trade has developed the fact that much
of Germany's predominance in Russian
mercantile distribution has been, in
large part, due to special banking
facilities, offering long term credit ac-
commodation.
Not few witnesses, says report
issued by the committee, have ex-
pressed the opinion that if business on
large scale is to be developed in
Russia, special financial facilities will
have to be afforded to meet the sys-
tenn of long credits which cannot be
avoided in that country. Many British
textile firms. It is asserted, have been
deferred from doing business with
Russia in the past, and have preferred
to use the intermediary of German
houses because of the difficulty they
encountered in handling Russian COM
mercial paper.
In discussing the findings of the
British committee, "The Americas"
has the following to say
"Germany's financial status when the
war will end is problematical, but if
she gets out with her industrial ma
chinery intact, and q government able
to force through national plan, she
will probably use every available
ounce of gold she can spare, and cred
its now being concentrated under
masked forms in neutral countries, for
obtaining imports of raw materials.
And then a strong feature of her cam
paign for commercial rehabilitation
will be drive for certain markets
where the offer of great aggregate
OF German goods on long terms of
credit will come like flood of pros
pcrity in the form Of supply of new
floating mercantile capital, which il
will be hard for anti-German feeling.
except tho very strongest, to with
stand.
ut happens, however, that the
United States, Great Britain, France
and Italy are cooperating financially in
establishing international buying cred
It's in some OF these very markets. At
the end Of the war they will all owe
considerable amounts, and these very
debts may become nsscts in the trade
war, interfering seriously with Ger
many's plans.
New-York tribune., 1918-04-28
New Policy
OF Protectionisrn

The Municipal Assembly at the port
of Santos is reported to have passed
resolution nominating a committee
Of five, at the request of the federal
and state governments, to maintain
the security of the coffee market for
present and future harvests, in case the
war continues. This committee will
also investigate the storage problem
because of the shortage of transporta-
tion facilities.
The federal government of Brazil
and the coffee growing states of Brazil,
and especially Sac Paulo, are firmly
committed to policy of protectionism
with reference to the coffee industry
Indeed, the government of Sac Paulo
regards itself somewhat as the special
agency through which the coffee plant
ers act collectively in taking protective
measures. There is no sacrifice too
great for this state if only the benefit
to the coffee planters is greater than
the sacrifice.
Usually policy of protection bene-
fits class rather than a country, the
benefits being given to the particular
industry and the corresponding sacri-
fees being diffused widely among the
consuming public. In Sac Paulo pro-
lection is concerned with exports and
not imports, and in this case may
benefit the whole country and not a
special class. 1t is to the advantage
of every class in Sac Paulo that in
exchange for coffee there shall be ro-
celved the greatest aggregate amount
of purchasing power and a large crop
OF coffee shall mot bring in return a
smaller aggregate amount of purchas-
ing power than smaller crop.
New-York tribune., 1918-04-28
Watching Developments
In Other Countries

1t is encouraging to note that the
Foreign Trade Council at least was
plainly informed of the -the-war
plans Of Germany, Great Britain and
France. Nothing was said about Japan.
In this connection it was interesting
to learn through the report of Mr..
Philip Kennedy. commercial attache at
London, that England was looking as
anxiously at American preparations as
America at hers. Mr.. Farrell's plea
for future cooperation with our Allies
was needed corrective. The Chamber
of Commerce did not have much to
say about preparation for after-the-
war conditions. Indeed, in recent
numbers of their magazine there has
been manifested some complacency
over having "single track mind" and
being willing to postpone after-the-
war problems until after the war had
been won. In calling attention to Eng
lands many expert committees under
the Ministery Of Reconstruction, the
editor contented himself with the ques-
ton, "Are we doing as much ?" 1t is
to be hoped that the Chamber of Com
merce will soon give evidence of a
change Of heart in this matter since
1t is, perhaps, more powerful than
any other body in the United States.
got the impression that at both
meetings there was an underlying con-
fidence that after the war conditions
would be very much the same as be-
fore the war. The chief exception to
this war the warning Of Mr.. Cutler
against the speculative control of raw
materials, saying that unless stems
were taken for an equitable distribu-
''on OF raw materials serious unrest
OF labor would follow, possibly a labor
revolt and another war. He also said
that many Of the steps taken by the
British government governing and con-
trolling trade and commerce were 60
cialistic in principle, but adopted az
matters Of expediency and not from
theory. He thought that many Of their
measures would be continued after tho
war In the interest Of the nation at
large.
New-York tribune., 1918-04-28

In 1890 the United States was cred
tied with AZ per cent of the total world
consumption; Germany, with % per
cent; France, with IL per cent; Austria
and Holland, with 7 per cent each;
Belgium, 2 per cent, and the United
Kingdom, 2 per cent. In each of these
countries, with the exception of the
United States and Belgium, the per-
centage to total consumption has
steadily declined. No figures are reli-
able for the period since the war be-
gan, but in 1913 the United States was
consuming 46 per cent of the total.
Germany has tended to consume a
smaller part of the total in recent
years. Belgium, Scandinavia, Italy and
Switzerland have shown marked in
crease in consumption during the last
thirty years.
New-York tribune., 1918-04-28
New Fertilizer

Italian agricultural papers annousssee I,se
that a chemist Of Lugano, DR.. OAns AZ
Rossi. has discovered new manu-
which is employed in quite an orag.sssr, =
way. Instead Of spreading it over ;.r IL
putting it in the ground it is useo =.
treating the seeds with before sow'sss'.
1t seems that this proceeding lpcressssss 81
the yield of the production ~ ~ f
cent. 81
New-York tribune., 1918-04-28
Problems Must Be
Faced Courageously

Evidently there was fear Of this sort
Of thing at the Chamber Of Commerce.
Harry A. Wheeler, first president Of
that body and at this meeting again
elected president, spoke Of Mr.. Nc
Adoo's many Jobs all held for the rood
OF the country, especially the rail-
r1ad job. He could not speak for Mr..
New-York tribune., 1918-04-28

energetically. From London and New
York loan of e3,000,000 was obtained.
This was only one-fifth Of the sum
needed. The State got the rest in the
form Of advances on coffee stored in
European and American warehouses.
The supertax was used to meet the
debt service on the loan. Altogether
Sac Paulo bought 100000 sacks Of
coffee.
After Sac Paulo had proceeded with
the scheme of the federal government
finally extended it's aid. A loan of
100000 milreis was made Sac Paulo
by the Banco de Brazil. There was also
loan of 100000 made to Sac Paulo
out of the federal treasury.
The valorization scheme probably
saved coffee prices from a more seri-
Gus decline in 1907 and very probably
has maintained the staple at higher
figures since that time than it would
have been had not valorization been
put into effect.
Coffee prices at Rio have been lower
fof the last three years than for sew
eral years previous and only slightly
above the prices prevailing in the years
Immediately after the big crop of 1907.
The present situation is still unfavor-
able for the planters. The blockade Of
the Central Allies is growing more
stringent, with the result that less cof-
fee is going to Germany through Scan
dinavia. The shipping difficulties are
increasing and the crop now being har-
vested is exceedingly large. Reports
indicate that it will probably be nearly
as great as the record breaking crop of
/ 1906-1907. Therefore Brazil and Sac
/ Paulo have now a situation they faced
at that time. Sac Paulo is preparing
to safeguard the industry. The plan
which will probably be put into effect
is a government warehouse system
under which the coffee would be stored
in warehouses and receipts negotiable
| at the banks would be issued.
New-York tribune., 1918-04-28
Demand Is
Not Elastic

The inelasticity of the demand for
coffee is prime feature of the coffee
market. People who drink coffee drink
it through habit, and any advance or
fall in the price Of coffee has almost
no effect on the amount which thew
will drink, nor does a period Of low
prices induce any considerable number
to begin the coffee drinking habit. So
lnelastic is the demand for coffee that
traders are accustomed to estimate
future consumption without taking into
consideration to any extent future pro-
duction or prices. On the other hand.
the production of coffee is subject to
great changes, from year to year.
The fact that certain peoples do not
drink coffee and that peoples like tho
Germans and the Austrians prefer
adulterated coffee has served to stimu-
late the Brazilian government IN nm
dertake propaganda work in England
and elsewhere which has for it's OH
Ject the incubation of the coffee drink
ing habit.
After Brazil, the most important
coffee growing countries are the other
republics of northern South America
the Central American countries the
West Indies, Arabia, India, Indo- China
Hawaii, etc. The production of coffee
other than Brazilian has remained
practically at standstill for the last
thirty years. The reason seems to be
that these countries, despite the high
grades of coffee which they produce,
have found it difficult to cope with tho
tremendously increased Brazilian com-
petition. The conditions of production
!e.' inc soil, the climate. the supply
and efficiency of labor, large scale pro-
duction, ETC., arc nowhere so favorable
ns In Brazil. The Brazilian coffee in
New-York tribune., 1918-04-28
Other Exchanges
DO Their Part

Of course, the Stock Exchange Is not
all Of Wall Street. Wall Street has
several exchanges - Cotton, Produce
Coffee and Sugar, Consolidated Stock,
the Curb market, the Clearing House
and numerous banks. These also have
rcadJusted their customary practices
for reasons Of national economy and
exertion of force to the utmost. Who,
till the third Liberty Loan claimed i'm
perative patriotic attention, ever saw
the stately colonnades and rotundas OF
banks placarded with advertisements
An air of dignity, reserve, something
coolly removed from anything like
exhortation or excitement, had been
unbrokenly preserved in outward
architectural Wall Street. Immobill'y'
changelessness, conservation; these
We're the impressions you were to get
from the temples which pow fame WIN
posters of men fighting, churches vlo.
lated, women and children famished
and starving, cities devastated, sase'
tisements calling for loans in thru
Liberty bonds, ian investment in lc-
erty," "a security guaranteeing de.
moc1acy and world fit to live ~
They are posted on onyx, marble, glass
and alabaster as if these were but the
common hoardings of the town. Tnes
are tied with strings about the moss
austere Greek pillars. With litsis
forethought the same summonses y
the people might have been arransea
with better decorative effect-but 1as
beauty Of the whole innovation was !"
spontaneity, its careles,ness of minor
harmonies of effect in the face Of ~
prodigious necessity for quick ac''s'
IN support of right decision IN -
greatest question before humanity