davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-04
LATE BULLETINS

Washington, Jan. 4.-FlOOds In
Siam, worst since 1881, are de-
yastating the country. Dispatches
today from the American legation
at Bangkok say the water has ris-
en- to the roofs OF houses On which
peasants are living. Great crop
losses have been caused and cat.
tie are dying BY drowning ard
staryati0n. A relief cemnlssion
has been appointed.
Copenhagen. Jan. the Lekal
Anzelger Of Berlin says II learns
from Toxic that the Japanese gov.
ernment had decided t. oatee hate
diplomatic relations With The new
Russian governnsSt
Petrogfsd, Tharsday, In. L.
Belsheviki have liked IL epenlng
Of the constituent assem11y ~
Jan. IS providing them II pols
emit at that tine > qasEoE u -
nenbera.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-04
COUNT LUXBURG Is
DECLARED INSANE

Buenos Aires. Jan. Count Lux
burg, German envoy of "spurlos YER
senkt" fame, is now insane, and has
been eccentric" for decade, accord
ing to a report made by medical au-
thorities who have had him under OBJ
scrvation.
The finding was after prolonged and
and careful examination Of the Ger
man, now held in an internment camp,
by a number of experts.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-04
ASKSsS2,oo0,o0o
MORE FOR PLANTS

Washington, Jan. 4.-Chairman Hur-
ley OF the shipping board today asked
congress for $S2,000.000 for acQuisi-
ton or establishment of shipbuilding
plants In addition to $4,000, 900 here
tofore asked for the next fiscal year.
He also asked for increase Of author
ity for construction of ships from
81 ,234 900, 900 to s1.935, 000, 600.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-04
1000 ARE KILLED
IN RUSSIAN BLAST

Stockholm, Jan. "A Haparanda
dispatch to the Tidningen says that
the munitions depot on the Russian
southwestern front was blown up re-
Gently and that all buildings within
radius of two kilometres were de-
stroyed. Two trains loaded with Cos
sacks on the way to the Don district
were wrecked causing the death OF
1000 men.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-04
SAYS CHINA HAS BIG
FORCE BEHIND LINES

New York, Jan. China already
has $4,000 men behind the firing lines
in Mesopotamia and France. DR.. Well
lington Koo. Chinese ambassador to
thisc ountry, said in an address here
last night before the chamber of COM
merce of the state OF New York.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-04
M'ADOOANOLAB0R
MAKE AGREEMENT

Washington, Jan. 4.-Director Cen
eral McAdoo and heads of the four
railroad brotherhoods agreed today on
plan for threshing out all wages and
labor disputes while government oper-
alton prevails through an investigating
board which will report recommended
lions to the director general.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-04
CABINET JOB
0FMUNlT|0N
HEADS0UCHT
Senator Chamberlain Intro
duces Bill to Create New
War Office.

Washington, Jan. IA depart.
ment of munitions under new
cabinet head known US the secre-
tary OF munitions is proposed in u
bill introduced today by Chairman
Chamberlain Of the senate military
committee as q result Of its inves.
tigati0n Of war operations.
The new department would operate
during the war and one year there
after. The bill has the backing Of the
senate committee and will be strongly
pressed. The new secretary of NUM-
tons would have power under the
presidents direction to control arms.
ammunition, food, clothing, equipment,
transportation and any other mater
ials the president shall designate as
munitions of war.
Government bureaus, agencies and
funds necessary to a munitions ad-
ministration would be transferred to
the new department which contem-
plates control of naval as well as
army supplies.
1.-THE bill is intended to increase and
expedite the supply of munitions Of
war;" said Senator Chamberlain. zone
great trouble with the war establish
ment as disclosed at the investiga-
ton has been a lack of coordination
and the seeming impossibility of get
ting rid of circuitous methods of do
ing business. Until there can be CO.
ordination and methods more direct
the United States will be cropping in
the dark for many months before We
can place ourselves in proper fighting
trim.
Cuts Red Tape.
This measure places all jurisdic-
ton under munitions of war which is
defined at length in the bill-and COW
ering everything in one person known
as the secretary of munitions; subject
to the direction of course, of the pres
ident. 1t coordinates all the bureaus.
cuts red tape. does away with the
useless decisions which had tended
only to hamper direct action and gets
to the heart of the whole situation.
Il believe il congress can see its
way to the enactment of this measure
and the proper man is placed at the
head of the department of munitions,
America will soon be occupying its
proper place at the battle front. 1t
will be noted that the measure is only
in force during the continuance of the
war which brings it into existence"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-04
WILSON TO CONFER.

Washington, Jan. 4. president
Wilson has summoned some OF the
house leaders interested in water
power legislation to a conference at
the White house tonight with a view
to expeditions action on some measure
that will reconcile all differences.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-04
SOLDIER PNEUMONIA VICTIM.

Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. A special
dispatch today to the Des Moines Cap
ital from Camp Cody. Deming, N. NJ.
reports the death from pneumonia of
Private Earl c. Humphrey. Company
M, One Hundred and Thirty-third in
fantry. His father, James Humphrey.
resides in Salem, Iowa.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-04
COAL RUSHED EAST.

Columbus, O., Jan. 4.-For the first
time in history solid trains of coal
were being rushed through the Union
station with right of way over all
other service today. The coal is con-
signed to the east.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-04
BRITISH ARE HAPPY;
CASTOR OIL SEIZED

London, Jan. AT last! A short
age that causes only Joy to those az
fected. The government has comman-
deered all stocks Of castor oil for the
army.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-04
JEWELRY STORE ROBBED.

Chicago, Jan. -Four robbers held
up David Holtz's jewelry store at 473S
South Ashland avenue, today and es-
capped with jewelry valued at between
$4,000 and $4,000
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-04
SLAv'SSPL|T
WITH KAISER
BR|NCSM0vE
Russ Tricks With Germans
to Cause Downfall of
Berlin Regime, Claim.

London. Dec. 4.-RecOgnitiOn Of
the Lenine government in Russia
BY the entente allies Is probable
owing to developments in the Rus.
so.Gorman negotiations, according
to the Daily Chronicle, which
prints the statement in heavy
type. The statement, apparently
Il based on a contribution "by q
correspondent" which is printed
beneath it.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-04

There were frequent disputes be-
tween the two tendencies. These
wre settled. 1t is added, by appeals tn
Berlin which always supported Won
kuehlmann and Czernin. General
Won Hoffman took the purely military
point Of view and complained with
great bitterness that the Russians
were using the armistice to agitate
among German soldiers.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-09
TIME FOR ACTION.

On Wednesday, Lord Reading, Britain s
High Commissioner to the United States,
discussed various aspects of the war.
In his opinion the food supply is vital.
Speaking Of the situation on the other
side. he said
eve are now on the closest rAtIons at
any time since the war The food situa-
ton IS as serious as it ever has been. but
is being greatly relieved by the supplies
YOU arc sending u=.
Relief came only through the supplies
from the United States and Canada
Relief for the next year must come from
these countries, and possibly for the year
following. for VIC do not know when there
will be sufficient transportation to spare
for the South Seas failure Of the food
supplg from North America might be
equivalent to losing the war
This is more certain today than SIX
months ago. While the BOlshevst crowd
IS funging and wondering what Germany
means by keeping on with its drive, the
purpose is clearly apparent. In this
coming year Germany will be amply
provided with rich food producing lands
II will have the labor also Roumania
Ukraine. southern Russia and Poland
must furnish it, willingly or unwillingly
Germany future prospects have materi-
ally frightened.
The Bolshevst trcachcry lays an
additional burden upon the United
States and Canada 1t must be met BY
the farms Increased production is al
| absolute necessity no matter if peopl,
say it cannot be done Western Canads
| has millions Of acres Of the best whea
| land in the world. The problem is on,
Of breaking, seeding and harvesting
| The question is one for next year and tn
wear after as well as the present
The United States has untitled land
and much that might be made to produc
| more. Here again comes the question
F. Of labor, and of finance. II will not do t
| assure the farmers that at the propc
/ time. from some unexplained source
ample labor will appear. Those promise
! arc based on p cheerful idiocy equal
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-09
GERMANY'S SAFETY.

Germany docs not desire 10 conquer
the world far from il i believes IN
peace "on principle II respects the
rights az other nations "on principle !:
il has no desire for anncxatlons and
indemntie~ "on principle II = only III
practice that il EFFORTS them
Germany i only trying to protect
itself. the Kaiser says 81. Very recently
the hancclor declared that all Germany ;
purposes were purely defensive. To pro-
tect itself on the east II has separated from
R,sSja series Of fragments that extend
from the Bastlc to the Black Sea. 10 pro-
tcct itself on the south II has conquered
It's allies OF course. its west must
be protected To that end the mineral
regions Of France must be retained, be-
cause Germany needs the IRON ore Tor
making guns to protect 1t from IT'S enc
mics There must also be few triiling
corrections OF its western boundaries. 50
that Germany should extend To toe
British Channel and take III a good deal
of the French Mediterranean coast. Tut
this is not conquest; it Is only correc-
ton Of the frontiers IN the interest oi
Germany safety.
Germany would not annex Belgium. It
But England or France might Use Bel
GUM as q means Of attacking Germany,
and Germany must safeguard Itself 1t
won't annex Belgium, but of course It
must control the Belgian raIiway sys-
TEN. and have a prepondcratlng position
in the port Of Antwerp. and ITS troops
must occupy the Belgian foftresses 50
that the English and French troops
could not get them But there Is no
aggression in this; it IS merely cor.
rcctIon OF the frontiers in the interest OF
German safety
But what about other countries? Will
thev be safe if Germany is safe III It's own
opinion? Well, yes, Germany would pro-
tcct its vassals from attack by Africa or
Asia or America The only peace for the
world the Germans sec is the result OF .
Germany more powerful than all the other
nations put together The Germans frank
" insist that their nation shall be stronger
than any combination of nations that
could be formed against it. The rest OF the
world would be safe-under German
domination Philadelphia Record
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-09
MERIT SYSTEM IN
ROAD ADMINISTRATION

One good thing has come out OF Balti-
more county at this legislative session at
any rate, and that Is the Mcintosh bill
for the legal establishment of the merit
system in our State roads management.
Mr. Weller, when he was road fomlnis-
sioner. introduced the system volun-
tarily, but the Mcintosh bill removes the
matter from the field of chance and
gives it the authority of law. What merit
may mean with regard TO road work dc
pcnds, of course, upon the particular
kind of work to he done. Two things III
would tend 10 insure; one would be the
selection of men in accordance with fit
ness and efficiency, and another would
be the elimination of the political IN
fluences which might otherwise secure
the appointment of men morally unre-
liable. II political pull controls APP
pointments, other sorts OF pull may
control appointees who are connected
with road administration.
Our roads represent too much money
to have them used for personal or political
advantage II is Of the utmost Importance
To safeguard them from the possibility
of being utilized for graft or iavoritlsm.
We believe there has been little or none OF
this kind Of thing heretofore in our road
management; but we should make sure
that IT cannot creep III. The Mclntsh
bill is one that is cminently desirable and
one to which no legitimate objection ran
be made II should lac passed without "A
dissenting vote Baltimore Sun.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-09
Tomato Prices and Crops.

II tomato prices arc TO be fixed tins
wear in connection with the canning IN
dustrv, it would bc well for tho authorities
to learn, before doing 50, what il is going
to cost the growers TO raise and deliver
tomatoes II this is not done, there may
not only be unsatisfactory prices, but also
a crop that may cause embarrassment.
The State agents appear to have fa-
miliarized themselves with conditions
throughout the State and to have rep
resented the farmers interests in the
matter, but there is some hitch that viii
have to be Strengthened out if the season
is 10 be a success all around Tomatoes
will be necessary for the food supply,
and care should be taken in every ele-
ment that enters into the industry
At a meeting 10 be held in Dover next
Friday the matter viii be considered
from the standpoint of the grower, as
well as the government, and some equi-
table basis should be reached at that time
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-09
PRESS COMMENTS.
THE KAISER TRUE TO FORM.

In his latest telegram to Hindenburg,
Prince Leopold and to the King OF Saxony
the Kaiser is true TO form. lie IS the
Orlando Furioso, the Bombastes who
sees red believes in peace by the sword and
"a God made in his own image. tlls
telegrams read like chapters from the
Book of Joshua, which is unqucstionably
his favoritc reading. Indeed, while the
court chaplains occasionally go to the
Psalms for consolation and eschcw the
sermon on the mount. the Kaiser is for
the slaughter that smites all hip and thigh.
1t must give him great pleasure to read
the Civilizations of the son OF Num- over
the conquest of the Amorites and the
Amale<ites, and save that the halser
deity is a compound "a "vtah, lnor ana
Loki, he would no doubt be delighted
If he could command him to stop the
moon and the sun To gam his own end
and have thirty-and-one kings, as Joshua
did, TO his credit as part OF the herce
and savage rule of the sword.
And even when his ghostly counselors
go to the Psalms they are very careful to
nick out those whose text, with a slightly
personal twist, can symbolic the kalser
himself. This is the kind of ilattery that
has been offered up to the War Lord and
has been as incense to his nostrls. Sur
rounded by all these influences, IT IS no
wonder, therefore, that he rings all the
changes on the sword motif quite as vigor-
o,lslv as Wagner did in the Nibelungen
tetralogy. And while the world IN horror
hopes for better days. it is characteristic
of the Kaiser that he secs future Tor oil
based wholly on his sword. But here
again he forgets his Bible and, despite the
complacent court chaplains, there will be
those who will face him with the texts
that put the sword and they who live by IT
in their proper place For of the imperial
madman il is written as surely as oi the
Babvlonian king, "Mene, meme, tekel
upharsin Chou art weighed IN the
balance and found wanting l.-Phila-
dclphia Public Ledger.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-09
Art. for Our City's Sake.

Thank goodness, there are a lew Vii
ningtonians who are fond Of the arts
Possibly it is wrong 10 say "a few,
because there seem to be a good many.
But however great or small their number,
there Is . gallant army IN this city vhich
believes in the really lovely things Of
hfe-the stage, with its laughter and its
tragedy, the symphony concert, with its
revel fn the melodies of old and new
masters; the solitary recitaGst who
give US PagaDini or Chopin or Beethoven,
men and women who are marvellous ex-
ponents of the dance; Others who can put
on canvas pictures that 60 to our very
hearts. And even the movies have
their stars of the first magnitude.
It's as it should be. Wilmington Is
no longer a small town, with small town
IDEAS. Wilmington is definitely and dis
tinctly city ol proportions. 1t has its
own business and industrial life, and,
by the same token, its own artistic life.
Probably no city of its size in the country
is better off for first-class theatrical per
fornances and certainly none for music.
Wilmington artistic life has been grow
ing and growing strongly. And therefore
we can sing q doAology that Is by no
means saculious, because the arts raise
man higher TO Him who created him.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-09
"SING" MONDAY NIGHT.
Big Democratic Community Chorus VIII
be on the Job at the High School.

The Community Chorus will have
sing Mt the High School on next Monday
evening, and il is expected that the largest
crowd that has yet attended sing will be
present
II Is the desire of the committee TO
swell the chorus to the capacity OF the
High School auditorium. "You' are most
cordially invited and the 'you' takes IN
everybody. \ community chorus If
purely democratic affair, instituted for the
pleasure Of all who love TO sing. The
music Is not difficult. II il for the most
part familiar To all But it is beautiful
when sung by large crowd of people.
IL IS, therefore, TO the advantage of those
who do come to have more OF the local
people Join them each singing night, but
IT is also TO your advantage Those not
attending are missing the community in
iluence as well as the pleasure
Citizens with civic pride should not be
slackcrs IN this day Of get togetherism
10 out 10 the High School next Monday
night and you'll be sure TO enjoy yourself
and want To go back just walk in about
o clock and take n seat After Won have
had time to look around, and perhaps
meet few friends, the singing viii begin
You join with the others. There is no cx-
animation. There are no dues Go out,
whether you speak English or not Singing
is a universal language and it is good way
to learn English A Pole, Frenchman.
Italian, etc, who can sing "The Star
| Spanglcd Banner can make himself
understood anywhere in North America
or Great Britain.
So make it a point to go, you" and
your friends, and all sing together 10 help
win the war, by relieving cares and put
ting now pep" in life so that the daily
tasks can bc tackled with more vigor
Mr. Barnhardt, one of the best known
community chorus leaders in the country
will be in Wilmington April 3 and a
| special sing will be held
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-09
His Wonders TO Perform.

The Deity, the Supreme Intelligence,
the creator Of all things moves IN q
mysterious way His wonders TO perform.
ONLY a night or so ago we had an instance
Of it in the very remarkable display Of the
aurora borealis, commonly known as
the Northern Lights.
Vast streams of light Eliminated the
northern heavens, coming from where
no man knows. but holding him none the
less spcllbound with their beauty. And
ones only thought on seeing the display
could be sort OF rcvcrcntial amazement.
The stars and their course have grown
commonplace 10 us and il takes such n
thing as the aurora to bring vividly to
our senses the mlghtineSs Of the Power
which made Us and rules Us.
Scientists viii tell you . good deal
about the aurora. In the first place
they say it is a discharge Of electricity
into the atmosphere Still others will
tell YOU that this electricity is thrown
of by the sun and comes within the IN
tiuence of Mother Earth from many
millions OF miles away. Still Others viii
say that the poles Of our. old globe are
particularly susceptible TO electric con-
ditions and therefore absorb electricity
from the rest OF the earth.
But none can deny the majesty Of
the aurora, nor its mysteriousness, nor
the fact that it comes from the Great
Source. Every display Of the sort Is q
sermon no preacher could preach.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-09
The Progress Of the War.

What has become of the much her
aided offensive that the Germans were
TO start ? The world has opened its
paper at breakfast each morning, sat
it up against the sugar bowl and scanned
it carefully for news of grand Ieuton
drive. But, in the vernacular of the
street, there has been nothing doing.
And there's n reason. The truth OF
the whole matter is that the kaiscr
is not prepared for drive, or, Tor that
matter, of an offensive of any sort. lie
has neither the men nor the material.
Such real news as filters out % Germany
indicates very strongly that thc Huns
arc badly put to it for food which ls
ALWAYS the first consideration to a nation
at war-for the human fodder for can
non and for the explosive and steel that
make the cannon effective.
No greater proof of this is needed than
in the fact that Germany is pursuing her
Russian campaign, that despite the
s'peace" with the Bolsheviki. the German
armies are advancing and that Russian
territory is being occupied. Every foot
of Russian land left behind by Teuton
means a foot of land that can be used AS
source of food supply or can be made
to give UP the war material Germany
so badly needs.
Just how long this is going to last no
ono knows-not even the government
| officials of the Allies, who arc closely in
touch with the situation. Some OBJ
servers-and keen ones who have lived
with the Russian peasant and soldier
and know him-say that the Slav nation
will come back" that after its present
state of chaos has passed it will reasscrt
| itself and beat the Hun at his own war
gamc-only with not its ruthlessncss.
1t is good to take this view. One
! doesn't like to think the world is growing
worse. It's against all optimism, as
| we'll as what we know of the evolution
| of races. The world still expects Russia
| 10 show some OF that wondrous spirit
that sent Napoleon back TO France
| crushed and beaten hundred years ago