davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1918-02-16
Berlin Claims Air Victories.
PERFORMS KNITTING FEAT
TO AID U. S. IN CONFLICT
Maryland Woman Makes Fifty-Five
Articles for Uncle Sans Fighters
and Is Still Busy.

1mbued with the desire to do her bit
for democracy's cause, Mrs. J. Thomas
Broome of ST. Marys City, Md, has
performed a feat in knitting that few
women can claim to have accomplished.
Since war was declared against Ger
many Mrs. Broome, up to a recent date,
had knitted ffty-five articles. of which
twelve were sweaters, seven mufflers,
seven helmets, six pairs of wristIets
and the remainder wash cloths, scrub
cloths, etc.
Mrs. Broame is still knitting for the
boys who are to fight our battles. She
is the granddaughter of one of the
governors of Maryland and is promi-
nently identified in the work of the
Episcopal Church and patriotic so
cieties.
Since her husband died. some years
ago Mrs. Broome has successfully con-
Quoted large farm. in addition to at
tending to the business of Broome's S
wharf. at which four steamboat land
ings a week are made during naviga-
ton season.
Evening star., 1918-02-16
COMES TO THE DEFENSE
OF ROOT COMMISSION
Senator Weeks Declares It's Recon-
mendations Were Not Carried Out
by Administration.

The recommendations of the America n
commission to Russia, headed by E,lihu
Root. were not carried out by the admin
istration. was a charge made by Senator
Weeks of Massachusetts on the floor of
the Senate yesterday, replying to a state
ment by Senator James of Kentucky the
previous day. charging that the Root mis-
sion had fallen down"
Senator Weeks said that while the sub
ject was extremely delicate and conf
Dental. examination of the State Depart
not responsible for lack of results.
II suggest that senators look at the
State Department files he said, "and
then determine whether everything was
done that could have been done | think
you will find that others than members
of the Root commission were responsible
in part, at least. for failure of the com,
mission. 1 think you will find that rec
concentrations of the commission were not
carried out"
Chairman Stone of the foreign relations
committee interrupted to declare thai
such statements should not be made with
out authority and careful consideration
and were not for public discussion
In further reply to Senator James
speech. Senator Weeks also said:
ION February 4, just "a per cent of
the troops were in Europe that were con-
templated. if Mr. Bakers plans had been
carried out"
Evening star., 1918-02-16
The OTHER ANGLE
Brer Postum at Capitol
by KIRK MILLER.

According to animal astrologers, Brer
never had much time to tarry with
common white folks. but B. Possum's S
back got to itching under Fridays
warm sunlight and he essayed to risk
a mean eye on Congress.
He took short cut through the Cap
ltol briar patch. thinking to avoid the
newspaper men, and the first thing he
knew he was chased up tree by one
of those Capitol gray squirrels who
get paid for keeping alien enemies away
from the other nuts.
Brer Squirrel didn't need more than
one ful1-grown slant at b. Possum to
tell that trouble was brewing-his de-
tective instinct tipped him off that his
grazing ground was about to be chap
eroned by bolsheviki, so he sounded
a general alarm.
In about two scrambes every denizen
OF the Capitol grounds, including the chip
munks. field mice. woodpeckers and glow
worms. were Tapping their hips and chat
tering Indignation.
Those birds outside the Capitol are lust
like the ones inside-they all want to talk
at once. Only difference is that the feath-
cred maSpieS are wholesale debaters and
the gents inside just get paid for it,
As stated. on the first alarm all. the
Capitol grounds parasites rushed to the
rescue. They were later reinforced by
the Botanic Garden bucket and ladder
brigade and Lafayette Park home defense
league The second gong brought out
Champ Clark's ku klux CIan and inside
of five whispers every Washngtonian
Westinghouse and Washingtonut were
parking their bunions around Brer Pos
sums bihet.
Things looked tough for the delegate
from Sleepy Hollow until Uncle Remus,
who sweeps up leaves for Elliott Woods
sauntered along with his gunnysack, and
! being the only spectator in the bleachers
, , who could speak possum, offered his serv-
ices as counsel for the defense.
There isn't many leaves to be swept
nowadays. U. Remus could take Brer
PoSsum's case and still have time to
! manicure the Capitol plaza
Well. sub, Mstah Remus JUS naturally
slid his octagonal specs down over his
mansard nose, massased his dorner win
dow which hadn't enSconsed any possum
since MARSH Henry Watterson imported
him from the cotton patch. ard started
comnlunins with the son Of Mrs. O. Pos
sum.
Dat Remus bog charmed Brother Pos
sum SO unanimously that presently the
] swamp spaniel started crawling out of
the Capitol persmmon and down toward
Uncle Remus open ba@. He pol<ed his
nose one poke inside Itemus' eunnysack
and. seen' it half filed with nee smelly
leaves, orange skins and war extras. de-
cided to park himself there until the Po-
tomac sheds. its ice. when he could swim
back to Virginny, where he belonged.
No more was he in than counsel for the
defense moved a change of venue and re-
tired to his chateau de Ia James Creek
possum pie. under writ of caveat emp
tor-let the reader beware.
The grandstand and home guard stood
| by as filled with modification as if they'd
| been waiting on the skip corner of a
| skip-stop system.
Let the reader wear skid chains,
Evening star., 1918-02-16
TO TAKE PLACE OF DUMMIES.
High School Graduates Receiving
Diplomas Due at Commencement,

Pupils of the Washington high
schools who graduated at midyear
commencement received dummy dipIo-
mas Owing to the fact that the build
ing where the diplomas were made has
been commandeered by the government
and the paper firm which took the
diploma contract was forced to move
out before it's contract order could be
filed. "camouflaged diplomas. simply
sheets of stiff paper rolled into the tra-
ditional form of diplomas and tied with
d ribbon bearing the school coiors were
presented to the graduates. The stu
dents, however. cogniZant of the fact
that they did not receive the real thing,
were entirely satisfied. They were more
Interested in the fact that they were
completing their high school existence
than in the pieces of paper.
Now they are anxious to get their
diplomas and today a large shipment.
of the coveted papers was received at
the Franklin School and will be dis
tributed to the graduates of four of the
schools next week. Business High
School students received their diplomas
last week.
Evening star., 1918-02-16
TO ENTERTAIN FIREMEN.
Members of Local Association to Act
as Hosts to Delegates,

Members of the local Firemen's Asso-
citation will act as hosts to delegates
from various similar organizations who
will come here the week of February 26
to participate in the formation of an
International union of fremen. Business
sessions will be held at the American
Federation of Labor buil1ing. and head
quarters for the visitors will be Metro
politan Hotel.
President Gompers of the American
Federation of Labor and several MEM
bers of Congress are expected to ad-
dress the firemen. A committee to ar
range for the entertainment of the
guests has been appointed from the local
association 1t is composed of Engineer
J. D. Sullivan. Chairman; Sergt. George
Davenport. Sergt. R G. Tegeler o. r.
Barteran and ]. j. Sweeney.
The delegates will urge upon members
Of Congress the desirability of estab-
fishing the two-platoon system in the
dre department in this city.
Evening star., 1918-02-16
MONEY GIVEN FOR BABIES.
Florence Crittenton Home Takes in
$500 at Exhibition.

Visitors who stopped at sos 18th
street northwest yesterday to pay their
respects to the babies of the Florence
Crittenton Home on exhibition there
contributed more than $500 to the fund
of the home. The exhibit was contin-
ued today, beginning at II O'Clock. At
o'clock the children were taken back
to the home.
eleven babies were on exhibition
Yesterday. They were under the
charge of Mrs. Kate Waller Barrett
national president of the Florence
Crittenton Homes.
Adrienne Camille Mayer, four years
old, was one of yesterdays contrib
utors. She gave Mrs. F. NJ. Freeman.
superintendent of the home, purse
filed with ninety-seven pennies, to be
added to the fund
Seven new arrivals were welcomed at
the home this week, Mrs. Freeman an
,nounced yesterday.
Evening star., 1918-02-16
PHONE OPERATOR WOULDBORROW
$4,000, 900 FOR SPAIN'S KING.
Fiifteen-Dollar-a-Week Employe Poses as
Marquis and Promises Alfonsos
Aid to the Allies.

NEW YORK. February 16.-How a
en-dollar-a-week telephone opera-
tor. posing as his excellency, the Mar
quls Edmond Rousselot di Castillot,
confidential representative of his ma
jesty. King Alfonso Mi of Spain,
opened negotiations with the banking
house Of ]. p. Morgan & Co. for a loan
Of $50,000.000 to Spain and, by promis-
ing that Spain would enter the war on
the side Of the entente allies. brought
the State Department into the matter.
was revealed in the federal court here
today when three indictments were re-
turned against Edmond Rousselot
under the espionage law.
Rousselot was pressing his plan for
the loan when chance caused his arrest
on another charge and his castle in
Spain quickly toppled.
William Pierson Hamilton of the
Morgan house was foreman of the
grand jury which returned the indict-
ments and was familiar with the en-
tire transaction because he was the
member of the firm to whom the mat
ter was intrusted.
When the subject of the loan was
broached to the bank by Rousselot.
who had been properly introduced by
w. r.. ID. Stokes OF New York city, the
bank Immediately communicated with
Secretary Lansing. who opposed the
loan to the Spanish government
through an individual. and suggested
that it be taken up through the regu-
lar government channels. Rousselot OBJ
jected to this method of procedure. ex-
planning that the loan was to be made
personally to King Alfonso. and it was
because of this secret arrangement
he could promise that Spain was to
join the entente allies.
Arrested on Different Charge.
The negotiations were still under
way, and Mr.. Hamilton had the matter
under consideration, when Rousselot,
about three weeks ago. was arrested on
the charge of falsely reporting himself
as Count Rousselot,'' French diplo-
mat, here on a secret mission, and, be-
ing unable to obtain bail. was sent to
Jail. This led to inquiry. and the whole
affair was laid before the grand jury
1t developed that Rousselot had not
confined his operations to banking
houses. but numbered among his con-
Evening star., 1918-02-16
If You Doubt Your Own
Sanity, Try This Test!

Did you ever try to name the
months of the year Backward
Do 1t and hold your watch in your
hand. II 1t takes longer than
thirty seconds. beware. for your
mentality In slipping.
a noted aliePist. testifying In a
lunacy hearing yesterday. gave
Ms one of the signs denOtinE in
sanity that 1t had taken the
patient thirty seconds to name
over the months Of the year. In
reverse order. The abatement
caused a stir in the courtroom
and several spectators were seen
to look mt their watches and to
attempt the feat suggested by the
physicfan.
81 just tried It," said n Witness,
'sand 1t took me q minute and .
half. 1 wonder II 1 am buggy or
not"
Evening star., 1918-02-16

fiding friends one woman from whom
he had borrowed $4,000 on oil stocks
of doubtful value. but for the redemp-
tion of which he had pledged his "an-
cestral estates.'
Another of his friends was a pronnf[
nent actress, who told the authorities
she had been introduced to Count
Rousselot." and, believing him to be in
the French diplomatic service. had Wis
tied an English warship inYhe haroor-
with him AS his credentials%ere well
covered with seals which seemed to be
all right. they were taken over the
ship and shown every courtesy, She
said
She admitted giving him an auto
graphed photograph, which was later
found in his effects, on the promise that
tie front in France"
Received Crested Letters. q,
RousseIot, with the money obtained from
the oil stocks. established himself in ..
suite in a fashionable hotel and there res
ceived many letters which are described
as being covered with crests and seals and
addressed to him marquis counts
and kings messenger
These documents. when examined by the
authorities proved to be letters apparently
written by Rousselot to himself One OF
them, purporting to have come from the
King of Spain, bore a large red seal irn-
pressed by the stamp of the commissioner
of deeds of Westchester county N. Y.
He also had a rubber stamp bearing tho
words "Ministre de la Guerre" which, the
authorities allege, he used while posing
as a French diplomat When representing
himself as the agent Of the King OF
Spain he used a crest cut from the ad-
vertitsins of a leading furrier, they de.
clared. "
A little later RousseIot moved to tho
Hotel Ansonia. where he told Mr.. Stokes.
the owner. that he was King Alfonso's
confidential agent in this country. and in
support of his statement displayed his
collection of Credentials. He further
explained that he expected a visit from
Jules Jusserand. the French ambassador.
but did not have the necessary funds to
entertain him.
Mr.. Stokes advanced him $500, and one
of the indictments has to do with this
transaction. From this conversation Rous-
selot succeeded in having Mr.. Stokes in.
troduce him to the Morgan firm
Another Indictment charges Rousselot
with forging a government license permit
ting him to visit all warships. and still
another alleges the theft of official note
paper of the Treasury Department.
Evening star., 1918-02-16
Fo RExEMPTING FARM LABOR.
Col. Johnson Sanctions Instructions
to Offset Arbitrary Rulings.

Col. H. S. Johnson, deputy provost mar
slIal has sanctioned the pcomulgation by
the federal board OF farm organizations of
instructions whereby skilled farm labor
may be protected from arbitrary rulings
Of local and district boards not in con-
formity with the official classification of
drafted men adopted by the War Depart
ment-
The approval Of the special report of the
farm organization by the deputy provost
marshal is regarded as foreshadowing
future steps looking to tbeSsafeguarding
Of all registered men from arbitrary rui-
J llnSs by local and district boards
Evening star., 1918-02-16
FOR FEDERAL DOG TAX BILL.
Ten Million in U. S., Says DR.. Kane
Pushing Food Shortare.

Dogs consume SO large an amount
of food annually in the United
states that their determination would
relieve the food shortage in Europe and
replenish Americas supply. in the
opinion of DIR. Evan O'Neil Kane of
Kane, Pa. DR.. Kane is advocating leg
islat;on before Congress for a federal
dog tax bill.
There are 10.000.o00 dogs in the United
States, DIR. Kane estimates. costing the
nation between a quarter of a billion
and a billion dollars a year. CANNES
may be divided, he continues, into two
general classes-unprof1tabl 1uxuries
and dangerous quisances. 49,.
Evening star., 1918-02-16
Ban on Purchase of Malt Grain.

Brewers have been directed by the
food administration to purchase no bar
ley or other grains for mailing until
the new mailing regulations are is
sued, which will be within a few days.
The new regulations are expected to
limit the use of cereals for mailing in
order to increase the bread supply. AS
brewers have enough grain on hand for
several months, there will be no suspen-
sion of brewing as a. result of the dis
continuance of purchases.
Evening star., 1918-02-16
Cheaper Rice by April Probable.

Hope of cheaper rice by April / is
held out by the United States Food Ad-
ministration. Recent increases in price
are attributed to the fact that most of
the rice mills in the country. have been
running to full capacity in order to
supply the demand for one million bags
for the American Army and Navy and
shipment to the allies. As a result, the
normal supply for home consumption
has been temporarily reduced,
Evening star., 1918-02-16
Marched With New Colors.

The District battalion marched with its
new colors, and stiff breeze which swept
across the divisional parade ground show
ed them off to good advantage. The other
battalions participating in the review
we're the 3IOth and the 311th machine
gunners.
"If you want to feel young and frisky
Join the Army is the advice of Repre-
sentative Royal c. Johnson. who. hav-
ing enlisted as private in the Ma
tional Army little more than a month
line aud added two to his chest
measure.
The stiffest sort of physical exercises,
long hikes with full equipment, and
good muscle building rations. have
worked wonders in improving the con-
dition and powers of endurance of the
student officers at the divisional school
here. where Representative johnson
and 200 other enlisted men and nom
CONS are training to become Army
officers.
To Train Colored Soldiers.
Frederick D. Pollard, alI-American
foot ball man and fullback on Browns
varsity eleven. has left college to be-
come physical director of the training
arrived here today and is working
under the direction of the Y. NJ. c. A
at B bungalow.
MAI Gen. Joseph E. Kuhn, just re-
turned from France, will be back at
Camp Meade tomorrow to resume com
mand of the 18th Division and relieve
Brig. Gen. William ]. Nicholson, who
mas been acting camp commander dur
ting Gen. kuhn's absence.
Evening star., 1918-02-16
As to Excluding Papers From Mail

" conclusion. Solicitor Lamar says:
To exclude any matter from the mails
because it contains criticism of the
President. the Postmaster General or
the administration would be unwar-
ranted and illegal But when a paper
has violated the law, 1t would be equal
ly illegal. as we'll as cowardly. to re-
frain from excluding it just because it
happened also to criticise some one.
Those clever propagandists who en-
deavor to shield palpable violations of
law by making at the same time vio-
lent criticisms find the premeditated
defense Inadequate. While the law does
not notice criticism, neither does it per-
NIT criticism to be used as a cover for
it's violation.
"While criticism of individuals, Off
cials of the government, should be well
coined and encouraged, it comes with
better grace and effect from the mouths
of those who are loyal to the nation
and who realize that this war not only
should be won but must be won and
will be won"
Evening star., 1918-02-16
FRENCH MAKE GAIN
AND CHECK GERMANS
Actions Reported in Champagne and
Upper Alsace-British Also
Score Success.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Ptess.
PARIS, February 16-The French
last night made successful raid near
Vauquois and repulsed German recon-
lnoitering parties in the Champagne and
in upper Alsace, the war Office reports
German aviators again dropped bombs
in the vicinity of Nancy. The statement
follows:
I'm Champagne. in the region of
Ville-Sur-Tourbe, and in upper Alsace,
south of Burnhaupt, LIE Bas, the French
repulsed German raiding parties. The
French carried out an enterprise in the
sector Of Vauquois and brought back
prisoners. Elsewhere the night was
calm.
Enemy aviators last night dropped
several bombs in the region north of
Nancy. 1t is reported that civilians
were killed or wounded
British Succeed in Raid.
LONDON. February 16.-"A successful
raid was carried out by Lancashire troops
early last night in the neighborhood of
the pres-Staden railway says today S
war office report Eleven prisoners were
taken by our troops and our casualties
were slight
course Of the night north OF Lens and
opposite La Bassee and Wytschaete."
Berlin Claims Air Victories.
BERLIN. February 1s-Last nights
official statement says:
During January the enemy lost on the
German front 20 captive balloons and also
81 airplanes, 81 of which fell behind our
lines. The remainder were seen to fall
within the enemy's positions. In aerial
/ fighting We lost 6s airplanes and cap
tive balloons"
Evening star., 1918-02-16
When Privileges Are Cancelled.

"The second-class mailing privileges
are Cancelled for violation of the OBJ
scene statute and the fraud statute, as
well as the espionage or trading with
the-enemy act. This simply means that
the government does not cooperate
with one violating its laws, and that
no one shall enjoy it's agencies to its
own hindrance or hurt as defined by
Congress
THE espionage and the trading-with-
the-enemy acts make certain acts dur
ing the war criminal, subject to indict-
ment and punishment in the criminal
courts. Military tribunals have no juris-
diction.
Congress also declared any matter
yiolative of these acts non-mailable.
placing upon the Post Office Depart-
ment the duty of seeing that the mails
are rot employed in contravening those
acts. No new principle of government
or administration is involved in this.
for similar duties with respect to other
non-mailable matter have for MANY
years been imposed on that department
by Congress.
"If the right to use provides that the
mails may be limited in the interest of
decency. honesty or morality, with how
much greater propriety may it be linn
tied in the effort to preserve the life
itself of the nation?"
Evening star., 1918-02-16
G is the War Cross.

For his courageous work at Eerdun
Sergt. Jacob was proposed for the mill
tary medal and was decorated with the
war cross His citation praised him as
an excellent under officer of remark
able devotion and sangfroid; during the
soJourn of his regiment in the trenches
ne accomplished with the greatest con-
tempt for danger difficult missions un-
der intense bombardments"
Throughout the late summer and an
tumn OF 1916 Jacob fought with his reg
iment in the Somme and passed the
winter in the trenches. In April, 1917.
he again attacked in CHAMPAGNE. win,
ming another citation when his corns
charged the Bois du Seigneur, where
500 Bavarians surrendered without a
struggle to 500 Frerchmen
Put in charge Of section of sappers
Jacob remained for several months dur.
ing 1917 at Reims where he and his
men were charged with the extinguish-
ing of fires started by German shells
Dangerous work this, always exposed
to heavy bombardments.
His wife, in Am erica, is waiting for
the war to end and is just as patiently
devoted as he.
In addition to his fighting Qualities
Jacob is poet of no mean ability. One
must have an idealistic nature to nm
dereo all this fine old sergeant under
goes.
Evening star., 1918-02-16
FIGHTS IN TRENCHES
TO WIPE OUT SCORE
Rhode Island Man, Fifty Years
Old, Serves With French
Army.
By PAUL AYRES ROCKWELL.
Especial Correspondence of The Evening
Star and the Chicago Daily News.)

Especial Correspondence OF The Evening
Star and the Chicago Daily News.)
WITH THE FRENCH ARMIES, Janu-
airy 2o.-The story of Sergt Eugene
Jacob, the dean of the American volun-
teers now serving under the French
flag, should inspire every admirer of
pluck. courage and determination.
Jacob was born almost fifty years ago
in Belgian Luxembourg, just across the
border from France. During the
Franco-Prussian war of 1870 two of his
uncles. out hunting rabbits with shot
guns. were arrested by troop of Prus-
sian soldiers. and. after a mock trial.
shot under the false accusation of being
''franc-tireurs" (snipers).
When Jacob was ten years old he
emigrated to the United States with
his father and mother. He grew up in
Rhode Island, where he married.
In August 1914, Jacob was proprietor
of prosperous meat and grocery store
in the little mill city of Woonsocket.
r, /. The day after war was declared
he sold out his business told his wife
-good-by and embarked for France. AS
soon as he landed here he went directly
to a recruiting bureau and enlisted in
the foreign legion for the duration of
the war.