davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
SIDNEY DREW

From the New York Herald
 It is no exaggeration to say that the news of the death of Sidney Drew shocked millions of American There is not a movie fan from Labrador to Florida, or from New York to San Fran cisco who was not familiar with the dry and subtle humor of this typically Amer ican comedian.
 Incapable of the slap dash clowning, or gymnastic contortion of other leading men of the ''screen," MT. Drew was the first to discover that it was possible to express humor through the new medium of the unspoken drama without knocking people down, or jumping off cliffs, or climbing church steeples He adapted the old methods of the regular stage to the moving picture theatre with such success that comedy in which he appeared was always delight. no matter how excellent the pieces were which went before, or which followed it.
 The best description that was ever given of this genial, brilliant artist was the following: "Sirney Drew is the man who put the brains in the movies-witk the assistance of his wife"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
HE GOT THE PENNY

New York Correspondent Pittsburg Dis
 patch.
 The old saying about "there being one born every minute" was tested out by a bunch of gobs, who were standing near the war camp community service in Bryant park yesterday afternoon. They put penny on the sidewalk and awaited results. The first pedestrian, tortoise steu bespectacled professor, came along. He paused from a speculation of sponta- neous combustion long enough to stoop for the penny. 'Ah!' The professor looked up in bewilderment and saw the ''gobs' lit up with grins they, brought back from the North Sea The learned man hurried out of sight Then came a woman, one of those sailors-are- such -niceboys" kind of wonen-and be- held the penny. She stopped. "Ah!' Then, alas! for the gobs-a newsboy dart ing from behind street car. saw the penny. "Ahr' shouted the gobs. Say" said the newsboy. ''You'se guys can put that stuff over on the Huns and wise guys and women, but not on me. For get it. and before the gobs could reach him, he had gone into 'No Mans Land" with the penny!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
GO SOUTH YOUNG MAN!

! farming are not all that the south [ proud of West Virginia boasts ono q the oldest and most ultra -fashionabI watering places in the country. Le to themselves hereafter. White Sulphu} near the summit of the AlleghanI
 mountains in West Virginia, on th line of the Chesapeake and Ohio rail road, has its Greenbrier. with its Carls bad, Nauheim and Baden-Baden baths
 and those of Ak les-Bains+of south ern France-too. Aix boasts that it baths date back 2eo0 years, and Whit Sulphur boasts that it's famous suIphc alkaline, iron and alum springs hay a hundred years, and that among it illustrious patrons have been Henr Clay, Rufus Choate, Presidents FTllmor and Pierce, and the Prince of Vale
 way back in 1860. Surrounded by rugged hills covere with oak, pine and spruce, at an alti tude of 2000 feet, and with a sweepini !! demesne of 1000 acres, this resort wa down in West Virginia, 15 hours fror New York, has become famous not onls as a "cure," but also as the rendezvou of those who delight in golf, tennis
 mountain climbing and horeback rid ing. The Chesapeake and Ohio railroad the owner, has spent s3,000.000 in lay ing out the property, golf links an tennis courts, and in the-erection o the imposing Greenbrier hotel a cal pacious bathhouse and the colonnade clubhouse Summer and winter visitor flock to White Sulphur, for the summe nights in the mountains are cool an the winter temperature is mild. I March, for instance, it ranges from 8 to 50 in the early morning and fror 60 to 70 in the afternoon. In spring
 summer and fall the resort is full, in
 cluding the 60 cottages that encircl the two connecting hotels, the statel
 Greenbrier and the old-fashioned White Here, as at the foreign spas, the visi tor in pursuit of health and strengtl
 must consult the medical director, Di H. H. Roberts, before taking the wal ters or the baths. This system, whicl invariably prevails at foreign cure] should always be strict requirement at "cure,' but we have been sadll neglectful of this necessary precau tiOu esss4
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
gressions

mRESIDENT WILSON declares
 R that Plume cannot become a part of Italy. In his statement ex- blaming his position on the Adriatic question he is clear and convincing.
 Whenever the President addresses the public on any momentous topic he is always direct and certain of his ground. At this crisis he protests sin cerest friendship for Italy-a friend ship that carries with it the highest measure of admiration-but he points out the reasons why he must not yield to Italy's demand for Plume. Those reasons, it will be seen from the Presidents statement, are conclusive.
 The situation changed with the termination of the war. Austria Hungary no longer exists. Had not the Austro-H Hungarian empire col lapsed, the attitude of the victorious powers would have been different. But every aspect of this settlement now assumes a new aspect, and Italy her enlightened and fair-minded gov ernment- on sober second thought will, it is believed, admit that Presi- dent Wilson is right. The world at large will. without doubt, support the Presidents contention, and it is safe to predict that all will yet end well.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
Motorists Ignore
 Traffic Ordinances

COMMISSIONER TAYLOR is to be S commended for his determina- tion to enforce the traffic laws in the business district of Birmingham. Selfish and careless motorists have brought about situation that must be remedied.
 Reckless driving is common, while cars are parked, hundreds of them, along the curbs in the busiest sections of town and left there for large part of the day, in violation of the law and without any regard for merchants and others whose places of business are cut off from communication with the street.
 In the larger cities of the country this practice is strictly prohibited. The parking nuisance has become so acute in Birmingham that the police authorities may eventually be com peiled to restrict cars to certain areas outside the downtown district. A car should never be allowed to remain in front of a store or office building longer than an hour at a time. In other cities the time limit is much shorter.
 Birmingham has traffic ordinances well adapted to city of this size, but the difficulty of their enforcement has caused them to be ignored. How ever, these laws should be amplified and strictly enforced in the future.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
GRAVES BREAKS WITH HEARST

From the Washington Star
 Col. John Temple Graves known va riously as editor of the New York Amer ican, editorial interpreter for the Hearst newspapers and political editor of the same journal in Washington, has an- nounced that he has severed definitely his professional relations with the pub fisher. MT Graves said he wanted it understood that his personal relations with MT. Hearst were in no way dis turbed.
 Colonel Graves declined to give his reasons for resigning his Hearst connec- tions. He said he would make other newspaper connections and continue to work in the interests of progressive leg islation. He will make his permanent hcme in Washington. Colonel Graves had been connected exclusively with the Hearst publications for the last 12 years.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
John A. Sleicher. in Leslie's.

John A. S1eicher, in Leslie's.
 0N HE whole south is marching on to undreamed-of prosperity. S For the first time in years 1t has been receiving remunerative re- turns for it's products, especially it's greatest staple, cotton. Now that the | war is over, and the staple is declining.
 a widely organized movement, starting
 in New Orleans and extending through out the south, has been planned to re- duce the cotton acreage by one-third, and the use of fertilizers by one-half which is bad for the fertilizing conn., panies-and thus to maintain satis- factory price for next years cotton crop. Some may object to this as re- straint of trade Governor Allen of Kan sas says it is trading on the misery of the world" The south asks Governor Allen if the Kansas wheat growers are also in this line of business when they indorse the government price of $2.26 bushel for wheat, while the Austra- lian market is half that figure
 But can we blame the cotton planter? The south has always been accused of devoting too much attention to cot ton and too little to other products of the farm. It now proposes to raise less cotton and more corn, wheat, hogs and cattle. Perhaps our Kansas friends do not take kindly to this. have always wondered why the southern farmer did not produce more of the necessities of life. Let him go to it!
 The business men of the south are now leading the procession. They are edging off the platform the profession al politicians who have, been making living out of the discord they have created, and who are more responsible than any other class for keeping capi- tai away from the golden opportunities the south has offered ever since the War Between the States. The Hive wires" in the south are the Cham bers of Commerce. cotton associations and similar bodies They are the leaders. If the movement to limit cotton production ness men and bankers in these we'll organized bodies stand behind it. These men are sick of the kind of politics that
 has put the south in a wrong light with the investor. The south is for big
 business. big prices. big crops, big harbors and big things generally.
 But trade. commerce, cotton and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24

From the Kansas City Times. N7 IT EW York is taking it's approach NW ing bereavement-due July T.
 G N pretty hard Like the widows of
 Ashur she is loud in her vail, although New York is not likely to go the length of breaking the idols in the temple of
 Baal. Widowed she may be, but not that widowed.
 New York knows that prohibition is a
 mistake and that the country is going to rue it. But what makes her frantic is that the country won't rouse. Like Mrs. Dombey it won't make an ehort. If it would only make an effort it might save itseIf-and New York-but it stub bornly refuses to do as much as shake itself. It acts, to New York's horrified eyes. like a country too far gone to care what happens to it. Sunk in this fatal stupor it apparently is going to sit stin and let prohibition finish it off without so much as raising a hand to stay It's fate.
 In this crisis New York has had to do all the thinking. l ne couiliy VIII nv he ruined-and New York with tiff New York can help it. It wouldn't be neighborly Bethinking herself. there fore, New York has thought that neat way out of the difficulty into which the | country has ignorantly blundered is to ! pass a law declaring that no beverage containing only F per cent of alcohol shall be intoxicating. That is what 1t is
 to have a legal mind!
 1 New York is prepared, in the public interest, to make the experiment upon
 itself. It will pass this law, drink +
 per cent and walk chalk line to demon
 strate that it is nonintoxicating. Con-
 eress and the supreme court can come
 and look on, and if New York can't carry
 it's F per cent like gentleman it will
 get on the water wagon and drive tc
 ruin and bankruptcy with the rest oi
 the coutnry.
 | It is remarkable how unanimous boczs opinion now is that the only beverage
 really intoxicating-and the one at which
 prohibition is aimed-is whisky. It may
 now be admitted. this opinion holds, that
 whisl<y has perhaps a trifle too vigorou. . kick for | regular tipple. Let 1t h'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
Appeal Should Meet
 With Ready Response

6H HE 167th regiment must be fit J tingly entertained when it wis., it's Birmingham in May and in order to defray the expense of the celebra- tion s20,00O is needed. This money should be raised promptly. A great honor is being conferred upon Birmingham and the parade of the heroic and far-famed troops will be one of the most notable events in
 the history of this stirring city. Chairman Oscar Wells has written to many citizens asking for liberal aid, but every man should be quick to make donation, whether he be directly solicited or not.
 The reception of the 167th should be a community affair and in order to have it so the s2O,OOO fund should be made up of thousands of volun- tary contributions.
 Birmingham has never failed to rise to the occasion and do the generous thing when patriotism is the inspir- ling motive. It will surely not be found wanting now. But the people are urged to respond to MT. Wells appeal without delay. Send your checks to the chairman today.
 The Victory Loan campaign is all- absorbing this week, but no public spirited citizen can afford to over look the plans for the welcome to the men whose intrepidity was supreme and whose valor played so large a part in winning the war.
 By all means lets have something lin the way of a celebration in all respects worthy of Birmingham. We
 must have nothing cheap. Not dol lar less than the sum named will
 provide an adequate fund.
 x # .
 Generous subscribers to the Victory Lib- erty Loan will be given free airplane rides However. there is little for mality to be gone through with that may deter timorous persons. The prospective passenger must sign a paper absolving
 the military authorities from responsi-
 bilty if any bones are broken. a: # *
 An artist, says General Pershing.
 smiles more often than his pictures would indicate. Some enterprising cameraman ought to catch one of those Pershins smiles. just for the sake of WY.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
Up to the Commission

If the city commission passes an ordi- nance with a standard of less than 6o. 900 bacteria to the cubic centimeter for raw milk it will be their ordinance and not mine,'' said Dr. J. D. Bowling, city health officer, after having been asked whether or not the commission would reduce the bacteria count. "I cannot say whether they will reduce the count or not My object is to have as much of the milk pasteurized as possible
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24

"It was not a difficult flight, but monotonous toward the end,- said Cap tain White who made the nonstop flight from Chicago to New York. Tt gets tiresome sitting there all day with no chance to talk to anyone" Evidently flying is not yet adapted to persons of gregarious instincts.
 < # H A man who has been connected with an insurance company for 4 years has just been elected president. You could hardly call that a meteoric rise. However, he stood next in line of promotion for 2 years.
 If Mir. Burleson's alleged spy system doesn't function any better than the Kais- CTS in America, Mir. Burleson's worst enemies will have a chance to chortle. It is now pretty well established that President Wilson will not be on board the George Washington when it makes it's next trip to America
 # i, Whoever started that story that the marines didn't fight in the battle of Chateau Thierry had reckless disregard for consequences.
 < x # TIncIe Sam may have u1ade snrpe mis- takes, yet there isn't trunk line in America half as bad off as the Trans Siberian railway.
 There's one encouraging feature of the situation in Paris. The Big Four" seem able to stand up under great deal of wear and tear.
 If Hawker and Raynham don't get chance to "hop off soon, those two am- bilious flyers are going to age consider ably.
 General Alvarez faced a firing squad without a tremor. Whatever may be their faults, those Mexicans know how to die.
 # # # The bolsheviki have knocked Russian industry into a cooked hat, but the bol- sheviki presses are stin printing money.
 < x < A movie advertisement states that the star ''holds her admirers in the palm of her hand" A "vamp"? Correct
 x # t Are we Germans to be cooliesT' asks Max Harden. A still small voice answers, "'Twould serve 'em right"
 # x # No elaborate plans are being made to entertain Germany's peace delegates when they arrive at Versailles.
 < x x The Fflipinos have a great love for America, but this self determination fever is certainly catching.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
Giving a Square Deal To First Offenders

11NHE new indeterminate sentence 0 law was put into effect in the criminal court of Jefferson county when Judge Fort sentenced four pris- oners to serve terms of one to twenty years in the penitentiary.
 This law, recently passed by the state legislature, conforms to en- frightened ideas of penology and is a step forward in giving first offenders a chance to reform. Alabama is mo- toriously backward in the treatment of its criminals. We should have had law of this kind on the statute books long ago.
 Under the old system a person con- victed of crime was given a fixed term of years to serve. He was doomed to undergo the demoralizing influences that are met with in all prisons, no matter how well they are conducted, and while he might hope for an ultimate pardon, after spend ing a few years in the penitentiary, the first offender was apt to become imbittered and corrupted by his more hardened associates. There was little likelihood of his permanent reforma- tion.
 The indeterminate sentence is a strong incentive to good behavior and : has most salutary effect in show ing an unfortunate man or woman that there is a chance to receive some thing better than strict justice, if they prove worthy. After serving one year a prisoner may apply for pardon and his case will be investigated. If his prison record is good he will be pa- roled and if he continues law-abiding he will eventually be pardoned.
 This law is fair and humane. In its operation it should decrease in
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
TO dARrrNAL MERGER

By Charles Hanson Towne. When the world rocked in the red tid
 of War, And darkness deepened on your tragi
 land, You cried your hatred of that evl That crushed to ashes all we builde
 for. Tn agony of heart and soul you swcr The Hun should suffer for his hurain
 brand And the black deeds his brood ha
 fou!iy planned, As from his fsce she awful mask yo You were the fearless spirit who coui
 say M Loud woras of righteous anger to
 world When in the tempest of despair
 whirled, We needed you on that disastrous da. With flaming eyes and lips with acor
 upcurled, Soldier of God. immortal Merciers
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE
R.hr Ostrich Amu.ing

T saw a baby ostrich for the first time a few days ago." said Carl c. Wall. The management of the Ostrich and Alligator farm at East Lake has several baby ostriches that were born-or should say hatched-right here in Birmingham. They are nursing these infant ostriches along and to look at the antics and the pecu- liar architecture of a baby ostrich is really quite as amusing to grown-ups as to the children. The ostrich and alligator farm has been extended and covers good deal more territory than it did at the municipal resort last summer and has many more inmates, the alligator and ostrich tribe both increasing during the winter months"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
SONGS OF CIVIL WAR DAYS

From the YouthS Companion.
 Whatever may be the faults of ou generation. we are not guilty of certain form of mawkishness that flourished dur ing the civil war. It is expressed il many of the songs that were popular 6 years ago. Mother Would Comfort Me- Kiss. Me. Mother, Ere Die;" ''Wh, Will Care for Mother Now" "Dea Mother, I've Come Home to Die; Mother, Dear, Your Boy Is Wounded and so on through long list. Mother low is too beautifula thing to be made ridicu lous by arrant sentimentality. The reade, who peruses such songs of an earlier gen eration must agree with ArternIs Ward wing says of his contemporaries. 'Thes' song writers air doin' the Mother Bisi ness rather too muchly.''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
HIS WIT SAVED HIM

From the Boston Transcript
 Discipline is strict in the French army. A raw sentry saluted corporal who, unaware that General Gourand was close behind him, returned the salute.
 A little later he was summoned before the general and asked why he returned the salute when he must have known he should have done so.
 Sir" said the corporal. T always re- turn anything to which I am not en- titled"
 General Gouraud was so pleased with this witty reply that he let the matter drop.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
Here To See Brother

T just ran up for few days from Montgomery to see my brother, Louis Dent. "A number of years back he and I left our old home at Eufaula- I went to Montgomery and he settled in Bir- mingham. My father was one of the first south Alabama men to invest in faith in 1t up to the time of his death.
 I have a brother, Warren, who still stands by his old home town Eufaula."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
BRIEF ALL RIGHT

From the Los Angeles Times.
 One of the Hellfnan boys was talking about the saving effect the war had had on bank depositors, as shown by the wonderfully increased accounts. Then he laughed.
 'Tt's really contagious. this economy but I think the limit was reached in a telegram a friend of mine received the other day from his son in college.
 Seems he had told the boy that if he brief as possible. The lad wanted hell all right, and the wire read like this
 "Dad-s. Q. s. :. P, D. e. R. & " P son.'-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
England In May Time

T find myself as May is approaching looking back lovingly to the south of England" said Hugh Martin, flor any one who loves nature can never forget the beauty of England in May when the hawthorn is in bloom. I can recall
 no scenes so lovely as certain country lanes with the brown, soft matched roofs and gray stone houses. England in Maytime Is a picture of restfulness which is enough to soothe the tired
 nerves of any nerve-racked Ameri- can" .lr
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
Glad To start Home

'T had letter recently from my son Alfred, who is a chaplain in the regular army and is now with the army of oc- cupation at Coblenz," said Dr. A. J. Dickinson, and I gather from what he glad when the time comes for them to turn their faces homeward. It seems to be the feeling amongst the greater part of the men overseas that as soon as peace is declared that they ought to possible"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
NEW YORK'S SELF-SACRIFTCE

prohibited, then. is booze's stern demand But light beers and wines-ah, they ar another matter. Booze will give bon and nonintoxicating. They must be light of coure, containing not more than l per cent of alcohol-a mere dash. O that point booze is inflexible--it won have it's beers and wines intoxicatin people and stirring up more prohibitio trouble.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24

stead of increasing the number of the states confirmed criminals. Society owes something to the man in prison. That debt can only be paid by giving him an opportunity to win back his sef-respect and live down past trans pressions
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
Kiddies on the Job.

What I appreciate most in the support of the war by the people is the part the children played" said General William L.. Sibert Unable to contribute financially they did their bit in gathering the peach seeds needed and in other small but pa triotic ways Modern war does not mean the mobilization merely of the armed forces of country but of its entire resources"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-24
Local Churches Aid Each Other

T think that the Baptist churches in this district are showing sense in get ting local pastors to help in revival services" said P. c. Rat1iff.
 "Dr. Price of Bessemer is assisting Dr. Wright of Ensley; Dr. billiard of the Southside is aiding Dr. Hibbs at East Lake, and Dr. Hobbs of the First is with pr. Baker at Woodlawn. This is the first time such a thing has hap pened within my knowledge, that three of our leading churches have called on brother ministers in Birmingham to carry on evangelistic services"