davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
, 1920-10-21
The Tragic 6

Does anybody know how much a billion dollars is? Well it
represents all the money congress appropriated in any one year
for all expenses before the war.
That is the amount, in round numbers, the Democratic admin
istration squandered for aircraft without sending an effective
fighting plane to France.
The statements made in this announcement are based upon
evidence taken from the Investigations made by a board of which
former Supreme Court Justice Charles E. Hughes was chairman,
by a subcommittee of the military committee of the senate, and
by a special investigating committee of the house.
According to Colonel Patrick of the United States army, our
forces needed for offense and defense 3,4OO fighting and observa-
ton planes.
No American built pursuit, combat or bombing plane reached
the front.
On November II, 1918, the date of the armistice, America had
43O7 flyers in France, and 7118 in the United States, making a
total Of II 1926. At that time in the war area we had just 1876
defective observation planes made in America, and 544 second
hand or discarded planes that we had borrowed or begged from
our allies. Or, to take from the record the evidence of the score
tary OF war himself, given in response to a question put by a
congressman.
MIR FREAR: And we did not during the whole
period of the war get a fighting machine or bombing
plane to the front?
SECRETARY BAKER: Not a fighting machine or
a bombing machine of American manufacture.
What then did we produce in the way of aircraft? A number
of mere training planes wooden grasshoppers" or Penguins that
only skipped along the ground seasleds; several thousand worth
less planes that were scrapped, and the few flaming collins that
were sent to France.
Yet congress had appropriated for the air service with lavish
prodigalty. In fact every dollar asked for was instantly given.
Total appropriations 1917 and 1918 -----.-----$1 ,692, 336, 424
Revoked after war ended ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 487, 100000
, 1920-10-21
WHAT HAPPENED IN WYOMTNC9

Multiply this by hundreds or even thousands and we bano .uu.
thing of an idea of the causes for the $27 600, 900 900 exnendad
in two years, and our present tax burden of which n q ~ We
man or child now living will ever entirely be free. Applied iocau.
and our understanding is clearer still, because the people of Sheriy
dan, for instance, know that beautiful Fort McKenyie va " ..
only idle and vacant but partially dismantled and its plumbing
and fixtures moved to temporary camps in the south ""s
It was stated during the war, and never then deriod a..
S500,OO0 was expended in moving men, animals, guns and oan
eral munitions from Fort Russell to California and Teva au Ell
and later to be transported back across the country 10 A1 I'M
seaboard ports. In both states, Texas and Californio a IAN.
men drilled in the mud, and boys died of pneumonia 90 ,t asa
from sleeping in cold and damp beds, while a $5,OOo0oo pIant 81
Fort Russell and a 6,000acre reservation remained hit E.ti aan ~
NOTE: The above statement was prepared bv the ~ ;
Tribune from printed records, v" opVe
, 1920-10-21
EXPERIMENTING WITH LIBERTY MOTORS AND
HUMAN LIVES

The Liberty Motor was primarily designed by the Packard
Motor company They intended it should serve for all types of
planes-pursuit, bombing, observation, and training. After they
got the motor to running, they discovered that no airpIanes were
adapted to it, and that it could not be adapted to them. So they
started changing the French and British models to suit them to
their motor. =
The most striking thing about hese- disclosures is Mr.. TaIbotts own
statement, that h vas a bridge builder I'M didn't know IA damned thing"
about building flying machines, practically admitted that the contract
which a nothing more o less than graft, vas forced him by his
Mr.. Deeds.
Finding the Liberty motto could 70 be adapted to n kind of fighting
or pursuit plane, they abandoned that type of plane. They made 7SD
changes in tn English Bristol fighter, nut couldn't make it work with the
Amerieas hope o a lighting machine They had already cancelled the
they scrapped 1000 other planes hat they had built only to find them
worthless. .
, 1920-10-21
DOES SOLDIER BLOOD CLEANSE A
GRAFTERS HANDS

Yes, entering when we did, with aid of the allies. we won the
war, but we won it by the bare listed courage of American man
Ihood-by the wonderful devotion of officers and men in fine canno
at home and their sacrifices on the battlefelds of France We
won the war-these men won it, in spite of any and all sIack,ers
gfafters' official incompetents and imbeciles at home-in spite
to try to wash himself clean in the blood that flowed in the A.
gonne. for an incompetent in Washington to seek cover for his
imbeciity under the heroism. of Beleau Wood!
What possible excuse does a soldiers death abroad offer for
grafter's plumber or an incompetents blunder in America ? Move
absolutely nonel Any school boy who never saw logic. can zee
that. Yet up to this date there has been no other excuse Offered
for the Democratic administration which is seeking to pernetuata
itself ION its war record"
, 1920-10-21
THE FLAMING COFFINS-RICKENBACKER,S
STORY

AS heretofore described our Wanted production of aircraft in
America had produced nothing but miserable failures owing to
types OF French, Italian and British experience had developed,
and which all our best authorities vigorously recommended. The
new engine OF their own design and then build such airplanes as
would fit it. The result as we have seen was complete failure
lected by these meddlers to $500 changes, still had over fifty de
fects. But our men had to use them or none, and it is to their
dd their best with them, even though they knew they were VERT
able death traps.
Here they come! A large hotilla of American flaming
coming home at 1000 feet after a bombardment of
Metz And just behind them, and a little above, were
four very fast moving Fokkers. l stuck up my nose and
began climbing for the sum-"
Thus it is Captain Rickenbacker began his account of the
thrilling fight he had with these four Fokkers. Notwithstanding
the tremendous odds, he outmanoeuvered them and out fought
them and, after destroying one plane with its pilot, he got safely
were four of the greatest air fighters in all of Germany.
In his story of the Mouse -Argonne fight, Captain Rickenbacker
further says:
Thousands and thousands of German troops had beer unioaded
Grand a%% p pe m i1s n ms Pssy,oosn night \ m We're enn nGw hidden in
were nut in force to defend this spot against bombing planes until
selves ssas aslr From ever iss s %ssass r sa ss'; %sTs 5a sHs%s
constructed fuel tanks, Afforded . easy s@ a target saH to % she i Se%nann
boosted ac1ievemen If u aviation Department. their flaming
.sss Of these eTud aehin g dow G%i na Saa' al ar American s%
fdghhul an needless death. "S ''""' 's"s 'S
Captain Field K. Kindley, a flyer in the American Sixty fifth
squadron, testified in reference to these flaming collins:
IF it could have been avoided they should not have been
used but they were better than no machines at all, and
we had nothing else"
One more piece of direct evidence from an American aviator
should be quoted here. 1t comes from r. L. Lee Murphy of Lex
mgton' Ky, addressed to Congressman Frear. MI. Murphy says:
the rwsndesh Aero Squadron lost eleven aviators GU OF twelve
e. down in me fight in flames. If % would ask he opinion of
ded aHd siSty-axth,, the oy three Liberty bombing squadron-
that sent that machine witha an unprotected gasoline tank to be
and officers at the front, who saw American soldiers sacrificed
to dishonesty, inefeciency and greed.
, 1920-10-21
DIDN'T KNOW A DAMNED THING" ABOUT
AIRPLANES

DlDN L hNOW "A DAMMED Thing" ABOUT
Gutzman Borglum, who conducted an aircraft investigation for
the president, gives us a good picture of the general ineficiency
in the aircraft enterprise, and at the same time, of Deeds prosti-
tuition of his office and the public welfare. In the fall of 1917, he
visited Dayton, Ohio, and had a talk with Mr.. Talbot, Deeds
partner, who said:
ing and canal building to build arplanes. 1 do 10 know "a
damned thing about il; Mead knows nothing about it; Kettering
knows nothing about it, and here we are given battle planes and
1000 training planes.
Talbot further said "they' were to receive $12, 900 each for
battle planes, or $4,000, 900 for the battle planes alone.
When Secretary Baker was a witness before the house COM
mittee, he testified in reference to the foregoing statement:
MR.. FREAR: If that is true, Talbot had received
some very large contracts to build planes he knew nothing
about?
MR.. BAKER: That is true of every manufacturer who
manufactured airplanes.
THAT is true of every manufacturer who manufactured air
planes!' Yet at that very time scores of expert aeronautical engi-
neers, aircraft and motor engineers, and $4,000 experienced
workmen were lying idle at government expense at the Curtss
factories, their contract for 5000 Spads having been cancelled.
For as Mr.. Borgum stated several months before the Hughes in
vestigation "t the Curtiss plant $4,000 or $4,000 people were
on the payrols" and were suffering from sixty to seventy per
cent idleness. Very much the same conditions prevailed at the
Standard company"
, 1920-10-21
WHY DID THEY DO 1T?

Mr.. Bakers board passed up the Curtiss company, with its thou
sands of experienced workmen. 1t ignored the Hispano -Suiza
engine, made in New Jersey by the Simplex company, and Of
which thousands were sold to the French government at the time
Deeds company was trying to build something new. Major
La Guardia said this was one of the fatal mistakes of the war.
How tragic it all seems now, as we look back over the publicity
campaign of George Creel concerning the 10000 fighting planes
with Liberty motors Uncle Sam had promised to have in France
by May l, 1918. Our allies were mised, and our own men were
helpless before the effective fighting machines of the Germans
This occurred in the Belleau Wood fight when marines were raked
by German fiers.
, 1920-10-21

THE AIRCRAFT WE NEEDED

Dnring the last days of the war we had in round numbers
100000 men in France, of whom 1,250O0O We're in the field
armies. This force, according to Calonel Patrick of the United
States army, needed 3,400 fighting and observation planes. The
airplanes we actually did have at the front at the close of hostili
ties were:
American built pursuit or combat planes none
American built bombing planes
American built observation planes obi As ------------- 1876
Machines bought from our allies 544
The Wright company, the Curtiss company and others had been
making successful flying machines for ten years. Great aviation
meets had been held in New York, Chicago and in California
repeatedly; yet for some strange reason, the existing well equip-
ped manufacturers were not given an opportunity to provide
flying machines. But the Aircraft Production board, made up
of inexperienced men, sought to let contracts or build flying ma
chimes outside of the regular channels and thus not only failed
to produce planes but wasted 81, 1000, 100000.
, 1920-10-21
One Billion Dollars Lost !

The Tragic Story Of an UnpreCedent Craft and the I
flaming Coffins That Flew in France :
, 1920-10-21

Expended or obligated to. June 80, 1919
, 1920-04-15
Wyoming is Ahead of All
Others In Road Building.

That the magnitude of Mornings
road-building program is fast becom.
ing realized NOT only nv tba naonIa of
wyoming. but bv national nublicotiops
throughout tbe country Is shown Inv
the latest issue Of tbe Lincoln uiyb-
wav buIletin which commitments tbis
stote highly and dwalls ot length mon
he volume and tvne of construction
that has been inaugurotad Inv the state
bighwav denortment Tba hrIIotin
saws i'm nort.
I
, 1920-04-15
Live Stock Prices
at South Omaha.

Union Stock Yards, South Omaha,
April II, 192O.-For the first time In
many months no cattle were received
and trade remained normally steady
In all of its branches. Choice finished
beeves are quOtable up to S13. 5OQ IA 100,
with good cows and helfers claiming
a spread of about SS.5O@11.75. There
was nothing doing In the stocker and
feeder division.
quotations on cattle: DOC to choice
beeves, S13.OOQ14.OO; fair to good
beeves, $11.75913.OO; common to fair
beeves, S1O.00@11.75; good to choice
y%earlings, $12.OOQ13.5O; fair to good
y%earlings, S10O0Q12.OO; common to
fair %yearlings, S9.OO@1O.OO; choice to
prime heifers, $1O.OO@11.T5; good to
choice heifers, Ss.75@1O.O0; choice to
prime cows, S10.50@11.75; good to
choice cows, $500 1880; far to good
cows, $T.OO@S.25; cutters, S5.25QT.OO;
Gamers, S4.5O95.25; veal calves. $1,000
@16.O0; bologna bulls, S5.OO@7.5O;
beef bulls, $7.50@1O.5O; choice to
prime feeders, S10OO@11.5O; good to
choice feeders, $9.OO9 1000; medium
to good feeders, SS.OO99.OO; common
to fair feeders, ST.O09S.OO: good to
choice stOckers, $9.OO91O.5O; fair to
good stockers, S7.T5@9.OO; common to
fair stockers, $6OO97.T5; stock heif-
ers, $6.OOQS.50; stock cows, $500
800; stock calves, S6.O0@1O.OO.
Hogs Steady to 25@75e Higher.
Fresh receipts of hogs were limited
to o head, but the stale supply
amounted to about 5000 head. Trade
was rather slow, at prices steady to
as much as Toe higher. Best light
hogs here brought s14.5O, with bulk
selling around s14.OO.
Nothing Doing in Lambs.
Six loads of lambs were received
.ionday. but they were billed direct to
local packers and nothing was offered
for sale. Prices remained unchanged.
with best light lambs quotable up to
$3.50, and good ewes around $4,000
14.50.
Quotations on sheep int lambs:
Lambs. good to choice, S19.0O019.50;
lambs, fair to good, $1S.25@1S.75;
shorn lambs, $16.OO@17.OO; shearing
lambs, $17.5091S.5O; feeding lambs,
S16.75@17.75; Gull lambs, $4,000
1000; y%earlings, S16.75@1S.OO; weth-
ers, s14.5091575; ewes, good to choice,
S13.T5@14.50; ewes, fair to good, $1,000
Q13.50; ewes, culls and $500
$1,000.
, 1920-04-15

population knows that nothing will
meal so much 20 the state, which con-
tains II wonderland of beauty, thar
proper, permanent roads, which would
attract yearly, hundreds of thousands
of people to the Yellowstone National
park and other scenic spots and out
door Fairgrounds within its borders.
Recently Wyoming passed II &c.
100000 bond issue, and this. with the
federal aid it will receive and the
county money available, gives the state
over $5.OO0,O0O as a start toward sys-
tematic improvement in 1920.
1.-THE good roads interest of the state
was recently well evidenced by the
forming of Il strong Wyoming Good
Roads association. representing every
part of the state. with headquarters in
Cheyenne. The organization will con-
tinue to crystalline good roads senti-
ment in Wyoming and aims, with the
cooperation of the state highway de-
partment, at concentrating as much as
possible the available funds OH the i'm
provement of the most important roads
of the state first, including the Lincoln
highway, the main east to west route
and the Yellowstone highway leading
from the capital to the Yellowstone
National Park.
, 1920-04-15
Wyoming Sixth in Oil Production.

The following statistics of produc-
ton of petroleum., based OH reports
of the United States geological sur
vey covering the month of February,
1920, show that Wyoming is the sixth
state in largest gross production in the
United States. The production for the
month was as follows:
California, 7,974.0OO barrels.
Oklahoma. 7,942,OO0 barrels.
Texas, 6,6S3,OO barrels.
Kansas, 3,J6S,OOO barrels.
louisiana, 2.347. 1000 barrels.
Wyoming, 1,164,OOO barrels.
"When it is remembered that for the
year 1913 Wyoming was the thirteenth
state in production" said State Land
Commissioner A. Baker. the Febru-
airy showing is most gratifying. With
the expected development and in
creased production under the lease law,
Wyoming will undoubtedly in the near
future pass louisiana and take fourth
place"
, 1920-04-15

Public Land Sale.

Department of the Interior. U. s.
Land office ut Cheyenne Wyo., March
26, 1920.
Notice is hereby given that, as direct
ed by the Commissioner of the General
Land office, under provisions of Sec.
2455, X. s., pursuant to the applica-
tion of L. NJ. CONFESS of Encampment,
Wyoming. Serial No. 026146, we will
offer Mt public sale, to the highest bid
der. but at not less than $500 per acre,
ut 10 o'clock a. NJ, on the 18th day of
May, 1920, next, at this office, the fol-
lowing tract of land: SWH SEA Sec.
II, II. ID N, II. SO W., 9th T.. NJ.
This tract is ordered into the market
on Il showing that the greater portion
thereof is mountainous or too rough
for cultivation.
The sale will not be kept open, but
will be declared closed when those
present at the hour named have ceased
bidding. The person making the high
est bid will be required to Immediately
pay to the Receiver the amount thereof.
Any persons claiming adversely the
above-described land are advised to file
their claims. or objections, on or be-
fore the time designated for sale.
WILL REID,
Register.
LUKE VOORHEES,,
Receiver.
(1st pub. Apr. 81
, 1920-04-15

Public Land Sale.
(1st pub. Apr. S.

Department of the Interior, Z. S.
Land Office ut Cheyenne, Wyo, March
26, 1920.
Notice is hereby given that, as direct
ed by the Commissioner of the General
Land office. under provisions of Sec.
2455, II. S., pursuant to the applica-
ton of John Cheesbrough Of Milo,
Wyoming, Serial No. 026G4O, we will
offer at public sale, to the highest bid
der, but at not less than $500 per acre,
Mt 10 o'clock A. NJ, on the Goth day of
May, 1920, next, at this office, the fol-
lowing tract of land NJ NEH Sec.
%, Il. 10 N, Il. 81 W., 9th Z. NJ.
The sale will not be kept open. but
will be declared closed when those
present ut the hour named lave ceased
, 1920-04-15
City Lighting Modern.

Lighting up a whole city at night
is quite a modern invention, although
illumination was used in some of the
ancient cities. Paris and London dis
pute the priority in the matter of mod
ern street lighting. London claims to
hnve lighted its streets with lanterns
as early as 1414, but this contention
is disputed. During the sixteenth GEN.
fury lanterns for street lighting were
provided at the public cos in Paris
, 1920-04-15

bidding. The person making the high
est bid will be required to Immediately
pay to the Receiver the amount thereof.
Any persons claiming adversely the
above-described land are advised to file
their claims, or objections, on Or before
the time designated for sale.
WILL REID,
Register.
LUKE VOORHEES,,
Receiver.
(1st pub. Apr. 81
The Washington times., 1920-05-30

years scholarship at Harvard College and
was ambitious to take up playwritinG ~
a profession thought that some actual
stage experience would be valuable a. .
help in my college work. Light got me
to give up my course at Harvard and con-
siderable money before became con-
vinced that | wasn't getting anywhere.
Then got after Light
Light used to tell his male pupils that
fencing was a great thing In Shakespear.
can roles, and he would then give US what
he said was instruction. He did not
know that knew anything about fencing.
80 one day, after Light had given me
three lessons of FIVE minutes each, and
each consisting In the recitation OF bits
Of Shakespeare by himself, he said that the
time had come to take up fencing. ] had
nIst been waiting for this chance.
slipped the button from my foil and went
at him. In few moments I had him run
ming around the room in terror OF course,
I did not want to injure Light, 20 l just
jabbed the foil into the tender parts Of
him.
"But this was not getting my money
back"
The Federal authorities aIlege that they
found sixty OF Lights pupils who are
ready to testify as to what he promised
them and what they tailed to get. They
could have rounded up more, they say. but
they thought sixty enough. The sums the
shakespearean teacher secured from
them range from $50 up to $500. A Fed.
eral Grand Jury found an indictment
against him. He has given ball In 5000
and is awaiting trial
The Washington times., 1920-05-30

while was reading this Mr.. Light
asked for five dollars in cash In addition
to the cheek, and before we knew what
had happened ne was out OF the house
with the nve dollars and the check for
$3.50. ~
AT the appointed time we went to the
hotel, and after waiting an hour or more
we're shown to Lights apartments. There
was another girl thereto whom we we're
not introduced Mr.. Light seemed anxious
10 get her out OF the way. After a time
the other gffI left, and Mr.. Light, after
reciting part Of Hamlet's soliloquy, com
pIained that the hour was late and that he
was tired and suggested that the lesson be
cut short. We went away more suspicious
than ever
They did not know that the other girl
Mabel Smith, the proprietor Of speciality
shop on West Forty-eisbth street-also
had a complaint to make. "Just before the
Halls came Light had been trying TO get
me to cash the check for $3.50 which Mrs.
Hall had given him and which had been
refused at the bank because II was dated
ahead Miss Smith says. Il waited down
stairs TO warn them against him, but they
got away"
The Halls broke with Light after this.
But Light finally met his Nemesis, the
Federal authorities say, In the person OF
Adolph Reitmefster. OF No Ss Throop
street, Brooklyn Reitmeister had been q
newsboy and had acquired some little
money.
"I went to high school. and among othet
things won two medals for fencing. Reit
meister says. Il also obtained one
The Washington times., 1920-05-30

than this in q single week. And then,
somewhat hesitatingly, he asked for an
advance payment ..
Il explained that my income was re-
ceived at lengthy intervals and that II
would be inconvenient to give him a cheek
for The total amount al that time. He was
very obliging $3.50 would do for the pres
ent he said. I replied that would give
him check for that amount, but that
would date Il week ahead, so that my
funds In bank would not be overtaxedI lie
accepted graciously and began to discuss
ARRANGEMENTS for the frst lesson. ne
wanted Sibyl TO come to his apartments
at the Hotel Marseilles at $3.50 the next
evening I said I would go with her as
chaperone Mr.. Light said that II was not
necessary, as his wife-Miss Louise Cnase
on the stage-would be present lie
showed Us Miss Chase's picture In the
magazine and verse of hers, which read
The Washington times., 1920-05-30
EMPTY sOx.

EMPTY sON
A tramp stood on byway street
One cold December night,
The snow was thickly falling,
The ground was covered white.
The CHRISTMAS bells and chimes rang out
And everyone seemed glad,
But that poor tramp kept standing there
And cried and looked so sad.
touched him on the shoulder
And said, cheer up, old chapT
'Twas then he spoke through tears to me-
We'll. I don't give 'er rap.
It's not for me I'm crying. 80
I'm used 20 only Knocks, ~, ..
But the little hearts win g." 20.
Break at dawn over empty sox. p
I've been a tough guy all my life
And hit the bottom rocks, f
But nothing ever hurt, sir.
Like my empty Christmas sox."
The Washington times., 1920-05-30

music be the food OF love- go
play ont cried Mr. Light to our surprise"
said Mrs Hall "As he said this he stood
with one hand in his hair, the other max
ing remarkable gestures.
Then he told us Of his successes and
of his plans He was to give public
recital In June at the Plaza Auditorium,
he said, and after that his company would
present repertoire OF Shakespearean
plays on Broadway. Such pupils as ne
did not keep In his own company he would
guarantee to place with other managers
He showed US a copy OF his magazine and
we we're impressed even more.
"'Miss Sibyl will need a set oil books
on dramatic art, he told us. Fortunately
I have these books with me- Then he
pulled them out from beneath his coat
tails with q flourish. He learned | had
another daughter and he wished to teach
her also. But I told him my other daugh-
ter was too young Then he brought up
the question Of money.
"'There will be expense he said, but
that must be expected. The books tuition
costumes and other incidentals will
emount to at least $500. but in a few
months Miss sIbyl win be earning more
The Washington times., 1920-05-30

eres, nrsssin Right Reserved.
The Washington times., 1920-05-30

Want Is Re Maude Adams? Certainly
4 OF Course! Even Bernhardt? Easy!
Mr.. Liignt Must Now Explain to Federal
Court Just How He Hoped to Make
Good His Promises III