davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13

Scientists say the sky is-not blue, but black. This will not disconcert the poets, since it is as easy to find a rhyme for "black" as for blue"
 < * x Encouraging news from Mexico, where it is announced that the new government will pay a little respect to the American flag.
 x < x Gentlemen who were merely among those running should adopt the slogan of the Salvation Army, "A man may be down, but he's never out"
 X 2. x Being used to the arbitrary ruling Of proofreaders. The Age Herald type setters should submit meekly to the decisions of baseball umpire.
 E # & By re-electing Senator Underwood, Alabama prevented the lamented Mor- gan and Pettus from turning over in their graves.
  Defeated candidates will find solace in fishing trip, if they don't get the idea in their heads that the stream they are fishing in is Salt river.
 # x T In his alleged statement that history is "all bunk" Henry Ford may have had in mind the kind of history "Gabe" D'Annunzio has been making.
 # < # Almost any safety razor manufac- turer has a practical explanation of Carranza's downfall.
 !. # < Mexico will never be stabilized until railroading in that country ceases to be an extra hazardous pursuit.
 + < < And to make matters worse, many white collar man is compelled to wear one that chafes his Adams apple.
 * # # Since the Poles do not wish a useless incumbrance, they may decide not to take Moscow.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
S2, 500 MINIMUM WAGE

piled to all workers, it would raise fne pay rolls in this country to $112, ,50O OOo, 600 annually. And if the differential in favor of skilled workers should amount 10 20 per cent additional which is not an extravagant estimate-the pay rolls wovN be increased to s1a5 900. 900 annually, or more than half the national wealth.
 No broad-minded person would be- grudge any workman minimum wage of $2,5O0, especially in this era of high prices, if it could be granted equitably and without further expressing an al. ready overburdenel public. But what of the thousands of government and prd, vately employed clerks. working for from
 1,2O0 to $l,SO0 a year and to whom a
 salary of s2,500 Is the ultimate limit oi their hope? What of the struggling teach- CTS, clergymen and doctors, men who have spent years in acquiring an edu- cation and special training, but whose incomes are barely enough to keep thSssu and their families going? And what of the thousands of stenographers-an and book keepers and workers of that class. ex, perts in their lines. who are bravely fighting the battle of life, with hope and courage? Is it proposed to burden all these further in order that 8 select class may enjoy surcease from worry? The suggestion could only be based upon ut- ter selfishness or mental strabismus.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13

From the Washington Post.
 YM EPRESENTATING the railway lM brotherhoods in their appeal to the Se railroad labor board for increased pay. w. Jett Lauck, consulting economist and former secretary of the national war labor board, appealed to the board to name s2, 800 as the minimum wage for un- skilled workers in the railroad industry, with differentials in favor of those high CT grades of workers in recompense TOT their relatively higher degrees Of skili' hazard and responsibility" As the basis for his plea, MT. Lauck says
 Tt is impossible for family of nve in the United States s,to maintain itself in even decent poverty under existing, condl- tions for penny less than $500 year. in making this statement l am well wlth- ia the findings of the United states gov efnment itself, for, on the pasis or the budget compiled by Prof. Royal D. Meeker commissioner of labor statistics dated August, 1919, family today neeos s2. 533 upon which to live. Commlssioher Meekers figures for August, 1sl9 totaieo s2 9s2 Brought forward with scrupuious exactness these figures must be trans- lated into s2.533 for May. 1920. Commls- s:oner Meeker described his budget as q minimum comfort" one, allowing Tor trifle above bare subsistence. lie nlfh- self has described it as mot ideal aha' under present conditions, this terlnihoi-
 u. ;. h;gblv couseryatiVe.y
 If Mir. I.auck's plea should be granted hv he railroad labor board, 1t would mean that the track walkers, section hahos' bridge watchmen and workers of this class. who but few years ago were giad to get work at $40 to S6o month, under the new regime would draw that much a week. And with the application or the D, oposed differential the locomotive eh- gineers, conductors. firemen and skiieu shop workmen would draw wages equa' to the salaries of general superintendents before the war.
 This, indeed, would mean an ideal con dition for the railroad workers lheS and their families would thus be placed beyond the pOSSlOAieS SA through high prices. and even 'housn' according to Dr. Meeker's hgures' 'hes would not be able to enjoy many lux uries or lay by anything for rainS day, they at least would not be harassed to meet the rent and the grocery bills 1T the problem were so easy to dispose If as MT. Lauck suggests, the remedy would be simple. But lest We forget; There are 45ooo.ooo wage workers in the United States, all facing the same seri- ous problem of living costs. If a mini mum wage of s2,5oo be fixed for un- skilled railroad workers. why should it not be applied to the entire 45,0000O0? If this is the land of equality of which we boast, the 100000 railroad workers repre- sented in the brotherhoods have no rights superior to the 4sooO. coo workers outside the brotherhoods.
 Should. the s2.5oo minimum wage be ap-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
WEALTH OF THE sOuTH

From the Arkansas Gazette.
 Last year the total value of the south $ agricultural output was approximately s10,0oo, ,O90O0O Everybody knows that inc south grows the largest amount of the worlds cotton, yet in 1919 cotton repre-. scnted only a little more than one-ffth O. the -billion-dollar total value of this regions agricultural production But the south has other wealth besides that of by the Manufacturers Board, the south produces today.
 About 100 per cent of the country's s bauxite
 About 100 per cent of the barytes.
 About 100 per cent of the fuller earth.
 About 99 per cent of the sulphur.
 About 99 per cent of the phosphate rock.
 About 90 per cent of the aluminium.
 About 60 per cent of the graphite.
 About 56 per cent of the natural gas.
 About 56 per cent of the natural gas Cor gasolne)
 About 50 per cent of the petroleum
 About i5 per cent of the asphalt
 About 3S per cent of the lime
 About 8 per cent of the pyrites.
 About 33 per cent of the talc and soap. stone.
 About 32 per cent of the coal
 About A per cent Of the lead and zinc.
 About p per cent of the coke
 About 20 per cent of the cement.
 Arkansas produces most of the coun- try's bauxite. Arkansas produces coal and natural gas and zinc. It has many other minerals, some mined in greater or smaller degree. and others awaiting de-
 elopment It is generally believed to be on the eve of great petroleum era. Attention has been directed in these columns to the statement made by pr Arthur D. Little of Boston, in his presl- dential address at the Savannah meetin- Of the American Institute of Chemica Engineers, that "the future of the south Is in chemistry" The taking over of the former picric acid plant at Little Rock Nby the Davis Chemical Corporation q; New York is an important step toward arger use of southern materials in chem. ical manufacture. Not only will sulphu ric acid be manufactured at Picron. bu, there is promise of the utilization of other raw materials, especially Arkansas bauxite. in the manufacture of chemical products.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
LUKE McLUINE SAYS

Many man has better clothes at home than he wears when he goes down town. But it is different with | woman.
 The fact that maf can't cure his own rheumatism dosen't keep him from giving you a sure cure for your Rheumatism.
 The membership of the present Sen ate is the best argument against the election of United States Senators by popular vote.
 And if it wasn't for our vanity the ole High Cost of Living wouldn't have such a strangle hold on us.
 Funny ho wa woman can look so handsome to another man when you car see that she is homely.
 With all due reverence for the sa cred Anti-Saloon League, a man is usually what he suspects others of being.
 Wouldn't it be fine if you could fool otler people as easily as you can fool yourself?
 And why does a man pray for his Daily Bread when hts mind is set on T-bone steak and the trimmings?
 Things are SO duli under Prohibit ticn that many man spends half his time wondering how he is going to spend the other half.
 The fact is that most of your hard luck is due to laziness. But you would never Admit it.
 When a woman has nothing to say s..e calls up another woman on the phone and takes two hours to say it.
 II is easy enough 10 fool your wife. But it is mighty hard to keep her foe led
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
Fine Cattle

There were many prominent cattle raisers from different parts of the country here Wednesday on their way to the Hereford sales at Judge Hugh Stokeley's farm, near Demopolis. which takes place today" said Al Harris.
 some of them are noted breeders and they are making the circuit of sa.es. Some big sales were made in Tennessee last week. From Demo- polls the fancers vii. go on Friday to Orrville to be present at the auc- tion sale of Dunaway and Lambert at the West Dallas farms This shows that it pays to raise pure breeds and that at last Alabama is getting into thG game in substantial manner, for the class of men passing through Birmingham only buy the choicest to go into their herds"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
Two Sides to Large
 Corporation Expenditures

TT HE street car, gas and electric 9 utility has expended $70O,000 to $800,0O0 in a year to maintain serv- ice.
 The cost to the company was ab- normally high. The return, except for the small raise in carfare, the same as prior to the war.
 The water company built many miles of main with water pipe and labor at abnormally high prices. It added more than 1000 water meters for Birmingham's convenience. Its charges are the same as before the var.
 Coke costs the gas works $12.5O per ton compared with $4 to $6 prior to the war. The charge for gas is just the same.
 Water meter boxes cost 250 per cent more than before the war. The consumer pays the before-war price for water.
 The Sloss-Sheffield Company, at the cost of several millions of dollars, has built a by-product works em- ploying hundredss-of men. The com pany has issued interest-bearing notes, which are to be met before the new plant is net asset.
 How would a farmer like to earn $10,000 gross per annum and receive only 7 per cent net, or $700?
 The utility which earned regularly I7 per cent net for it's stockholders would be listed at the top of the col- umn.
 Legislators and tax gatherers might bear these things in mind to the ultimate benefit of the people whom industry and public utility serve.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
Large Sum Spent by
 Derby Visitors.

1MROHIBITION may have taken G some of the joy out of life in Kentucky, much to the chagrin ot genial colonels who used to frequent the hotel lobbies of Louisville, but the "sport of kings" still flourishes and a Kentuckian, when the fleet con- tenders get under way, can forget what happened to the mint julep and the highball, wherein the clink of ice was once like fairy chimes.
 The Louisville Courier-Journal estl- mates that visitors to the recent Derby spent $675,0 1000 in Louisville, and among the city's 25,000 visitors none complained that the holiday was not worth the price" It is stated that 10000 people witnessed Ken tucky's famous classic at Churchill Downs. Visitors and natives to- gcfher are believed to have spent more than $1 100000, tidy sum, even in these days when heavyweight pu- gilist may go into the ring a hobo and, provided he wins, come out a millionaire.
 Hotel proprietors, keepers of lodg- ing houses and citizens who agreed to take strangers under their roofs flor consideration" prospered exceed ingly. In a pecuniary way and as a sporting event, Derby Day was a great success and it is gratifying to know that in some parts of the coun- try it is still possible for people to enjoy themselves. There is no finer sport in the world than horse racing. It. is invested with a wealth of "local color" in Kentucky, famed for its thoroughbreds and fair women, if no longel for it's Bourbon.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
THE FALL OF KIEV
From the New York Tribune.
position says.

From the New York Tribune
 6C1HE fall of Kiev has vindicated
 Pilsudski's strategy against the
 = bolshevists. He had confidence in the fighting quality of the new Polish armies, and realized more clearly than many of his critics of the Trotzky miii- tary machine. Military representatives have advised strongly against a Polish offensive in the Ukraine, on the ground that success there was improbable and that reverse might be followed by a new soviet attack further north.
 Such apprehensions ignored the fact that, after the manner of Ludendorff, Trotzky had loudly advertised a sovies victory offensive in the region west of Smolensk and Mogilev, and that that ef- fort had completely failed. The red armies suffer from poor transport service and a weak staff organization. They could defeat Denikine and Yudenitch, be- cause neither of these all-Russian lead CTS was at the head of a disciplined, well equipped and dependable force. The ad- vantage in morale and training was rather with Trotzkys selected groups of mercenaries. But these mercenaries- Let's, Chinese, Coreans and others-are inferior to the Poles in intelligence and military skill Though they were hur- ried to the Kiev front and evidently tough bravely there, they could only de- lay for week or more the inevitable red retirement beyond the Dnieper.
 Pilsudski's political stra tegy has been equally brilliant Poland was long at war with the Ukraine over the disputed title to eastern Galicia and the province of nlr Rl1t the PERSEVERANCE of soviet
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
AN IGNORANT SET

From the Louisville Courier-J Journal
 The late H. B. Irving once told in Philadelphia story about his fathers performance of Sardou's "Robespierre.r He said:
 1.-Two dear old ladies sat in their stalls at the. Lyceum. waiting for Robesperre' to begin.
 By the way, who was Robesni. elre?' said the first old lady.
 Why don't you know?" said the second old lady. He's the man who was murdered in his bath by Marie |Corelli.'
 foh no, my dear.' said the first old lady. That can't be right. for Marie corehi is still alive. I remember who It was now. It was Charlotte Bronte.' |"
 Then. at the end of his story, NIT Irving added:
 I once told this anecdote to a duch- .ess. When I finished the duchess gave kind of puzzled laugh and said:
 Poor Shakespeare.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13

power after Denikines collapse threat ened Ukraniaia as we'll as Poland Simon Petlura, the Ukrainian nationalist lead CT, was forced by the soviet invaders to take refuge in Poland. There he reached an understanding with the Warsaw gov- ernment, in accordance with whidh Ukrainian independence is to be re-estab- lisIed under Polish protection.
 The Ukrainian nationalists have less to fear from Poland than from Russia And it is to the advantage of the Ukraine to enter into closer economic and pofit- ical relations with Poland and with the western powers which have revived the ancient Polish state If Pilsudski and the Petiura group work in harmony, forget ting past differences, Lenine will prob- ably have to abandon all of the south- defending Moscow.
 If ned be, Pilsudski could probably take
 Moscow without a very great effort. Ludendorff says in his book that he could have seized Moscow at almost any time in 1918, using few German and Austro-Hungarian divisions in co-opera- tion with Ukrainians and Cossacks. The Polish troops are much better than any Ludendorff had in Russia after the win ter of 1917-1S. A Polish march on Mos COW through Smolensk would involve no extraordinary difficulties. But Pilsudskis inm mediate task will probably be to free the Ukraine and to open communica- tion hetyyepn Poland and ba Rlank Saa In doing this he will contribute material ly toward stabilzng the Russian situa- tion and forcing the soviet regoime, or some regime which displaces it, to sue for a reasonable peace.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
Have SS0,0OO

"A feature of the work among the ex-soldiers that is very little known is that of the Y. NJ. c. A. educational service programme" says J. w.. Holmes. "The money which the Y. M c. A. had at the close of the war work was equally divided between the states in proportio nto their population to be used as a scholarship fund for ex- soldiers who do not come under the disability clauses of the government laws. This money is given to the sol diers by local committee that is ac- ouainted with local conditions for use in completing their education.
 Few of the men who are qualified fo. this fund have availed themselves of the opportunity. The original sum which was given to Alabama was about $7S,O00. We still have over $60,- COG on hand.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
Switzerland Is Weary of
 Her Royal Exiles.

"A DISPATCH from London states GA that Switzerland is about to expel the royal refugees" who fled to that country when their own do- mains became too hot to hold them.
 Although a republic, Switzerland has no prejudice against kings in general, but it is declared that they are keeping away thousands of "reg- ular visitors" from the allied coun- tries, and, thanks to the lessons of diversity, are practicing such rigid economy that they are not profitable guests for the thrifty Swiss. That would be in itself enough to make them unwelcome, but they are .-lso charged with continually plotting for their restoration, a practice that might involve the Swiss government in difficulties with the allies.
 
 If the former crowned heads, ex- Emperor Charles of Austria, ex-Kings Constantine of Greece and Ludwig of Bavaria and a swarm of minor princes are turned out of Switzerland, where will they lay their heads :? Their own countries don't want them and certainly none of the allied gov- ernments feel disposed to give them shelter.
 America, being a tolerant country, might let bygones be bygones, ex- cept in the case of the former Kaiser and Frederick William, and permit a few royal exiles to reside in the United States, but they would have to be on their good behavior and would be expected-at least the younger ones and their retinues to
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
"Pay Up" Campaigns
 Always in Order.

")PAx. uD' 1I ..s campaigns s are al up is always wise as we'll as hoaor- able.
 When a merchant credits cus- toner it is because he expects t,.e customer to pay within the e.escriba ed period of credit. Thes.ian who habit ually runs beyond t,Iat period weakens his credit. Fe who wilfully abuses credit soon loses it altogether and the privilege is denied him.
 The operation of the modern credit Association is so definite in it's action that every citizen is accurately rated. It is, therefore, impossible to abuse credit long by skipping from one source of credit to another. The credit associations are keen on the trail.
 It pays to pay up because that pre- vents the accumulation of load. He who pays promptly travels light and premacy. He who defers and defers piles on one impediment after another until progress is impossible.
 Paying up is good for the soul. Men cannot escape the burden of financial obligation. Even he who beats bill punishes himself more than the wronged creditor, because he does not enjoy the one supreme bless ing of all, the ability to look the other fellow in the face.
 The pay upu ucampaign being con- ducted by the Merchants Credit As sociation is educational. Those who have not bethought themselves of the buoyancy of spirit that prompt pay ment of bills and maintenance of credit impart should accept this drive in the spirit of healthy reminder.
 * < 4 New York's irrepressible preacher the Rev. Dr. John Roach Stratton, as- sails Geraldine Farar for the way in which she presented "zaza." Without taking the artistic temperament into consideration. Zaza is not the type ot 1 woman to preside at mAAting of a mothers club or direct the activities oi a Sunday school class.
 x * x
 An admirer of Senator Reed says he did not condone the sinking of the Lusitania Maybe not, but Jim's record since that tragedy will not stand the acid test of patriotism.
 * * <
 flivver traversing some of Bir- mingham's streets, where holes resem- bling shell craters are numerous spends about as much time in the air as it does on the pavement x $ x
 Later information is to the effect that the British embassy will be pro- Iv;ded with all the Scotch whisky de- sired. The popularity of Ambassador Geddes in Washington is thus assured + * <
 President Wilson laughed at the clowns in circus parade which passed the White House. Doubtless a wei come relief from the clowning of the "irreconcilables."
 < # E
 Hiram Johnson may have some diff ficulty in explaining to 100 per cent Americans why pro-Germans are sup porting him to a man
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
LANGLEY,s NAME MISSING

From the Sun and New York Herald.
 In the list of nominations for places in the Hall of Fame we find the names of five inventors. One Ottmar Mer- genthaler, revolutionized the printing
 industry. Another, William Austin Burt, invented the solar compass A third, Robert l.. Stevens the son of John of Hoboken, applied the wave line to shipbuilding. The others are men relatively obscure; their names do not appear in most of the American bio graphical works.
 What surprises us. viewing the long list of nominations soon to be weeded out by the board of directors is that the group of inventors. in which the only American familiar to everybody is Mergenthaler. does not contain tho name of Samuel P. Langley, the inven- tor of that machine which, twenty four years ago today, proved by its ascent that flight was possible in device heavier than the air.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
ENTITLED TO MORE.

"Is scribson still writing for Miggles' Magazine?"
 No. He says Miggles' refused to pay him more than $50 for a story"
 That's a good price for scribson's out put"
 Yes, but Scribson says he is doing all his writing now in suit of overalls and he ought to be paid as a skilled la borer."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES
A PATHETIC FIGURE.

A IAI1tElIC A heavy-hearted, gloomy man, The candidate who also ran. Where now his air of confidence, The boastful word he loud pretense? The proud defiance of his foes Whom ha would shatter with his blows? The flashing eye, the swelling chest With which the voters were addrest? Alas, he creeps along the street, His anxious friends dislikes to meet, A sorely stricken, humbled man, The candidate who also ran.
 NOT INTERESTED. Has Miss sereleaf abandoned her plans to uplift the drama?" Yes. She says her spirit is crushed" What happened?"
 The first five prominent citizens she appealed to were tired business men,"
 THE HOUSING SHORTAGE. My dear" said Mr. Blithersby. solemn ly, If the housing situation doesn't get better I'm afraid we'll have to live in tent"
 What fund that will bel" exclaimed Mrs. Blithersby. "Just like camping out! And while we are about it, we can buy one of those pup tents for Fido."
 TOO SECRETIvE. But is he the man TOT the placer" He says he is.''
 "Yes?"
 And all his friends say he is.'' How about the opposition?" "Oh, you can't depend on what the op- position says"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-13
THE JOYS OF THE ROAD

By Bliss carman QSSD. Now the joys of the road are chiefly
 these:
 A cr... touch of the hardwood trees A vagrant morning, wide and blue, IE early fall, when the wind walks, too A shadowy highway, cool and brown, Altering up and enticing down; From rippled water to dappled swamp From purple glory to scarlet pomp; An outward eye. the quiet will And the >striding heart from hfll to
 hill
 These are the joys of the open road For him who travels without load