davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-26
Mary ' s.ss .s. as .s . e s - IT'S your
'LVIII.-"CAUGHT IN THE WEB"

ngnt, SAID Mary in a whisper, and
when l discovered my loss l came down
to look for it."
You told me that before" interpolatei
Darlington Bellairs, "but"-here GYM
cal little smile curved his thin lips
wasn't it rather odd that you should
make the discovery long after midnight.
when the whole house was fast asleepR"
Il was worried-and l couldn't sleepv
said Mary miserably.
He raised his eyebrows
Worried? About what7"
"Oh, lots of things!'
Tell me. Miss Drew
81 cantr'
Again he smiled-sarcastically.
Might l venture to suggest that you
were worrying over your finances?"
A burning flush here rose to Mary's
pretty face. The insnuation was too
obvious.
And Darlington Bellairs suave voice
went on:
You're the only soul in the whole place
who knows the working of the safel
trusted you-supremely. Why many a
time you've opened it in my presence
You must have seen the roll of bills ly-
ing there on the upper shelf. Miss Drew,
why not confess at once that the temp
tation was too strong las night-that you
suecumbed?"
But that would be untrue said Mary,
desperately. ct tell you once again that
your suspicious are absolutely wrong.
This has been the work of someone else.
And-Mr. Bel1airs-I want to leave your
house at once-to throw UP my position
as your secretary. I couldn't stay a mo-
ment longer when you accuse me So
so unjustly"
Her voice broke. She turned her head
away.
A curious impulse came to the usually
adamantine Darlington Bellairs to take
Miss Mary in his arms and kiss her tears
away. 1t was pleasant impulse-he hat
ed to ignore It! But he was "out to
winnie must play carefully--tha win
ming cards were his!
He was sure of Mary's innocence. OF
course he was! A girl that looked like
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-26
FARMERS PLAYING STRONG
HAND IN PRESENT CONGRESS

Washington, May %. - (Special.)-v
The farmers of the country have such
influence with this Congress that
there is little question but that a con-
gressional commission will be raised
to make study Of agricultural prob
lens.
A resolution providing for the crea-
ton of such commission has been
favorably reported by the Senate COM
mittee on agriculture, and the rules
committee of the House has expressed
| its approval of the proposition.
Since such action the farmers of the
country, at the suggestion of c. S.
Barrett of Georgia. president of the
| National Farmers union, have bonn
barded members OF the House and
Senate. The result will be, it is strong
ly indicated. the creation Of the COM
mission. :.
Mr.. Barrett, in an interview with
| the correspondent of this newspaper.
declared that the commission, If it
| faithfully does it's duty, will answer
some of the riddles which for years have
| puzzled the farmers, aid incidentally,
kept them strapped to the wheel of
| poverty and despair.
| Here is what the commission will
| do If the prediction of Mr.. Barrett is
| borne out:
| F1rSI--Wlli MAKE 1t posi- Die Tor the
| farmer to know why he has been dis
eliminated against by financiers. and
why he has been unable either to buy
or sell, to obtain cash or credit even
though he has possessed grain, live
stock and cotton in abundance
Second-Will make it possible for the
farmer definitely to know and Diff
ferentiate between his friends and
those whose acts make them his
enemies.
Third--Will make it possible for the
farmer and the country to know all
the agencies through which his pro-
ducts must go in order to reach the
ultimate consumer.
Fourth-Will make it possible for
the farmer to know hat has become
of the result of his toll and to what
extent manipulators are guilty of rob-
tery.
Fifth-Will make it possible for the
farmer to know the defects in the
carrying and distributing systems, and
why he collects only 3S cents of the
dollar paid for his products by the
consumer.
sixth-Will make it possible for the
farmer to know why the housewife is
forced to pay for his products three
times as much as he receives
The farmer, as Mr.. Barrett. in an
address to the farmers of the coun-
try, says, represents 4s per cent of the
vote cast for the candidates OF the
two major parties last Novmber Mr..
Barrett is trying to make him realize
His strength and abandon the role Of a
sleeping Samson.
He has proved his ability to make
Congress work. 1t remains to be seen
whether the commission will answer
the questions as intimated by Mr.. Bar
rett above. or whether it will permit
much talking without tangible bene-
fits.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-26

But" the natural question is. why
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-26

Later in the forenoon when Eve on
some pretext had gone to spend the day
III town with Julian Vandaveer, Miss
Mary Drew was working in the library
with her employer.
She hadn't found her little brooch. The
loss was worrying her immensely. She
couldn't concentrate at all upon her work
and Darlington Bellairs had displayed
some sure signs of annoyance most
unusual thing for him.
Before two hours elapsed Mary had
been upon the verge of tears.
1t was just about that time that Car
rington Bellairs had had occasion to open
| his safe.
| In five minutes he returned, looking
rather curiously at Mary
and brooch.
Mary caught sight of the little pearl
ornament Her whole face lit up and
she gave an eager cry.
"Oh, I'm so relieved! Where-where did
you find it?'
Her employers eyes narrowed as he
| looked at her.
q found it where you dropped tin
my safe!'' he said.
| "In your safe? Why, what do you
nean?" Mary's establishment was writ
ten on her face.
but he@went on as though he hadn't
| heard her:
give hundred dollars are missing, too.
The thief was evidently in hurry
dropped this hankerchief-and brooch"
But it's my handkerchief and brooch"
/ said Mary, blankly, staring up at him.
You don't believe-you couldn't"
Five hundred dollars has been stolen
from my safe" repeated Darlington Bel
lairs. Miss Drew, you were down stairs
very late last night-you're the only per-
son in this house who has ever seen the
workings of the safe-and now, today, !
find your property actually inside it-and
| the money gone"
Mary gave a low, hurt cry. She put her
two hands up to her pale face, as though
| to hide it.
you think that Tn thief-a theft
she whispered thunderstruck.
There was silence in the library after
Mary spike. A dreadful, unforgettable
| silence II seemed to the young grill
A thief! Her employer dared to believe
that she was actually a thief! Mary got
up to her feet at last.
There's been some terrible mistake
she said in a low, tense voice. "Oh,
can't understand it-but, Mr.. Bellairs
you've got to believe that every word
say is true. You've never known me te.
a lie! Say that you havent!
Darlington Bellairs was touched by the
appeal on Mary's pretty face. To tell the
truth, he didn't really believe that she
was capable of theft. shrewd suspl-
cion had already come to him as to the
real location Of the blame.
/ But it did not suit his book to let Miss
Mary read his thoughts. He cared fol-
Mary-all was fair in love and war-he
wanted her to be so compromised that
willy-nilly, she must marry him.
And so his face maintained Its ex'
preston of chilly, condemnatory aloof'
ness.
Naturally / shall be glad to hear any
thing YOU may have to say" His tones
were cool and calculating. "Only-I war;
you squarely-that this evidence Is pretty
strong against you!" He pointed to the
brooch and handkerchief. The latter car
ried Mary's initials in one corner
ST dropped my brooch downstairs ias
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-26

will mean the lifting of an overpower-
ing burden of taxation.
That is the situation insofar as
politics is concerned. Cenator Under
wood and the remainder of the demo-
cratic senators Immediately graspeo
the Significance underlying the tactics
of the adr Illustration and conspired
with complete success to smash them.
The important feature to the ma
ton is that the disarmament confer
ence will be held, and the nations, I'M
uuestionably, will agree either
gradually to disarm, or to abandon a
policy OF ever-increasing their naval
ornaments.
The extent to which such an agree
ment would relieve tho taxpayers of
the United States-of the world-can
be appreciated in the knowledge that
90 per cent of the money expended by
the United States in recent years was
for war, real or anticipated. The cost
of the conference will be 100000. One
first-class battleship costs approx
mately $50, 900, 900.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-26
Quality First
Then Price
in the good
old summer time

That means from there's going be many
party to the monotony Of your routine
want to be equipped for comfort of course bring
attention these necessary items They'll dffe
in the enjoyment Of the trip.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-26

print it alp What good purpose could
be served thereby? 1t could only ac-
centuate the hate of McCombs' friends
against Wilson and w. G. McAdoo and
others who advised the former Presi-
dent. The shade of the author might
find satisfaction in knowing that he
got in the last word, the last kick, the
last blow.
But the knowledge would not en-
nance the admiration which a portion
of the people, accorded the deceased.
The book, in other words, and in the
opinion of Washington official life,
would be nothing more than proof in
type Of that temperament, that short
coming which made McCombs a fail
ure.
When stricken by disappointment,
when filled with the keenest possible
resentment, that caused by hurt pride
and conviction that those he elevated
were guilty of ingratitude. he could
not rally. He hated by day and by
night. He bored his friends by con-
stantly vocalizing that hatred His
system became obsessed He fell apart
and finally sunk into premature
grave.
INCOMES LAST SUMMER
McCombs attended the Chicago and
San Francisco convention last summer.
lie was on his last legs. AT Chicago
he RECALLED republicans with prophecies
of impending democratic disaster at
tributed by him to alleged failure of
Wilson, McAdoo and others to deal
fairly and faithfully with their
trends. At San Francisco with their
actively and aggressively into the
struggle against the McAdoo forces,
and everywhere and to everyone ex-
pressed in most caustic manner his
hatred for the Wilson son-in-law.
His efforts, however, had nothing to
do with the defeat of McAdoo or the
success of Cox. He was completely
shorn of power. His Wanted boasts
were empty. His Tuning was of no
avail. And the pitiable part was that
everybody, forced to listen, knew that
the speaker was without any vestige
of influence in democratic councils.
In the campaign he was physically
unable to play any part He died short
ly after the result was announced.
His book will attempt to prove that
by refusing to retire Wilson when viii
son requested him to do so, he was
responsible, more than Bryan, for the
nomination of Wilson at Baltimore
that Wilson did not reward him, and
displayed an unparalleled irony wher
offering him a post which 1t was
known that he could not accept.
His book will attempt to prove thai
he won the Chicago and Tammany dele.
cations by promising to nominate
Marshall for the vice presidency which
nomination promised to retire hin
from Indiana in accordance with the
desires of Tom Taggart. There will
be chapters devoted to A. Mitchell
Palmer, William G. McAdoo, william
J. Bryan. Col. E. M. House and other.
who figured prominently during the
Wilson administratfo
The book promises to be aother sons
of hate. 1t will be the expression O
another equally as disgruntled al
Robert Lansing.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-26
THE POSITION OUTLINED

1t would have been more effective as
a practical proposition had the Old
Guard" stood it's ground and suffered
defeat after sensational bombardm emit.
The country would more thoroughly
have been appraised of the overthrow,
because of division in it's ranks, of a
preponderant majority by the general
ship of well-organized minority.
But, nevertheless, the victory could
not have been more complete. For the
forces of the administration had taken
its position. When the bill was in the
House, Representative Connally of
Texas introduced an amendment pre-
viding for a disarmament conference.
The President let it be known that as
he would not interfere with the bust
ness of Congress, he did not care for
Congress to intfude upon his pre-
negatives. In addition, he implied that
as soon as the bill was enacted, he
would issue invitations to Japan, Eng
land and France.
The ConnaHy amendment was beaten.
But Senator Borah is far more i'm
pressive and dynamic than Mr.. Con-
nally. The administrati ton was up
against the real proposition. 1t saw the
democrats organized in. su. port of the
amendment. 1t counted noses and
found that it was destined to receive
disastrous defeat. Therefore, it sur
rendered.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-26
PARTY PLAN

1t was the intention O. the admins
tratio to act without suggestion OF
Congress. In that event the confer
ence between tho nations. with its ex
pected happy conclusion. would have
been an achievement Of the President.
of the administration. of the republic
can party.
In view OF the succe.- of the Borah
amendment made possible, 1t II not
denied. through the cooperation of
democrats with the pr gressive" wing
of the republican party, the conference
will be an achievement in which the
President the republican party. the
democratic party and the nation at
large VIII have activelv and officlallv
cOllaborated
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-26
"OLD GUARD" OF SENATE CAN
GRACEFULLY SURRENDER

Washington, May 25.-(Special)-
The "Old Guard of the republican
party in the Senate, unlike the old
Guard of the first Napoleon, never
dies, but when confronted by the
necessity of a disastrous fight, grace
fully surrenders.
This fact has just been perfectly IL
Illustrated. When Senator Lodge and
his advisers saw that the progress
sive" republicans. and the democrats,
in solid phalanx, would force into
the naval appropriation bill demand
for conference by the first nations
of the earth, having for it's object dis
Armament they not only withdrew
their previous exceedingly bitter OPP
position, but embraced the proposition
with most unnatural enthusiasm.
The success of the Borah resolution
| marked, in fact, the first complete,
scintillating victory for the demo-
cratic minority in the Senate. Under
the leadership of Senator Underwood
of Alabama, the democrats marke
time, and awaited their opportunity.
1t came when President Harding and
the "Old Guard" republicans stood
against Senator Borah and his in
dependent "progressives."
The democrats threw themselves
with the latter, and the victory was
achieved
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-26
THE RESULT

AS result, it yould be obviously
false wers the republican party in the
congressional elections next year to
tell the peoplpe that it secured the in
ternational conference, which resulted
in an aereemet grae ually to disar.n
the prime powers of the world, which
The Washington herald., 1921-04-26
Hear and Answer.

yvYERE you ever SICK poor and alone? Did
. w you ever have sickness to those you
love when you were unable to provide that care,
protection and comfort your heart aehed to give?
Did you ever see sick mother in home of pow
erty with little children dependent upon herr If
you have not had such personal experiences, you
are both fortunate and unfortunate. You have
escaped tragedy but you have lost the human touch
that should come to all.
But in any event you can imagine what it
would in such situation to have a capable,
efficient, cheerful trained suddenly appear.
You can imagine what a burden went. out Of the
door, as she opened it. You can see the trans
formation she would work and the courage and
heartease she would leave behind. No money can
really pay for such service.
If there was exact justice in this world sick
ness would come to the homes of poverty.
Nothing proves more conclusivey that there is
something out of joint in social structure, than
that that is exactly where sickness does come
1t where there least facilities to combat it,
where it is the greatest hardship and where it
work the most evil. 1t comes when the burdens Of
life at best the heaviest and the struggle hard
est.
To partly balance this condition, common to all
cities, Washington has the Instructive Visiting
Nurse Society which, with corps Of fifteen trained
nurses, provides this service free. There are
hfteen angels oil mercy whose visits Oring neart
balm to the physical help they provide Try to pic
ture what daily visit from one of these nurses
means, not alone in such household but to you
as a member of this great social unit.
For twenty years this society has been at
work here and for the first time is making a
public appeal for funds to carry it 1t wishes
to extend its service to fully meet the demand
Just in the field Of sanitation which inevitable
part it may we'll Washington epidemic. 1t
is well known that most contagious and infectious
diseases spring from bad sanitation. One State has
found that every of smallpox be traced
back in its origin bad sanitary conditions and
a result it has largely replaced vaccination with
sanitary requirements.
Washington is rather than is usual with
cities, susceptible this danger and the appeal for
this fund is not alone to the heart the sense of
obligation resting the more fortunate, but is also
that of self-protection. The society needs $4,000.
1t should get easily and will if this people realize
what it means either side; that of human duty
or that of protection to self.
The Washington herald., 1921-04-26
|. Street Railways.

"HE street railway story of the District of Co.
lumbia is different only in detail from that of
all cities. Thirty years ago the two words
everywhere meant exploitation. We have III mind
Western city where company had franchise
covering the main central city Two other fran
ehisescovcred two suburban villages A third was
buiTt 10 another adjoining district.
nThS three represented nothing but agencies for
real promotion. The promoters of these lands
created the only demand for them and it was i'm
possible to make the demand support the operating
cost AS natural result merger followed. The
central, city company took over the other three
1t nd.,not pay dollar for them, but promptly
added saheir capitalization to its own and then
organized holding company for them all, adding,
however, another cistern full of water and only its
stock is known the market.
The Washington story is much the same only
more So. The W. r. & E. is itself merger of a
group OF land promotion properties that never have
been able to make adequate revenue On what
basis of cash payment they were absorbed-two
shlhbeing outside the sponge-we do not know, but
thathe total capitalization in bonds preferred and
common stock is far any fair physical valua-
--g the records prove.
The problem now is to combine it with the
Capital Traction Company. This company has
buta comparatively small portion of water 1t has
SeNSN ~
meet demands already assured. 1t is agreed, at
last, that extending street line through mile,
or miles, of unoccuped land to reach real estate
promotion tract is not only economic folly but eco
nonic injustice. Extensions should 60 to- and care
for, only the territory just beyond, and that is
already fairly settled
The long extensions simply add fictitious values
and boosted prices to the lands lying between
present terminus and the exploited section. 1t
burdens the system whole with bankrupt
proposition Any established and paying system
which buys such extension, organized independ-
entity, should get bonus sufficient to support the
line for goodly term of years.
The District is asked to further a merger
which will put value in that sort of financing Why
should it do this? Every day thousands of people
are induced to buy blue-sky. They have take the
consequences. No State city comes to their
rescue. If they get out at all with any saving it
is by finding another goat. Why should the people
of this District be that other goat? Why not let
nature take its course?
The Washington herald., 1921-04-26
Getting Together.

O EVERAL Of the strongest personalities devel-
- oped by the world war and its aftermath
have come, most fortunately, from the people of the
new and the smaller countries involved 1t is due
to these men that Eastern Europe is finding its feet
on earth with rapidly growing hrmness of hold In
each instance and wholesome governing at
titude has sprung from the bgness and statesman
ship of one man, and the group he has been able
to gather around him.
Practically the only failure has been in Greece
that discarded its great man to recall King ambi-
tious for himself rather than for his country But
Czecho-Slovakia has had Massryk and his under
study Bones; Rumania has had Take Jonescu Jugo-
Savia has Pashtich, while Poland is recovering its
senses through influences partly without its own
CIRCLE and partly from the tenacity Of the recog-
nzed leader of its common people >-.
But the three named have been the powerful in
Auence that has drawn them all together in an
alliance with the double objective against reaction
and against Bolshevism, from the inside and
one from the outside. They have used, as signif-
cant OF their purpose, and bait to the dominant
element of their population the term Green Inter
rationale" distinctive from the white" union of
reaction and the "Red" of Bolshevism. 1t is a
grouping where the farmers are visoned as the
ruling class rt-
First came the little entente of Czecho- -Slovakia
and Jugo-slavia, merely protective union against
Hungary. Later ti-Bolshevism was added which
Drought in Rumania. But in the meanwhile came
the Franco-Polish pact, and the Rumanian- Polish
pact both aimed at Russian aggression, and then
the Rumanian-P Polish alliance with
the same objective. This makes an interlockmg
which resolves itself in effect into single protec-
tive league aimed at the double defense.
This has been purely on the political side; but
as was inevitable this realization of mutual political
interest and creation of mutual confidence, has
brought realization of similar economic interest
1t has also, through feeling of security largely
overridden political prejudice against Bulgaria. SO
that there is an almost controlling sentiment for in
cluding that country which also is agrarian, and
whose antagonisms are against Greece, not her
neighbors Indeed it is not Improbable that even
Hungary will be taken in making solid block,
when there is assurance that the Hapsburgs are
wholly without the pale.
The meeting OF the Balkan representatives with
the Italians at Porto Rosa has had this economic
objective. The results not yet known. But
Just as soon as arrangements are made for through
lines OF intercommunicaton, for lowering the bar
riers to trade for the interchange of commodities
and the recognition of established monetary values
the progress of al these states will be rapid In
deed this may be a basis for some form of Balkan
federation provided the great powers do oppose
it for selfish reasons.