davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
THE LIVELIER IRIS.'

William Allen White in Judge.
 Spring! And "the livelier iris" is already changing Ion the furnished dove" to wit and namely politics. The air is filled with the tang and joy of new candidatetures, the crisp joy of new issues, the inspiring atmos- phere of delicious hyprocrises. Soon we shall drink thirstily the savor of the candi- dates cigar, and in few weeks the voice 9f the slogan and the roorback will be heard m the land. A beauteous season is the spring with it's ancient awakening of new ambitions, new hopes new lies about the taxes, and how to reduce them. In the spring the young mans fancy lightly turns to the alluring pros pect of getting an office where he can live without brains. Always the shimmering glory of political job dances before his eyes. This year he gees out blithely with his little cam paign lie to lure the ballot from the guieless citizen. This year he has furnished up the good old lie about taxes. They are going to be reduced, and we going to get some thing for nothing. These great days with spring in the air and the campaign lie floating languorously upon the just-stirrlng breeze that brings rich hints of summer sweetness.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
LETTERS TO EDITOR
MONTGOMERY WoMAN,s VIEW

To the Editor of The Age Herald:
 l have been informed that the Birmingham League of Women Voters is going to have de- bate on March IA Subject: "Whether Ford or Alabama Power Company Should Have Muscle Shoals"
 As patriotic AmeEcan, do not think the question is debatable.
 Shall we let the Alabama Power company, which is owned and controlled by Canadian corporation, have a complete monopoly of all the water power in Alabama, or shall we let 9 loyal American, as Henry Ford is, have part of it?
 Would England any other foreign country tolerate Americans, or any other aliens, owning or controlling all of her water power sites? No, never! Are we patriotic Americans going to let England control the only nitrate plant on American soil? God forbid
 This grasping corporation, the Alabama Pow CT company, owned and controlled as aforesaid by a Canadian corporation, already owns all the water power sites of our great state except Muscle Shoals, and if it gets Muscle Shoals it's monopoly will be complete.
 They already have 5OO,OOO horse power un- developed and own S44 900 worth of prop erty and only pay taxes on $2O00,0Oo worth of property. The state of Alabama is exempt ing SAP ,000 of its property from taxation
 Mir. Ford does not want to be exempt from paying taxes to the state, Besides the great developments which will take place under the genius and guidance of MT. Ford in the state of Alabama, think of the revenue which will come into our state treasury. l fully believe that 95 per cent of the people Alabama would rather give Mir Ford, loyal American, Muscle Shoals, than to let the Alabama Power com pany, a foreign owned corporation, have it at any price. MRS. o. c. MANER, Chairman Montgomery County League of
 Women Voters.
 Montgomery, March s, 1922.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
HAIL, LADY RHoNDDAi

From the Louisville Courier-Journal.
 To be elected a member of the House of Representatives at Washington is no mean achievement for an American woman, To be seated as member of the British House of Lords at London is an event of first magni- tude in the life of any English woman.
 Lady Astor of American birth, was the first woman to sit in the British House of Commons. Lady Rhondda, daughter of Great Britain's food controller throughout the war, is the first English woman to be honored with a seat in the British House of Lords.
 There is no reason why Britain's Goal Queen should not make good" If the daugh ter is chip off the old block, character and efficiency will mark her membership in the House of Lords, for the late Lord Rhondda was one of the really useful men of his coun- try.
 Lady Rhondda has wealth, intelligence. beauty and charm For woman of her char acter and culture surely there should be room and welcome in the higher branch of the imperial legislature at London. Seated among lords temporal and lords spiritual there, Lady Rhondda may be trusted to impart to things temporal and the more especially D things spiritual the womanly touch needed in the worlds life.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
IGNORING POETRY

From the New York Times.
 The revival of poetry has been pointed out by many observers the literary marvel of our time. Everybody is supposed to be read ing it, and nearly everybody is writing it. Any
 literary society thinks poorly of itself if it can not secure at least thirty poets to come to a meeting and read from their published works. Their volumes, it is true, usually printed at the expense of the authors, but this fact is only one proof more that the poetcal star is in the ascendant.
 These are what might be called moral evi- dences of the honor in which poetry is held by the moderns. But there is also material and practical evidence. By legal decisions in England, the reading of poetry by public lecturer is a form of entertainment subject to tax. Anything which is of wholly educa- tional character is exempt, but an "extraneous attraction''- poetry is solemnly held to be that--is exposed to the entertainment sax. This at puts the poet, for fiscal purposes, on the same high level as a clog-danc or a performer on the French horn or an. educated seal. So the old verse will have to be altered to read: Come, poet, come-and pay your tax"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10

A Minneapolis man who drank some moon shine and then summoned 12 undertakers is a great believer in preparedness.
 x x Flowers greeted Will Hays when he reported for work as head of the movies. Missiles will come later.
 < Billy Sunday thinks some tobacco users will go to heaven, including, we presume, preach CTS who smoke.
 x x Margot Asquith is prepared to tell the world and English people in particular that America is not dry.
 * * * The high cost of living in Berlin doesn't quite explain the scarcity of clothes on the Berlin stage
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10

mendable rivalry among all the trunk lines and their reports of train movements make similar showing. There has been improvement in railroad service throughout the country.
 Encouragement to good service by the rail road worker has been given through edpca- tiona methods. All the large systems issue monthly magazines in which attention is called to the good records of men and divisions in various lines of work and suggestions for im- provement made This serves to arouse and perpetuate friendly competition and ins proves the personnel, which is perhaps chiefly responsible for lon time" trains.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
THE BooKLEGGlNG FRATERNITY

From the Chicago News.
 "Booklegging," as a growing practice among booksellers, begins to draw comment even from that conservative organ, the Publishers Weekly. By booklegging is meant the trade in forbidden books, volumes privately printed, or others upon which the book censor has set the seal of his disapproval.
 sale in this sly traffic is accompanied by all the secrecy of deal in hooch. The customer watches for a time when the shop is empty and then, edging up to clerk, winks at him and names title in hoarse whisper. The clerk winks back holds up his finger warn ingly, reaches under counter and wraps ID something by George Moore, James Joyce or James Branch Cabell. Prices run according to the supposed kick and the artistic standing of the distillaton.
 This bookegging is not such moral menace as one might suspect. Since most of the book leg writers whose works in demand are really artists, their books seldom prove as bad as they have been cracked down to be. But the customer almost never protests his bar gain not merely because blind pigs have no squea but because eonfessing that he found nothing wrong with the book would show him unsophisticated So he reads and rercads till he finds some esoterc wickedness.
 In bookcgging as in hootlegging, imagina- tion may supply the kick.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
IN HOTEL LCBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE
BUSINESS GETTING BETTER

"When travelling salesmen hand you cigar and tell you that business is picking up, l read the sign good times are here, said George r.. Driver, assistant manager of the Moultor.
 And they are doing it every day, too. These coming to Birmingham bring the glad td- ings that for the past three weeks orders for their goods have climbed steadily, and that all the talk about prosperity seems to be talk ing form. This is the acid test of good times For salesman to smile and declare times are good
 Especially in Alabama is business picking up, according to these salesmen, and all over the state, storekeepers and merchants feel the demand growing for their wares and are or dering in proportion"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
ION TIME" TRAINS BECOMING
 THE USUAL THING

"On time" trains are almost matter of course. In no feature of railroad service has there been more improvement in the past de- cade than in prompt trunk line train move ments. It is due to the continuous improve ment of road beds rolling stock and motive power and more efficient personnel.
 During the year 1921 the Southern railroad operated 179,S35 passenger trains, many of them being through trains, operated in connec- ton with other lines and covering distances of 1000 to 1,500 miles, Of this great number of trains 172,182, or 95.1 per cent, ran on sched- ule time made up time while on the Soutl ern lines, and 166,277, or 92. ) per cent reached their destinations on time.
 The Southern is not alone in high percent age of lon time' trains. There is com
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
OuTLAWING A LETTER

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
 The Bulgarian government has knocked a letter out of the Cyrillc alphabet. It is a needless letter, difficult of translation into any Roman equivalent But its persecution has stirred the deepest indignation of the Bulgar intellectuals It is interpreted attack by the upstart government on Bulgarias liter ary traditions.
 We have needless letters in our own alpha bet. We could get along without c or Q. But if the Washington government, by autocratic ukase, were to make the use of and Q un- lawful there would be considerable storm This is precisely what the Bulgarian govern ment has done, and the result has been just what the government ought to have expected.
 But Stambulisky's peasant autocracy is go- ing right through with it's program. Eighteen university professors who indignantly refused to comply with the governments orders have been busted from their professorships Mobs of students, loudly protesting against the mar tyrdom of the professors, have engaged in fights with the police and blood has been shed. The government has established strict censorship to make that the condemned letter is not used in newspapers, books or cor respondence. And the end is not in sight Something like clvll war may result from this high-handed effort to commit mayhem on an alphabet sanctified by centuries of use.
 Hitherto we have observed Stambuliskys career with admiration. He has done much for Bulgaria. He is autocrat, but his autoc- racy has always appeared both benevolent and practical. His persecution of the Bull garian alphabet is merely silly. As hard headed of the soil, unaddicted to literary pursuits, he has attempted to cut off use- less letter just he would cut off useless job holder. But he started something which will be hard to finish, and which is not worth finishing. If the peasant premier is sens- ble as he has hitherto seemed to be he will ad- init his mistake and devote his energies to some work more commendable than simplify ing the national spelling and firing stubborn pedagogs.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
 OUR DEBTORS SHOULD DISARM
From Leslie's Weekly.

FTOm LtsIIt WtthIy,
 Suppose your neighbor owed you large sum. Suppose he having hard strug- gle against starvation. Suppose you dis covered him one day buying credit costly rifle and large supply of ammunition for no ascertainable purpose other than going gun ming for the rest of the inhabitants. Would you not consider that you had right to pro- test? Europe owes us ten billion dollars Most of the countries there cannot pay their run ming expenses. Yet considerably more than one-third of the total taxation of the continent goes for potential war purposes. Is not pro- test from the principal creditor nation just as logical? President Harding is right in insist ing that disarmament is at the basis of all economic considerations.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
BIG SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS

"The Brotherhood class of the Woodlawn Methodist church is doing great good for the community" said M. E. Morris, chairman ef the county board of registers. Under Prof. J. V. Pogue as teacher it has outgrown it's old headquarters and now the class is held in the auditorium of the Masonic temple.
 "It now has on contest with the boys class. The loser must give dinner to the winner. The Brotherhood class has 297 mem bers, and l would not be surprised to sec it go to 500 members In helping the poor and needy it is doing much good. We have bought shoes furnished food and otherwise given aid. The contest begins Sunday and lasts two months.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
PROUD OF BOYS

"I'm certainly proud of the showing that my newsboys made in the wrestling tournament at the B. A. C., said Dave Evans, physical di- rector, coach and boys work director of the Bil- mingham Newsboys' club.
 "The boys only had two weeks of training outside of their regular duties and while l put in much time with them, had no idea they would show up to such an advantage. These boys of the streets, without the privileges and advantages of most boys, are fighting manfully to gain recognition in the world, and I get the greatest pleasure in the world out of chumming with them and helping to make them good men,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
GOOD PROGRESS BEING MADE

"The Greater Auburn campaign is progress- ing rapidly" said Theron Watkins, "and it's success is already being reflected in a feeling of optimism in Auburn
 q have sjust returned from trip to the college town and 1 noted much better feel ing as to business conditions and much improve ment in building circles. In fact, noted more building going on there than 1 have seen m years.
 "The Greater Auburn campaign is deserv- ing of success, and with the enthusiasm of the splendid men behind the movement the con summation of the hopes of all Auburn alumni is assured.o
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
POINTED PARAGRAPHS
.om the Chicago News.

From the Chlcag0 News.
 Wrath is usually found in family jars.
 Whisky straight is the cause-a crooked walk the effect.
 Disputed coal bills often result in heated controversy.
 Girls will continue to be flrts so long as men are foolish.
 The only noise some men make in the world comes from their exploded theories.
 A boy may have neither money nor influence and still get even with any one who has not terated him squarely.
 Occasionally we find who is earnestly looking for the truth. but insisting thS, it shal. be his special brand.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
MERCY
By Shakespeare.

by ShakeSpeare.
 The quality of mercy is not strain'd; It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath; it is twice bless'd; It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes Iris mighticst in the mightiest; it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown; His scepter shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty. Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings But mercy is above this scepter'd sway; It is enthroned in the heart of kings, It is an attribute of God Himself.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
LOOKING BACKWARD

"A cold bottle of beer would be soothing just now' remarked the affable old gentleman in the smoking compartment.
 Sir" replied the person he addressed, I'm prohibitonst-"
 ''So am I, sir.''
 q judged from your remark that you were not"
 q became prohibitionist by statutory en- actment. There's no harm l Nope, in willing away the tedium of travel by dreaming of the days that are no more
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
FOOLISH AND UNTIMELY

Mary" said Mrs. Calder to her maid, ''who was that man at the door just now?" T don't know, maam, whether he was af agent or a preacher He said he had a mes sage for you from the hereafter and wanted to know if you were thinking about your inn mortal soul"
 Dear mer' exclaimed Mrs. Calder. "What foolish question to ask woman who is packing her trunks for a trip to Palm Beach"
 PAUL COOK
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
A HOLY TRYST

From Harper's Magazine for March.
 As many people are aware, most of the older streets in Montreal are named after saints, male and female. A progressive Yankee has a typical American drug store at the corner of two of these streets, and last summer he put the following sign in his window:
 Meet your girl here for an ice cream soda. This Is where St. Thomas meets St. Genevieve"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
NOT FARMING HIM

"What's the cause of this traffic conges- tion?" asked the die5lifed person.
 "A live model is demonstrating silk hose in shop window" said illustrated little man on the edge of the crowd.
 Shocking"
 Maybe so, stranger May be, but I've been struggling for half an hour to get closeup view and so far as Pm concerned it might as well be demonstration of safety razors."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
LATEST HALL OF FAME

q have selected the three men whom con- slider are the greatest this country has pro duced," said George Frey, local attorney. "In my opinion the busts of all three should be placed at once in the hall of fame.
 "The first is Abraham Lincoln, who freed the slaves The second is Henry Ford, who freed the mule The third is Warren c. Harding, who has freed the workingman of his job
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

Do you believe prehistoric monster has been discovered in Patagonia?"
 q doubt it." said Mr. Grumpson, "but if were going to locate prehistoric monster for publicity purposes I don't know of any coun- try better suited for project of that sort than Patagonia"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
TAKING NO CHANGES

What's going on here?"
 "A prize fight, mister. The purse is quar- ter"
 What's that youngster doing up tree while another boy walks around below with club in his hand?"
 "0h, that feler in the tree is the stake holder"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES
CATERING TO THE TRADE

"The man who opened that new candy store on Main street Pust be an enterprising chap and right up with the times"
 Why so?"
 ..He filled a window full of bonbons and stuck sign on top reading, Flapper Feed.'"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
DAY FOR DELINQUENT DEBTORS
 TO GO OVER THE TOP

give the acid test to those good resolutions made to pay bills promptly The end of "Pay Up Week" will find the business and profes- sional men of Birmingham in an expectant mood. They presented their case to the public in advertisements showing how the man who won't settle his bills, or neglects to do so, is not only holding back the money rightfully due others and slowing up business, but he is hurt ing his own credit.
 The "Blue Book" plays no favortes and tells no lies. It is an accurate record of every man and woman who runs credit accounts in Bir- mingham. To have a good rating in this book is valuable asset. It may prove useful in times of stress when everything depends on one's credit. Better still, it stands for charac- ter, for reliability and desire to meet ones responsibilities as cheerfully as the merchants extend credit.
 There should be an inflow of checks and cash to merchants of Birmingham today and tomor- row. It means better stores, more employment and greater prosperity, not alone for the people directly concerned, but for everybody in the city. We have had many drives" most of them for worthy causes. The "pay up' cam paign is another kind of drive" It appeals not to charitable impulses, but to the sense of honor that every worth while citizen possesses Pay up today or tomorrow and get into the habit of settling bills not later than the 10th of the month in which they fall due. It is hard to believe that the Senator Lodge who pleads for ratification of the four-power treaty is the same man who made himself ob- noxious when the Versailles treaty was being discussed.
 If Mr. Barnum were still alive he'd have that prehistoric monster in Patagonia exhibited before the American public, if he had to con- struct the beast from the ground up.
 The inventor of the Bronx cocktail is dead Perhaps conditions are such that no monu- ment can be erected in his honor.
 x * *
 The bibliophie who owns a prated edition of Burton's Arabian Nights" finds it difficult to associate plane of equality with ordi- nary mortals.
 
 Florida resents the imputation that she is re- sponsible for wire tappers The point is well taken. Those gentry are too smart for native sons.
 Princess Mary's wedding presents are being exhibited to curious women in London at shilling head, all in the name of sweet charity
 x X
 Jimmy Cox is acting like man who believes that even after he has met his political Waterloo he doesn't have to retire to a St. Helena
 * x x
 Europe is slow to take the hint about put ting her house in order. That sort of hint is unwelcome to nations as well as individuals.
 x
 It must be heartening to President Harding to hear the rumor bgong around that he will have just one term in the White House.
 X x
 It's rather mean to insinuate that the Babes" salary is being exaggerated for pub licity purposes, but it's not improbable.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
A MORNING PRAYER

When the way to thy kingdom seems long that | faint at the greatness of the journey, let it comfort me to know that nee q take but step at time, and for this my strengthNs sufficient. Amen.-M. s. B.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
A DREAM OF WEALTH

All men bewail their earthly lot,
 It seems to be the current fashion; To own princely private yacht
 Will always be my ruling passion,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
HE KNEW BETTER

From the Florida Metropolis.
 That ex-service man who says he made ,000 in the army shooting craps evidently never put much faith in the French battle cry, "They shall not pass!",
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
CRISIS JUST 10. 900 YEARS OFF

From the Arkansas Gazette.
 The Detroit health commissioner says that within 10000 years the legs of the human rac, will disappear through lack of use. And then what will become of the stage on Broadway
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10
BUSY

''Mr Grabcoin is sitting for his portraitS Hes such busy man of effairs, how does he find the tme?"
 He says it does play the deuce with his golf"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-10

In everything tse purpose must weigh with the
 folly. Henry ".
The commonwealth., 1922-09-26
THE A. E. F,'S BATTLE OF
THE WILDERNESS

So much was going on four
years ago this month, SO many
fronts were flashing into activity,
so definitely had the tide Of
battle turned in favor Of the Al
lied Armies, that it is doubtful
if anyone save the man who was
actually in it even now under
stands to the full the significance
Of the Battle Of the Meuse-Ar
gonne. st. Mihiel was a romp
Tactically a complete success, j.
was over and done with in forty
eight hours, with every objec
tive reached. Sharp fighting
broiS,, out on the new line estab-
lished by the victory, but there
is nothing sensational in a stab
ilizing front, and here, too, onl.;
the man who was left in to hold
1t appreciates what an evil sector
it became after September 18th,
The same is true Of the Ar
gonne. A splendid jumpoff, fol
lowed by misty, muddy weeks Of
tooth-und-naii battling and inch
by-inch gains-that was the Ar
gonne. Meanwhile the French
and British were counting their
advance by the kilometer, dash
ing ahead into ground that had
: been in hostile hands from the
start Of the war. Several reas-
ons were responsible for their