davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29

tunately, this problem of systematic mar keting is rapidly being solved, much to the profit and advantage of the producer. h. deed, many of the financial ills of the far mer, so pronounced a few months ago, are now vanished not to return. Systematic marketing prevents dumping of products and depression of prices at harvest time, and furnishes background of reliability and value for the producer. If he needs money, he knows that he can obtain reason able advances on the unsold product in stor- age, and that he will enjoy any subsequent advances in market prices that may occur The system is spreading, and within a year or two, if it maintains it's present rate of expansion, the farmers everywhere will ex- perience it's benefits on practically all farm products.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29
DEBT FUNDING PROGRESS

According to announcement from the White House, President Harding is confi- dent that an agreement will be reached for refunding Great Britain's war debt to the United States. Although it is stated that if a settlement is delayed until after the present session of congress ends, there will be no extra session, the opinion eems to pre- vail in official circles that Great Britain will shortly agree to the American terms and they will be approved by congress. There will be no necessity for another meet ing of the two commissions, since negotia- tions can be carried on through Ambassador Geddes in Washington while Ambassador Harvey's services will be available in Lon don. That a financial transaction of this magnitude is apparently nearing success ful conclusion, after discussions that have extended over comparativel yshort period of time, is an indication of Great Britain's willingness to meet her obligations and the desire of the United States, as friendly creditor, to make due allowances for the condition of British finances.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29
USE OF MOTOR VEHICLES

Omnipresent though the motor vehicle be. statistics of it's operations as a feature of modern life are Illuminating. More than two and half million cars were produced last year and eleven and half million cars are registered in the United States There is car to every ten persons. That the mo- tor vehicle is not for pleasure as much as for business is demonstrated in the fact that ninety per cent. of the cars are used more or less in business. The motor trucks are now hauling approximately billion and a half tons of freight annually. A hundred street railways and railroads are using them as transportation auxiliaries. There are fif- teen hundred motor express lines in the country.
 The motor vehicles service extends with the building of every mile of good road, and the tax on automobiles helps to build and maintain highways. The benefit to the peo- elastic transportation service over short dis tances between communities and from farm to freight house is incalculable. The motcr vehicle is factor in rural education by bringing the children to and from homes from distances that without the motor ve- hicle would be serious bar to regular at tendance or school consolidation. That is why twelve thousand schools in the country use the motor vehicle for that purpose. The motor vehicles scope of service is contin- ually expanding and broadening and every effort to stop it's progress on the part of other transportation agencies is futile. They should rather study out methods of using the motor vehicle as an auxiliary, as some are already doing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29

or wrong. Obviously she will not withdraw until every resource has been exhausted and every expedient tried. It is battle of wits and will power. German stubbornness is opposed to French determination.
 In the meantime there is disposition to let France and Germany adjust their diff ferences without interference from other nations. The reparations commission has practically withdrawn from the controversy by declining to discuss moratorium. Since Germany refuses to negotiate with France as long as French troops are in the Ruhr, the result is a deadlock which must be bro ken by one side or the other, unless an op- portunity for arbitrative intervention pre- sents itself
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29
ALEPPO, A REFUGEE CENTER

and Aleppo, near the western end of the land route over which such goods came, became more and more prosperous. Nearly all the western trading nations established repre- sentatives and warehouses in the city. The establishment of sea route around Africa to the cast in- jured Aleppo somewhat, and the opening of the Suez canal almost dried up its stream of east+west trade and brought up the pessimistic picture of time when camel trains might be curiosity.
 HBut the railroad locomotive which westerners nickname the steel horse,' has proved Aleppo's steel camel and is bringing the city back to it's old place of inn portance. The famous Bagdad rall- road. which connects the mouth of the Euphrates with the Bosporus and Europe, dips to Aleppo almost exactly at it's mid-point and meets the railway which now extends from Egypt northward through Syria. The old important camle trails have thus given way to more important btrails of steel, and where the one contributed the equivalent of pen nies, the latter may yield the equiv alent of dollars. Aleppo is in fair way to become the Chicago of the Near East.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29
THE RUHR DEADLOCK

Each day adds to the difficulties encoun- tered by the French in their military occu- patton of the Ruhr. While the hostility of the Germans is becoming more pronounced and they continue to carry out their policy of passive resistance by means of strikes and the refusal of industrial leaders to CO., operate with the French, there is nothing to indicate that France is about to recede from her position. On the contrary she is pre- pairing to bring additional pressure to bear, probably of military nature, which has not yet been disclosed. It is certain that France will strengthen her hold on the Ruhr as German recalcitrancy increases. It does not appear that the occupation has so far been success economically. Having seized the Ruhr, France faces the necessity of making the fullest possible test of her plan, to prove to the world whether she is right
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29

that only claw marks remained to show where they had walked. If they lay down their shaggy coats left no mark on the hard crust, so we were little the wiser concern ing their real habits.
 Tt was not unusual to find the tracks of bear leading straight up to one of the large vents, where evidently he had stopped to peer into the mysterious hot hole. In one of the steaming areas Hagelbar ger found a place where the hot ground had apparently excited tho bears curiosity, for he had dug into it until he started small fu- marble of his own. The appearance of cloud of steam under his claws as he broke into the hot crust muss have given him great surprise. It did not scare him away, however, for not satisfied with a single ex- pertinent, he tried again in several places, each time digging down til he started the steam before turn ing away"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29
GREATER TUSCALOOSA

The current issue of Greater Tuscaloosa" published by the chamber of commerce of that city, makes special presentation of the united front of the various civic organi- zations in the advancement of any cause calculated to benefit the community. An extract from the foreword reads: ''In every civic body there exists spirit of friendly rivalry and an understanding that any civic activity initiated by one organization will be indorsed and supported by every other or ganized body" That is an nvincible spirit and is one of the reasons why Tuscaloosa feels it necessary to bring in the outlying territory which she now seeks to incorporate in the city limits. ''We are literally burst ing out of our boundaries and spreading over the surrounding country" declares Greater Tuscaloosa" All Alabama rejoices that one of her oldest and most classic of cities should also be one of her most progressive, and Birmingham is especially pleased be- cause Tuscaloosa is a close neighbor and many of her sons and daughters have been and are builders of Birmingham also.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29

first crossroads towns; and since then, whenever the world about it has enjoyed peace and carried on trade, it has reaped the benefits in prosperity ad importance.
 Its own world sufficed for many centuries to keep Aleppo a thriving city into which scores of long camel caravans came yearly. The crusades did not greatly interfere with this prosperity, for the successes of the Crusaders stopped literally at Alep- pos walls. Antioch, on the Medi- terranean, barely TO miles away, was the first Syrian stronghold to be captured by the Christian knights and the last to be surrendered; but they were neve rable to subdue Aleppo, which stood for 300 years as a bar to Christian advance in- land. This Mohammedan city. so close to the crusaders stronghold, became Saladin's capital, ana 1t was from there that the Christians were finally driven out of the country.
 Geographic exploration in other parts of the world may seem far removed from the prosperity of an anciet city in Syria. but Europe's $ discoveries in the fifteenth century were quickly felt in Aleppo. After the crusades, Europe demanded an ever increasing supply of spices and other products from the Far East,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29
A LAND OF VOLCANOES

WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 2s. Especial. )-So close are natures fires to the surface in some parts of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes in Alaska, a new wonder land that has been set aside by the United States government as a na- tional monument, that with alpen- stock or even ones heel it is pos sible to open up new vents for the escape of hissing steam and gases, and so makes volcanoes" to order. How an inquisitive bear started a little volcano of his own in the valley is told by Robert F. Griegs in his recently published book, "The valley is told by Robert F. Griggs in describing expeditions which he led into this amazing country for the National Geographic society
 "When first discovered, the ac- tive area was devoid of evidence of living creatures" writes Dr. Griggs. "The next year single bear ven- tured to cross the valley during our stay. But in 1919 bears were ire
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29
Poor Boys Who Succeeded
 By FREDERICK HoUK LAW
CLAUS sPREcKLEs, THE SUGAR KING

Every immigrant who lands in the United States has before him the opportunity to be- come powerful and more useful than any king or potentate in the world from which he comes. People sometimes laugh at the uncouth, queerly clad, wonder-stricken peo- pie who struggle along from the decks, new ly landed, "raw" immigrants. In few years those same immigrants may be among the most powerful people in the United States.
 Claus Spreckles, a 16-year-old boy from Lanstedt, in Germany, was such an immi- grant in 1S46. Very probably people laughed at him when he first walked on the streets of New York city and looked about him to see what he could do with his strong arms and his keen brain. When he died his loss was felt over the entire world. His work had affected practically every home in the United States, molded the fortune sof islands in the Pacific ocean, sent new rail roads across a continent and great steam CTS on all the waterways of the world. He was far more powerful than most kings.
 All this power and usefulness came through good hard work, taken up with 8 will. The first work that he found was the work of grocer, and he went into 1t with all the energy of his young manhood. As result, he prospered and looked about for greater opportunities. For time he was a brewer and thus became interested in the manufacture of food products Remember ing his grocer days, and the demand for sugar of clean appearance and good quality, he became a sugar refiner. He not only made good sugar but he bent his thoughts to the making of sugar that would sell at a low price. There was but one way that he could do this, and that was to control sugar plantations. In those days Hawaii was little thought of. To that island Spreckles turned his attention, and there bought great plantations and erected suar refineries. To cut down the shipping charges he built his own steamers, and in the United States con. structed railroad. Because he was am bilious and willing to work, he found life full of opportunity, and became one of the greatest of American capitalists.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29
SENATE CONCERN FOR TIMBER

The waste of Americas timber resources aas become a matter of national concern. Ere scsa e has passed resolution proposed by Senator Harrison of Mississippi that 8 ccmrlittee be appointed to make an investi- gation, and report on a method of reforesta- ton. Unless the government undertakes to save the nations forests, it is predicted that in few years Americas timber supply will be exhausted. States, especially in the east ern part of the country, where there were formerly great forests, have been denuded of their trees. Heavy inroads have been made on the forests of the west and the south. There is no more striking example of national wastefulness than the way in which America has depleted her timber re- sources. Our timber has been treated as if it were inexhaustible. Fires and saw mills have devastated large areas which might have been conserved, if the forests had been protected by federal and state laws.
 In many European countries trees are not destroyed wholesale, as they are in America. There for every tree that is cut mother grows in it's place. In this country we leaVe only the slulnps lo SHOW where virgin forest once stood. This is a matter which concerns every citizen of the United States. Lumber enters greatly into the manufacture of articles of home use. An Increase in the price of lumber, which results from shortage, and the expense of hauling it long distances are felt by the citizen who rents or builds home The more house 4ba opt fbo hoe to o1,o to make profit on his investment, the man who builds or buys home has to pay the in- creased cost of lumber. Reforestation is one way in which the high cost of living may be reduced.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29

WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 28. Special. )-Aleppo, Syria, which has appeared in recent date lines as the point to which 50.000 Armenian refugees have painfully made their way in flight from their old homes Tn Turkey, is the subject of the fol- lowing bulletin from the Washing ton, D. C., headquarters of the Ma tional Geographic society.
 "Aleppo's name was once more familiar to western ears than that of any other city of the Near East except Constantinople, and it is probably destined to be great again when that part of the world settles down, says the bulletin. "The army ot American motorists will under stand why Aleppo has always been of great importance if told that it stands where Asia's age-old Lin coin highway crosses it's Meridian trail Four thousand years ago when Abraham moved to Palestine there was an established caravan route north and south through Syria from Egypt toward Babylon. And at least from the time of Phoe- nician greatness there wasi a similar route between the coast cities on the west and Assyria and Babylonia to the east. The oasis near which those great trade routes joined be- came the site of one of the worlds
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29
BETEER THAN STRIKING
Philadelphia Inquirer)

Two years ago employees of the United States Steel. corporation were permitted to buy the common stock at SS1 a share. They pur- chased 240,000 shares at that price. Last year the corporations offer to it's workers induced them to buy 93,000 shares at $S4 share. For the current year the price of the stock has been raised to $107 2 share, which is about what it is now selling for on the exchanges. For many years Chairman Gary's com pany has tried to persuade its men to own a part of the business by offering them stock on advantage ous terms. Had employees kept all that they purchased they would now own enough to entitle them to a large representation on the board of directors. The profit on the shares they bought in the past two years, if they had all been held until today, would exceed $8,300,000, in addition to the dividends received. To be able to divide in two brief years cash asset of $8,000,000 is infinitely more profitable than to pay cash assessments to promote strikes, from which they and every one else can collect nothing but a dead loss.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29

quent visitors. They seemed to rep resent new population of bears which, having probably grown up in the vicinity of the valley, had come to regard it as one of the normal phenomena of their world. They were not satisfied with merely crossing through the steaming areas, but apparently were attracted in some degree by the smokes. Their tracks often were found close around the largest vents, even far toward the head of the valley, many miles from any possible source of food.
 From their behavior. ~~.,ed, it seems not at all improbable that they enjoyed lying on the warm ground, seeking good places to bask in the heat, just as dog picks for his bed the hottest place behind the kitchen stove. We could not assure ourselves in this matter, for we could never catch sight of them in the valley, and the ground around the big fumaroles is baked so hard
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29
STILL HELPING FARMERS

The officials of the Farm Bureau have protested the proposal to expend ten million federal dollars to buy nitrate of soda to sell to the farmers at cose The bureau takes the view that if congress sincerely wishes to help the cause of the farmers it will make prompt provision for leasing the nitrate plants at Muscle Shoals so that the benefit of the expenditure will be permanent and will furnish no cause for repetition of re- lief legislation each year. Besides, there may be commodities the farmer needs worse than he needs nitrate of soda at cost. Indeed, the government would merely be saving the farmers the American dealers profit, for the real and prohibitive profit in nitrates would be included in the price the government would have to pay the various Chilean trusts. On the former occasion when the government bought nitrates, large quantities were left on it's hands, some of which is not yet disposed of.
 As one senator suggested during debate, the best way to help the farmer is not by these temporary expedients nor by seeking to grant him special credit advantages, be- permanent improvements, but by assisting him to market his products at profit. In deed, that is the basis of the whole credit need of the farmer. The moment his assets become liquid through businesslike methods of cooperative marketing, that moment he can borrow all the money he needs up to the loaning value of his collateral. For
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29
PRACTICES WHAT HE BREACHES

MT. Coue himself is a good exponent of his theory. Whether people like the theory or not, they invariably like the man. He IS bright and cheerful and has great charm of manner which seems to radiate the joy of living. Recently in Washington he is said to have been a source of delight to those who met and entertained him, though Wash ington is so accustomed to celebrities and to the glamour of large social events that it is unusual for it to concede more than a passing inetrest to any of it's visitors. But M. Coue. by his modesty and overflowing humanness. seems to have struck a differ ent response in that rather eoldly official city. Promptly upon arriving there he de- clared that he was no kind of marvel and no cure-all and that when people needed pills and operations under the knife the physicians still were their safeguard, a state ment which, it is said had a soothing effect upon the doctors who had been somewhat chilly toward him. But M. Coue enthusi- astically emphasized nevertheless his belief that many troubles are mental and can be reached by putting the subconscious mind to work Many people in Washington now are daily repeating his famous formula which sounds so much like nursery rhyme and was chosen by Coue, it is said, because of it's simplicity. Whatever there may be in his theory in curative way, the little French man has won many friends in this country by his unaffected friendliness for every body and everything, and in this regard at least he is good example of one who prac- tices what he breaches.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29
WHITE HOUSE A "FIRETRAPH

(New York Telegraph
 There will be general uneasiness over the fact that at the present time, when both the President and Mrs. Harding are laid up, a. fire occurred in, the White House which has been found to be due to "de- fectlve flue." This piece of news comes uncomfortably close on the recommendation made by commit tee of the House on January 6 that the sum of $5,000 be appropriated to make the executive mansion "fireproof." This step was taken on the suggestion of Col. c. c. Sherrill, the Presidents military aid, who stated that sort of firetrap" had been found in the garret of the building.
 It was discovered that there was a wooden inner wall in the state dining room, eighteen inches from the main wall, which formed a big flue running all the way up to the garret. In addition to this the fur niture used for official functions has to be stored on the third floor, adding to the special perils due to structural deficiencies. Of course 1t is desirable to house the chief exec utive of the nation in a building with historic associations, but if it is to be done at risk of life and limb there are those who will be inclined to agree with the iconoclas- tic Bernard Shaw, that every dweli- ing house over a hundred years old should be pulled down and some thing modern put up in it's place.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29
AN OPTIMISTIC REPORT

American business and industry are ap- conditions abroad. The United States is the only country in the world where any thing like normal situation obtains. which may be regarded as proof of it's economic stability. Te department of commerce re- ports that in spite of the tendency to de- cline at this season of the year. there were increases in many branches of industry and commerce during December. There was notable movement in transportation facili- ties. Another pronounced indication of the nations continued progress is the heavy de- mand for building materials, showing that new structures are going up in all parts of the country. Building expansion is one of the most dependable signs of prosperity and national growth. The record retail sales of December, the department states, are be- ing maintained in January. Ordinarily there is sharp decrease in sales during the first month of the new year. That there is still a heavy volume of business is, therefore, gratifying indication that the business re- vival is not temporary, but appears to be on a permanent basis. An advance in the price of agricultural products in December no doubt brought some relief to the farmers. An increase in the production of pig iron and the sales of fabricated structural steel was the natural result of widespread build ing projects and while the output of lumber fell off, the movement was much larger than one year ago and building contracts awarded in December were ten per cent. greater than in 1921. With heavy pro duction of coal and only slight seasonal decline in the manufacture of automobiles, another accepted barometer of prosperity, there seems to be justification for the op- timism reflected in the departments survey.