davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-25
U. s. AGREEMENT WITH
 TURKEY TO BE SIGNED
Seen As Another Step Toward Re
 newed Relations

WASHINGTON. Dec, 24.-Another step il. the direction of resuming formal diplomatic relations between the United States and Turkey is eX- pected today with the signing At Constantiople of claims agreement between the two countries.
 Rear Admiral clarX L. Srictol, the Alerican high commissioner in the Near East, is understood to have h n authorized by the state department to sign the agreement, expected to -t in the form of an exchange of notes or a protocol. The Turkish govern ment is understood to have approved the agreement.
 The claims agreement will set up a commission of two Americans anC two Turks for settling American claims against Turkey, growing out of the World war. This commission will not meet for sometime and the members of the respective countries have not yet been appointed.
 American claims against Turkey are principally for requisition by the Turks during the war of property and goods in Turkey of this country s citizens,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-25
6 @ @ @ @
NO AIRSHIP AND SUBMARINE
 LIMITATION FARLEY LIKELY

taken their cue from France Across the Alps, Mussolni dreams of a new Roman power based on a superiority of airplanes and across the channel Great Britain sees an old established line of defense-her great battle fleet losing it's potency by this new inn plement of war, and is struggling now to establish herself on an aerial equality with any other power.
 All European powers guard their aircraft statistics with great secrecy, but the best figures available here show that France has 1,250 planes in commission now. Last year she appropriated 438, 5000 900 francs for a program which contemplates 3,o66 planes. Great Britain had 600 planes at the last count, with appropria- tions for APO more. Including sub sidies to encourage civil aeronautics Great Britain appropriated 11,210,000 pounds last year. Italy has 250 planes with funds for 720 now under con struction. She set aside 70,000,000 lire for building purposes. Japan is equipped with 250 planes and has ap- propriated S21,000,000 for future de- velopment.
 Against these air fleets. actual and potential. the United States has 500 planes, practically all of which were inherited from the World war and are becoming obsolete. War depart
 
 States will have less than 300 planes on hand by 1926 unless building appropriations are in creased They are urging l0-year program costing s25,00o,000 year. just double the present outlay.
 It is apparent, therefore, that the United States is prompted by motives which are, in a sense, selfish, in de- siring limitation of airplane and sub marine building. For in the end. the army and navy men say, the United States must keep up with military preparations in Europe. That prin- ciple was laid down during the World war when the theory of isolation col lapsed and the United States had to plunge headlong into a battleship construction program to make up for her loss in relative strength
 It is to prevent such race in air planes that many members of Con gress are agitating for a new dis armament conference. But the out look is discouragins. Agitation dur ing the coming session may assist in building up world sentiment, but 1t will produce no definite results un- til the heads of the European gov ernments have a change of heart.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-25
EARLY DISPOSAL IF SHOALS URGED
Unless Better Offers Are Made Ford Offer Accep-
 tance Is Expected


 WASHINGTON, Dec. Early dis position of the Muscle Shoals prop critics by the government was urged today by Representative Reece, re- publican, Tennessee, to promote the manufacture of commercial fertilizer
 Unless better offers with stronger fertilizer guarantees are made for the property, MT. Reece declared, the government would be expected to lease or sell the plant to Henry Ford.
 "In the development of Muscle Shoals" MT. Reece said, the nitrate or fertilizer features together with due regard for the National Defense, should be the primary consideration.
 "A continued delay in the disposi- tfon of Muscle Shoals cannot be jus tified. The farmers are entitled to relief The plant at Muscle Shoals working to capacity will produce an nually 250,000 tons of Chilean nitrate, or 100000 tons of the plant food ingredients used in ordinary com mercial fertilizer"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-25
PREDOMINANT IF
 THOMPSON LIKELY
Indicated Coolidge Will Again Submit Name For Shipping
 Board Head

WASHINGTON, Dec 24,-Resub- mission by President Coolidge of the nominations of Frederick I. Thomp- son of Mobile. Ala, gulf commits sioner of the shipping board, and Bert F. Haney of Portland. Ore, as members of the shipping board, was Indicated today after Senators Mo Nary and Stanfield, republicans, Ore gon, had conferred with the execu- tive on the shipping board question.
 The nominations which were for warded to the Senate at the opening of the session and were approved by the Senate commerce committee, were withdrawn by the President last week after the committee had nomination of Edward P. Farley of Chicago, now chairman of the board.
 The President was described as withholding final decision but Sen ators McNary and standfield said they were satisfied that an appeal in behalf of MT. Haney would be granted. MT. Coolidge is understood to have told Senator Underw ood. democrat, Alabama, Saturday, that in any event the nomination of Mir. Thompson would be resubmitted
 Should the Presidents final deci- sion involve the renomination of Commissioners Haney and Thompson he then would have to select a chair man from the interior states or from the present membership of the board. In the latter case those most ire quently mentioned are E. c. Plum mer of Bath. Me. and T. V. O'Con nor of Buffalo N, Y.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-25
WINDOWS FORM
 GIGANTIC | R 0SS
Age-HeraId's Skyscraper Is Lighted Up To Show Sym
 boI Of Christmas

Symbolizing and giving expression to the spirit of Christmas and the Yuletide season and shedding light that could be seen from points of vantage far from the center of the city. a huge cross depicted in the Hearld5s new buildings, the south's tallest slyscraper, stood out in bold relief Monday night against the dark back ground of the sky.
 The cross was formed by the ar rangement of lights in the building so that certain offices were well lighted, while others were kept in to- across the street observers could not get very good perspective and probably would have had to look twice to make out from these lines of darkness and brilliance the form of the cross, which extended from the second or third story almost to the top of the building But over on Red mountain and Shades noun tain and even as close as tho rain bow viaduct, there was no mistaking it; and the greater the distance from which it was observed the more dis tinctly did it stand out. Men, women and children on their way to the city from suburban communities and ru- ral districts recognized in it the smybol of Christmas.
 Citizens Enjoy Evening.
 Birmingham had it's full share of people Monday night. There were many in the city who never miss an opportunity to be present on such oc- casions ast-mlnute shoppers, merely curious, and visitors coming to spend Christmas Day with relatives and friends. And, of course, Birming hams population turned out in a great parade through the principal streets. They saw the cross and went to the Rainbow viaduct or some other place of vantage where they could obtain an unobstructed view Many even drove in their motor cars to the nearby mountains for better view
 The suggestion that the tallest building in the city be lighted up in the form of huge cross was made by Hill Ferguson, who thought that an excellent way to remind the thou sands of people in the city and nearby mountains for better view
 The suggestion that the tallest building in the city be lighted up i'll the form of huge cross was made by Hill Ferguson, who thought thai an excellent way to remind the thousands of people in the city and nearby communities of the religious significance of Christmas. The idea was used extensively in several large cities recently in connection With the Harding memorial campaign. Ir New York several buildings were lighted in that way, especially along Fifth avenue and in the downtown business district.
 Arrangement of the lights in the various offices to conform to the general scheme was in the charge of H. R. Kampen, manager of the building. Its realization was made possible through the cooperation oi the men whose offices were effected
 The lighted cross first appeared about 7:30 Monday evening, and the light were kept burning until Christmas Day actually began al midnight They were so arranged that two crosses were observable, or rather two views of the cross. one on Second avenue and the other on Twenty first street side of the hiiildinp
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-25
Say There Was a List
By THOMAS l.. STOKES o1 xyire Tn The AGe-Hernit

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.-Christmas will mass peacefully in the national capital-the little black book reported to contain the names of over 1,400 ''bootleg" customers, including two cabinet members and other hgh or ficials, is just as thoroughly missing as if it had been tossed into the placid cid Potomac and taken out to sea- which may have been it's fate
 The fears of many Washingtonians, whispered about in corners, have been allayed temporarily. The capltaI most sensational booze scandal which will be echoed and re-echoed in Con- gress. is being kept closely under cover.
 Was there ever a little black book
 There are those who say there was and are expressing relief that it has officially disappeared, with shrug of the shoulders, they confess, "l know there was one, because my name was on it."
 But local and federal officials are evasive, if not silent. They spent Christmas Eve vigorously passing the buck, and evading the hundreds of questions which were put to them. Prominent Names On List.
 District Commissioner oyster, short fdIu ldN anu t3i abAt WI ipt~~~N N- great length by a score of news paper men Monday. He hemmed and hawed, and would say no more than that he had been told by some of his investigators that there was such a list, but that he had refused to see it. He had been told he said, that there were prominent names on the list and therefore had ordered it turned over. with other evidence on the supposed rum syndicate, to feder- al officials,
 Lone Wolf" Asher. the lightrins change artist of the federal squad here, was busy about the commission ers office Monday. After a confer ence with Oyster he merely announced that the new year would be sig naIized by a concentrated drive or bootleg circles in the capital. but he denied any knowledge of the book and it's l. 400 names.
 Elmer l.. Trey, chief of the special intelligence unit of the treasury de- partment, was then sought. He said he had never received any bootleg list, with the accompanying evidence He admitted he would be glad to find cit Meanwhile, he is preparing prose secution of the 13 men already ar raigned, who are said to be the cution of the 13 men already ar
 q don't think police ever got the (Continued on Page Two)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-25
BROKERS ACCUSED
 OF MALPRACTISES
Witness Declares They Sup piled Quotations For Ficti-
 titious Transactions

NEW YORK, Dec. 24.-(By Asso- ciated Press.)-Four brokerage firms. members of both the New York Stock Exchange and the New York Cotton Exchange. supplied quotations which formed the basis for fictitious transactions by Scott, Norris and Company, bankrupt cot ton brokers who failed for s1,60O,000 on November 16. Benjamin Spicker, z0-year-old margin clerk. testified at bankruptcy hearing today.
 From Scott, Norris and Company, he said, quotations were relayed to the National Cotton and Grain Ex- change, which, according to previous testimony never executed an order. The bankrupt firm itself, Spicker testified, never actually purchased a bale of cotton. but matched buying and selling orders.
 Customers lost S40,0oo on Novem- Der 9, he said, when their accounts were closed out by fixing false quotation of 29.25 cents a pound, 40 points below the market. A few minutes later the market advanced 200 points.
 The commission houses from which Scott. Norris and Company obtained it's quotations, according to Spicker, were Munds and Winsley, Ware and Tranter w. E. Hutton and Company and J. R. Williston and Company. Morris Rothschild and Company, cot ton brokers, also supplied quotations, said Spicker. and later the firm got the prices directly from cotton ex- change ticker in an outside office of H. H. Sturgeon, an employe.
 Disclosure that between S15,0o0 and $100,000 found it's way from Scott, Norris and Company through Peabody and Adams, a subsidiary, to members of the family of Carlisle Rowntree. alleged head of the bank rupt firm, were made by other em- ployes.
 At the time of the failure the firm was short 56,0000 bales of cot ton, worth almost s10,000,0o0 1t was revealed. Carried at the usual equity, this amount would have given the company about s1,ooooOO in asaets
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-25
Agreement Has Not Yet Been
 Reached, But Conferences
 Are Under Way With 0Wn-i CTS Of Mines
ALABAMA WOULD OPERATE MINES UNDER PROPOSAL
Stipulated Amount Would Bel Paid For Fuel Delivered Att Mouth Of Shaft By Convicts Under State Control
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU l
 THE AGE-HERALD Montgomery. Ain. Dec 2i

If negotiations now being carried on between the state and coal com panies in the Birmingham district are successful the convict lease sys- tenn will be abandoned and the state will operate the coal mines, receiv-i ing a stipulated amount for the de- livery of each ton of coal mined to the mouth of the mine. Governor, Brandon Monday afternoon admitted, that conferences have been held dur ing the past week between members of the state board of administration and officials of the Sloss- Sheffield Steel and Iron company and Pratt Consolidated Coal company with tho view of changing the system.
 The governor said he could mak ei no announcement other than that negotiations are being carried on. Details have not been worked out and the governor could not say whether or not there is likelihood of an agreement.
 Plan Is Not New Ono.
 The plan which the state is now considering and discussing with the coal companies is not new in Ala bama. It was put into effect for & short time by Governor Emmet o'Neal during his administration from 1911 to 1915. By this method the state took entire control of the convicts, supervising them as they worked under the ground as well as during the time they were out of the nine. The coal company through the owner of the mine, had no con- trol over the convicts, merely re- ceiving the coal when 1t was de- livered by the states penal servants at the mouth of tho mine. No en- ployes of the company went into the mine except inspectors charged with the duty of maintaining safe work ing conditions in the mine.
 When I asked the legislature to extend the convict lease system at the beginning of my term, there was no intention of continuing 1t throughout my term if another workable method could be found" said Governor Brandon. Ut was necessary to protect the states in- terests and find employment for the convicts before the lease system could be abandoned.
 O O O
 Hopeful Of Success.
 Since the law extending the sys- tenn was passed I have reiterated the first declaration and have worked toward the ending of the system [ am hopeful that the negotiations TOW being carried on will be success full"
 Governor Brandon's administration has been represented in the discus sion by l.. A. Boyd. president, and Roy L. Nolen, associate member, of the state board of administration. Hugh Morrow, vice president, has appeared for the Sloss- Sheffield Steel and Iron company, while the Pratt Consolidated Coal company has been represented by Carr McCor- mack, president, and w. A. Gibson, who has handled the convict lease contract for the company
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-25
POINCARE HANDED
 GERMANY'S NOTE
Believed Germany Is Seeking To Have Customs Bar
 rier Removed

PARIS Dec. 24.-(By Associated Press) )--Herr von Hoesch, the Ger man charge d'affairs. delivered to Premier Poincare this evening 2. 10-page typewriter memorandum setting forth in detail the German governments viewpoints on the fol- lowing questions:
 The economic relations between the occupied and unoceupied terri tories, the dues levied, entry into oc- cupied territory, currency of the Rhenish West Phalian bank, naviga- tion of the Rhine, railroad traffic and questions bearing on the general administration and Internal legisla ton of the occupied territory.
 Herr von Hoesch read over the document to M Poincare, who inter- ruptcd several times with request that the German charge explain tho exact bearing of certain passages. At the conclusion the premier said he reserved his answer until he should make careful examination of the note in all its aspects. He will get in touch with M. Jasper, the Belgian, foreign minister, tomorrow,
 The note entirely concerned eco- homie and administrative questions arising out of the occupation of the Ruhr. and mentioned in no way the general problem of reparations.
 Although the exact terms of the memorandum are withheld. the pres ent impression in authorized circles is that Germany's object is to seek to have the customs barrier removed between the unocclpied and occupied territory and the dues on everything entering unoccupied territory from the occupied zone, except foodstuffs, abolished Germany also wishes to have a hand in any solution of the currency question that may be at tempted and to be represented in the organization of the Rhenish West phalian bank.
 The government asks for the re - instatement of the expelled officials and the recall of German railroad hands and river boatmen with the object of intensifying traffic. both | on land and waterways.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-25
DIRIGIBLE IS SEEN BUT STILL ALOFT
Appears Under Control, But Is Unable To Answer Wire
 less Messages

TOULEON, France. Dec. 24.-(By Associated Press.)-The dirgible, Dixmude, which has been sailing for many hours over Tunis, apparently. in a fruitless search for landing place, was sighted at Poce tonight in the Tatahouin region, and later fur ther inland.
 The headlights of the airship were lit and the craft seemed to be in control. The wireless stations con tinued to send messages, but the Dixmude does not reply.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-25
RICH ANDP POOR ENTER SPIRIT IF YULE TIDE
Needy Families And Children Of Big Cities Generously Supplied With Good Things Of The Holiday Season
COOLIDGE OFFICIALLY OPENS THE FESTIVITIES
Absence Of Seasonal SnoW-
 fall Fails To Cast Damper On Gaiety Of Millions As They Prepare To Enjoy Day

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.-(By Asso- eiated Press.)-Christmas in Wash ington finds governmental activities almost entirely suspended and Presi- dent a.4> Mrs. Coolidge participating activel. tn the capitals observance of the Soliday.
 The chief executive himself for mally started the city's observance at o'clock this evening by turning lights on the big national Christmas tree" erected on the Ellipse directly south of the White House. Late in the evening President and Mrs. Cool idge threw open the gates of the White House grounds for thousands to gather there to sing Christmas carols. The. Coolidges tomorrow will attend union Christmas service of the citys churches.
 Activities in the government de- partments ceased at noon when the thousands of clerHs were dismissed for a half holiday and cabinet mem. bers left their offices not to return again until Wednesday morning. MT. Coolidge, however, worked through the afternoon at his desk in the executive offices, leaving only when the time came ot go to the Ellipse to turn on the Christmas tree lights.
 Only about half of the members of the cabinet will spend Christmas Day their homes here include Secretaries Hughes. Hoover, Weeks and Denby; Attorney General Daugherty and Postmaster General New. Secretary Mellon has gone to his home in Pitts burgg Secretary Davis to his fathers ..-I t-x.f. .arsx Work to Evanston, Ill.,, to be with his daughter. Secretary Wallace will spend the day near Washington. National Christmas Tree.
 The national Christmas tree, lighted by the President, was sent to the executive by Middlebury college at Vermont, but MT. Coolidge decided to share it with the whole city and bought a small tree for the White House. This small tree was put up this afternoon in the blue room and trimmed by Mrs. Coolidge and the boys, John and Calvin, Jr. On 1t were placed the family gifts.
 The national tree," fine 60-foot spruce, will be the center of celebra- tions to be held nightly during the holiday week.
 Singing of Christmas carols at the White House took place at the north entrance where several thousand persons joined with the choir of the Presidents church, the First Con- gregation, in the musical. The plan was conceived by Mrs. Coolidge, who has expressed the hope that it will become an annual custom.
 Mrs. Coolidge. during the day, at tended the Christmas exercises and distribution of toys and dinners to the poor by the Salvation Army.
 Fifty shop girls, from the store where Mrs. Coolidge buys many of her clothes, received large bouquets of roses today from the White House conservatories. the gift of Mrs. Cool idge
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-25
Coolidge Expected To Heed Wishes Of European Pow CTS And DiSapprove Idea
By RAYMOND CHAPTER


 WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.-The fifth Christmas since the armistice finds the powers of Europe too absorbed in new race of air armaments to heed a caution signal from the United States.
 after the holidays to bring about a world conference on aircraft and submarine limitation. the administra- tion took pains recently to ascertain sentiment abroad regarding this project. Results were discouraging and the President will advise that the matter be dropped until a more opportune time.
 The final word which kills the project for the present was brought by the Duke of Sutherland. under Secretary of Air of the British cabi- net. He discussed the matter in a series of conferences with high off cials and explained on behalf of his country that while such a step would be desirable, competition among the powers of Europe for air supremacy makes it impossibl for great Britain to pause in her building at this time.
 One curious result of the Wash ington armament conference was to stimulate activity in airplane build ing, a tendency which was already well defined as the result of lessons learned in the World wer That cor flict showed at once the limitations of the battleshlp, and the poten- talities of the lighter and cheaper airplanes. This lesson was so pro- foundly impressed upon France that she refused outright to consider linn iting construction of either. airplanes or undersea craft when that was suggested at the Washington confer ence She said that Germany was building planes secretly, but the real reason lies much deeper.
 O O O
 Next War In Air.
 French military experts are con vinced that the next war will be fought in the air and they are pre- pairing accordingly. Forced reduc- ton in battleship expenditures merely left more money available for air forces. Other countries have