davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-26
ADMIRAL SAYS NAVY |S UNDE EXAMINED
Operations Last Year Seri- ousIy Hampered, Says
 K0ontz In Report

WASHINGTON, Dec. 25.-operations of the United States fleet during the last fiscal year were seriously hamp- cred by the insufficiency of the all lowed personnel," Admiral R. E. Coontz, chief of naval operations dur ing that period, declared in his an nual report made public today. The necessity of finding crews for several new light cruisers commanded dur ing the year, he added required cut ting down of complcments at sub marine bases to point that meant loss of efficiency.
 'All shore details have been cut to the lowest possible point" the report said, and still our present active ships in commission are under manned. It has been necessary to use our first class battleships for the practice cruises of lnidshipmen and to use destroyers for experimental work, taking them away from their regular duties. This should not be-"
 With the easing of the fuel situ- ation for the navy during the yea, {, Admiral Coonts said, the ships have been abroad to a greater extent and "our flag has been shown with dig nity and credit in many ports.'
 Tn connection with delay in com pleting the S-class submarines of the program laid down in 1917, the report said all these should be completed during the current fiscal year.
 'Tt is sad commentary on ship building facilities in the United States the report adds when it takes seven years to complete 50 sub marines and then have the majority of them unsatisfactory"
 The S-boats are the 800 tonners of the war time program.
 Speaking of work on three larger fleet submarines, building at the Portsmouth navy yard, the report said;
 Not even one of these will be com missioned during the next fiscal year"
 On June 30, 1923 the submarine force consisted of 75 first line sub marines, 27 second line (out of com mission). q boats under construc- tion, three fleet submarines (T-boats, out of commission because of in ferior' performance). There were F first line boats commissioned durins the year in addition to the three fleet submarines which were laid up again almost as soon as they were completed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-26
EFFORT TO RETRY
 BOY TO BE MADE
Once Acquitted Of Girls Mur- der, KIuxen May Again
 Face Trial

MORRISTOwN, N. J., Dec 25.--In filing yesterday with the county clerk of Morris county an applica- tion for records of the trial of who, in July, 1922, was acquitted of the murder of Janet Lawrence, school girl, County Prosecutor James H. Bolitho today declared he had taken the first step preparatory to an attempt to retry kluxen for the girls alleged murder.
 The prosecutor asserted that new interpretation of that part Of the constitution of the United States re- Quiring that person accused of eer- tain crimes must be tried by jury of his peers, was violated at the KluXen trial when Supreme Court Justice Charles w. Parker had a jury summoned from Essex county instead of from Morris county, wherein tre crime was committed Attorney General Henry Harrison of Newark, now state senator. will be assigned to conduct the prosecution, replacing the Morris county prosecutor and this also, MT. Bolitho declared was in violation of the constitution.
 Experts in constitutional law, MT Bolitho said, are convinced tha: kluxen was not tried by Jury or his peers when his fate was placed Tn the hands of Essex county 1urymen Bolitho aNerred that ne was attempt ing to reopen and argue, Tor fetrial of young Kluxen on advice Of lead ing lawyers.
 Kllxen after his acquittal was taken under the patronage of Mo nelle Sayre. wealthy philanthropist who on Friday last filed papers for adoption of the lad, On Sunday MT Sayre stated that the rector and yes trymen of Grace Episcopal church Madison. of which he is also yes trvman, had told him the doors oi the church were not open to the boy because of his past. This was denied later.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-26
DIES OF ALCOHOLISM
Vim. F. Farmer Is Taken III While
 Standing At Soda Fountain

William F. Farmer, of 1924 Thirty second street Avondale, died at 10 o'clock Tuesday morning at the Bir- mingham General hospital from the effect of bad whisky, doctors de- cided Tuesday night after holding an autopisy over the body.
 Farmer was suddenly taken i'll while buying a drink at the German Gammill drug store, 233o Second ave- nue, north. He was rushed to the Birmingham General hospital, where he was given treatment for carbolic acid poisoning, after occupants of the store had stated that they saw him take a small vial from his pocket and drink its contents. after saying: q have lost my job and am going west" He died soon after his arrival at the hospital,
 Some points in the story told by the alleged witness of the act aroused doubts. in the minds of rela tiyes who ordered an autopsy held over the body, The doctors decided that he had died from accute aehol- ism. No sign of earbolic acid was found
 He is survived by his widow two small children and a brother. Funeral services will be announced later by Johns.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-26
DEMOCRATIC CLUB
 IF WOMEN TO OPEN
Colonial House Has Been Taken At Washington
 By Organization
WASHINGTON BUREAU l
 THE AGE-HERALD | UanI7inxfO0 ID. C.. Dee. 2H l

With the return to Washington of [ them embers of the board of gover- nors, plans have been completed for the opening, January l5, of the Woman's National Democratic club for the social and political season.
 A colonial house at Number S20 Connecticut avenue has been taken and H being furnished. It will be opened with a reception on the eve ming of January 16, 1924, in honor of the democratic national committed women from the AS states and the territories, present in Washington to attend the democratic national com- mittee meeting.
 Tho club will be a center for the social activities of prominent demo- cratic men and women in official life in Washington. It's close proximity to the government buildings and to the White House will make it at- tractive to the many out-of-town women visitors, who are nonresident members.
 Mrs. J. Borden tsarriman Is presi- dent of the club, and it's board of gov ernors is composed of: Mrs. Wood row wilson, Mrs. Hugh Wallace, Mrs. Petery Gerry. Mrs. Richard Town send, Mrs. Daniel 0. Roper, Mrs. Will liam Jennings Bryan, Mrs. Frank Shell, Miss Lindsay Wood, Mrs. An toinette Funk, Mrs. Alvin Dodd. Mrs John B. Kendrick, Mrs. A. A. Jones, Mrs. Carter Glass, Miss Mary Archer of Philadelphia, Mrs. Emily Newell Blair, Mrs. Cordell Hull, Mrs. Blalr Canister, Mrs. Ollie J. James and Mrs. stephen Bonsal. These women also were founders of the club, and other founders were Mrs. Emmett Gudger, Mrs l.. L. McCandless of Honolulu, Mrs. Louis Pennington and Mrs. T. s Taliaferro of Wyoming.
 Mrs. Jones is first vice president, Mrs. J. c. Cantrill is second vice president, Mrs. Kendrick is treasurer and Mrs. Blair is secretary. Miss Agnes Bradford is executive secre- tary. An advisory committee is com posed of Senator Walsh of Montana and MT. Woodbury Blair, president Of the Metropolitan club.
 Many beautiful pieces of furniture have been given the club by it's wom- en founders and money gifts also will aid in purchasing the furnish ings. The library and reading rooms are spacious and the dining rooms will be available for members to use in giving dinners. A daily lucheon and afternoon tea will be served in the club house, and on each Wednes- day, which wil be club day, lunch | con there will always be speaker prominent in the democratic circles. Lectures will also be arranged dur ing the winter season. There will es a few bedrooms available for out-of- i town members.
 The resident membership dues are S25 a year, with initiation fee of S25 and the nonresident dues and initia- ton fee is SIG each. Founders are those persons who give sl00 In ad- dition to dues and initiation fee and benefactorS are men and women who give $250 or more.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-26
GE ERMANY DEMAND LIVING, SAYS MARX
Conquered, But Proud, Chan ceIIor Declares In Christ
 mas Radio Message

BERLIN, Dec. 25.-(By Associated in Germany. Chancellor Marx motored over to broadcasting station late in the afternoon and dictated a political i Christmas greeting" for the edifica- tion of the several thousand radio listeners scattered over Germany and nearby states.
 This was the governments first atempt to use the radio for general
 discrimination of official proclamations
 and the chancellers wireless Yuletide
 greeting consisted of melonchany 1 intermingling of retrospection and prognostication.
 "We are an impoverished people no poor that thousands of our fellow citizens are thankful they are able to get warm meal this Christmas through munificence of foreign chari- table institutions" he said. He made
 cordial acknowledgment of outside relief work and expressed apprecia-
 tion for the understanding of and sympathy for German distress man. fested in those quarters.
 Listeners-in were reminded by the chancellor that the governments tax ation program and retrenchment po- licies were destined to bring addi- tional privations but these were un- avoidabIe of the nations disrupted
 economics were to be saved from com plete collapse.
 Reviewing the situation in the Ruhr
 and the Rhineland, Chancellor Marx said:
 "The German people and the Ger man government propose to meet their reparations obligations to the full extent of their abilities. but this would be impossible if we were to be
 hindered from having full disposition of our most productive areas. Bayo- nets and oppression will never pro- duce economic results" He believed that once the people of
 the Ruhr and Rhineland were granted their freedom they would promptly show their old-time enthusiasm for
 work, despite their present state or
 undernourishment and physical priva- tion.
 we are a conquered nation" he continued, but a proud people that demands ko live, because it has the
 right to life, work and happiness. Let us grit our teeth and say that only he is lost who gives up the fight. Let
 us work, and not despair"
 Several of the reichstag leaders also
 sent Christmas greetings and reflec-
 tions on the situation over the radio
 to the listening nation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-26
REAL CHRISTMAS CHEER MARKS DAY
tContinued from Pnge One) say the lake region is in for 8 spell of real winter, except that snow will be scarce.
Father Knickerbocker Merry

NEW YORK, Dec. 25.--Had there been snow creaking under foot, frost biting the nose, and bells tinkling from swishing sleighs, Christmas could hardly have been more real to the children of Father Knickerb ocker r today.
 During the 24 hours intervening from midnight to midnight the feast of the nativity was celebrated in old, accustomed ways. in churches. in prisons and on all steps of the ladder of humanity between them. All tongues of New York,s polyglot pop ulation responded.
 The most evident thing was the boundless charity distributed in the name of that fat, ong-beared, merry old fellow, Santa Claus. A thousand of his imitators stalked the streets, entered the tenements of the poor, the houses where the unfortunate were corraled passed gifts in the streets, or stood under gigantic trees at appointed places where little urchins came to receive.
 In almost every open space of the five boroughs there were public par ties. There gaily lighted trees, shaded carrolers of Christmas songs. Around the aboreal reminder children danced and all manner of men watched. Along dingy by-ways little girls and boys hurried along, carry ing home sacks or packs of Christmas gifts that some of the benevolent had offered.
 If old Kris Kringle were looking down on this spot his eyes saw many strange and contrasting things as he turned from the mansions of Fifth avenue to a place where orphans Were scrambling "so as not to be left out" and to the lower East Side, where free turkey was handed out.
 The million lights of Times Square beat down tonight on the last of 11,000 children bringing packs away from the Elks' home. The darkness of the financial district, unpeopled at night closed down on other scurry- ing little figures going home from the party given by the downtown Chamber of Commerce.
 Nineteen men gloomily met to eat at the alimony club of Ludlow Street Jail. where they are putting up" un- til they have means of providing for their families.
 In the workhouse 50 inmate. gave e a theatrical performance for their 300 companions and among the cast was a name that glittered on Broad way only six years ago
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-26
Found In Ruins Of Cottage Where He Killed Three
 Women

DAMARISCOTTA, Maine: Dec. z5. Lincoln county authorities today ad- mitted failure to discover the iden- uty of persons who early today took from it's unmarked grave the body Of John Snow, who shot five to death Saturday and then took his own life, placed it in the Brann cottage at Cooper's Mills, where three of Snow S victims, his wife and two other wom- en perished, and then set fire to the building.
 This morning neighbors found the smoking ruins where the cottage had stood. The solitary grave nearby Tn which Shows body was buried yes- terday had been opened.
 Officials who examined the ruins found few charred bones. These were reinterred in the violated grave. The top of the casket had been pried open and the body taken out.
 The cottage had been empty since the bodies of Mrs. Snow, her aunt, Mrs. Eva Eaton. and her mother, Mrs. Ruth Brann, who owned the farm, were removed yesterday for burial. The funeral of Mrs. Frank Jewett and her son, Kenneth, of Whitfield, the other two victims of Shows pis- fol, will be held Saturday.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-26
POLAR AIR ROUTE IS AIM OF NAVY
(Continued from Page One

possibility of occasional SO miles gales. The Shenandoah could safely ride out such a gale while free in the air and with sufficient gasoline but would need to come afterwards for refuelling and the stand-bye base at Point Barrow as well as the floating base on a tanked were projected by the board to meet such conditions.
 Secretary Denby, in a statement dealing with the purposes of the to the arctic regions could be outlined under three main divisions, namely exploration, scientific investigation work for commercial air routes.
 Vast UnexpiOred Territory.
 tIt must be stated" MT. Denby said. that over one million square miles of territory between Alaska and the north pole has never been explored by man. There has been observed in the arctic ocean a variance of the time of tides from what would nor mally be expected. This variance amounts to as much as three hours difference in the time of high and low water and is said to be explained only through the existence of an arctic continent which has never been discovered owing to the fact that the area in which it might be located has never been traversed.
 There is much scientific data to be obtained from survey of the air currents of the arctic regions, ac- cording to leaders in this field of scientific investigation. And that this data may be turned to important practical uses is strongly indicated. in recent years there has been evolved the theory that the upper air currents of the arctic have indirect effect on the weather which we experience in temperate lands. These conditions in the upper air strata can only be strudied by aircraft and thorough knowledge of them may lead to far reaching and important results as re- gards weather prediction over 8 large area of the northern hemisphere.
 Commercial air routes over the arctic are practicable today if we would take the ward of explorers and men who have spent great part of their lives in the arctic. As re- gards distances certainly certain arc tic routes for travel present a great saving over any other possible lanes of travl between this and other lands.
 Contrary to the popular belief the temDerature of the arctic is not one of intense cold throughout the year. In the summer time 1t is stated that moderately low temperatures exist on the surface due to the refrigeration effect of the hold over ice. But this does not necessarily maintain at an altitude where aircraft would operate.
 If the navy can establish exact knowledge of these theories 1t will have rendered 8 real service to the cause of world progress.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-26
All Trouble Forgotten

CHICAGO, Dec. 25.-Venerable Saint Nicholas, assuming role of the world for day, relegated politics, lam guages of nations and other sundry problems to the background, and is- sued a proclamation declaring all troubles must be forgotten and backed that up by distributing gifts with lavish hand.
 Being resourceful, he wasn't handi- capped by the almost total lack of snow in many sections. He puffed and worked in the warmest Christmas Eve he had ever encountered in many places. but when morning came his job was finished on 1t sasual sched- ule.
 He was modern as well as re- sourceful, for in his pack were lots of gifts that had never been there before. There was Nah Jongg sets that before had only been sent to Chinese children, but he declared this year orders were as plentiful from this side of the globe as the. other.
 'Its an i'll wind that blows no one good he unused as he watched many golfers experience the novel sensa- tion of unwrapping a new set of clu bs on Christmas morning and then try ing them out few hours later on the links. Putting Greens In Order.
 As the ground has not been frozen this season, the turf was good and many courses still had their regular putting greens in use with good grass on the fairways. In many ptace dandelions were blooming.
 The rich and the poor. the hungry and sick and those in the jails and state and county institutions, ali were remembered. It was declared that all past records for charity it Christmas time were. broken by the generous response of this holiday season.
 Iron bars In jails were disguised by festive decorations. Stone walls became banks of holly and Christmas colors, the plain prison fare became the usual generous Christmas dinner under the kindliness of the day. while carols in many jaiis and prisons turned the gloomy quiet into an un- usual cherriness.
 Business leaders pointed to the inn mense amount of money spent on holiday gifts as an indication of the countrys prosperity. In Chicago alone it was estimated that gifts totaling s9o, 100000 were contributed on Christmas morning.
 Two features of this years holiday, unlike any of its predecessors. were
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-26
EVENTFUL YEAR IN POLITICS AT HAND
Promises To Be Most Poten- tious Since The Momen-
 tous UpheayaI Of 1912
By RAYMOND CHAPTER fLeased Wire to The Age-Herald)

wAsHINGToN, Dec. 25.-The most potentous year politically since 1912 ia here, and 1t finds both parties sripped in deep internal ructions. Strong undercurrents are cutting new channels and the pilots of the two parties find their old charts useless. The unprecedented situation in Con- gress, where insurgents are driving the regular leaders from corner to corner. is only an eddy which reveals the disturbance underneath interest In political affairs has reawakened everywhere in the country, particu- larly since the intense discussion of the Mellon tax reduction program has brought home to the average citizen his close material connection with affairs here at Washington.
 This places exacting demands on the leaders of the two big parties. They are compelled to deal, not with mere precinct mereenaries who de- liver their votes as directed, but with indpendent thinking citizens who care little for party labels CT for the boys" These voters want only one thing-results..
 So that the professional politician has double task to perform. He must build up a political organiza- ton, of course. That serves as his skeleton. Then he must lay on plenty of weight by appealing to the inde- pendent voter who now holds the bal anee of power in national elections, who knows that he holds 1t, and who intends to make his power effective.
 In the republican party. the open ing of campaign year finds just two afo nt ha tenders for the presidential nomina- tion.
 Coolidge has the great advantage that comes from being in the White House. He has the jobs which are necessary to buld up a professional political organization.
 Coolidge knows that political or eanization is a prerequisite to a sue cessful campaign, but he also knows that 1t alone Is not enough.
 Sc he has played one big trump oard-his tax reduction plan. He set the shFewd financial mind of Secre- tary Mellon on 1t, and a scheme of tax reduction has been worked out which will go straight into millions of homes and tighten the burden which was laid on by the war, The best government at tn eloWest cost is his slogan. It has a universal ap- peal which the discomfited democrats realize all too well,
 Hiram Johnson, the other figure on the republican skyline. Is engaged in stirring up interest In his two major policies, the soldier bonus and opposition to the world court and European entanglments. Whereas Coolidge has an issue of universal appeal, Johnson is cultivating various hlees of voters. He is after the old anti-leag gue group and the World war vetersn. Then he is drumming away at the "self-eonstituted bosses" of the party and the special interests"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-26

In the aboev table depreciation per- centages given include only those TOT
 regular depreciation. Tn some years there were heavy special charges Tor
 amortization of war plant, etc. These technically come under the deprecia-
 tion heading, but it is questionable whether they should not really be considered as expenses incident to
 war conditions. In any case, their inclusion with regular depreciation
 would give an incorrect impression
 of the trend of these charges. Regu- lar depreciation, as shown, has not changed greatly on nercentage basis in the q years covered. Ac- tual depreciation charges in recent years have been nearly double those of earlier years, but there has been
 a corresponding increase in gross re- ceipts.
 Another item shown, which Is cut ting more and more into SteeFs earn ings, is taxation. The big increase in
 taxes in the period 1914-19, however,
 was largely due to excess profits and income taxes, particularly the former, which are now discontinued. The last three-year period probably shows fairly accurately the extent 10 Wnlch
 taxes are increasing.
 It will be noticed that, in the ab-
 normal war period earnings on capi- tai on a cents to the dollar basis de- creased slightly from the level of the
 previous six years, dropping sharply in the last three years. In consider ing this item it must be remembered that the investment in steel is large. necessarily, and that it takes IS months to two years to turn over capital investment. Hence, to show
 10 per cent, generally recognized as a reasonable profit on industrial in vestment, capitals share of gross
 must run from 15 to 20 per cent. The
 return in the last three years was l only about one-half of this percent age. They were, however, below aver l age years.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-26
THREE KILLED IN CRASH

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. Dec. 25.- Three persons were killed and five seriously injured this evening at Deer Creek, 30 miles west of here, when an engine and caboose hit an auto mobile driven by Frank Newell. They are: Millison Roves, 30; Mrs. Sadie Rossman, 40 and Robert Newell, ,.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-26
JEWISH MINISTRY ENDED
National Assembly Rejects Provisions
 For Maintenance

KOVNO, Dec. 25.-(Jewish Tele graphic Agency)-The ministry fol Jewish affairs is to be discontinued the national assembly having rejected the bill providing for it's financia maintenance. The ministry for tn, affairs of the white Russian popula tion was accorded similar treatment
 The Jewish deputies voted agains the entire budget as portest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-26
Christmas Rum Kills

NEW YORK, Dec, 25.-One man was dead, another in a critical con- dition and a score of persons were in hospitals tonight as q result Of drinking poisonous Christmas liquor
 Some of the victims were in a seri- ous condition.