davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
MR.. HARDING AND THE WARRIOR

News from Washington strongly in
Inmates President Harding's concern
over the federal barge service and
presages his intention of urging early
settlement of the question of joint
rate divisions between railways and
waterways. The Warrior is the water
way especially designated as an object
of public and executive concern, not
alone for its Importance to the ter
ritory it serves, but more particular
ly because it is the nations one great
experiment in waterway development
and on its success or failure depends
the governments future policy with
respect to the development of inland
waterways.
Evidently President Harding has
been made acquainted with the real
facts in the Warrior emergency. He
probably is aware that the Warrior
barges are patronized to capacity, and
that more additional freight is in sight
than is now hauled. The president
has also probably been informed that
the failure of the Warrior to show
a profit is due to an artificial obstacle
which the federal agencies in charge
of transportation and interstate com
merce have for some obscure reason
not seen fit to remove. The presi-
dent it is intimated, has come to I'M
derstand the basis of rivalry among
ports and the manner in which some
have been favored not only at the ex-
pense of the others, but also at the
expense of this very experiment in
waterways in which the government
is so deeply concerned and on which
hangs such a weight of potential pub
lie benefit. 1t is not unlikely that
the chief executive is aware of the
fact that the railroads are unjustly
profiting at the expense of the War
rior barge service.
Armed with these facts and with
this knowledge, it is said that the
president will discuss the subject of
waterways in general and of the War
llOI tApCiliiCill III PAL llCuldI anu ItldU
he will urge a prompt adjustment of
the adventurous hindrances to the
barge service. Once the present
barge lines can be made to show
profit there is substantial reason to
believe, nay, there is Secretary Weeks
word for it, that congress will be pre-
vailed on to furnish funds for addi-
tional equipment so that the Warrior
may extend its service and care for
that business it has hitherto been
forced to decline. However short
sighted the policy which has led the
Warrior into its present desperate
plight, there is confidence that such a
policy cannot withstand the criticism
and analysis of the president and of
the people. The people of Alabama
look forward, with lively anticipation
of benefit, to the presidents good Of
fices in behalf of their excellent wat
erway.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
THE STORAGE OF COAL

Personnel of the coal storage com
miteee to cooperate with the federal
coal commission has been named, and
will undertake a comprehensive sur
vey of the industry with reference to
that very element entering into the So
luton of the problem of orderly pro-
duction and consumption. The bane
of the coal industry consists of its
peak and minimum productions stimuli
taneously with its peak and minimum
demands for consumption. 1t follows
that the production is never ahead of
consumption, and that when consum-
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
MOTHERS OF FAMOUS
MEN
The Mother Of Herbert SPENCER

A good mother, who did every
thing in her power to help her
son, in spite of the fact that she
neither understand nor sympa-
thized with his views of life or
his literary and scientific ambi-
tons, was Harriet Holmes, mother
of Herbert Spencer. the great
English philosopher and scientist
of the nineteenth century.
A woman of amiable character,
strong on the moral side" Mrs.
Spencer believed it her duty to
help her son even though sho
could not quite grasp what it was
all about. But she was the soul
of sincerity. and believed she
should let him know that his in
tellectual pursuits were not ex-
actly approved of by her.
However. she was a woman
whose chief characteristics We're
per. She never lost her patience.
although she was sorely triel at
times. Neither she nor her hus-
band was in very good health.
and they often felt the pinch of
poverty. But she was never known
to complain, bearing her troubles
with patience and fortitude. She
was always ready to sacrifice her.
self for others without making a
dramatic gesture about it, and she
was completely conscientious in
the discharge of what she saw as
her duty.
Physically she was an attrac-
tive woman, with a slender figure
and decidedly pretty face. One
commentator wrote of her that
although 1t was never developed,
her writing (meaning letters) had
a clear style and a felicity of ex-
pression-a fact that would no
doubt have shocked her had she
heard about il.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
lLLITERACY is YIELDING

With all that has been said and writ
ten during the last few months as tc
the shortcomings and needs of Ala
bama schools, and while it is widely
admitted that educational facilities OF
the state are not what they should BIZ
and fall far short of what they promise
to be within few years, there is mucl
in the system for which the people have
cause for pride, as an observant con
temporary says, and adds:
For instance, there is the Ala
bama school code. This is the
foundation for the states educa-
tional system.
The Alabama school code has
such merit as school code that
it is taught, as model of its
kind, in the summer schools for
teachers at Harvard University,
At Columbia University and at
Peabody Institute. Therefore,
Alabama has a splendid founda-
ton on which to build its school
system. In the matter of over
coming illiteracy, the federal rec
ords show that last year Alabama
ranked among the first of the
Southern states. The fight on il
literacy is being carried on in a
telling way in this state.
There is a wide and constructive
field Of service for improved educa
tional facilities in this state which pre-
sents a challenge to every Alabamiar
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
ONE TRICK A DAY
IL Thi. VIII Powers Or

Have you ever tried to force a
person to do a certain thing SIM
ply by concentrating your mind
upon It? Here is way to force a
person to select one of two piles
of playing cards placed before
him.
First tell him that you have the
power of hypnotism to the extent
of making him do what you wish.
He will. of course. doubt you.
Then tell him that you are pre-
pared to prove your statement.
After some more chatter you pro-
duce a pack of cards and. count
ing off a number of cards, you
make two small piles. One must
consist Of the four sevens, pre-
viously placed on top of the deck
by you. The second pile con-
tains any other seven cards.
Now tell your victim that you
are going to will him to select the
pile you are thinking Of; and that
you are so sure that you can do
this that you will write down an
Identification on a slip of paper.
Then you write the numeral ".
Pretend to concentrate on him
and then order him to pick up one
of the two piles. whichever one
he takes. quickly grab the other
and mix 1t we'll with the rest of
the pack.
If he took the four sevens. point
out to him that you forced his
selection. You wrote ~" on the
slip of paper. didn't you. and he
selected the four sevens. If. how
ever, he has taken the other pile
tell him to count the cards. There
are sevan~
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
POOR BOYS WHO
BECAME FAMOUS
Alexander Selkirk
ny Frederick Houk Law

If Alexander Selkirk had been
a thoroughly good boy it may
well be that Robinson Crusoe"
would never have been written
The story of Robinson Crusoe"
is founded upon actual fact, and
upon the adventures of a young
man % years old at the time when
he was left alone upon a desert
island.
Recently, when a tourist ship
visited the island of Juan Fernan-
dez, far, far to the west of the
coast of South America, one of
the inhabitants, dressed in the
garb of Robinson Crusoe, came to
the welcome of the tourists as
they left theig boat. On the
island. at a height of rocks, is a
place marked as Robinson Crusoe s
look -out, place commanding a
wide view of the sea. An in
scription says that in that place
Alexander Selkirk lived the life
that Robinson Crusoe is said to
have lived.
Alexander Selkirk was what is
called all over the world "a bad
boy" At no time in his life did
he alike to accept orders from any
one. whether 1t be from parents
or from superior officers. His
father and mother could do moth
ing with him. The people of his
native town in Scotland com
planned of his behavior but did
not seem able to change it. FL
nally. when the boy was 10, they
decided to give him a public trial
for cutting up while in church.
This was too much for the unruly
Alexander. and he ran away from
home and went to sea as a COM
mon sailor.
By the time he was 81 he had
become a sailing master on a
wandering war vessel, a sort of
semi-pirate boat. He disobeyed
the captains orders so frequently
that the captain heartily wished
where except in the boat.
But the sea captains of the old
days, for this was in 1904. were
not men to trifle with. When
the boat reached the lonely island
Of Juan Fernandez the captain put
the disobedient youth on shore
and sailed away and left him to
mediate. There, on that solitary
island, without any companions at
all, Alexander Selkirk stayed and
meditated for four long years and
four months besides. At the end
of that time he was rescued by
another wandering vessel, and I'LL
timately became an officer. At
one time he commanded vessel,
but when he died at As he held
only subordinate position.
1t is questionable whether he
ever learned to be obedient to or
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
ACHELIcHTS fsa5l -
k\NATIOkAL SIfI'
~ CAPITAI HxTg||E;SI

Washington hears with strange
ly mingled sensations that Col"
George Harvey, ambassador to the
Court of St. James. is suffering of
insomnia.
There is a reason. The presi-
dents guest Is tucked each night
into the bed in which slept An
drew Jackson. While the col
onel" processes to be "fundamen-
tally" Democrat, there is no dis
agreement with the statement that
between him and odd Hickory"
the difference is fundamental.
Perhaps the shade of Jackson
hovers above the restless colonel
to keep him wake. Perhaps the
colonel" feels too strangely out
of place to WOO the god of sleep.
At any rate, the colonel" does
5ppt slumber.
Harvey is occupying the room In
which Lincoln prepared his eman-
cipation proclamation, that war
measure which threatened the
South with loss of it's property
braced the knees of the Union.
The room was a favorite OF
Lincoln. and doubtless the spirit
of "Old Abe" Is frequent ten
ant. There would be little affin-
ity between the rugged American
ism of Lincoln and the apparent
effeteness of Harvey. There can
be no question but that Lincoln,
were he living, would express dis
gust with almost daily evidence OF
Harvey's excessive generation of
England.
At any rate, the selection by
Mr.. Harding of quarters for his
guest was not a happy selection.
There Is considerable specula-
ton as to Harvey's future. His
friends say that no friction be-
tween the president and him has
been engendered. and they deny
the report that the ambassador
contemplates resigning.
At the same time, rumors per-
sist. Harvey will return to Eng
land on the Leviathan, which sails
from the United States July 4.
That he will quickly come again
to America is understood to be
true. 1t is said to be certain,
however, that political lieuten-
ants of Mr.. Harding have vetoed
the alleged request of Harvey
that he be permitted to manage
the presidents campaign for re
election.
Newspapers in the United States
which nourish grudge against
England are almost daily assailing
Harvey with the charge that he
falls at the feet of English arts
tocracy and displays no pride in
his position as United States rep
resentative, as spok esman in Lon
don for this great country. Fur
Their, they have sport concerning
his velvet breeches, and goggles
and a that.
The Herald yesterday pictured
him as John Bulls bootblack. Car
toons of this character, however,
do not Tease" Harvey. it is said.
That he sends them with explain
atory notes to his "buddies" in
the ranks of England's aristocrats,
is alleged.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28

place. A contemporary parses
"sweetie" as common noun, femi-
nine gender, either second or third
person, singular number, either case,
and of dynamic Derivation" and adds
that ''sweeties roam singly or in pairs
and feed on the follies of the opposite
SEX In many cases they possess both
brains and beauty, according to reports,
while frequently there's an unseen
master-mind pulling the strings on a
commission basis. 1t is an effective
combination on the spirited youth with
fat roll or an old man with raven
GUS appetite for flatterY.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28

er's seek maximum supply 1t is not
available out of present holdings, but
must be dug. That creates congestion
and high prices.
Storage is absolutely necessary to
sterilization of the coal industry. Con-
sumption cannot be maintained on an
even keel the year around because the
summer and winter needs of coal are
not even. One calls for maximum,
the other for a minimum. The maxi
mum supply will never be economically
and promptly forthcoming unless coal
bins are supplied with coal during the
periods of small consumption. This is
SO self-evident that the marvel of it is
that the coal industry has been so slow
in giving serious thought to storage.
The railroads, which are largest of
the commercial coal consumers, have
themselves been among the chief fac
tors in producing coal famines and
high prices by failure to keep ahead of
the general demand. 1t has been es-
pecially foolish on their part, because
by using of their cars in hauling it for
themselves, they have lost the revenue
for hauling coal for the public, besides
paying higher prices for their own coal
when these famines and congestions
have occurred. There is no feature
of the work of the federal coal COM
mission of more Importance than that
of storage, and it is encouraging to
know that a special committee will
help work out that angle of the
problem.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
We Sit

We Sit
We sit on our porch as the dew drops,
And the thrushes thrush their lay,
And we read what is said of the wise
men,
And we read what the wise men say,
And like furrowed fields are our fore
heads
AS we put the news away.
For we of the fields are but simple
folk.
Our day is a simple day,
And we do not judge where we do not
know
(Where, likewise, we never may).
But strange things are said of the
wise men
Queer words do the wise men say.
The Hick.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
A Conservation Measure

IJasper Mountain EagIe) z
1t is the duty of every citizen d
the county to cooperate with tn
officers of the law in protectiH
these rare game birds and animal
that roamed the hills and valleN
of Walker for countless ages b.
fore the coming of the white ma.
If the females of the deer and tuS
key tribes are fully protected thu
rare game should not become o.
tinct in Walker county.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
More About Water

The yellow half-moon sagged down,
dropping, almost touching the face of
the sea, while the slapping of waves
on the gray sands and the fluttering
of spray soothed my troubled brow and
my aching body. sat alone through
the night while the sea lisped in a
soft whisper strange tales to me, and
it seemed that for the first time / had
found heavenly peace.
/ have always loved the water, so I
bought cottage close beside the sea,
but l don't go there any more. The
glistening sands blew into my coffee
and my food. The odor Of long-dead
fish nauseated me. The slapping of
the waves kept me awake all night.
have always loved the water. Just
now am crazy about the lagoons in
the parks. A. V. L.
Says the Post, anent a rampant
moonshiner: Gle returned with two
army rifles, which he leveled at the
detectives" A two-gun man, so to
speak.
The clam may be the emblem of the
pacifists, but even a clam has first
line of defense.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28

"Fog," says a Harvard prof, "is es-
sentially a wall built of ionized, nucle-
ated, vapor-varnished bricks" And
we have been walking amid fogs for,
10, these many years without once sus-
pecting that we were busting through
brick walls. To our simple mind, a
fog was just fog, and nothing else
but.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
JOHN A-DREAMS
Dreams of Mosaics.

A mosaic, as you all know, Is a
picture or decoration produced by
means of assembling small stones
of various colors in such a man
ner that they finally form a COM
plete representation of either hui
man forms or nature scenes.
To dream of seeing such a work
tells you that within the next
few weeks you will go through
such variety of strange. or at
least unaccustomed. experiences
that when you finally settle down
to your routine once more, your
head will be in perfect whirl.
The character of the persons
present with or around you when
you have this vision will deter
mine whether the experiences
awaiting you are of a happy or
unhappy character and whether
you may look forward to them
with pleasure or with apprehen-
sions.
In a general way it is believed
that if men surround you as you
dream in this wise, you will in
dulge in a round of pleasure
| WnlCn, Wnll6 eACeeulnSly cuJOy =
able for the time being, will
nevertheless leave a bitter after
taste in your mouth.
If. however. you are accom-
panied only or mostly by women
and children as the dream mosaic
arises before your minds eye.
there will be nothing in the ada
ventures of the near future to fill
your soul with regret or to bring
the blush of shame to your
cheeks.
1t is rather bad sign when the
mosaic appears to be broken and,
naturally, II 1t seems to be whole.
the omen is a far better one. If
the colors are glazing, your ex-
periences will have something to
do with travel and money mat
ters; If they are faint and hard
ly distinguishable they are likely
to refer to love affair which
shortly after you will try to for
get
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
THE ALABAMA PRES
why Not Tell Themr
(Wetumpka Herald)

Land in Alabama sells for 81 ar
acre that would sell for $50 II and
seekers outside the state kew
the facts
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
In Two Capacities.

OSt.J
As we understand Pat Harrison,
the president in politics is vile
wretch. a public enemy without
conscience or patriotism and a
plotter against the peace and
weil-being of the Republic: not
in private life. an upright Chris
tian gentleman, an unsullied pa
triot. and a citizen without guile
or malice.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
Look Before eLaping

(Albany-Decatur Daily T.
The Increased demand for labn
and perhaps other causes are tur.
ing the eyes of many Southern n
groes to the North. In view of Is
greatly decreased birth rab
among their people at the Morn
and the greatly increased dean
rate among the negroes at til
North, it will be well for the n
gro to look well before he leaps
in connection with offers made fR
his labor In the North.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
No Room For Knockers

IHuntSVlIIe T1meS)
The progressive element of tbs
town has decreed that the grouay
town kicker has no place in te
community. and it will promse
such a wholesome program of c
tivities that everybody will watt
to be and must be an optimist.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
The Citizens Duty

(Clanton Union Banner)
Our sheriff is going after to
law violators of the county, 3r
which he is to be highly comment.
ed. 1t is the duty of every la.-
abiding citizen to stand behid
him and help him out In his effo;s
to rid our county of its lawles-
ness.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
Protection mt Crossings
(Sylacauga Adyance)

NSyIacauga AdVance)
Our city fathers are to be col.
mended in passing an ordinance q
compel the railroads to place tra-
flc gates at the street crossings n
the city. There are several das-
serous crossings within the ely
limits, and the public should
protected. n
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28

The readiness with which the aver
age theory is accepted these days de-
ponds largely on the appeal it makes to
the various and sundry kinds of imagi-
nation that are working.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
SMILES
Making 1t Go.

A negro called upon an old
friend, who received him in a
rocking chair and continued to
rock himself to and fro in a most
curious way.
"Yo' amt sick. is yo'. Harrison?"
asked the caller. anxiously.
mo, l amt sick, Nose" said
Harrison.
There was moments silence,
during which the caller gazed
wide-eyed at the rocking figure.
Den" continued Nose. why
does yo' rock yo'self dat way all
de time?"
Harrison explained:
"Yo' know Bill Blot? Well,
he sold me a silver watch cheap,
an if l stops moving like dis, dat
watch don't go!"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28

Time and tradition, perhaps, may
weave veil of romance about the
modern purveyor of hooch, but just
now it is hard to imagine anything less
romantic than a bootlegger.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28

The 'good old days" are the ones
so far in the past that they live only
in the imagination of those who have
forgotten their disadvantages. Thus,
the older they are the better they
seem.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
What Do You Make of 1t, Watson?

Word comes from the Philippines
that mysterious chieftain who claims
Immortality has gathered about him a
flock of natives who believe them
selves immune from death.
Our scouts in the vicinity of Benton
Harbor report that King Ben is miss
ing from his old haunts.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
THE PARAGRAPHERS
Can he Solved.

(New York Evening World)
Ambassador Hanihara says the
only issue now existent between
Japan and the United States is the
racial question. That can be
readily solved If the Japs in CAL
ifornia will become as lazy as
their neighbors.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
Wants Good Highway
(Prattville Progress)

(Prattville Progress)
The Progress wishes to see q
splendid state highway fom
Prattville through the westrn
part of the county and finn
Prattville through the northwest
ern part of our county.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28

Maybe the reason the comic valen-
tine is going out of style is that it is
becoming increasingly difficult to re-
duce the ludicrous in life to an accu-
rate pictorial basis.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28
A Strong Indictment

very strong indictment againS
the Alabama convict lease systeU
has just been presentedeto an as
sembly in Birmingham. which ws
addressed by two members Of IL
Alabama Legislature, one of whcn
has been serving on the recess
committee investigating the trea-
ment of convicts in this star.
What was said disposes rather d.
fectually of the claim sanctionId
by the governor that Alabama hs
no convict lease system such As
has conferred disgrace ON Florita.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28

dallas News.)
Mr.. Hughes has been discussing
disarmament of thought. but Hi
johnson can still look daggers.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-28

(Tampa Tribune)
Greece says Turkey can get war
II 1t desires it. Page the world
court.