davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12
BETTER TIMES AHEAD

Now that the crisis of readjustment n
our business affairs has passed, and this is
conceded by experts in such matters, we
are hidden to look for better times ahead.
But while it is predicted that we will make
money in the twelve months to come, we are
also warned that our money will be made
only as the result of strictest attention 20
our business Not even the most sanguine
of observers count on the new year as
boom year with wild merry-making and
such orgies of profits as we saw, for in
stance, in 1919 and 1920. But sound stu
dents of fundamental conditions do assure
US that we are well out of the woods in
which we almost lost our way in 1921, from
which experience we were still a little groggy
in the early part of 1922. The new year
therefore opens upon more. cheerful pros
poets. Even so, it is not to be a season of
takings for granted. We are told Of the
price we must pay for our measure of sue
cess. The crisis of recovery is over, but
there are, so to speak, some hang-overs TO
be adjusted
Those whose judgments are trained upon
these problems say the little leaks in our
business must De stopped, the overhead cut
closer to the bone; distribution facilities
improved by labor-saving devices. and so on.
All of which means the giving of the closest
attention to the details of our business. If
we are to make the new year yield returns
equal to those of any like period in our nor
NAL lives. which the statistical authorities
say is entirely possible. Giving the closest
attention to details of a business means
hard work. and the inference is that those
who set out in the dawning of this new year
to look for easy money will find, long be-
fore the new calendars come around, that
they only have badly strained eyes.
The logic of the situation, VITA near
collapse not so far behind and many re-
adjustments yet to be made, points to a
time of drastic competition, time full Of
chances, but of fighting chances, and much
range-finding between producer and con-
sumner. But, all in all, the new year opens
unquestionably upon cheerful prospects and
the mere requisite of hard work, whether
in brain sweat or Drawn, will only add zest
to the success of our performance.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12
BUILD THE AUDITORIUM

While it may be conceded that the audi
forum project should be carefully studied,
so that a building may be erected which
will best serve the needs of Birmingham for
many years to come and will be the most
desirable type that can be built with the
amount of money on hand, there is basis
for the public's Impotence over repeated de-
lays in beginning work. That the people
of Birmingham realize the need of an audi
forum was shown when they approved a
bond issue of 100000 for that purpose.
Their responsibility Nded when they pro-
vided the money. 1t was then the duty of
the city commission to carry out their wishes
as soon as possible, with due regard for a
prudent expenditure of the funds available
Sufficient time has elapsed for all the de-
tails to have been worked out. Excuses of
one kind and another are no longer valid
Before going into office the present city
commission was pledged to build the audito-
rum without unnecessary delay. They are
In duty bound to fulfill that pledge.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12
MAKING N1TRATEs AVAILABLE

The measure of Senator E. D. Smith of
South Carolina calling for federal revolv-
ing fund of ten million dollars to purchase
Chilean nitrate and sell it to the cotton far
riers at cost has been in force before. 1t is
believed that it did a great deal of good not
only because it benefited the planters who
took advantage of the offer, but also because
it forced dealers in nitrate to reduce their
prices from the unreasonably high level pre-
vailing at that time. It is believed that the
price is still too high, but that this time it is
due, not to speculation in this country but
to the formation of nitrate trust in Chile
which makes an inordinate profit on the
commodity. If that is the present situation,
then the measure of Senator Smith will not
confer the wide benefit it formerly did.
The only legitimate and telling manner in
which we can effect reduction in the price
at shpside in Chile is to develop the manu-
facture of nitrate in this country to point
where the competition will force the Chilean
producers to bring down their prices There
fore, instead of establishing revolving funds
of>doubtful value, congress would far better
take such immediate action regarding Mus
Gle Shoals as would set the plants there to
turning out commercial nitrates at the ear
Hest possible moment. Since Mr. Ford pro-
poses to establish a fixed and moderate
profit on his output, undoubtedly a contin-
uous and considerable production would
compel competitors in nitrate to sell at a
similar figure. The Chilean producers can
well afford to do this, because their process
is not cosby.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12
THE FRENCH OCCUPATION

The French army is moving into the Goa.
and iron producing sections of Germany in
order to enforce deliveries of coal the Ger
mans pledged themselves to make, but failed
to make. The German cry of treaty viola
tion and all that is misleading. The French
are not going as far as the treaty permits
them to go, nor have they taken this sig
nificant step until the German failure to
comply with formal pledges had been going
on for year and half The French are
not acting impulsively nor on their own Volt
ton. They are acting directly on the report
of the allied PREPARATIONS commission that the
Germans have voluntarily failed to comply
with the treaty stipulations. France has not
broken with her Allies on this point; she has
merely differed with them on question of
policy and is proceeding along a line to
which both the allies and Germany agreed
when they signed the treaty of Versailles
and entered into several subsequent repara-
tions agreements. Although the Germans
have made great play to have themselves
regarded by the world as injured parties,
the world has not been blinded to the fact
that Germany has deliberately and reso-
lutely failed to hand over either the raw
material or the gold she agreed to produce.
Germany is in voluntary default. The
French, with the knowledge that they have
suffered wanton destruction at the hands of
the German army to the extent of one hum
dred and ten billion francs and have been
reimbursed only to the extent OF three billion
francs, are confident that they are in the
right when they resolve to make Germany
pay, even if in the process the Germans
materially suffer. France may be criticized
for her decision; but she cannot oe accused
of violating the treaty. On the contrary,
she must be given credit for having shawn
forbearanee beyond any like manifestation
on the part of Germany in all her history.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12
FOREST LYRIC

Thomas Hornsby Ferrill, in the Rocky
Mountain News.
Only the eyes of trees could see from here
That you are in the sky, bright love of
mine,
And trees could never know-year after
year
They are but trees-and now l reap their
pine
For bed and fire, and let my fire go out,
Where no man ever kindled fire before,
And watch the timid darkness creep about,
It's first known ember light and Smooth
it DER.
You are three stars, no more of you is there,
Nor would dare for more to make you
whole,
For half-told consultations in the air
Alone make staSs adventures,for my soul:
Below is one, your lirs-your eyes are
The sightless forest and my heart will
keep
Forever the bright secret that is you;
kiss the passion of three stars
and sleen.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12
AWAITING RATE ADJUSTMENT

To Senator Underwood, seeking the opin-
ion of the secretary of war as to the posi-
bility of obtaining appropriation for add
tional Warrior equipment, Mr.. Weeks re-
piled that he will recommend no additions
to the Warrior investment until the Inter
state Commerce Commission has ruled on
the question of division of rates for joint
hauls. In the opinion of the secretary
proper adjustment of this division would
place the Warrior on a self-supporting basis
and warrant the government in granting the
additional equipment asked for 1t is for
tunate that the secretary understands the
case so well. just why the federal commits
sion has delayed so long to do justice to the
governments twelve million dollar invest
ment in the Warrior is not explained, but
unless the commission acts very soon an
explanation will probably be demanded, from
sources the commission cannot very well
ignore. Meanwhile, the friends of the War
rior can turn their efforts to no better pur-
pose than urging this question upon the at
tention of the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion. There is no good reason why the
waterway, paid for by the public money,
should be under tribute to the railroads.
Yet that is the situation, and public inter-
est demands that the situation be changed.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12
THE AILMENT OF PROTEST

Front pages of the newspapers of the
country are largely occupied right now with
the alleged doings Of the Ku Klux Khan.
That troubled region in Louisiana around
Mer Rouge where the lonely primeval wood
is rendered more obscure and mysterious
by its dropping gray wells of moss, and New
York City, standing sharply in stone against
the sky, contribute alike in some necessarily
vague manner their quota of news concerns
ing the Invisible Empire. From the heart
of nature itself to the pinnacle of mans
achievement against nature is a far cry.
And with its towers of Babel, its streets of
Babel, and the tumult of its high-powered
traffic. New York surely strikes sharp
antithesis to the simple far section to the
southwest.
Between these points in our geography
there lies as much space as between London
and the Garden of Eden. In all visible
aspects New York and Mer Rouge are no
less dissimiar. No two landscapes of the
imagination could be less alike Yet the
cathedral-like corridors of the Louisiana
wood are touched by the same spirit that
touches the pulpit in New York. far cry
and strange spirit.
And this brings us to our point, which is
not to inquire into or pass judgment upon
the Khan as such, but merely to comment
upon larger, if less strange spirit, which
is in evidence all over the land. 1t is the
spirit of protest, rebellion. The Khan may
be but one manifestation of it, but one
symptom of a general ailment, the aiment
of protest. But everywhere something is
being protested against and everywhere
there seems to be something to occasion
protest. The country abounds in protest.
Nearly all conspicuous aims and aspirations
are anti-something. On such contrary prin-
ciples political blocs are formed, societies or
ganized and individual differences are daily
made sharper. Efforts are being made to
draw racial and religious lines more closely,
notably in the larger cities of the east and
middle west.
1t is almost as though there were in pro-
cess some sort of un-melting in our melting
pot-some sort of cooling off which allows
crystallization of like with like. But for
the size and strength of this melting-pot of
ours there might, without careful control of
the temperature in this unmelting process,
some day be an explosion.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12
TEXTILE MILLS COME SOUTH

California textile mill syndicate has
purchased a Selma cotton mill. large
Massachusetts manufacturer announces plans
for acquisition of large mill in the south.
Michigan capitalists will expend half-mI-
lion dollars enlarging the knitting mill at
Albany acquired by them. The trend of the
northern textile mill operators to the south
first operations will consist of the acquisi-
ton of southern plants already in operation
to be followed by the building of new mills
and the enlargement of those in operation.
The eastern mill owners will not now reduce
eastern mill holdings but future expansion
is to be in the south, where they will first
seek a foothold through purchase of such
going concerns as the owners may see fit
to sell.
The movement of the textile industry to-
ward the south is all the stronger and more
permanent because the east has realized
fully the advantages which the south pos
sesses as the proper habitat of that industry
Once a basic and underlying condition is
fully accepted there is no question of the
building-up process that will ensue on that
foundation. The south has proven its suit
ability for the textile industry as Birming-
ham has proven its excellence Of ores and
coal and IT'S capacity for low-cost production
of iron and steel products. Development
of industry automatically follows such con-
vincing proof.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12
ALABAMA's COAL OUTPUT

The twenty-five per cent. increase in the
coal production of 1922 over that of 1921
is primarily due to the absence of strike in
this state during a period when the larger
part of the coal-producing area was on strike.
Thus the steel and iron corporations were
able to mine that larger coal production
required in the growing demands on furnace
and mill capacity. When the surplus coal
in the eastern and western fields gave out,
Alabama was called on to supply emergency
coal for territory outside its regular mar
keting area. However, the lions share of
the larger production was by the iron and
steel corporations and reflects the activity
of the iron and steel industry. The new
year Starts with mine production at point
much above the average and indications are
that it will so continue for an indefinite pc
Rod along with the activity promised at the
mills and furnaces.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12
THE TURKISH -RLUNDER

The allied agreement with Turkey where
by hundreds of thousands of Moslems must
move from Greek to Turkish territory and
other hundreds of thousands of. Christian
Greeks must move from Mohammedan terri
tory is one of the uncouth results of the de-
plorable policy of the powers with respect to
the Turks ever since 1918. By seeking each
to win selfish material concessions in the gift
of the Turks, the powers delayed settlement
so long that the Turks were able to come
back and to assume the role of quasi-dicta-
tors in the Near East negotiations. As a
result, the powers find themselves obliged to
make terms with fanatic religion rather
than with a sovereign power. The Greeks
must leave because it will not be safe for
them to remain under Turkish sovereignty.
The Moslems must leave as reciprocal con-
cession to the Greeks. The Turkish problem
still remains as the costly problem of Eu-
rope. The material advantages the powers
have sought are still in doubtful status
Rich is he who has honor left, but poor in
deed are they who have neither goods nor
honor to show for their manipulations.
In this connection, it is curious that the
powers see no inconsistency in making terms
for the Greeks on the one hand, and in fail
ing on the other hand to give measure of
peace and freedom to the other nom Moslem
races which have been the objects of Turk
ish cruelty and despotism for almost time
without memory The world spends millions
annually in feeding and otherwise caring for
the victims of Turkish misrule, and yet the
powers arrive at no solution of this eternal
direct solution. The United States repre-
sentatives have shown the way, but the pow
ers have only weakly insisted on it. The
Turks have scornfully rejected it. In that
rejection there is portent of still greater
cruelties and njustces to come
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12
A Timely Editorial



From the New York Tribune.
That there should be a gradual
shift of the financial center of the
world from London to New York
was seen to be inevitable early in
the war. Only a few optimists ex-
pected this shift to be rapid or on
very large scale. But the simple
fact that so much of the spare capt.
tai of the world was collected in the
United States made il natural that
nations seeking money for new en-
terprises or new loans should turn
to America.
AS measure of the shift may be
taken the increase in the flotation of
foreign securities in the United
States since the war. This field of
banking was formerly almost entire
ly in the hands of the British, Dutch,
French and Belgians. In the five
years prior to the outbreak of the
war, for example, so per cent of the
money invested in new enterprises
by Great Britain was in foreign Sc
curities. Another SO per cent went
into the securities of the British pos
sessions. During this same period
practically no American money went
into the financing of foreign enter
prises or governments.
In 1920 only about per cent of
new British investments were in for
eign securities. This same year 6
per cent of American investments
were foreign. In 1921 the British
figure had risen to per cent and
the American to 10 per cent. Esti-
mates for the. year 1922 show that
the amount of American money put
into new foreign issues has increased
to 20 per cent. The British during
the same period rose to % per cent.
The significant fact is that, al
though there has been an increase in
the percentage of British foreign
financing, this has simply marked a
return to the pre-war normal con-
dition. In the case of the United
States it is new development. 1t
shows not only that foreign coun-
tries which formerly would have
turned to London for funds now
come to New York, but also that the
American investing public, which
used to be unfriendly to foreign in
vestments, has growing inclination
to put it's funds into good issues of
new foreign bonds and stocks. Most
of these, so far, have been the bonds
of foreign states and cities. But
there is every reason to believe that
American investors in the future
will show an even greater interest
in the financing of foreign industrial
concerns than heretofore. In the
years to come the United States
should largely replace Great Britain
as the worlds principal financier. :
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12
Poor Boys Who Succeeded
BY FREDERICK HOUK LAW
Johnson, the Great Author

To fight disease and poverty for seventy
five years, and in spite of everything to be-
come leader in the world of letters
critic, biographer and dictionary writer, is
high triumph. To have disagreeable pecu-
liarities, and yet to win as friends great ar
lists, actors, writers and scholars, is still
higher triumph. To rise above misfortunes
and to inspire the best minds of period is
a proud achievement Because he did all
this, Samuel johnson is one of the greatest
figures in English literature.
As boy johnson helped his father, poor
and luckless bookseller. The lad seizcl
every opportunity to read, and in 1928 went
from the dusty bookstore to Oxford univer-
sity. He was so poor that he had to leave
without degree.
His life was one long battle with disease
and privation. By nature he had morbid
Imagination and almost insane peculiarities.
He tried school teaching, but merely sue
ceeded in frightening most of his pupils.
One day, with one pupil, he set out for
London. One of these tramps became john
son, the literary dictator of England the
other became David Garrick, the great
Shakespearean actor.
In London johnson worked for years as
a literary hack, writing everything and any
thing. His genius brought him friends.
His paper, "The Rambler" produced his ex-
cellent essays, the talk of the town. In
seven years he wrote the first great English
dictionary. His Lives of the Poets" showed
keen literary sympathy. His brilliant con-
versation, made immortal in Boswel's minute
Life of Johnson" inspired Gibbon, the his
torian; Burke the statesman; Reynolds the
artist; Garrick the actor; Goldsmith the au-
thor; Jones and Langdon, the scholars, and
scores of others. His charity led him to
share all that he had.
Great as writer, Samuel Johnson was
still greater as man. He conquered the
ills of life and lies buried with other heroes
in Westminster Abbey.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12
BLAMING IT ON THE WAR
From Farm Life.

From Farm Lie.
little boy who pinched his finger in the
door uttered a baughty word-a word he had
promised to forget-and fastened to apollo
gize to his dismayed~ mother. 81 dest
touldnt help it." he declared. " dess it's
the after fleets of the war;
The little boy was not much better in
finding excuses than the rest of us. In
way, perhaps, the war is to blame for crime
waves, political landslides, pinched fingers
and puppy love. Isn't it time, however, that
we forgot our war hysteria? 1t doesn't help
us any in solving the real problems left by
the war to blame that awful conflict for all
the absurdities and perversities of so-called
human nature.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12
A RESERVOIR OF JOBS
From the Chicago Tribune.

rom Ine OHlcdpf u At1AtH&s
Wesley C. Mi hall, director VI the
national bureau III economic re-
search, has Offered most import
ant suggestion to the American As
ISOLATION for Labcf Legislation, in
session in Chica He urges The
planning of publie works far enon Oh
in advance to MAKE them eff5cti We
in times of unemI oyment. IA other
words. he wants 10 provide re-
servoir of jobs VIII men ear dra,y
a livelihood in time Of busihess de-
preston. and which can fill up for
such emergencies IA periods when
private enterprise is giving normai
employment to labor. That IS sound
economics and wise sociology. Al
present, as Throughout history, Their
is no provision for eqaalising and
steadying the labor market, and
through it stabilizinp bust
go blandly along, Ike
the leaky roof. Vhet s ae
can't fix it and when t.a sun Shines
we don't need to fl 1t. Ls,st year
it rained. Some a.009,0oA men
were idle in this country. Their
buying power was cut off arid busi-
ness suffered additionally ID conse-.
quence. Now the sun Is shining.
Most of these 100000 mea are
gainfully employed. The collr.try Is
as thankful as NAV be- and goes
along more or less blissfully. This
Is the proper time TO patch the
roof against the next storm 1t win
come inevitably.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12

in the provision that permits are to be issued
by the commission as a whole on the recon-
mendation of the commissioner of public
safety. This provision removes the objec-
ton of lodging arbitrary power in the hands
of one official. There was considerable op-
position to the application of the wartime
rooming-house ordinance in time of peace
and the commission acted wisely in sensing
this repugnance to that course of action.
The rooming-ho problem now seems in
fair way of being satisfactorily handled
and it will be so handled if the commission
exercises good judgment combined with
firmness in its administration.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-12

Versailles treaty and is technically justified.
More likely, the American troops are with
drawn to prevent any complication that may
arise as result of such occupation and to
prevent the United States from being ire
sistibly drawn into any movement to which
she is not voluntarily a party. With the
French army in that area in force, there is
no further necessity for the handful of
Americans in technical occupation. There
has for some time been no real need for the
American occupation of the Rhine sector.