davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
THE CANALS VALUE
lNew York Heraldl


 The volume of traffic passing through the Panama Canal has in- creased year by year, but never has the increase been so remark able as that shown by the report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1923.
 The number of commercial ves- sells passing through the cannal in- creased from 2,736 to S,96T. The net tonnage increased from 11,417,- 45s to 1S,605.7S6. This is the greatest absolute gain in tonnage for any year since the canal has been opened. Tolls increased from s11,197,S32 to S17,50S,199.
 There was special reason for this improvement. According to Governor Morrow's report:
 Tt is due primarily to the de- velopment of oil fields in South ern California, which has sup planted Mexico as the principal source of supply for the eastern seaboard of the United States. The movement of California oil through the Panama Canal began in De- tober, 1922. and has increased with each subsequent month, until at the close of the year, June 30, 1923, oil is furnishing sixty per cent of the eastbound cargo, and tanker tonnage in either direction is Approximately as great as all other commercial tonnage com bined."
 It must not be supposed, how ever, that there would not have been any increase in traffic if it had not been for the increased oil shipments. Every maritime nation except Japan sent a greater net | tonnage through the waterway in 1923 than it did In 1922. In trade between the east coast of the United States and the west coast of Souh America cargo in- creased from 793,123 tons in 1922 to 2.s54,52S tons in 1923. That this country has been the chief bene- ficiary of the canal is shown by the fact that nearly half of the tonnage passing through it in the last fiscal year was in United States intercostal trade.
 There is every indication that traffic through the Panama Ca- nal will exceed that through the Suez Canal within a few years. In 1921 there passed through the Suez Canal 3.975 ships with a net tonnage of 1S,11S,999. The vol ume of traffic through the Suez Canal, however, has been relative ly stationary in recent years, while that of the Panama Canal has been rapidly expanding. In 1914 the net tonnage of vessels passing through the Suez Canal was 19,419.495, while up to the fiscal year 1920 traffic through the Panama Canal had never reached 100000 net tons in any year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
THE WARRIORS FUTURE

Congressman W. B. Oliver has Q definite program with respect to the Warrior barge service. Undoubtedly his. plan in the main receives the ap- pr'oval of his colleagues. Only by united effort can Alabama's delega- tion in Washington accomplish defi- nite good for their state. The main features of MT. Divers plan are the lifting of present embargoes at cartain river ports and on certain classes of freight, and the further adjustment of division of rates on joint rail and water hauls. The adjustment recently made by the Interstate Commerce Commission is an improvement over the situation it supersedes, but there is still doubt whether the new division gives complete justice to the barge lines. Those who are seeking full public benefit from the barge service will not rest until that justice is com plete.
 In placing embargoes on certain ports on the ground that the service was losing money on them, the water way management lost sight of the fact that the service is public enterprise and that the public benefit is not de- rived primarily through direct receipts by the barge line, but through the re- duced rates and more efficient service rendered the public generally. The development of industries at Demopo- lis, Tuscaloosa and Cordova as a di- rect consequence of Warrior barge service should have been sufficient in- dication to the management that the public interest was being served. The management, in placing this embargo, also lost sight of the fact that a pri- vately operated utility would not have been permitted to discontinue a part of its service on similar grounds, but would have been held to the discharge of its obligation to the public inherent in its franchise. The government is essentially bound by the same obliga- tion in the administration of the barge service.
 The proposal to form a corporation to administer the waterways, in which the government shall retain fifty-one per cent. of the stock, has the merit of placing the proposition on definite and permanent footing, thus doing away with the constant fear of sus- pension of the service. But the plan is so final and far-reaching that it needs careful study and safeguarding before decision is arrived at. Ulti- mate operation of the barge lines by private companies was contemplated in the original plan of waterway de- velopment. If the government places barge service on a paying basis, there is still no deciding reason advanced why they may not be disposed of 70 private management under restrictions similar to those regulating the rail lines as common carriers. The govern lnent has not yet done what it ob- viously can to make the barge lines self-supporting. That should be the first concern of the management. After that will it be time to discuss further plans. #.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
HIRAM SHOOTS AT LARGE

Hiram Johnson's political weapon seems to be an old-fashioned blun- derbus. He has loaded it with all kinds of slugs and expects to hit at one discharge a great multitude of game. In one breath he espouses the bonus, aid to the farmers, lower freight rates, regulation of the courts authority to nullify laws, reduction of taxes, isolation, and criticizes his own party for it's record. Inasmuch as he crltlclzes his own party, the senator from California is chasing game into the range of the party of the opposi- tion. Therefore, while he attracts two groups to him by respective in- dorsement of the bonus and tax reduc- tion, he repels them both by putting the two in such close juxtaposition. MT. Johnson's platform loses by being so all-embracing. There is no plat form that will hold. all the people, be- cause there are groups that absolutely refuse to be found together. The wise candidate will make his campaign on one or two definite lines to which he will hew through thick and thin. so that the very courage and deter imitation of his course will bring him following. People like their leaders to be positive and definite. To be otherwise is to confuse the public mind.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
EXPECTATION DE LUXE

Spending Thanksgiving Day seven l hundred miles from the North Pole, probably in southerly direction therefrom, is an outdoor sport that has its compensations as well as its drawbacks. To be sure, it has been done before, possibly many times. But perhaps never before has it been planned in such de luxe fashion as by the MacMillan expedition, this year wintering at Refuge Harbor in Geenland, preparatory to dash northward in the spring. Never be- fore has a polar party in the far north been able at will to hold con- verse with the rest of the world. Yet the party announces it's Thanksgiving menu by radio as casually as if radio itself were not one of the newest and most marvellous of the worlds won ders. Not only that, but on Tuesday a message was sent from Hartford, Connecticut, and an answer received from Captain MacMillan in far-away Greenland within six minutes.
 The remarkable ways of the radio are indicated by the fact that the message was relayed from Hartford by way of Catalina Island off the Cal ifornia coast, and reply was relayed to Hartford direct by Jack Barnsley, up in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. This Jack Barnsley is by way of being the most famous amateur radio opera tor in the world. He is the only re- liable connecting link between the po- lar party and the rest of the world. There is romance in the thought of .t
 Being far away from other enter tainment, parties and vaudeville, the polar party naturally must fall back upon its own resources for amuse- ment. For example, their days menu contains some of that humor without which any party would soon become dull. There are Cookelized cranberry sauce, Cookelized sweet potatoes and Cookelized pumpkin pie, all in satiri- cal memory of certain Doctor Cook whose history is more or less closely connected with the North Pole. The other items on the menu, including 'roast Greenland cider duck" sound most appetizing, and if the place were trifle more accessible perhaps the party would have uninvited company for dinner, even from this land of grooming tables.
 There is, too,sa attractive flavor to the days program of dog-team and snow-shoe races in the morning, tea-party in the afternoon, and, would you believe it, movies and radio con- cert at night. After all, perhaps polar exploring is becoming more of a lark than was formerly supposed. Granted that the last seven hundred miles 70 the Pole are the hardest, who can say that camping above the Arctic Circle is without it's compensations?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
ArrMRrR nE AssocrATEp PREss
THANKSGIVING DAY

Perhaps It IS SomeWnaV 4naPPfo- priate to choose Thanksgiving Day as the time to discuss the things for which we have to be thankful, for it is somewhat like carrying coals to Newcastle, which is noted itself for coal production. On Thanksgiving Day everybody is being thankful. The time to emphasize our blessings is when people have forgotten to do so, and that is usually in some other month than November. For the past year, however, there has been no date on which the spirits of the American people have needed cheering through recount of all that they have had to be thankful for. If any nation ever had it's full share of the good material things of life, that nation has been America for the past twelvemonth. If any nation ever had roseate and all turing future to look forward to, that nation is America today.
 In spite of the depression, despair, poverty and unrest that have prevailed in many other nations, our own spirits have remained unconquered and our progress has not. been halted. To be sure, if we had extended full cooper ation of a constructive and heartening sort to European nations, our pros perity would doubtless have been greatly augmented But we have had all we needed, especially in compari- son with others. If there is one bit :, of sadness in our enjoyment of this days celebration, it lies in the thought that other peoples have not the same or even similar reason to be glad. If there is one bit of alloy in our pleas ure, it is because of our feeling that our national aloofness has detracted from worldwide prosperity without adding in material degree to our own content.
 Nevertheless, there is some consola- tion in the thought that an appeal to the American people direct. on any policy calculated to hearten our foreign cousins would have received the warm approval of the American people. We have not been utterly selfish nor ut terly callous. No appeal for food and clothing for the homeless and starving of foreign lands has been neglected. Even now the American people are contributing their millions to the sue cor and sustenance of peoples with whom we have no kinship of either race or creed. It is sufficient for us to know that they are human beings in want. Therefore, if there has been selfishness in our foreign policy, the American people take some degree of exemption from the thought that the national attitude is reflective rather of private political ambition than of the real sentiment of the people them selves. Politics, and not that states manship oi which in the past we have boasted, has been the controlling fac tor in this record.
 Yet for this one day we are per mitted to forget all these things and to banish from our minds all annoying thoughts of what might have been. In the long run we will atone for our mistakes, and that thought alone should give us peace of mind.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
HOW TO COPE WITH
 THE RUM RUNNERS
(New York Evening Post)

NNeW Ol h I4NChAli5 OEN(
 A Rip Van Wrinkle would rub his eyes at the change which has taken place in the question of the search of ships. During the early years of the nation the issue was over the right of Great Britain to search American vessels. Now t,'e two governments are amicabiy considering a proposal that the United States have the right Q search British vessels outside of the three mile limit. This exten- sion of area in which our rum chasers could act would undoubt- edly facilitate their operations. It Is easier to bag a large supply of liquor on one sizable vessel than it is to run down that same sup ply after it has been divided among several smaller vessels. But this extension of the right of search is not the kind that is most needed in the fight against the smugglers:
 What is required to reduce rum running to the vanishing point is more and faster government boats, not for searching foreign vessels far beyond the three-mile limit. but for defeating the attempts of smugglers to land their cargoes in our own waters. It is a much simpler job to patrol coast than an ocean. Single vessels which are suspected of carrying huge amounts of liquor ought to be searched far from shore. but such action will ordinarily be excep- tional. The routine duty of gov- ernment vessels will be to block ade the coast to smugglers. This policy demands two things: in- creased expenditure for vessels and the selection of enforcement offi- cials upon the basis of fitness. The fastest and largest blockad- ing fleet that can be created will be useless if it is not commanded by men who intend to enforce the law. More and swifter vessels, more and better officials-in these two items lies the possibility of an enforcement of prohibition which we have not seen, but l which is entirely within the power | of the government to provide.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
STORIES IN BOOKS
By Thomas l.. NIasson

I have recently been going over practically all of the books or memoirs with which we are be- ing flooded, in hopes of getting something out of them that is in teresting. The fact is, most of them are not only too long, but are also very dull. It would seem as if most people, when they get to be over fifty and conclude to write about themselves, think thev are more important than they really are.
 If strikes me as rather curious that I have gotten more genuine entertainment from a book written by an anonymous author-and all about himself-than out of all the com mnlacently advertised celebri- ties. This book is published by Henry Holt. The title is Myself Not Least" and the writer, is merely put down as ''X." The title would seem to convey the idea that the writer thinks great deal of himself; yet, as matter of fact, almost all of his writing is about others. And he knows how to tell stories
 He tells one on Randolph Churchill, or rather, one that Randolph" as he calls him, told on himself He was crossing the English channel and being subject to seasickness and the weather very rough, In this con dition, "as limp as rag and a study in green and yellow" his hand was suddenly seized in a grip of iron by an enormous mus cular stranger, who beloved in his ear: Allow one of your warmest admirers to shake you by the hand"
 He tells delightful story about Whistler, which I suspect is old, to the effect that on very warm day Whistler was staying at an inn. and amused himself in the broiling heat by catching all the goldfish in the acquarium with a borrowed rod. Then he fried them in a chafing dish and put them hack in the tank. Later when the landlady met him she exclaimed would you believe it, MT. Whist Ter, the sun was so fierce this afternoon that when I went out on the balcony after my siesta l found that all my poor little gold fish had actually been fried!"
 He tells about 8 little girl named Brookes he knew who wouldn't say her prayers until remonstrated with, and who was told that if she persisted God would be very angry with her. "Oh. mo-" she replied, q know He won't because asked Him. said, "Please, God. will you mind very much if I don't say my pray ers?' And He saidt me so kind ly, oh. pray, don't mention it, Miss Brookes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
SMILES
should Say He Was!

She was a dainty young thing, dressed in the latest fashion, and as she tripped into the room the office boy gasped. then gHinned, as she came to a standstill before him.
 Could you tell me if Mir. Jen- kins Is in?" she asked.
 The boy nodded and pointed vaguely over his shoulder to the open door.
 The girl hesitated for a mo- ment.
 DO you know if he is en- gaged?" she inquired.
 The boy looked astonished.
 "Engaged?" he almost shouted. Engaged. Why, he's married and got two children!"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29

is traceable to the fundamental weak ness which marks attempts to upset the laws of business through establish ment of arbitrary rulings. Fixing of prices by Legislation does not alter conditions and factors on which com merce is based and markets, estab- lished. These are seldom subject to change by law. Price-fixing is fraught with danger, and usually injures those whom it was intended to help.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
A Natural Mistake

khduSdS tlly oldIJ
 When the fine old mansion of Chatham, on the Rappahannock, was sold few years ago, young teacher said to her sewing school in the parish house of St. George: You are all fredericksburg chil- dren and ought to know something 8 of it's history. but l do not suppose any one of you knAws thing about Chatham"
 To her surprise little girl piped up. "Yes, I do, Miss Clara; papa read it aloud from the paper.
 "Then tell the others, Sally.i
 At Chatham General Lee had his coat ironed," answered Sally triumphantly.
 The teacher was perplexed until she found in the daily paper the phrase: Tt was at Chatham that General Robert E. Lee pressed his suit with the lovely Miss Curtis"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
Real Punishment Needed (Gadsden .JOurnaD


 The Journal long has argued for Nthe imposition of heavier sen- fences, and especially labor sen tences. as the one way to break up prohibition law violation. It IS pleased to observe that the courts are coming more and more to that view. This paper also believes that some such action will be necessary to break up the danger ous practice of reckless driving in which some automobilists insist upon engaging. A small fine has no terror whatever for the speeder. In fact, some of them. after being fined. have been heard to remark that they were perfectly willing to pay five or ten dollars just to see how much speed they could get out of a car. They had no thought of the rights of the public, but only of their own pleasure. no matter what the cost.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
School Tax a Necessity (Florenca TimeS)

Our school tax is a necessity. not luxury, an investment, not an expense. When we buy pro visions that our children may be fed we do not call it luxury, but a necessity. Paying a school tax is buying mental food for our children in order to keep them from mental starvation. The one cause of our recent inability to meet school expenses is the influx of many good families of this kind who are not, as yet, tax payers, but we welcome them for we know they will make good citizens and help us to build a better city. They will soon be- come some of our best taxpayers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
Worth Working For

Muscle Shoals Sunday News)
 What about the state experiment. station? It is going to be located somewhere and ought to be brought to this district. There IS going to be a psychological mo- ment and we are always ill danger of allowing it to pass. IT we do not locate the Tennessee Valley station here we believe 1t will be our own fault. It belongs here and we can get 1t if we go after 1t in the right spirit.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
Beware of FlOaters (H1ntSVilIa Tin1eSl


 It sometimes happens that a stranger will float into town, put up a good appearance. be an enter taining conversationalist and hope to get away with a proposition that can probably get no further than the amount of local capital subscribed. In cases of this kind 1t is never out of place to make a little direct investigation, and when it is found that such a per- son or persons are financially out of joint, are approachable and friendly at first acquaintance, but trouble makers in the end, it IS not improper or discourteous togo slow in parting with your good money; for interlopers and graft CTS are never needed to help a community achieve it's best.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
Had It 10 Account For

Louisville Courier JournaD
 Both Senator Magnus Johnson and Senator Henry Cabot Lodge expressed themselves as pleased with each other the other day in Washington. After their confer ence they called 1t a day, but as usual there was no accounting for de gustibus.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
Hard to Understand

(Columbia State) r Why on earth should any rascal be so friendishly malignant as 10 disturb with bomb the perfect auietude of such place of rest as the Spanish consulate in Phil adelphia.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
Poultry As an Asset
fAnda,usia c+ar1

(AndaIusia Star)
 There should be just one mill lion dollars worth of poultry and eggs sold in this county this year. If you are not preparing to keep at least 100 hens during the lay ing season. you are preparing to miss fine opportunity to lay in cash enough to meet all the house. hold and farm expenses the coming spring and summer. Prepare to grow chickens of the egg -produc- ing variety.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
Cotton Mill Wanted
(Florara News)

No, we haven't any cotton mill in sight for Florala, but we ought to have. No place, it seems to us, would be better place to build a cotton mill than Florala. We have the people already here who would like to have the work that would be offered by such a busi- ness. It would give employment to the people not physically strong enough to do such work as the saw mills here have to offer.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
'TE5s;s TEHa5zSs;ss5II11z.fIf.7.S...)RCFEf < I1.If.. Q @BE s.PER,
Today is Thanksgiving Day. Vel that's one thing to be thankful for.

The new ordinance requires parallel parking at not more than six inches from the curb. But drivers are gen. erous. Some of 'em will leave more than twice that space.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
Needs n Rest

(Arkansas Gazette)
 The king of Greece has decided to take a tWo months vacation From laying corner stones and having his picture taken?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
GEORGIAN BIDDY

Mrs. Tilda Findly has presented us with freak hen egg on which can be seen the moon with several spots like stars in it. We cer- tainly, do have some smart scien- tific hens up this way.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
A Pertinent Question

(Florida Times Union)
 Congressman Longworth appeals to the Republican. members of the national house of representatives for team work" Mule or man!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
Tell 1t to the League of Nations

Dear Torch Bearer: When you arise on a train and offer your seat to lady and the lady answers, "No, thank you; I'm getting off at the next station," and in the meantime large, healthy, warlille-looking roughneck plops into your seat, what is the proper mode of cedure?-Arthur.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29

Why should Germany stop the presses from turning out marks as long as so many people are given eni- ployment printing and hauling away the stuff?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29

The discovery of fake medical di- ploma manufacturers in Connecticut shows how resourceful that section is. 1t recalls the statement of a hunorist that there was so much thrift in Con- necticut that two boys in the same jail cell made five dollars apiece swapping coats.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
THE PARAGRAPHERS
They Haven't the Heart
(Savannah News)

It costs forty carloads of marks to buy one sausage in Germany. And nobody is mean enough to even think. Hot dog!"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29

An exchange says that the public debt of the United States will be paid in 1852. More likely it will be funded with part of the proceeds from new bond issues of larger dimensions.