davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-12-01
JUDGE SUNMERALL
DIES IN PULPIT
Superior Court Jurist Passes AS
He Completes Morning
Sermon

WAYCROSS, Dec Judge j.
/. Summerall, of the superior court
of the Waycross district, dropped
dead in the pulpit of the Baptist
church at Telmore, where he had
been conducting the Sunday serV-
ices this morning at II O'CLOCK. He
was on the point of completing his
talk, which was described by friends
as being one of the best he ever de-
livered, when he turned to friend ;
seated near him and asked for a
glass of water. Before his request
could be complied with he dropped
to the floor and died within a few
minutes.
Although Judge Sunmerall has
been in poor health for some time.
his sudden death Sunday came as a
distinct shock to his hundreds of
friends throughout the state.
A distinguished jurist, with every
vein of human kindness running
through his being, he Lad won a
place in the affections of every
lawyer WHO has ever practiced in
his court.
He is survived by his widow; ore
son, William, and twa daughters,
Misses Lois and Leila Summerall.
Funeral services will be held Tues
day afternoon in Blacfshear.
Evening star., 1924-09-26
The Fight in New York State.

Battle lines have been formed for
the gubernatorial contest in New
York. and for the next five weeks
the struggle between the Republican
and Democratic candidates will be
waged. The contest, in the absence
Of acute issues over the platforms,
promises to center about the per-
sonality Of the opposing candidates
for governor. Gov. Smith, with the
prestige of two successful terms in
the executive Office in his favor,
superimposed upon wonderful per-
sonal popularity and an already
established hold upon the affections
Of the people, would seem to have
lead upon his opponent at the outset.
Col. Theodore Roosevelt, the Re-
publican candidate, will find himself
confronted with the necessity Of
convincing the voters that he pos.
sesses the necessary familiarity with
State needs and affairs and that he
has the ability to deal with them.
The prestige of his fathers name will
go a long way toward predisposing
the people in his favor. but it is not
enough of itself alone to seat him in
the governors chair. In this cam
paign for election to the highest
Office in the gift Of the voters Of New
York he will be going on his own"
and must make good.
The reasonable odds would seem to
be in Gov. Smiths favor. If Col.
Roosevelt is elected his victory would
establish him as a figure in national
politics, and start him upon a road
with a limitless political vista By
the same token his defeat would
come very near relegating him to
comparative unimportance in politics
in the future.
The approaching campaign promises
to hold many picturesque features
and add to the interest in the presid-
entail campaign in New York State.
Evening star., 1924-09-26
The California Decision.

Making virtue out of necessity,
Senator La Toilette. whose electors
are barred by decision of the court in
California from the regular ticket, and
who must be voted for in that State
by the proxy Of the electors Of the
Socialist party, will appeal to the
country on the score Of the iniquity of
divided court decisions and the neces-
sity Of change Of judicial methods.
The decision itself hurts directly in
that it puts La Toilette before the
voters of California as a Socialist, a
classification which has not been
relished by the third party manage
ment. Perhaps, however, on the theory
that "a rose by any other name would
smell as sweet" the determined sup
porters Of the Senator will vote for
him under the Socialist emblem as
cheerfully and eagerly as any other
token. Yet there will undoubtedly be
many "1oaters" in the California
electorate who, with pencil in hand in
the voting booths, will be balked by
this designation.
As for the judicial decision itself, il
Is, Of course. grist for tho La Toilette
min, II perhaps b BIT unfortunate
Evening star., 1924-09-26

brought East as an actress, but not
meeting with success she returned to
the West. In 1868 she came East
again. and gradually grew in favor.
ITp to her retirement from the theater
in 1891 she was one OF America s
popular condolences. and generally
she played one week in Washington
every year. Many of us are recalling
her in the plays 1.-THE Seven Sisters"
Little Nell and the Marchioness, -
"F'irefly," "Topsy," "Musette," Bob, y
"Nitouche" and THE Little Detec.
tive"
Lotta made money, and from her
mother she learned prudence and
thrift. She saved good part Of her
large earnings, made successul invest
ments and was long considered a rich
member of her profession. Toward the
latter part of her career she was
rated as one of America S very wealthy
women, and she no doubt died the
possessor of large fortune.
Lotta, or La Petite Lotta," as she
was billed for years, long filled a par
ticular spot in the heart Of many a
Washington man and woman. Some of
us thought she was not so good an
actress as Maggie Mitchell, and some
of us held the contrary belief. Ger
tainly she was not the great emo
tional actress" that Clara Morris was,
and in later years some Of us thought
that Fanny Davenport and Minnie
Palmer were more charming, but most
of the theatergoers Of this old town
turned out when Lotta came to
Washington.
Evening star., 1924-09-26
Misusing Stolen Goods.

An example of unfair campaigning
is afforded by the use by Representa-
tive Garrett, Democratic leader of the
House, in a recent speech of a por-
tion of speech written by Secretary
Wilbur for delivery at Denver but not
so delivered. Following upon the
reading of portions of that speech by
Senator Caraway at a meeting in
this city, Mr.. Garrett quoted an ex-
tract from it which indicated that
Mr.. Wilbur is and has been an advo-
cate of the entry Of the United States
into the League Of Nations.
Whether Mr.. Garrett had the full
text of this speech, which had never
been delivered and was therefore not
public property, is not at present
known. Whether Senator Caraway
had the full text is not now known.
How they obtained possession of any
The text itself was held in confidence,
subject to release" in the Offices of
certain agencies Of news distribution
If it was given to anybody for any
use whatsoever cardinal principle of
newspaper ethics was grossly violated
To use material so obtained by
violation of confidence was in itself a
participation in abuse of good faith.
But the offense does not end with
the use Of any part of confidential
matter, whoever was guilty of the
initial breach. In this case the text
was garbled, by incomplete quotation.
Mr.. Wilbur was made to appear as a
present unqualified advocate of
American membership in the League
of Nations. Yet in the full text of his
speech, now published, he writes:
1 may say in passing that I am not
now in favor of America entering the
League OF Nations. l am speaking my
own personal views. We have already
suffered the advantages which could
have arisen from keeping out of the
league, and we have all the advantages
of independent action resulting from
our separation. l am glad that
America is out of the League Of
Nations. and l am thankful that out of
war America has secured one great
boon, namely, the Limitation of arTna-
ment agreement by which for the first
time in human history great nations
have agreed TO regulate the amount of
their armament in accordance with an
agreement recognizing a definite ratio
for naval armament. l believe
conscientiously and fully that this
agreement for disarmament will do as
much for the peace Of the world if not
more than the League of Nations has
or could be.
The attempt to make capital out
of an alleged indiscretion of speech
by the naval Secretary has reacted
against those engaged. Had Mr..
Wilbur delivered the speech it would.
of course, have been public property,
open to comment of every sort by
anybody. Whatever the circum-
stances of it's non-delivery, whatever
the reason for it's cancellation, it was
as though not written, although
physically in the possession Of news
distributing agencies under seal of
confidence. The violation Of that
confidence is one offense which
cannot be too earnestly deplored and
too strongly condemned. The mis-
use Of the material so wrongfully OBJ
tanned is a more grievous offense, a
fraudulent use Of stolen goods.
Evening star., 1924-09-26

but in the revelation that he was
willing to do the sort of thing he
would most roundly have condemned
IN any bourgeois statesman and
henceforth Great Britain can count
among the advantages gained from
her Labor government the loud ex-
plosion of the myth that a Socialist
as such, is any more honest than the
next man" The Springfield Union is
sure lit must be discouraging to po-
litical radicals in Great Britain to
observe the change that has come
over Premier Macdonald since he
took up the reins of authority" for
while once a radical among radi-
calls. the British prime minister has
slowly but obviously undergone a
change of heart, and it would not be
surprising were he classed as a re-
actionary If he stays in Office many
months longer"
The Louisville Courier-Journal also
believes the biscuit stock transaction
will act as an irritant throughout the
approaching campaign. no matter how
the premier may explain it. The Des
Moines Register is sure that lit can
be used with deadly effect in a poIiti-
cal fight" for in our American poIi-
tics no leader could get away from
the assault such situation promises,
and British politics is no tenderer OF
the feelings of the candidate than
American" At least, the premiers
endowed automobile, suggests the
Philadelphia Bulletin, "infuses tine
ture of humor into the drab solemn
ity of British politics"
ITO say that the entire transaction
was entirely straightforward" the
Newark News argues, does not re-
lieve either the premier, nor his bene-
factor. Sir Alexander Grant, nor the
British people from the charge of
having been injudicious," for there
is no doubt that the prime minister
needs a car and that he can i'll afford
to buy and keep one on his salary
and "the British people cannot afford
to let their prime minister depend
upon the generosity of his friends for
the means to occupy his Office with
dignity. nor TO let this gift of a motor
car set precedent" The incident
has brought out the fact, continues
the Manchester Union, that q British
primo minister Is very likely to find
himself out of pocket by his term In
office; also it suggests to many Brit
ons that IL other premiers are to come
from the ranks of the less well-to-do,
the problem of financially embar-
rassed statesmen promises to be fire.
quently bothersome."
AS the Kalamazoo Gazette sees il,
Great Britain will interpret the in
cident chiefly as "a remarkable justi-
fication of the political strategy pur-
sued by that astute Liberal leader,
former Premier Asquith, when he per-
mitted Macdonald to take Office last
Winter with the temporary support
of the Liberal party in the confidence
that, if given sufficient rope. Mac
! Donald would hang himself and with
him the Labor party itself" And
though IL seems to the Elmira Star
Gazette "a very small matter to make
a row about, 1t illustrates the inten-
sity Of British polittce" ...s.,
Evening star., 1924-09-26
Lotta-

The death Of Lotta makes the
thoughts Of many an old Washingto-
nian turn back. Many of the friends
and lovers Of Lotta came to know
from reading about her that her name
was Lotta Crabtree, and in the news
Of her death, which comes from Bos-
ton, her name is given as Charlotte
Mignon Crabtree. She was n years
old Many persons will think that
Lotta was older. Many a man will
cay, why, she was a celebrated
actress when I was a little boyv'
In Lotta's biography it Is written
that she was born at New York in
aS47. She became a "footlight IA
vorite' when she was a child. Her
Father. John Ashworth. went to Cali
fornia IN gold-rush days, and little
Lotta was making one-night stands as
b comedenne in mining towns end
pnining camps in California when she
tgas 7 years old. 1t was about the
esoae of the Owl War that Lsotta Was
Evening star., 1924-09-26

that this question, which Republican
speakers have been attacking as a
major issue Of the campaign. and
which the third party leaders have
been deprecating as comparatively
unimportant, should now be made
conspicuous by the resentment caused
by the California decision. Truth is.
the Supreme Court question will not
down. 1t has been raised by the third
party, and it has inevitably become
matter of first moment in this cam.
paign.
Evening star., 1924-09-26
MacDonald's Biscuit Scandal
May Be Rival of Teapot Dome

Acceptance of an automobile and
shares of biscuit stock by Ramsey Mac
Donald, prime minister of England
from his friend. Sir Alexander Grant,
honored with baronetcy a few months
later, make American editors quick to
point out an embarrassing situation
which may cost him his premiership
Although editors are inclined to SYM
pathize with the premier, they do not
conceal their amusement over the Incl
dent which promises to bring England
as much notoHety for its biscuits as
America recently acquired from its tea
pot
The indelicate thought that Sir Alex
ander Grants 100000 endowment
of an automobile for the prime min
the formers elevation to a baronetcy,'
chuckles the New York Herald Tribune
''iS, of course, absurd, 'Homi soft.
Friendship has surprising adventures
and a person of the simplest tastes is
never sure that he may not have
luxury thrust upon him. II Sir Alex
ander Grants munificent example COM
mends itself to all the well-to-do
friends of labor statesmen the auto
mobile industry will be accelerated .
1t was quite natural enough, thinks the
Buffalo News that the biscuit maker
should wish to lend a helping hand to
his friend" anyway, there was some
what of a precedent in this matter.
Hadn't Andrew Carnegie given Lloyd
George an annuity of $4,000? There
was no hue and cry about that trans
action. So why should there be about
Grants gift to MacDonald?" Just why
Premier Macdonald should be embar-
rassed to have to talk of the incident,
the Memphis News-Scimitar does not
understand, because there are some
who if they were assured luxurious
automobile for life, could think OF
nothing more to be desired"
'rMr. Macdonald explains it so SIM
ply" declares the Pittsburgh Ca
zette- Times, that persons who can
take a detached view of it fail to dis
Germ anything reprehensible in the
incident, but, unfortunately for him,
the acts of a prime minister are sub
ject to closer scrutiny than are those
of a private individual, even mem
bers of his own party are pardonabie
for regarding him as indiscreet, to
say nothing harsher about the case"
Indeed. the ELPaso Herald feels labor
NAV wonder if it's party leader has
sold out to representatives of capi-
talism," while the Albany knicker-
booker Press says America, having
had it's teapot and it's oil will be hap
py watching England with its bis
cults Title buying is one of
the popular scandals in England. If
it can be pinned onto the Scotchman's S
coat tail the Britons will turn from
the bad manners recently exhibited
at the American political table and
start throwing biscuits at their own,'
and "if, the thing continues politics
will maRage to serve complete meal
for the public board of print
THE irony of the difficulty into
which Ramsay Macdonald has gotten
himself by accepting monetary favors
from a we'll known Scottish capital
ist," the Baltimore Sun considers,
Ties not IN any enormity Of ofense.
Evening star., 1924-09-26
ARTICLE VIII.

The $4,000 obsolete Biographies used
by the District public school children
represents only one phase Of the de-
plorable text book situation.
Statistics compiled by school author
tiles show that in addition to the out
of-date Biographies there are in the
hands Of the school children today
5l.s85 books of various kinds that
were condemned as unfit for further
use several years ago, but cannot be
replaced because of the lack of funds.
The ever-increasing cost of text
books. the gradual growth in the school
population, together with the expansion
OF the junior high school system, are
the three chief factors contributing
to this condition. Congress-. of course,
is blamed for not appropriating suffi-
cient funds so these out-of-date and
condemned books may be relegated to
the trash pile.
The contract cost of books since
1920 has increased from 10 to so per
cent. During this period the school
population has grown by leaps and
bounds. while the appropriations for
purchasing new books have not been
adequate to keep pace with the increas-
ing enrolment
Furthermore, revised editions of
books which the Board OF Education
adopted to put in use in 1921 have
only been partially supplied. These
include modern language books and
arithmetics for the fourth grade, pre-
liminary hygiene books for the seventh
and eighth grades and civics books
for the seventh grades. 1t is esti-
mated that $4,000 is needed to meet
the shortage in these books alone.
while II would cost at least 100000
to replace all Of the obsolete and con-
demned books now in use.
Appropriations for supplies other
than text books also have failed to
keep pace with the growing enrolment,
with the result that an acute shortage
exists in virtually all kinds of ma
terials used in the schools. There is
a pressing need for book covers, ma
terials for handiwork in the primary
grades, globes, outline maps, desk ref
erence and library books for teachers,
wall maps, water color boxes and cray
ons which would cost $4,000 to pro-
vide.
Some Of these materials are regarded
as absolutely essential, and the teach
ers will be forced to use their own
funds to buy them in order TO carry
out the program Of instruction mapped
out by school officers. 1t is known that
teachers have spent as much as 500
a year of their personal funds to buy
supplies which the schools should
furnish.
i +
Increased appropriations also are
needed for the upkeep of buildings.
for improving lighting conditions and
for replacing antiquated furniture
and permanent equipment
The school buildings and equipment
in the District represent an invest
ment of millions of dollars. The
school board is made responsible for
the care of school property. Through
it's officials the board exercises every
effort to preserve and improve the
physical plant of the school system.
The financial resources provided the
board for this purpose, however do
not make il possible to keep the
school buildings and equipment up to
the degree of efficiency that good
business practice would indicate to be
essential. The condition OF buildings
Evening star., 1924-09-26
All other States.
Public Ownership.

President Coolidge is making some
important contributions to the po
litical campaign in the course of
speeches on particular occasions
Which furnish topics appropriate tc
the issues of this present contest
Yesterday he spoke in Philadelphia al
exercises commemorative of the 150th
Continental Congress. This afforded
an exceptional opportunity for OBJ
ServationS upon the proposals now
advanced for radical changes in the
method Of American Government.
In particular, Mr.. Coolidge yester-
day attacked the proposition to place
all public utilities in the United States
under public ownership. This is a ia
yorite plan of those who claim to be
progressive" in their politics. 1t is
Gated frequently during the past 40
years. 1t was made the slogan of the
Democratic campaign of 1900 as a
substitute for the free-silver cry OF
1896. Government ownership and
operation, declares Mr.. Coolidge
would mean an uneconomic encroach-
ment upon the rights Of citizens The
people now own the utilities, under
the control Of the Government and un-
der the protection Of the court.
To acquire the railroads Of this
country, says the President. would
cost the Government abG-t $50, 1000,
100000 if the valuation set by public
commissions is accurate. 1t would
mean an annual bond interest of about
S1,750, 900, 900. and an operating budget
of about $4,000. 900 900. 1t would NEAR
an increase in taxation ranging fror,
) or per cent in the industrial
States to as high as 40 per cent in
the agricultural regions. 1t would take
over minimum of 2,750,0 employees
now in the service of the railroads
under private ownership, a staff that
in the nature Of Government opera.
ton generally would probably be
political organization Of great power
1t would not render assuredly as high
ly efficient service as at present. II
would not lower the cost of trans.
portation to the people. If any saw.
ings were at first effected through the
elimination of profits and dividends
those savings would be more than alb
sorbed by higher cost Of operation, to
be met by taxes.
The Presidents clear exposition of
the fallacy OF Government ownership
and operation of the public utilities
should appeal to the common sense of
the people. They understand taxa
ton. They know that the state must
raise funds to run itself and all of its
works, and that those funds come
from their pockets. At present the
railroads fund themselves out of the
pockets of those who use them and
use the goods transported by them.
Those who own the railroads, who are
the people themselves, gain a profit,
but not a large one. In some cases
they gain nothing, for some railroad
are on a non-dividend basis. There is
more incentive now for economical
management than there could possibly
be under public ownership and opera
ton. With Government control of
rates assured, Government ownership
and operation is not required to the
end of efficient economical service and
financial equity for all the people.
Evening star., 1924-09-26
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Economics.

Economies.
Ring forth the Old Arithmetic
And let it sound anew!
The figures have g wondrous tricl
Which nothing else can do.
When Arts of Rhetoric are vain
A lesson great to teach,
Let Numbers join in the refrain
Displacing parts of speech.
Call on the Tariff to display
The profit and the loss.
Let Rents and Taxes now portray
Life's cross-and double cross.
The orator with lofty aims
. No longer rules the age.
The Lightning Calcula tor claims
The center Of the stage.
Evening star., 1924-09-26
Supports Proposal
To Limit Pistol Buying
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
I was greatly interested in the ar
ticle on pistol regulation in last
nights Star.
It would seem that Judge Schuldt's
suggestion as to the securing of per-
mits before pistol can be purchased
is both logical and sensible and would
tend to curb pistol toting.
The more stringent the regulations
are made to secure these deadly
weapons. the more. difficult 1t would
be to purchase one, as many would
find it impossible to qualify under the
test
trust the Commissioners will act
upon this proposition. KLSM1TH
Evening star., 1924-09-26

II announcements that the old
waltzes and quadrlles are coming
back prove true the ballroom may as
sist the golf course in conquering
gout and rheumatic.
Evening star., 1924-09-26

Despite a great deal of discourage
ment, the League OF Nations continues
to remind the public that it is pros
porous and growing concern, with
facilities for handling a considerably
larger volume of business.
Evening star., 1924-09-26

Apathetic attitude on the part of
any candidate will not be permitted to
pass without remonstrance. Managers
will not hesitate to make it clear that
this is political campaign and not
beauty contest.
Evening star., 1924-09-26

Reduction Of fuel costs have been
announced for some years as desir-
able. The current schedules convey
the usual reminder that the process
undertaken with precipitate haste.
Evening star., 1924-09-26

A little repose is necessary to the
Prince of Wales after the hospitalities
of New York, where he was shown
consideration that could not have been
surpassed if he were the most opulent
Evening star., 1924-09-26

Speculation on what may happen if
the election goes to Congress might
cause the managing editor Of the Con.
gressional Record to think seriously
about introducing puzzle page.
Evening star., 1924-09-26

Reliance on the great silent vote Of
the Nation, however well founded, will
not lead John w. Davis to expect any
thing whatever from that greatest ex-
ponent of influential inaudibility. Cal
win Coolidge.