davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21
The WiIl To Live
By H. ADDINGTON BRUCE

When they brought him to the hospital he was not thought to be seriously ill. But, slowly yet unmistakabIy, he grew weaker as the days passed.
 Doctors frankly confessed themselves pug zled by his case. They could find no specific cause whatever for his failure to react favor- ably to their remedies. All they could tell with any definiteness was that his prospects for recovery were steadily lessening.
 Then there came to him a clergyman who had made study of psychology as we'll as of theology. He visited the sick man. not once but several times. Finally he said to him, in tone to encourage confidences:
 '"Tell me, why have you lost desire to liver"
 For a moment there was silence, while the other locked at the clergyman in uncon- cealed astonishment. Then he made response with the counter-question
 "Why do you ask me that?
 Because, from what your doctors tell me- and from what l have observed myself, I be- lieve you are dying for no other reason than that you want to die"
 Again silence on the sick mans part. Then an almost explosive. You are right. I do want to die," followed by an outpouring from the soul of bitter, disappointed man.
 Patiently the clergyman set himself to the task of replacing the attitude of despair with an attitude of hope, courage, and determina- tion. In especial he depicted the possibility of finding a real joy in living through self forgetting labor for the good of others. And in proportion as he made the sick man feel that such a possibility was still open to him. the grip of disease was loosened.
 Instead of dying, he won back to health and to a career of greater usefulness than in all his past years. In his recovery, there cannot be the slightest doubt, the prime factor was the reasserting of the will to live
 More and more, it fortunately is possible to add, not psychologists only but physicians, too, are appreciating the importance of this mental element in the conservation of health and strength. To quote the cautious vet candid statement of an editorial writer in a leading medical periodical, the Medical Jour nal and Record:
 ''The mind is probably the arbiter of health and long life as much as the body. Optimism and the will to live will often pull person through serious illness, and of course the converse is true."
 Evidence, in fact, is accommodating to indi- cate that weakening of the will to live may directly contribute to the contracting of some disease that kills Those in whom the will to live grows weak are necessarily people in continually depressed state of mind It is notorious that mental depression means a bodily depression that predisposes to dis ease of every kind.
 These are facts which the well and the i'll alike need to remember. It would truly be difficult to overestimate the number of lives that have needlessly been cut short because circumstances-pOverty, financial reverses, unfortunate love affairs, and so forth-have been permitted to undermine "the spirit which controls all the organs and energies of the body"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21

 g OVER
Radio Maxims

Concerts may come and concerts may go, but the radio orator runs on forever
 Radio entertainers should be heard but not seen. s. .s- =. All is not static that whistles
 A rolling dial gathers no particular pro- gram.
 A jazz number in the home station is worth two in FoFt Worth.
 It is better to give than to receive. But 1t requires more expensive apparatus.
 All speeches and no jazz make the radio set dull toy.
 Antenna wise and sound foolish. Fools rush in where angels fear to broad cast.
 Don't count your stations before they're reached.
 Early to bed and early to rise makes a man miss all the roof garden orchestra num- bers.
 Never put all your bulbs in one basket. Great disturbances from little one-bulb sets grow. cult.
 Too many tools spoil the set.
 Nothing ventured no new stations gained. WEAF was not built in a day.
 Hearing is believing.
 Spare the aerial and spoil the bedtime story.
 You can tell man by the stations he keeps. The poor connection we have always with us. Radio fans who live in glass houses should not throw tones. The proof of the spaghetti is in the hear ing. Give some radio bugs enough wire and they will hang themselves.
 Two headsets are better than one. When the radio-set comes in through the door love leaps out through the window.
 A soft answer turnest away wrath. A loud speaker turneth away soft answers.
 A mans home is his bedlam. Listeners hear no good of themselves but they get $40 worth of entertainment for about fifteen cents.
 Distance makes the amateur grow keener. I Wire in haste; repent at leisure.
 Never put off till the morrow the station you can get tonight.
 What is one mans radio set may be an- other mans disturbance.
 It's a wise man who knows when he's got Havana. When in doubt wait for the announcer.
 There's many a slip twixt the coil and the WIP
 If at first you don't get Cuba, try, try again.
 All stations come to him who waits
 Look before you loop.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21
MULTIPLYING SUBDIVISIONS

; An interesting feature of the notable development in Birmingham realty dur ing the last year has been the extensive expansion in subdivisions for resi- dences. This has exceeded any similar activity for ten years. Not only have the arguments put forth on behalf of home ownership as a factor in good cit izenship contributed to this expansion, but community growth has increased the demand for additional homes, and off, fered opportunities for realty develop ment.
 developments of this kind represent the investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and include not only the open- ing of areas where building lots com nnand prices that call for pretentious homes, but subdivisions where sites are of more moderate cost. These sub-di- visions are not confined to any particular section of the city. Among them may be mentioned new additions to Forest Park, College Highlands, Crestline Heights, Bush Hills, University Heights, new additions to Miner Heights, and property between Milner Heights and ex- tension of South Twentieth street, Brent wood and Brook Meade property, Bel view Heights and Druid Hills. In addi- tion there are many smaller subdivisions under development in various sections of the city and suburbs, while more dis tant country-home sites are offered on Shades Mountain. The building up of Residence areas near new and expanding Industries is especially significant.
 .. Birmingham is rapidly becoming a city of home ownership. This is regarded as one of the most favorable aspects of community development, and is looked to for improvement in citizenship and a Sreater interest in community affairs. 3t is one of the many indications of pros Nerity, and increased faith in the future of the city and district, while exercising . potent influence in creating and fos- xering a more effective teamwork for community advancement.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21

 van, the greatest of all imprisoned writ CTS of English, wrote no less than ten books during his first incarceration, and during his second he wrote the first part of "The Pilgrims Progress" which is admittedly one of the greatest products of English allegory. Oliver Goldsmith's genius might have slumbered eternally had not the prison tedium caused him to turn to writing for relief.
 MT. Anderson may consider that in the matter of his imprisonment at least he is in good literary case. The trouble is that he can in no sense be regarded as a martyr, as were some of the distin- guished men who were imprisoned, not for specific offenses, but because of views they held on matters of religion, or governmental policies. MT. ~Ander- son has no kick, in the language of the street. He had a fair trial, and was caught with the goods, so to speak. Writing the book may help him while away the time. The test of it's value will come later.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21
sKEPTICIsM AS TO MERGER

There appears to be some skepticism among the grain farmers of the nation respecting the merger of grain elevators and their proposed purchase by the farm co-operatives. Theoretically, the idea appears to be sound, but there are sev- eral points on which the farmers ad- Visers are expressing doubt In the first place, some think that the leap from management of local elevators to con- trol of all the elevators in the country is too abrupt for organizations with so little experience in the field. This is an objection worth serious thought, for no big business, however successful it may be, runs of it's own momentum. The more smoothly it seems to operate the more carefully and skilfully it is guided.
 The farmers also are inclined to won der why the elevator trust is so ready to surrender the strategic advantage the monopoly is supposed to give. There is fear lest the big elevator companies are trying to put something over on the farmers, a fear that even their offer to superintend the operation for five wears cannot remove. In five years 1t could be cunningly demonstrated that the plan is a failure, and the present own CTS could. take the property back at much
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21
BOARD OF TAX APPEALS

s It appears that there is some fear That the treasury department will have undue influence in the selection of the new board of tax appeals, and that some of the members will be chosen from among applicants already connected with the treasury department. There is bound to be criticism if this policy if followed, for there is feeling in some quarters that the board will be more disinterested and inclined to be fair to all parties con- cerned if composed of men outside of Bureaucratic influences.
 Concern has already been manifested by MT. Edward E. Gore, president of the American Institute of Accountants, who, in letter to members of the institute, lsays: "The Dallas Times-Herald has re- gently published very strong editorial calling the presidents attention to the fact that the taxpayers expect this board to- be entirely free from the virus of bu reaucracy which has been Altering into the treasury employees during the time of 1 their service in the department The ed titorial reminds the president that con- gress went out of its way to insure that Ethese appointments should not be made by the secretary of the treasury, and fur lther utters the opinion that, in order Ehat the board of tax appeals may be Eutterly impartial and as fair to the tax Epayers as to the treasury department, fthe board, as finally constituted, should have two-thirds of its members divided equally between lawyers and account ants, and the other third between en- gineers and business men,"
 Whether the suggested composition of the board is wise or not may be open to debate. There is hardly room for dis agreement, however, over the principle that the board should be free from in- kfTuences of bureaucratic nature, as is apparently contemplated under the law. lThe danger of such influence is all ready emphasized in the fact that the treasury department almost succeeded in dictating to the president and to con l Rress the tax-reduction schedules. Aside from any question as to the propriety or 1 impropriety of these schedules, there is little defense for the strongarm treasury methods that almost put the Mellon plan over before it was carefully studied. There can be no more competent men within the treasury department than out side of it, and certainly the president will be well on the safe side in making the board of tax appeals independent of treasury dictation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21
The Peoples Forum

To the Editor of The Age Herald:
 The item in your paper on July 17 men tioning the probable release from jail of Eamonn DeValera and other Irish "repub- lican" leaders, has significance that may have escaped some readers. It signifies that the freedom of Ireland is no longer a hope or a "cause" but a fact The Irish Free State is Irish, free and an autonomous state It will be obvious to any person acquainted with the facts that if there were any con- trol of Ireland by the British imperial gov ernment in London, this liberation would not even be proposed. Although retaining George V as nominal sovereign, represented in Dub lin by Governor General Healy who takes no active part in the governing of the Free State, Ireland is today in actual fact self governing republic. This status it has exact ly as have Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand; all are Crowned repub- lics' and wholly self-governing. Indeed, the constitutions of the two newest of these, Ire land and South Africa, are amendable with out needing even a formal ratification of the amendment by the Imperial government.
 s. G. RICH.
 Birmingham, July 19, 1924.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21
VieoU Of Britisher
By DIR. FRANK CRANE

To an American the native Britisher is about the most incomprehensible compound of irreconcilable traits known.
 "l do not understand the English" said to me an American gentleman who has lived some years in London. 1T do not understand their business men, their women of society, their politicians, nor even my maidservant nor the man who takes care of my automo- piles. have tried. But they are beyond me-"
 It is the same with me. As could never learn to smoke the English mixture" to- bacco, so l have been unable to comprehend the English mixture" of humanity.
 The Englishman is shy self-conscious, em- barrassed to the point of painfulness. He has none of that open frankness of the American And yet he is self-assertive bold, courageous.
 He is conservative, obstinate, set in his opinions, violent in his prejudices; yet I know no country where there is greater free dom of speech.
 He loves the usual thing, adores precedent hates non-cOnformity; and yet he admires Bernard Shaw.
 In no country is the monarchy so deeply loved; in no country is democracy so ram pant and radical.
 The English are supposed to be incapable of humor, and no funnier comic operas have ever been written than those of Gilbert and Sullivan.
 They are the most home-loving people on earth, and none travels more than the Eng lishman.
 The lower classes are truculent, stubborn for their rights, even contentious; yet are more orderly than the same class in France and America.
 In no country is individualism moro in- grained; in no country is privilege more rock-rooted.
 The Englishman has been called a Phar. isee, Haunting his morals and extensively boasting of his religion (this is a common criticism in France), but the individual Eng lishman invariably conceals his religiouRAm tion and deprecates his own moralsi and while the Latin races pray openly and any where the Britisher would almost aa soon be caught stealing apples as saying his prayers.
 Englishmen have been dubbed 6 nation of shopkeepers; shopkeeping is the very thing in which they are deficient; they make ex. cellent goods, but don't know how to sell them, compared with Americans or Germans. The English love outdoor life, yet have been unable to find one spot in London where there is an outdoor cafe after the manner of the continent.
 The Britisher is perhaps the most proVin- 'cial of men apparently; yet 1t is England that has the greatest genius for coloniSing and understands best how to manage foreign peoples.
 English law is more loaded with precedent than that of any other countryI yet in no nation can justice be obtained more quickly and generally.
 I love English people, but am blest if know why. Perhaps 1t is because they are such an insoluble enigma.
 An American, I am of English blood and ideals. No nation seems so near to me; yet no nation seems so foreign.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21
MUSK OK MATCH FOR WOLyES

Of all the strange animals of North Amer ica the musk OK is one of the queerest and most interesting. First of all it is a true connecting link between wild cattle and sheep. It is able to live and thrive in cold arctic regions, even up to the farthest north for hoofed animals, the most northerly point of Greenland. It has horns like the wild Cape buffalo of Africa, cattle-like hoofs and its flesh looks and tastes like beef It has next its body dense coat of soft woolly hair, and through this grows a coat of very long, straight brown hair, like that of the Tibetan yak It has a tail so short and small but the animal seems tailless. Its supply of musk and It's husky odor are tn wholly imaginary.
 For thousands of years the musk OK herds have been preserving their calves from the hungry wolf packs of the north by most ex- cellent military strategy. When wolves threaten herd it at once forms a compact circle, with the adult bulls and cows stand ing shoulder to shoulder in the outer circle, and with all the calves and young stock jn- side.
 Even to hungry wolves that circle of dead ly down dropping horns is impregnable. A bull may leave his place for moment to rush out thirty yards or so in an effort to puncture a wolf, but he never is lured too far. Back he goes to the circle, backs into his place and plays the game to the end- William T. Hornaday in the Youths Com naniOn
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21
Brief Nature Studies
By J. OTIS SWIFT

Brook borders and the margins of fields are bright with the little creamy-white flow CTS in broad, flat cymes of the elder, Sam bucus canadensis, amid which catbirds hold riots of song and where sparrows, warblers and many other birds sing up the sun O dewy mornings. One of the commonest of berry bearing shrubs, the elder, is familiar to all. Whitehaired men in busy city of fices dream of the old swimming hole on lazy summer afternoons, and how the elderberry bushes used to hang heavy with purple black fruit that stained the lips in the happy days of bOyhood.
 The pith of elder wood is used for many purposes, as is the wood itself and both the Europe elderbery and the American used to be gathered for making wine. They are excellent for jelly making and have been used also in medicine. In New England excellent pies are made from the fruit
 A relative is the red-berried elder, S. race mosa, which has delightfully."- attractive scar let-red or white berries and grows in mag nificence in some parts of the Palisades Inter- state Park. The elders belong to the honey suckle family.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21
PRISONS AND LITERATURE

While the reading world has been en- frightened by literary productions from behind prison bars, the announcement from William H. Anderson, formerly su- perintendent of +he Anti-Saloon League of New YorA, TOW a prisoL ar in Sing Sing, that he will write a oo1k entitled, "Behind the Bars for Bauishing the Bar," has created no indications of thrills. Anderson did not Danish the bar, but was convicted of forgery and some other offenses in connection with the handling of funds donated to fight the liquor traffic. If he possesses no more ability to write than he exhibited in tes- tifying in his own behalf during his trial, his book, in which he proposes to paint his alleged enemies in their true colors, will be no valuable addition to contemporaneous literature.
 Some of the worlds best literature came from behind prison bars. Daniel DeFoe started his weekly magazine en- titled, "The Review" when he was in prison for publishing "The Shortest Way With the Dissenters. While he was in durance vile in the Gatehouse at Vest minister, Richard Lovelace composed, "To Althea, from Prison" Sir Walter Ral- eigh wrote his History of the World" from the Tower of London, and Paine found diversion from prison life by writing his "Age of Reason" John Bun
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21
ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANS

Arthur Judson, manager of the Philadel- phia orchestra, dispOses promptly of the charge made in a congressional hearing that the great majority of our orchestral musi- clans in Philadelphia and in America at large are not American citizens. He shows that of our own 104 there are forty-three virtuosi who are American-born, fifty who are nat uralized citizens and eleven who have taken out their first papers. Similar figures are cited for other organizations, and they are the official and accurate statistics, not the misleading data of vague and mistaken ale gatiOn. Orchestra players in America are aware of their relatively fortunate lot, and if they are not already citizens they have put themselves in the way of qualifying as soon as they can. Many good players of Europe have American citizenship as well as artistic success for an Philadelphia Public Ledger
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21
Watching The Parade
By JOHN PILGRIM.

I felt I had to do it last night. My dear old mother has been getting away with what we colloquiallyf call rough stuff," and it seemed my duty to return her to the paths of quietneSs and peace.
 You are becoming savage" said to her. You make no allowance for the fact that we of the younger generations have changed. Progressed. in fact, though it seems indeli- cate to call your attention to this fact The matters which evoke your criticism are merely evidences of evolution.~ 7'.-c
 Then" said my dear old mother, grimly God help the younger generation"
 Most of the old folks complain of us youngers on superficial grounds. They say the young women use lipsticks too often, and do not keep sufficiently secret the lines of the bodies that God gave them, and that the young men are too apt to play golf and drink cocktails when they should be laying up treasures in the First National Bank That isn't my mothers complaint. She paints her self, in moderation, and she can dance a Virginia reel with anyone, and would do so if anyone came along. But she says we lack a sense of responsibility.
 There's Anne" said she.
 True enough, there is Anne. Pretty, plenty of good brains in her head, full of wit and music. But bone-idle Lies in bed until noon, demands more freedom of hours and companions than my mother gave me when was kid, and flirts outrageously with half dozen of her husbands friends The. hus- band, in fact, is the meal-ticket. He purveys food, roof, and clothes for Anne. If she gives him a careless kiss now and then she thinks he is repaid.
 Not Anne only" said my mother. "An the young women of her set are no go0d.'
 We'll, it's true, who's fault is it? Not al- together theirs. How about their fathers and mothers?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21
AS TO POLICE TRAINING

As a matter of diplomacy it may be excellent for the civil service board to have the voluntary cooperation of police men in the establishment of the proposed police training school, as suggested and urged by the board. The primary con- sideration, however, is whether such a training will improve the efficiency of the police department. If benefits in this respect are apparent to the author ities it is their responsibility to deter mine the question on that basis. The cost of the school is small. In many cities substantial benefits have been ob- tained from similar projects. There is reason to believe that the training in police duties and discipline derived from the enterprise would add to the eff ciency of the department. Thus the au- thorities, who are charged with the pub lie protection and the public welfare, as both may be advanced through the po- lice department, are the ones finally to decide the value of such an institution in the light of the public veal