davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
A Gift That Remains

The Christmas holidays are over now. The hollv
has been tossed in the fireplace the Christmas tree
has shed its needles all the carpet the last rem
nants of the turkey have been made into hash and
fair share of Juniors toys broken But there is
one thing that we can keep for a while.
That thing is a realization such as we get anew
every Christmas, that this is pretty good hearted
world after ALL People, by and large are pretty good
Selfshness isn't universal, and generosity isn't as
rare it might be.
Christmas, say, brings these facts home to u.s.
For example: Not long ago the newspapers print
ed story telling how the children of striking coal
miners in Ohio weren't going to have any Christmas
The childrenS parents were desperately poor most
OF the kids weren't even getting enough to eat and
presents were out of the question Well it may COM
fort you to know that after that story was printed
gifts of food, clothing, money and toys showered in
on these miners People who had never seen any of
the miners people who entirely out of sympathy
with the strike itself went out of their way to see
to it that these children could have some sort of
Christmas
Makes you feel rather good doesn't it? Here's
another like it:
few weeks ago there was a story in the papers
telling how little girl out in Los Angeles whose
father was too poor to buy her doll got so lonely
that she kidnapped" little baby in it's buggy and
KepC IL all AFTERNOON. NOW woman in Chicago has
asked for the address of this little girl so that she
can send her doll The woman saw the little
GIRL she just wanted to be kind to her-had gen.
erous impulse that she had to obey.
Then there were the various newspaper Santa
Claus funds that collected. Every one of them
went over in fine shape In every city there were
many, many people glad to do what they could to
share their holiday happiness.
These things are commonplace, familiar, perhaps
Yet they are just the things that can carry with
us. They reassure to the motives, the worthi-
ness and the good will of our fellow men and women
They persuade us once more that people are pretty
fine after all.
For it is eternally true, despite all that cynicS may
say, that people will always respond to appeal to
their better natures. The only trouble ordinarily
that they lack leaders to make the appeals. The
response is always waiting
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29

The revolt of the slaves in the
silver mines of Laurium had dis
rupted Athenian finance; the flight
of thousands of exploited workers
to Sparta (another evil seems al
ways better than our OWN had
weakened the army in number and
morale; and the detection of
Alcibiades had left the State utterly
leaderless and adrift
In 405 B. G. the Athenian fleet
was defeated and destroyed at
Aegospotami The victorious Spar
tans Immediately blockaded Athens,
and the once rich city whose indus
trial development had made it de-
pendent upon imported food, began
to starve to death.
She surrendered (402 B. c., and
one Of the most destructive wars
that history has known came to a
disastrous end.
Even the victors we're exhausted,
and doomed to an early decay In
Athens poets remained, and artists
and philosophers; but they knew
well that the glory of their city
would never return.
When Aristophanes died, in 1856
B. c., the greatest civilization in the
record of man was about to come
to an end.
Copyright. 1927. by viii Duran)
(TO Be COntinued)
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
WhV Not Be Ready?

When the S-51 was sunk off Block Island, New
York, naval men said that the only ship in the world
specially constructed to lift submarine was the
property Of the German government.
Now another disaster has been added to the Navys
roll Of terrible accidents. When the S-4 went down
on Cape Cod, there not only not such a ship
within reasonable reach, but there wasn't even a
pontoon derrick ship within miles The pontoons.
the same six pontoons that were used in 1925 in
salvagng the $751; were stored in the Brooklyn navy
yard and were towed to Provincetown by slow tugs
The German rescue ship is a combination of
separate hus surmounted by steel structure carry
ing great travelling 1t is efficient and swift
and travels rapidly from place to place.
The Ssh lesson was bitter, but apparently has
been forgotten.
Now another sunken sub has brought the same
old lesson with the Navy not bit better prepared
to meet the emergency. Why not be ready?
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
(RichmODd Palla dunn
(IndependenO

A layman usually hesitates
about making suggestions in
field where the presumption
favors technical knowledge and
skill, but in the case of the S-4 a
large number of Americans Won
der why the undersea boat must
lie on the bottom of the ocean I'M
til next spring.
They also wonder whether
American ingenuity, if properly
directed toward the problem, could
not devise safety apparatus and
appliances which would remove
some of the hazards of the sub
marine. They also are asking
whether the Navy possesses ade-
quate equipment for emergencies
which arise when submarines are
disabled.
There may be answers for all
these conjectures and questions;
i so, the Navv Department should
promptly satisfy the American
public's inquisitiveness on that
score. In the meantime the pub
lie hopes the Navy Department
will find a way to raise the dis
abled submarine before next
spring.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
"A Con (Fess) ion

Senator Tess of Ohio set two new records last
week-one for the standing broad prediction the
other for the sitting broad statement
Both marks established in an interview nre-
ceding speech to the Kiwanis Club of Baltimore.
The broad prediction that President Coolidge
probably will be renomnated that he will be drafted
after the Republican national convention becomes
deadocked through lack of any other suitable can
didate.
The broad statement was that as the result of
the attitude of the President and the decnation of
Mr.. Hughes to be candidate" things have become
confused in the Republican situation"
Why, OF all places, did Tess choose Maryland, in
whici to declare that "al is confusion" in the Re-
publican party?
Less than fortnight ago. practically every news
aper published the fact that Republican leaders of
ne Free State-including the national committee
han, the chairman of the State central committee
And the recognized head of the Baltimore G. o. P
we're unanimously in favor of nominating Herbert
Hoover. No confusion in that
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
Are You Going to Be a Killer?

Statisticans have announced that during the wear
1923 there will be 235OO people killed in traffic acct
dents. More than 100000 will be injured
Sooner or later are going to realize that our
traffic problem is something that must be tackled in
"a big way Twenty three thousand deaths in one
yearl AS many lives as were lost in the battle of
Gettysburg When we going to wake up and do
something about it?
All of th0se Deaths of course will be accidental
Barring that will be caused by drunken or men
tally deficient drivers (perhaps should say and
instead of "or) they will all be caused by people who
have the best intentions n the worldpeope who to-
day, would give their automobile away if they knew
they were going to take life sometime this year
TIE speeder will cause some of them-tne man who
is in such hurry to get wherever he is going that he
forgets that pedestrians little children especially can
suddenly appear on highway without warning
The road hog will cause others-the driver who
wants to stick in the middle of the road the driver
who makes it point of honor not to give an inch
more space to the other motorist than he has to-
The take chance" idiot will cause many more
the driver who zps by another car on the wrong side
and trusts to luck that the other driver won't hap
pen to pull over toward the curb until he gets by.
The slow-poke, who usually thinks he is a very
careful driver will be responsible for quite few This
driver you know, plods along in the middle of the
street at twenty miles hour forcing other cars into
the wrong traffic lanes when they pass him.
The "'in-and- outer"-the driver who weaves cork
screw track through heavy traffic footing his horn
and scraping tenders as he goes-will have plenty
to answer for. too
And, last but not least there is the man who loses
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
Weak Spot in Syst

Governor Smiths idea j
law should be based on cril
as medicine is based on disc
that we should begin by 4,
the thing we are to remed,
This is totally at varian
prevailing practice. We ma
to fit the law, instead Of
law to fit crime.
Other brancehs of kr
grow by eliminating precede
grows by retaining them.
Governor Smith has put h
on the weak spot in our 81
justice. What it needs is 7
tention to the purpose VIII
is designed to serve and les
law itself.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29

his temper-which is apt to include any of u.s. When
another car purs by you and cuts in pretty close in
front Of you you get sore, don't you? You have an
impulse to dart ahead and cut in close to it to get
even, don't you? Well, don't do it. Ninety-nine times
out Of hundred it would be all right; but the hun
dredth time might cause wreck that would take sew
era lives. You can't afford to lose your temper in an
automobile
Our traffic toll is a national shame. Sooner or
Later we must devise some system of traffic control far
better than we now have. In the meantime it is up
to each individual driver to handle his car always
so that there is chance of his hitting any person
or automobile.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
The Years Great Man

With the year dying, it is the time and custom
to look back and see the way we have come. In our
national life whag have been the great outstanding
events of the year that has gone?
There are many to choose from; the world has
been busy. Henry Ford has given to the world
new automobile that will be seen on every high
way in America and Timbuctoo Two women have
been found guilty Of Staying their husbands and one
condemned to die. One man has been found not
guilty of Staying his wife and in that there is more
news than in all the convicted of the same
oIense.
Women have learned to fly and have flung their
challenge to oceans One woman gave her life in
an attempt to defeat the Pacific Another challenged
the Atlantic and won notable victory but not quite
complete
Who has been the greatest figure in news
year? Was it Gales under whose direction revolu-
ton put down and score of generals and others
placed against the wall and shot?
Was it Mustapha Renal, under whom Turkey is
finding her way to progress?
Was it the iron jawed Mussoni, who has placed
Italy under discipline that is almost medieval in
severity but that the Italians seem to like and pros
per on?
Was it Coolidge, who mystiied America, and then
showed how simple it all had been by repeating his
original words, after the country had argued talked
wondered?
Was it some great author, some great statesman,
or some poet whose honeyed words have made the
world feel better all the way through?
We think not. We think the greatest man in the
world during the year that has passed was boy,
fral Of figure and tender Of years but of heart
and clean Of mind
We think the greatest man of them all was Lind
bergh. Why?
He is the spirit of youth, our dreaming
youth when in minds eye mighty castles
waiting for the conquering. He has gone out and
conquered these castles with a smile without bra
vado, with boast but quietly and perseveringy
He inspired us. When he left New York we won
dered and doubted. Those of who know the At
lantc and its cruel ways might have thought that
we had seen the last Of fine young man. Then
came the signals from the towns along his coastal
route and the ships out in the foggy storm sea-
Then hours Of darkness and silence when we waited
without word and hoped with all our hearts that
this boy might win.
Then coming over us like great tide was the
news that Lindbergh was passing Ireland Other
eagles of the air out to meet him. and he landed
at lie Bourget smiling, triumphant but honest and
plain.
He has given lis model to plan by Determine
ton, singeness of purpose frankness sincerity. He
is all these and he is an eternal symbol Of daring
youth besides. The worlds that so many of us have
dreamed of but never invaded have been brought
to his feet.
The year has given us wonderful boy If we
were all little more like him how much better the
world would be!
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
They Say
Waterloo Press)
Republican,

If there is any man who has a
hard job of it, it is the small town
preacher. Many times people are
prone to look upon the minister
as man who has an easy job.
1t is said that he has no taxes to
pay and nothing to do only to
preach on Sundays and OCCASION
ally oflciate at a wedding and get,
a good meal ticket. While this is
far from the truth, yet if it was
so, we would pity the preacher.
There are many problems that
no one outside of the minister
himself knows how perplexing
they are. The minister may work
hard all day and no one would
give him credit for what he has
been doing. He has many sleep
less nights worrying about his
parish, and he has to toll with
his brain many hours each day
trying to work out some plan
whereby he can better serve his
church.
He knows Of the errors of the
way among the members of his
flock, and he worries over how to
change their ways without caus-
ing them to break faith with their
social and church relations. The
preacher worries because more
people do not attend church, be-
cause they do not seem to be in
tereSted in the church service.
Perhaps the least of the worries
of a preacher is when he sees
some member of his congregation
asleep during the sermon hour.
Then it is that he can say what
he thinks and the slumbering
member does not hear him. To al
ways say the right thing to a con-
gregation and have all of them
pleased is a mighty hard thing
for minister to do.
The New Year is approaching.
Wouldn't it be a good time to re-
solve that with the New Year you
will attend church regularly?
Don't you think it would encour-
age the preacher? Wouldn't the
preacher be able to preach bet
ter sermon? Why not try it?
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
Mass of Red Ia.

The legal profession I
cumulated a vast amount OF
edge as to the principle La
in 'this or that case, as to
Of procedure and as to a
red tape that causes nothii
distinctly than delay, but
not tell you very much alb
result.
AS the Federal crime com
headed by Ex-Governor .
points out, we have in thi
try no dependable data By
to be guided.
In other words, we know
play the game of trial an
viction, but not what it amo
Their are no reliable rec
the number of crimes comm
the percentage of criminals
and of the effect various I
of punishment have had.
Worse than that, we a
agreed on what constitutes
what determines relative G
why distinction should be m
tween criminals, who are ap
ly guilty of the same offensl
We have a feeling that
principles of natural law unc
all, but continually side-stel
for the arbitrary principles 0
made Ia.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
BRIDGE ME
ANOTHER
Copyright. 1927. By The Ready Rel
erence Publishing Company
BY w. w. WENTWORTH

Authorizations. A-ace; king; O.
gueeni Jack; X-any card lower than
l0.)
l. First hand bids one no trump;
second hand passes. When is third
hand justified in calling two no
trumps, to shut out bidding?
?. Partner not having bid, what
do you lead against a no-trump bid,
when you hold A @ J x?
g. Sitting at left of an initial no.
trumper, should you as rule bid
a minor suit?
The Answers
l. When you hold four probable
tricks with not less than three
cards in the worthless suit.
2. @.
3. No.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
THE STORY OF CIVILIZATION
Greek Culture Dies With AriSt0bhaneS
Written for The Times By VIII Dm-ant

IN his last play 1888 B. c. Arts
Il tophaneS parsonifies wealth as
Plutus, and shows how much more
powerful this god is than Jupiter:
What Go men offer prayer and sac
rifice to Jove for, but for money?
Money is the true ruler, alike of gods
and men"
Had he not shown in the "Eccle-
.siazusae" (778), that even the stat
ueS of the gods held out their hands
for money? Various people address
PlutuS:
do not men so to Parliament
through you? Who Swells the navy
estimates but you? Why are bad
novels written for you! And
Lais loves that lout-and all for you!
-. OF all things comes safety; we
tire Of love, of loaves, of music,
SweetmeatS, of honor, cheesecakeS,
dried figs, ambition, biscuits. high
command, pea soup; of you alone is
no man filled too full"
The only trouble is that Plutus
is blind, and Chromylus proposes
to have him go to the temple of
AesculapiuS and have his eyesight
restored.
Plutus goes, and comes back with
eyesight clear, resolved now to make
only honest men rich.
In trice all things are changed,
and Utopia begins to march out
upon the stage.
People now prosper through de-
cency better than through theft,
and in a short time all Athens is
crowded with virtue.
Strange to say, the temples are
deserted, and Mercury comes to
Chremylus to complain that nobody
pays any attention to the gods any
more. Chromylus advises him to
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29


To the Editor:
What is all this bowling about
hanging Edward Hickman, a de-
mented youth, who when our educa-
tiond systems are sufficiently mod
ernized, would have been in psyco-
pathic hospital years ago.
The mob demanding death are ex-
pressing mildly the same blood lust
that in this defective youth became
so intense as to be uncomfortable.
Hickman's confession is a study in
warped mentality. He tells of the
urge" that made him kill. Is it
this urge in others that cause them
to cry loudly for his death? Even
his own father is not exempt, it
seems.
There was a time, not prehistoric,
when such crimes we're not uncom-
mon. Were they committed by I'M
derlings they were thought to be
possessed of the devil. BY czars,
such as taking a scythe and now
ing heads off of subjects buried
alive, they were considered Cby the
court attaches) as eccentricities.
With the advance Of science, we
should know that such atrocities are
the product of an abonrmaI mind.
Why sacrifice an opportunity to
study such subjects behind the bars
Of a hospital for criminally insane,
just to satisfy the blood lust of
others more mildly afflicted.
NO KILLER.
Dear Editor: If I Go not obey an
order from the Indianapolis Water
Company. telling me I must put a
water meter in my home inme-
diately and at my own expense,
what can be done about it?
Can they shut of the water if I
offer to pay my bill or have it paid
in advance?
Can I make this connection NY
self if am not a licensed plumber,
for my own personal use, and have
it inspected? j. D. K.
Answer: According to Chair
man Frank Singleton of the pub
lie service commission, any such
controversial matter might be
aired before the commission. The
company was ordered to put in
meters as rapidly as possible, and
that is probably why the order
was sent on to you. Under a city
ordinance. a licensed plumber is
required to make the connection,
for which you must pay.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
TRlA.l.Gy
SAYSi
"Our System of paStice Is
the One GreoA hpstitu,
ton of Modern Life
Which the Eighteenth
Century stu Domf.
Mates"

Governor Alfred E. Smith of N,
York dropped casuallylinto sessir
of the Baumes crimb commissb
recently and made onk of the nc
drastic recommendations for r
forming the criminal law that h
been offered in half d century.
If the man, instead, Of the me
sure, we're under discussion, it wou
be easy to write an, interesth
article on this incident
1t has been said that Govern
Smith never read a Book in I
life" Whether this is true, he h
written many able State papers AZ
advanced many worthwhile ideas.
One of his habits is Ito drop
on State boards and cOmmissio
without notice and throw IL
expected light on some probe
that has been bothering them.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
Sentence by Expert,

TT put it briefly, Governor s
wants the sentencing power
away from judges and placed i
hands Of a. board of high-sa
experts.
FIXED and indeterminate
fences" he told the commi
should be made dependent o
findings of a commission.
Il don't think a Judge s
have the power to sentence 8
to death. Many criminals get
because a jury will not ret
verdict of guilty in the first
because it balks at the idt
shutting a man off into etern
THE jury should determine
the question of guilt or inno
The case then should be 4
over to the State for submiss
a board of high-salaried men
employ.
The members of this
should include psychiatrists,
lists, lawyers and experts.
should be paid at least SOS, 900
each. 1t would be no mistake
them make the final dispC
This board should also be Civ
power to recommend the tran
parole Of prisoners.
Il believe this would nect
an amendment to the Co
ton. 1t might get to the
where it would cost us $l.O0
year, but what would that be
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
Law Needs Common

From a legal standpoint,
revolutionary, but from a SC
standpoint it is plain common
Though law is properly a
and perhaps the most i'm
one, we never have approa
from a scientific standpoint.
In science we discover II
law, we make them.
Science tells you that Pal
was a quack, and that the
edents he established must
aside.
Law tells you that Chief
Hale was a Solomon, though
lieved in withcraft. and Il
precedents he established are
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
Mr.. Fixit
RemoUal of Pole IN Alley
Is Ordered.

Let Mr.. Fixit. The Times representa-
tive at city hall. present your troubles
to city officials. Write Mr.. Fixit at The
Times. Names and addresses which
Removal of a pole in an alley
north of English Ave, between
Grace and Christian SITS, was or
dered today by City Engineer A. H.
Moore on request Of Mr.. Fixit.
Dear Mr.. Fixit: Please see what
you can do toward having a post
removed from the first alley north
Of English Ave, between Grace and
Christian SITS. This pole is in an
improved alley and is at least two
feet from the corner. Property
owners would greatly appreciate
anything you can do in this mat
ter. Very truly,
j. S. G.
City Engineer A. H. Moore ad-
vised Mr.. Fixit the Bell Tele-
phone Company would move the
pole.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
The Rules

l. The idea Of letter golf is to
change one word to another and
do it in par, a given number of
strokes. Thus, to change COW to
HEN, in three strokes, COW, HOW,
HEW, HEN.
2. You can change only sle let
ter at a time.
3. You must have a complete
word, Of common usage, for each
jump. Slang words and abbrevia-
tons don't count.
4. The order Of letters cannot be
changed.