davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1937-12-29
Thoughts for the Day So

That men may know that thou. whose name alone Is
JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
Psalms 1918.
Imperial Valley press., 1937-12-29

Beaming with pleasure is Orville
Wright, above, one of the famous
brothers who fathered human
flight, pictured during one O. his
rare public appearances. He was
guest of honor at the Wright
Brothers Lecture" presented by
the Institute Of Aeronautical
Sciences at Columbia University,
New York, in celebration Of the
34th anniversary of the BROTH
ers' first fight at Kitty Hawk.
Imperial Valley press., 1937-12-29

YOU haven't read ALL the NEWS
until you READ the ADS!
Evening star., 1937-07-18
FARM LEGISLATION
URCEDBYGROWERS.
Program to Improve In
comes Advocated as Con-
qress Debates Method.

. - the Associated Press.
- Vegetable and potato growers yes
terday urged that Federal and State
Governments enact legislation to i'm
prove their incomes.
The recommendations came at a
time when congressional advocates OF
farm legislation were divided over the
method that should be used in the new
bill.
President Roosevelt went over the
situation with Chairman Jones OF
the House Agriculture Committee dur
ing the day, but Jones declined to
say what had been gone over at the
conference.
II had been wanting to talk with
the President about farm matters in
general" he said we have several
matters pending in the committee" :"
Special Quotas Urged.
More than so representatives OF
vegetable and potato growing areas
who have talked with Agriculture De-
partment officials during the week
urged that special quotas be set up
for them under the soil conservation
program. They asked that they be
allotted bases similar to those now
used for tobacco, cotton and peanut"
producers.
Potato growers said the prospect Of
q 100000, ,000-bushel crop this year
threatened disaster to the indus
try" They asked the Agricultural
Adjustment Administration to es-
tablish diversion programs for lower
grades of potatoes and establish a
special committee to work out a
Federal potato program.
They asked Secretary Wallace to
seek legislation requiring that all
potatoes moving in interstate COM
merce "be branded, tagged or de-
scribed in terms of United States
grades or as unclassified."
Additional Funds Sought.
Wallace was asked to seek addi-
tional Federal funds to improve mar
ketlng reports, crop estimates and
Evening star., 1937-07-18

price studies in the vegetable field.
The group said vegetable growers
should establish large cooperative
marketing organization able to bargain
on equal terms with mass buyers OF
their products, such as canneries and
large retail store chains.
Jones said his conference with the
President had no bearing on when
he would introduce a long awaited
general farm bill but that he hoped
to have a tentative draft ready for
his committees consideration when
it meets in executive session Tues
day. He said the committee would
have a chance to pass on the meas
ure before he formally introduces it..
Split Over Program.
House advocates OF farm legislation
at this session have split three ways
over production control. though in
general agreement with the proposed
"ever-normal granary" program de-
signed to prevent price fluctuation.
Jones heads one group demanding
voluntary program under which par
ticipating farmers would be paid cash
benefits financed by a processing tax.
Another group is urging compulsory
legislation which would give all farm
ers marketing quotas In years when
surplus crops threaten the price struc-
ture.
The third group wants the Federal
Government to fix cost of production
prices on farm commodities needed for
domestic use and the "ever-normal"
granary program
Jones declined to say whether his
bill would favor any of these pro-
grams.
The constitutionality of all three
plans has been questioned.
Evening star., 1937-07-18
HaWaiians to Sing Here.

Four women members Of the Nor
mon Church In Honolulu, T. H., will
sing at the 10 am. and pm. sery-
ices today 1T the Church OF Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They
are Mae Kapu Keaka, Rachel Voel-
Ter, Julia Lainaala Doyle and Ka-
MALE Fieldgrove. Their selections
will include ancient Hawaiian hymns
IS well as modern songs.
Evening star., 1937-07-18
1nterfraternity Luncheon.

The 1nterfraternity Group will hold
Its next regular luncheon at 1890
pm. Tuesday at Schneider's Res
taurant. All members OF national coll
lege social fraternities are eligible for
membership. Charles K. Dunn of Pi
Kappa Alpha is acting chairman Of
the group.
Evening star., 1937-07-18
PARTY L|NESS SPLIT
|NNEW YORK RACE
New Deal Creates Riffs as
Candi dates Begin May
orally Drive.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, July l7.-New York
Citys complicated mayoralty cam
paign took definite shape tonight.
Leaders OF both Democratic and Re-
publican parties started aligning them
selves into two camps-New Deal and
anti-New Deal.
The New Deal emerged as the ma jor
Evening star., 1937-07-18
Fraternity to Hear Thomas,

Senator Ebert D. Thomas OF Utah
will be guest OF honor and main speak
er at the banquet for 66 initiates of
Sigma Eta Sigma, Strayer College
honorary scholastic fraternity, at 7
pm. Thursday in the Mayflower Hotel.
Evening star., 1937-07-18

enter the primary. There has been
talk that he also would enter the
Democratic primary.
Whalen was regarded generally as
the candidate OF the national ad-
ministration, because Of frequent tele-
phone conversations between Ed
ward J. Flynn, Bronx leader, and
the White House.
Fight Is Local, Says Whalen.
The former police commissioner
who now is president of the 1899
Worlds Fair Corp. said in an inter-
view today, however, that the primary
night was strictly q local contest.
Copeland has the support OF for
mer Gov. Alfred E. Smith and other
prominent Democrats who opposed
President Roosevelt In the last ma
tional election.
Samuel Levy. Manhattan borough
president, also is candidate for
the Democratic nomination. He has
Evening star., 1937-07-18

issue in the Democratic primary, when
Tammany Hall last night named Sen
ator Royal 8. Copeland, administra-
ton critic, as its candidate, while the
Democratic leaders OF Brooklyn,
Queens. Richmond and the Bronx des-
ignated Grover Whalen, former police
commissioner.
G. o. P. Meeting Next Week.
The organization Republican lead
ers, who have openly criticized Mayor
F. H. La Guardia for New Deal lean
ings, will meet next week to decide
what course they will take Some
have indicated privately they would
like to enter Copelands name in the
Republican primary. Others favor
naming 4 conservative Republican in
the hope Of defeating La Guardia.
1t is almost certain. political OBJ
servers believe, that La Guardia will
not be the organization candidate
although he. has announced he will
Evening star., 1937-07-18

the backing Of John F. Curry. for.
mer Tammany leader.
The primaries this year will be held
September l6 and the general elec-
ton November 2.
The Washington times., 1937-10-30
Her Own Court

Each Of the most important
women had her own little cham
ber court, with attendants vary
ing in number according to her
rank. At the same time each
had number of pupils study
ing to make themselves perfect
in the particular line allotted to
their mistress.
Thus on entering the harem
at a tender age the girl would
in all probability be Immediately
attached to one of the courts as
a novice. In fact, should the
sultan valide or one Of the
lesser officials be requiring a
new slave or pupil they were at
perfect liberty to buy one and
train her personally.
The new girl, selected from a
large number, would be placed
under the care Of, say, the mis-
tress of the robes. There she
would serve her apprenticeship,
looking upon her tutoress as .
The Washington times., 1937-10-30

kGdinS 1DGS equivalent to that of
a legal 1Dite, and their apart
ments, SlaUeS, eunuchS, property,
dresses, jewelry and salary aDere
all proportional to the honor
and importance of their ne1O
position.
According to the order of her
election, so 1Dould the EGdin be
hencetorth knoWn. Thus she
might be the second kadin or
third kadin and naturally she
Dould do all in her po10er to dis.
lodge the one Immediately
GboDe her-by fair means or
foul.
In the case of RorelanG, ho10.
ever, the impossible had been
Gchieved, for SuleimGn, so far
from hGving other kGdins after
the tall OF his first EGdt1l, Gctu-
ally married oft SeOerGl of his
most beautiful Domlen to cement
his affection and fidelity to
RorelGnG.
To return to the harem per-
Sonnel, if we look upon the sui
tan valide as ruler of the harem,
the chief black eunuch or kislar
agha captain Of the girls) must
be regarded as her prime min
iSter.
His duties have been de.
Scribed in an earlier chapter.
He was in direct charge of the
girls and could be largely re-
sponsible for their being no
ticed by the sultan: and he had
a very large number of eunuchs
to assist him in his duties.
He was the liaison officer be-
tween the sultan valide and the
The Washington times., 1937-10-30

kadin, who Immediately sends
for the girls who seem to her to
be the most beautiful in every
respect and arrangeS them in a
line from one end Of the room
to the other.
"She then brings in the sui.
tan, who passes before them once
or twice and according to his
pleasure fixes his eye on the one
who attracts him most, and as
he leaves tosses one Of his hand
kerchiefs into her hand.
The queen has her own
apartment Of magnificent rooms,
complete domestic arrangements
are Immediately made for her,
and the sultan allows her a
sufficient income to enable her
to give away and spend lavishly
on anything she may require,
and the whole Of the seraglio
recognizes her position, extend
ing to her much honor and re-
Spect.
The other women, even if
they have children, are not
called queen but only sultana
for having been singled out for
the sultan's pleasure. The only
one made queen is she who is
the mother Of the heir to the
throne.
The Washington times., 1937-10-30
First Step FOruOard

This is her first real step to-
ward the envied position Of a
kadin. From this time the girl
is marked. She is separated
from the rest and is given an
apartment and slaves to her
self.
Meanwhile developments are
awaited, and a message to ap-
pear before the sultan may be
expected any time. Should this
occur, great preparations are
made before she can enter the
room of her lord. One by one
the heads of the different de-
partments are called in to assist.
The keeper of the baths takes
her off first and superintends
her toilet, with massage, sham
pooing, perfuming, and hair
dressing. The shaving Of the
body, dying Of the nails, and
other such details follow. She
now proceeds to the keeper Of
the lingerie, the mistress Of the
robes, the head of the treasury:
and so at last she is ready to
appear.
Now her chance has come.
Every artifice of which the fem
mine mind is capable is put into
play. But first she must cult
vate the sultan's heart.
It has been repeatedly af-
firmed that when kadins or
other favored concubines enter
the sultan's bedroom, which is
not allowed until his majesty
has already retired, they ap-
proach the foot Of the bed, lift
up the coverlet, and raise it to
their forehead and lips. Then
they creep in humbly at the
foot of the bed.
This creeping in at the foot"
The Washington times., 1937-10-30
All Doors Closed

The eunuch on guard outside
the royal bedroom is told Of the
intended visit, and the FORTRESS
inside makes the necessary
preparations.
Care is taken that all doors
and windows between the rooms
of the girl and those Of the
sultan are closed. No one is
allowed to appear, and COM
plete silence is maintained every
where.
Although the sultan almost
always receives the girl in his
suite within the harem, he some
times honorS her by going to her
rooms, in which case he is con-
Quoted there by one Of the black
eunuchs and is received by the
lady and her slaves with the
most profound respect and obei-
Sance.
Speaking of all these matters
in 1904, one Of the rare visitors
to the imperial palace wrote:
". if his majesty should
require one of the girls for his
pleasure or to watch them at
play or hear music, he makes
known his desire to the head
The Washington times., 1937-10-30
Well Treated

These Sultanas who have
given themselves to the 6ultan's
personal enjoyment, have the
further prerogative Of being i'm
mediately raised above the COM
mon level, having rooms and
service assigned to them, and re-
ceive an honorarium Of so much
money a day for their needs.
Besides the harem'S miStreSSes,
pupils, assistants, and kadins,
there were an enormous num-
ber Of women who did the
menial work and were nothing
more than general servants.
The really heavy work, such as
cleaning the floors, passages,
and walls, was left to the
Negresses, while the lighter du-
ties included the cleaning and
care Of the pipes, the repairing
and preserving Of the sofa
cushions, the polishing and pre-
pairing Of the braziers, the care
Of the prayer rugs Of the
mosque, the assisting in the
preparation Of sherbetS and
other dishes.
The mems quarters in the
seraglio, situated close to the
harem, contained large salon
where the sultan sometimes re-
ceived members Of the harem
for his pleasure or to witness
some entertainment.
On such occasions the entire
harem might be admitted, and
music, dances, and mimic, ex-
hibitions would entertain the
assembled throng.
The masSed beauty Of these
women, their dresses Of silk and
satin enhanced with jewelry Of
every description, the richness
Of the furniture, the brilliancy
Of the illumination, the silent
lines Of black eunuchs, and
finally the sultan himself,
seated on the throne in scarlet
robes edged with sable, the room
heavy with the mingled per-
fumes Of the women and the
amber-scented coffee - all this
must have been a sight TO see
The Washington times., 1937-10-30
Place of Intrigue

Except for such diDerSions as
these, and rare trips up the Bos.
porus for q tetD privileged girls,
life in the hGTem must hGve
been dull indeed. 1t must not
be supposed, hoaOeUer, that all
the 1DonIen in the hGrenE mere
content to Nve an NneUentfNl
lite Ioithout trying for some
thing better sometimes
getting it.
The BoSporus can ten many
tales of What happened to
aOom1en a0ho tried-Gnd tailed.
But there 1Oere also the fen 1Dho
tried and succeeded. Curious
as it mag seem, the hGrenI had
an attraction for some 1Donsen.
To them it aDGS q place of IN.
trtgNe, opportunity. IErMry, and
T1cheS.
In fact, In the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries italian
and SiciliGn ,Uomen 1OilIin0Ey let
themselves be sold into the
hGrem tDith the sole purpose Of
intrigue.
The full story Of those count
less harem intrigues will never
be told, nor will the number Of
women drowned in sacks be
known. From all accounts 1t
appears that the stories Of this
nature, which once shocked the
entire civilized world, were in
no way exaggerated.
The drowning Of one or two
women would attract no notice
at all, and everything would be
carried out with silence and dis
patch. The chief black eunuch
would take them to the head
gardener, under whose direction
the hapless females would be put
into sacks weighted with stones.
The Washington times., 1937-10-30
Red Satin Goats

"Their coats were like a sol
dier'S cloak, some of red satin'
and some of blue and some OF
other colors, and fringed with
lace Of a different color. They
wore breeches of cotton wool as
white and fine as muslin, for I
could discern it. These breeches
came down to their midleg.
"some of them wore fine cor
dovan buskins, and some had
their legs naked, with a gold
ring around the ankle, and on
the foot a velvet boot four or
five inches high. I stood so long
looking upon them that he which
had showed me all this kindness
began to be very angry with me.
HE made a wry mouth and
stamped with his foot to make
me give over looking, the which
I was very loath to do, for that
sight did please me wondrous
we'll"
In considering the hGrenI. lDe
are not dealing 1Dtth anything
50 simple as Just a tetO hundred
Uonlen Gt0aittng the pleasure OF
the sultan under the tO1tchtM
eyes of the black eunuchs.
On the contrary, the hGrena
tDas a complicated institution.
hGUing a definite and fixed
number of officers. tDith eUery
Donan occupying a distinct
position according to her age,
status, and the point at 10htch
She mas GTTtOeG tn heT H1Tem
education.
The hGreng must be regarded
as a little kingdom of its ot0rl, a
curious kingdom certainly, but
one in l0hict there lDGS q ruler,
the equivalent of a prime minis
ter, a cabinet, other less tmpor-
tGnt officials connected toith
the governing, and finally the
subjects-GH occupying different
positions, but each being gtUen
some definite Job to do, t0tth q
Italicslin text are editors explanatory
notek
The Washington times., 1937-10-30
800 DrOOned

The gardeners to whom the
duty Of drowning them was COM
mitted then would board q small
rowboat to which was attached
by a rope smaller one In which
the women were placed.
They then would row toward
the open water opposite Seraglio
Point and by several dexterous
jerks Of the rope cause the
smaller boat to capsize. A
eunuch who accompanied the
gardeners would afterward re-
port to the chief black elnuch
the fulfillment Of his orders.
At times, however, q mass
drowning would take place on
the discovery Of some plot to, de-
pose the sultan or similar grave
offense. AS many as 800 women
have been drowned on such an
occasion.
The most terrible case was
during the reign Of Sultan
Ibrahim, who after one Of his
debauches suddenly decided to
drown his complete harem Just
for the fun Of getting a new one
later on.
Accordingly several hundred
women were seized, tied up in
sacks, and thrown into the
BosporuS, Only one escaped.
She was picked. up by a passing
vessel and ultimately reached
Paris.
The Washington times., 1937-10-30
How Harenn
Girl Became
Legal Wife

mother from whom she would
receive all her clothes, money,
food, and jewels.
The tutoress is to a large ex-
tent responsible for her through
out her career and does all she
can to better her condition in
whatever way possible.
Having made good progress
in her own department, the girl
may have the chance of enter.
ing another court which suits
her better.
Perhaps she has developed a
flair for coffee making or keep
ing accounts. In which case q
few carefully placed bribeS may
get her the necessary transfer.
Perhaps, however, her promo
tion has been slow and years
have passed before she arrives
at the head Of her particular
court. In that case she will
probably remain where she is.
But, on the other hand, let us
take the case of the girl who
has started with the mistress Of
the robes, been transferred to
the chief coffee maker, and by a
lucky chance is present on the
occasion of a visit of the sultan
to the sultan valide.
1t is quite sufficient for the
sultan to glance at her approx
ingly or make some trivial re-,
mark about her. Any such sign
of imperial favor is at once
noticed and the epithet guzdeh,
or "in the eye," is at once given
her.
The Washington times., 1937-10-30
Her Triumph

It had been a triumph when
she was allowed to move into
the seraglio with her train Of
slave girls and eunuchs: it was
a much greater one when she
became Suleiman's legal wife.
Not since 1889 had any sui
tan contracted a legal marriage,
and this strange act Of Sulei.
man was regarded with amaze
ment and concern. In the reign
of Selim II so enormous was the
sum set aside for the sultan'S
wife, being sufficient to build
mosques and hospitals, that
marriage was not an attractive
investment. For the same rea-
son the number Of kadlnS was
limited to four.
From his tDhole hGremr, IDIttch
might consist of anything from
300 to 1900 t0omen, the sultan
,Oould haze many tGUorite girls,
termed ikbGlS.
In the euent of the birth OF a
male child and the continued
and groDtng affection of the
sultan, a lucky tkbGI might be
raised to the coveted rank OF a
kGdin.
Although they Were not &C.
tudlly married, the rank of the
The Washington times., 1937-10-30

was obligatory in Constantinople
on a man who had been mar
ried to one of the sultanas. In
these marriages the unfortunate
husband is entirely ruled by his
royal wife and waits outside
until he is summoned.
He then timidly enters.
Every precaution is taken,
however to make the visit Of
the concubine as private as pos
sible, and none Of the other
women may even be aware Of
the choice, and never will know
unless she is made a kadin and
given a suite Of servants Of her
own.
The Washington times., 1937-10-30
Ruler of the H0Ten1

The ruler Of the harem is not
the sultan, not the first favorite,
nor any Of the concubineS, but
the sultan's mother. known as
the sultan valide.
The Turks recognize that q
man can have many wives, that
he can get rid Of unwanted ones
and take others at will, but that
he can have only one mother,
and it is she, therefore, who
occupies the unique place Of
honor that nothing can alter
save death.
To her are entrusted the most
personal and private belongings
of her son-his women.
The power of the sultan
valide is enormous, not only in
the harem but throughout the
entire empire. AS is only to be
imagined, there is ceaseleSs
warfare between the Sultan'S
mother and his official favorites,
called the kadins,
The most ambitious woman in
the harem is not she who is
content to reach the high posi-
ton of first kadin, but she who
hopes, plots, and prays to be-
come one day the sultan valide,
for then she is not merely ruler
of the harem and of the seraglio
palace but, if she Is strong and
her son weak, may even rule the
kingdom as well.
No better example of the
power and influence member
of the harem might acquire
could be given than that of the
Russian slave girl known in
western Europe as Roxelana.
So great was her influence
over Sultan Suleiman that the
question of her becoming sultan
valide never arose. Bit by bit
Roxelana removed all obstacles
in her path. About 1541 she had
persuaded the sultan to let her
live with him in the seraglio in
stead of remaining in the old
palace, although at this time she
was only second kadin.
After the death of Suleiman's
mother only two rivals remained
the first kadin and the grand
vizier. who, according to some
accounts, had been the original
owner of Roxelana.
Plots and counterplots were
laid; the first kadin was dis
placed and practically eXiled,
her son was murdered in a man.
ner that leaves little doubt as to
Roxelana's completely in the
business, and Suleiman had the
grand vizier executed for no ap-
parent reason.
The Washington times., 1937-10-30

girls. With the general run
ming Of the harem he was not
directly concerned, however.
That was relegated to the female
cabinet, or privy council, as it
might be called.
This was led by a lady stew
ardess, or lady administrator,
who was usually regarded as
deputy head of the harem, tenn
porarily acting as a kind of head
housekeeper and manageresS.
The Washington times., 1937-10-30

When I came to the wall it
was very thick and grated on
both sides with iron very
strongly; but through the crate
I did see 80 of the sultan's con-
cubines that were playing with
q ball in another court. At the
first sight of them I thought
they were young men, but when
I saw the hair of their heads
hang down on their backs,
plated together, with a tassel
of small pearl, hanging in the
lower end, and by other plain
tokens I did know them to be
women, and very pretty ones
indeed.
They wore upon their heads
nothing but a little cap OF cloth
of gold, which did but cover the
The Washington times., 1937-10-30
II GIRL sits beside a

III heGUy 10O0d e n
table in a small room.
She is II gears old, with
long raUen-black hair
and flashing dark eyes.
Her eyebrows have obOi-
ously been painted to ap-
pear even blacker than
they naturally are, and
her tanned cheeks blush
with rouge. Her nails
shine in Iacquered pink
as her mimble fingers go
about their a0ork grind
ing coffee. On the air,
intermingIed aVith the
coffee fumes, is the lush
odor of rose petals.
Such sUas a typical
harem girl in the SUI
tan's imperial palace of
old Constantinople-G1d
such is the leading char
ucter In today's story.
For now at last Mr.. Pen
ger brings us to the heart
of his subject and aOe are
treated to 1Ukat Is prob
ably the most intimate
and the most accurate
picture of harem life eVer
1UrItten.