davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10
OUR DUTY TO ARMENIA
Will the United States Attempt to
Check a Hideous Crime?
ro the EdLtor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
sir. There seems 20 be no doubt now that
one Of the blacklist crimes Of history is being
committed in Asia Minor to-day before the
very eyes Of our representative. who IS help
less TO do anything TO prevent IT, The Turk
ish government. unchecked and unafraid. IS
wiring out the entire Armenian population.
Much though we would like to take com
fort in the thought Of possible eXaggeratlon
in the reports published. evidence, both d.
rect and crcumstantial. is fast accumulat-
ing showing that this diabolical plan OF
annihilation is being executed with vi
ciousness and cruelty unparalleled even IN
the annals Of that martyr nation. Massacres,
deportation, forced conversions to Mahome-
tansm. have already strewn the plains OF
Armenia with the corpses Of hundreds OF
thousands of innocent men. women and chll-
dren. have filed the Turkish harems all over
the country with young, hapless women, "ho'
with faith and honor violated. are IN the
throes Of worse than death.
What are we doing here in this country
10 save tho remnant Of this unfortunate
race? SO far our press has not spoken as
the occasion calls for Our government has
taken refuge behind diplomatic technicai
tiles. 1t is "A strange and sad spectacle this
lchNlUE ~ NUOlt UdllNn " w 'NN'A '''''''''
without making any serious effort to save IT.
When history records this great tragedy
il will not fail 10 note that contemporary
with this atrocious crime at the head Of the
greatest republic of The time was man
who championed the cause Of humanity even
at the risk of going to war with the might
est military power of the day Postcritv
will wonder that such horrible thing as
n M
at a time when men like Roosevelt, Taft.
Bryan, Root were still mighty forces in the
democracy able to move the multitude at
the clarion call Of duty.
And if it is not the sacred duty Of this
nation to protect this poor nation and pre-
vent their wholesale murder, whose is IL?
For almost a century the United States
has sent men and money to educate and
elevate this ancient Christian people All
over Asia Minor American colleges, high
schools, hospitals. newspapers speak elo-
quently Of the deep interest this country
has taken in their fate. They also stand
as an earnest of the protection they natu-
rally expect us to extend TO them at this time
Of supreme crisis when the work Of a CEN
fury is being undone and their existence as
nation is threatened.
The United States must act.
There is more reason now for prompt ac-
ton than there was when the Lusitania was
sunk This is a far greater disaster Our
responsibility as the custodians Of the
rights and ideals OF humanity is greater.
If we are going TO stand aside AZ the bid
ding of the murderer and look upon this
crime unmoved because the victims were
not American citizens, then let us cease
talking of humanity and Christianity. They
mean nothing if they do not urge US on to
the rescue. h. VI.
New York, Oct. 3, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10
The Vital Issue.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: ] have received the inclosed com
municaton from the publishers of THE Vital
ISSUE" Park Row Building, New York.
This communication contains the following
paragraph:
"Our magazine was called into existence
when, at the outbreak Of the war, the entire
Anglo-American press sided with one party
Of the warning nations and, setting aside
truth and justice, allowed itself to be used
as a tool for misleading public opinion in
the United States"
"The Vital Issue" no doubt considers The
Tribune one of those tools for misleading
public opinion in the United States" This
suggestion of the absurd obsession Of these
people-the worse than ridiculous and puerle
assumption that the larger part of the Ameri.
can press and of the American people, in
Guiding those that would be ranked as among
the wisest most intelligent, best informed
men and women in the world, and (in reality
the heads of our government-should or
could be so misled, misinformed, warped in
judgment, blind to the vital" issues at stake
such an assumption and assertion would
in itself be enough to make any intelligent
American think that those that support the
cause for which "The Vital Issue" stands are
themselves either "misled" and misnformed
or are subsidized in the interest of the
setting aside of truth and justice"
At the top of this letter from THE Vital
Issue" appears this: "What is my duty %
"The demand of the hour" my duty" is to
be a real American, just that, all of that,
and everything thereby implied. "The de-
mand OF the hour" is for Americans to rec
ognize the clear and compelling demands of
the fundamental principles of truth, justice,
honor and humanity. as exemplifed in their
violation by the invasion of Belgium and by
the sinking of the Lusitania and in a score
OF other barbarous crimes; also, that the
vital issue" is not mere victory or defeat
for England or for Germany. but warfare
of principles and systems that are as far
apart as the ethical and spiritual principles
of George Washington or the one hand and
Bismarck. Treitschke, Bernhard and the
Kaiser on the other The American people
know their duty" and the demand of the
hour" W. h. WATTS.
Haledon, ~ j.. Oct. /, 1915
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10

for the status Of employees directly on
local authorities, thus eliminating reason
or excuse for appeals by civil service en-
ployes to the Legislature for special ia
vors. is thoroughly justified. This is one
Of the strongest points in the home rule
article. and should be especially popular
in this city. where school teachers, court
clerks and other employees have contrib
uted vastly TO the jumps in the city's bud
get because they wheeded favors out Of
careless legislatures. City employees with
a worthy case need never fear injustice
from elected city officials. If they have
not a worthy case. assuredly they should
not be able 70 obtain improper favors
from the Legislature.
The department reorganization features
Of the constitution and the elimination Of
the Senate confirmation of executive ap-
pointments. to a considerable degree. APP
probably take state Offices out of the job
grabbing or spoils class. To that extent
this new constitution provides for a fuller
compliance with the spirit Of the civil ser
vice law. For that IL merits the Civil Ser
vice Reform Associations support and
that Of all good citizens who see in gov
crnment something more than jobs for the
faithful.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10

they are obliged to swallow the pill, too.
In its forcible denuncation Of the Press
Bureau THE Pail Mall Gazette is right
in saying that when it suppresses un-
pleasant news for the sake Of preserving
an atmosphere of false optimism. it is per-
petrating a combination of insult and IN
Jury which the country has every right
TO resent"
But it is not only in such matters that
the Press Bureau sins. One London news
paper complains that in a dispatch OF
its own all tributes to the fighting quail
tiles of the German troops were care
fully excised. while similar tributes to
British proves were allowed to stand.
Could anything be more puerile and con-
tcmptible? But sometimes, unaccountably.
censorship extends to deeds greatly to the
credit of British arms. The newspapers
are not allowed to print half of what they
know about the fleet. Only the other
lay a member Of Parliament asked the
Home Secretary why it was that naval
Jews Coutu blbti ut dCluiitN pIiiS ~ N"'
of New York. We have all heard about
the number of German submarines sup
posed to have been destroyed. The story
mas been published everywhere in this
country and it is probably well known IN
England Here then is clear instance of
news that cannot be kept from the Ger
mans supposng it to be desirable to keep
il from them. Yet no English paper was
allowed to publish it.
1t may be that the First Lord Of the
Admiralty and the Secretary of State for
War are responsible largely for the gen
eral policy of the censors in naval and
military matters. but it is difficult to avoid
the conclusion that in large measure the
work of the Press Bureau is attributable
to ignorant subordinates, governed in the
main by whim or sheer stupidity
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10
Lofty Auda city

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: The points in to-day's editorial on the
threatened unfriendly relations between Tur-
ley and the American people in case our
government should make formal representa-
ton TO the Porte in regard to the Armen-
ian prosecutions are well taken. They are
sound automatically and periodically. And
yet, am disappointed in the stand The Trib-
une has taken on this question.
Does not the extraordinary character OF
the situation justify us 20 take an extraor-
binary attitude? Virtually a whole nation
has been wiped out" declared James Bryce
yesterday in the House of Lords, and he did
not suppose there was any case in history OF
crime so hideous and on so large a scale"
Does not the law Of nations, as understood
before the German barbarism burst upon civ
ilization, Justify at least protest against
the conduct of government guilty of 50
atrocloUs u crime carried out. in defiance OF
humanity, on such gantic scale?
Let Us register officially our sense of alb
horrence. short OF war. and let the future
generations read with pride the lofty audac-
ity Of their fathers. G.. H. PAPAZIAN
New York, Oct. 7. 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10
A Suggestion to Mr.. Moss.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Many are watching with anxiety the
course of Mr.. Frank Moss with reference 10
the Office OF District Attorney. Mr. Ander-
son, state superintendent of the Anti-Saloon
League OF New York, declares that Mr. Moss
is clean. high grade Christian man, but he
is doing more TO insure the triumph of Tam
many than all the ssoonkeepers. thugs
gamesters and gunner sheltered under its
wing can do it for"
Does Mr.. Moss forget how General Ben
jamin +. Tracy, at the instigaton of Mr.
Plat, ran for Mayor Of New York against
Mr.. Abram s. Hewitt whom good citizens
would have elected to Office and thus divided
the friends of good government and put Tam
many in power?
II is highly important that Mr. Murphy
and company be prevented from controlling
the District Attorneys Office. May we not
hope that Mr.. Moss will yet pause in his
course, deny himself in noble, Christian
spirit. turn his back upon those who, mis-
takeny or desgnedly. would urge him on in
his present endeavors, for the good of New
York? He thus will gain both inward salts
faction and the appreciation of mis- fellow
citizens. JOHN X. JONES.
Metuchen, y. j., Oct 7, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10
Fish Stories.

Occasionally we turn from the popular
magazines to spend a pleasant and profit
able hour with the trade journals. There
is. for instance, our neighbor the weekly
Fishing Gazette 1t is not devoted TO
the interests of the amateur fisherman,
hut Exclusively to the commercial fish
cries and natural history of fish" The
issue before us appeals to our appetite
and warns it; il throws light on the naval
war in Europe, end on the effect of Orders
in Council on prices and supply; it sug-
gests romance TO those who look for it,
aud it has literary touch withal. "A
number of the late Rupert Brooke's
poems were about fish," it says, and prints
one of them to prove it, And il notes Sir
Arthur CUTLER COUGHS latest novel, which
is all about the fishermen of Cornwall.
Of most interest to US, however. is the
information that the American govern
ment has undertaken "the reformation of
the Norwegian sardine." If the critter
needs to be reformed, ours is the govern
ment to do it-by watchful waiting, if
necessary. 1t IS, no doubt, with the same
high purpose that the British government
ais going after Norwegian packers more
and more, and threatens to hold up all
shipments of tin plate, olive oil, ETC., I'M
less they sign an agreement not to sell TO
Germany" Such solicltude over the dan
ger to the enemy's stomach from unregen-
crate Norwegian sardines is touching. II
forms an impressive contrast to the policy
Of frightfulness. But-oh, Oscar! the
caviar trade is dead A hundred millions
Of us must do without our favorite appe-
tier between dances. War is cruel!
AS for foreign mackerel: Last years
goods are getting pretty well cleaned up
We hastily turn the page. Thar she blows
Thar she breaches More sperm whales
have been caught this year than ever be-
fore" on the Pacific Coast. Two thousand
three hundred British trawlers are now
hunting submarines around the British
Isles. The price of Dutch herring has gone
Up nearly 100 per cent-and the Kaiser
has cut down his leges' daily allowance OF
beer!
Hurrah, hoys Mr.. Blank, the popular
wholesale and commission clam dealer of
Fulton Market, is home after a vacation
Of two weeks. See his advertisement or
another page of "The Gazette"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10
Degrees of Fame.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir; To many people the appointments to
the Hall of Fame have been a good deal of
joke from the start.
The crowd of New England college men
who control the voting do not seem to know
Just what is meant by fame
John Paul Jones, Stonewsl Jackson. Phil.
Sheridan, all men of great fame. arc quickly
rejected to make room for Francis Henry,
Francis Parkman, Francis )or is it Mark y
Hopkins and so on. Note the names OF
men kept out for years 20 make place for
Mann. Gray, Claiming, Brooks and many
other highly respectable New Englanders
Why not establish a real Hall Of Fame
and let Congress, the Electoral College. or
some other representative and qualified body
make the selections. voting for famous men,
and not merely I'LL places with college
SPECIALISTS? Then we will have real Hail
of Fame. made up Of famous men. and not
list of men some Of whom make their first
acquaintance with fame when they make
their bow in the hall, and who in some cases
are famous" only to their former pupils
]. A. BANGS.
New York Oct 1918
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10
No Tips for Officials.
O the Editor of The Tribune.

o the LultOT OF Inc tribune.
Sir: 1t is not surprising that system OF
graft based On the expectance of tips, in the
Naturalization Bureau has been discovered
similar to that found not long ago in the
Marriage License Bureau. Such a system
more OF less suggests itself when the average
foreigner, at best child in the hands OF
otiic!aldom, is thrown into contact with bu-
reaus and officials invested with powers little
understood by him.
Not that such powers are impressed upon
him with any Of the dignity or pomp asso-
ciated with his European experience. A
friend of mine, applying for first papers, had
the oath administered by an official who was
heying his shoes shined A very necessary
reform should be made in this matter Of
dignity, for beginning with such an expert
ence the foreigner cannot fail to become
cynical about the sovereign powers and prvi-
leges of his new country, and thus he rapidly
becomes the uninteligent readily bribed
voter known from Tammany Hall to Sa /
Francisco.
A simple remedy would be to post definite
notices in al the foreign languages through
out the registration halls, and this should be
Federal rule throughout the country. When
a city institution, where one least expects to
find such notices, explicitly says, as does the
New York Public Library that no tips are
to be given for any services rendered by its
employees, think there are many more city
state and Federal institutions where this
simple rule would obviate any such evils.
NATURALIzED CITIZEN.
New York, Oct. s, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10

quite competent to appraise and evaluate.
Indeed, they have already done so. Mr..
Mitchell and Mr. Prendergast have announced
their opinion that the scheme has justified
Itself and that their intention is TO spread its
use throughout the greater city.
Il is unfortunate for Mr.. Writ that the
financial aspect of his scheme has been so
vastly oyeremphasized Probably he would
wish to be delivered from his friends in
the Controllers Office. Indeed so far as the
casual reader of newspapers is able to judge,
the question mas passed from the field OF
education altogether into that of finance.
Certainly this is most regrettable, for the
device is primarily educational and only
secondarily and incidentally financial. As
applied to a great and cosmopolitan school
population, the system has yet to demon
strate its value To PREJUDICE the case now
is gross injustice TO Mr.. Writ as well as
a stupendous educational blunder.
LOUIS B. COIN.
The Bronx, Oct 5, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10
Fix the Responsibility!

Mr.. Wallstein, Commissioner Of Ac-
counts, reports to Mayor Mitchell that the
recent subway collapses occurred because
Of inadequate supporting structure. In
other words. the work was improperly
done and the public was not efficiently
protected. There seems to be fairly gen
eral agreement of engineering experts on
that theory. The Mayors commission OF
consultants Immediately ordered addi-
tional supports and diagonal bracing for
many sections of work before streets
were permitted to be reopened TO trafflc'
Eight persons lost their lives in the
Seventh Avenue collapse, one in the
Broadway accident, and there were many
injured more or less seriously. District
Attorney Perkins is conducting an in
vestigation. but something more than that
seems to he required Indictments and a
criminal prosecution ought to result. Re
sponsibility for these deaths should be
fixed and made to stick.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10
Civil Service and the Constitution.

The resolution of approval of the new
constitution adopted by the executive
committee of the Civil Service Reform
Association specifies many points of value
in that document. It retains the present
civil service provision. IL also establishes
the State Civil Service Commission as a
constitutional body, eliminates Senatorial
courtesy in connection with many appoint
ments 10 Office makes ripper legislation
very difficult, permits municipalities 10
improve the relations Of employees to the
government, disposes Of appeals by en-
ployes to the Legislature for special legis-
lation and strengthens administration in
other ways" These are solid and sub
stantial advantages, falling within the
scope OF work Of the association, which
cause that body to commend the constitu
ton to its members and to voters gen
orally.
There can hardly be question, even from
the opponents of the new constitution
about the propriety Of making the Stat,
Civil Service Commission q constitutions
body. Whatever safeguards may lie il
freedom from political attack and dicker
ing are due to that branch Of work which
because Of It's very nature induces assault
from politicians seeking to grab jobs il
defiance Of the law Moreover, the con
tinuity Of service provided for the com
mission, in addition TO the tranquility o.
protection from department-reorganizin.
legislators, is bound 10 be Of value to IN,
state. The Sulzer Civil Service Commits
sion-the most lamentable spectacle IN,
state has ever seen in that feld-wa,
dangerous not alone for its vicious as
sauts on the law in the interest Of poli
tics but for rs complete ignorance ever
OF routine civil service administration.
The associations praise Of the home
rule provision which places responsibility
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10
Fame.

To John Paul Jones, one of the coun
try's heroes, has been denied an election
TO the Hall of Fame. That will not tar
nish the glory of that gallant officer His
ringing defiance Of his country's enemies
q have not yet begun to fight" will still
inspire patriotism in every American OF
spirit and red blood.
The commander of the Bonhommt
Richard was not too proud to fight. II
ne had been, perhaps he might have wor
entrance to the Hall of Fame
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10
London in the Dark.


Berlin will be gratifed to learn Of the
new regulations providing for further re
duction in the lighting Of London. For
many months past illumination has been
considerably restricted. and from all &C
counts the streets were dismal enough at
night: but apparently the recent air raid
has convinced those in authority that ex-
traordinary precautions are desirable, and
now street lamps are reduced TO mini
mum and shopkoepers and householders
arc threatened with severe penalties If
they suffer an undue amount Of light to
stream from their windows. 1t Is said
that under the new conditions it is diff
cult task for pedestrians to find their way
about the streets at night-even for old
inhabitants, accustomed though they are
o. fogs.
The recent reorganization of the Royal
Naval Air Service will undoubtedly be at
tributed to the same cause, and the Ger
mans will rejoice exceedingly at these IN
willing tributes to the skill and daring Of
Their Zeppelin commanders. As it must
iv now be plain TO the more observant
that the submarines have been failure,
and that less and less can be expected Of
them in future, so there will be a ten
dency to depend on the airship as the most
trustworthy instrument Of frightfulness
in the punishment of England.
Those who direct the air raids have
made the most Of their exploits, and the
German public. it seems, is fed with the
most amazing stories of the damage done.
But even if the British official reports
were accepted. the German populace
would probably be satisfied. The killing
Of 100 civilians. even though many Of them
are only women and children, would be
welcomed by considerable number as a
just and reasonable punishment for Brit
ssh wickedness. For it cannot be doubted
that such writer's as the fantastic Revent-
low represent a considerable body Of Ger
man opinion. and though Germany's mill
tary leaders must know that in a mill
tary sense the most successful of the raids
on England was futile, yet the stimulat-
ing effect of such adventures on the mag
ination of a somewhat childish people is
by no means inconsderable
In the early days of the war the danger
Of the Zeppelin was undoubtedly underes-
timated. for the same reason, perhaps, as
in the case Of the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES few
believed that it would be used against non
combatants. 1t is clear that the raids on
London are purely punitive, despite the
imaginative account given by recent raid
er Of the way in which he selected objects
Of attack The area of London is between
six and seven hundred square miles, and in
the ten minutes at his disposal we may
be sure that the bomb thrower, pursued
by shrapnel and perplexed by score Of
sea-chlights, was not over-nice in the dis
trihution of his missiles.
1t will satisfy the average German that
he succeeded in doing a good deal Of dam
age and frightened London into taking
further precautions. The precautions are
but reasonable. 1t may be recalled that
during the Spanish war even the harbor
Of New York was darkened until Ger
vera's feet had been satisfactorily &C
tsI fCr
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-10
The End of the War.
LFIom "a Dmdce Adrolis,r.I

IFTOW TIC UHHdcc AdrOflS'TJ
Precedcnts and figures can prove every
thing to the satisfaction of those who wish
10 believe. BY an ingenious reckoning the
war is 10 end on November II. The war be-
tween Germany and France terminated by a
treaty of peace signed on May 10. 1871
10.5lS7D. Now if you add 1870 and 1871
You get a toal Of 374l. This works out and
z equal 10 and and equal ;. In other words
the 10th day Of the 9th month of the year BE-
the same process 1914 and 1915 give a total
OF $3.50 This works out at 3 and equal IL.
and ? and equal IL. That is TO say, the lin
day OF the nth month. or November II. 1t is
on that date that the war is TO finish. But
will IL?