davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
L0AvEs FOR BREAD LINE To.DAY
Tom Merry sure of 2,OOO-Hopes for
More.

Tom Merry and Dick Bright, distrihu.
tiers Of bread At the free bread depot NJ
THE SUN at First street, spent a restless
and fidgety Sunday because the bread sta
ton WAS closed yesterday. II isn't IN '9e
nature OF things for them TO be idle ana
II isn't in their nature 10 be doing any
thing that doesn't help the poor and un-
fortunate OF the Bowery or any Other
thoroughfare of the city.
When they left the First street bread
depot on Saturday they did so win
tho knowledge that arrangements had a'-
ready been made for the delivery OF 1000
loaves Of bread to-day. so that no mater
what happens-rain or snow-tho supply
for the first day OF the week will be N
hand when the bread line opens AT T. NJ.
or shortly before that hour II the numn.r
of women In line Is so great that ~ clogs
up the traffic OF the little street As "a
matter of fact Tom Merry and Dick
Bright say that the greatest traihc tH''"
consists OF the long line OF hungry mon
and women moving in and out ~ the
bread station.
Tom Merry was unable to make any ~
tations in his memorandum book Of money
contributions to the bread fund yesterday
because 1t was Sunday. To-day, how,yDr.
he hopes that the mail will bring lu sum
cient contributions TO make II necessary ''r
his stubby little pencil to perform lengthy
gymnastics. Checks or money for '."
bread fund should be made PAYABLE 20
THE SUN and should be sent to the man
office in THE SUN Building.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
BRYAN.
A Consideration Of the Responsibility
for His Power

To THE EDITOR or THE SuN--sir. Would
that Mr.. Bryan could "be knocked into a
cooked hat these were the words writ
ten to the late Adrian H. Joine by Wood
row Wilson. who has since placed the
same Bryan in the most responsible OK
ecutivo position to which II was in his
power to appoint man.
The apologists OF MIR. Wilson say he
mad TO do II In order to secure the pas
sage OF needed legislation why, II
Bryan Is an ethical enough man for Secre-
tary OF State. would he block legislation
needed By his country
Therefore the Bryan whom Mr. wilson
put next TO the Vice-President in order
OF succession to the Chief Magistracy
must be one all made over new; perhaps
seven years had elapsed between the letter
and the appointment, for we are told that
after seven years there Is a complete re-
Versal Of our physical makeup.
But why blame Bryan? He couldn't
help being born and cannot help being
just what he is lie didn't sign the APP
pointment making himself Secretary OF
State.
Therefore may II be asked: Were the
reasons for his appointment, whatever
they may have been. worth knocking him
into the State Department rather than
Into n cooked hat? RATfocINAT1os.
NEW YoRK. January ia.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
Are Americans Dcgenerating?

The pesslmistic statements regarding
the reduced vitality of the American PEG.
pie made TO the American Association
for the Advancement OF Science are cal.
culated to excite not only wonder but
incredulity. They seem to be based on
a theory of what might be or ought 10
be rather than what Is. Or. EUGENE
FISK, director Of hygiene at the Life
Extension Institute OF this city, blamcs
it all on the swift social and industrial
pace OF the day. lie says It has re-
duced the vitality of Americans To
point far below the standard OF Great
Britain and the other nations of Eu-
rope. The American OF 1914 is far
below the physical standards of his
progenitors," he says.
Now the simplest and perhaps the
most effective reply to all this Is COM
parison of deaths Of recent years. The
latest Census Bureau figure available
shows a rate of 14.2 in the thousand
for the country at large. According 10
"Whitaker's Almanac" the rate for
the British Islands for that year was
14.S. The British rate for 1912 Is lower,
1873, but the average for the two years
Is still a shade above the American
rate for 1911. Figures as late as 1905
and 1906 for Continental countries show
that only Denmark, 1875, and Norway,
1877, had rates below that OF the United
States. The other peoples ranged from
Sweden with IA to Austria with % in
the thousand.
Whether industry with It's shortening
hours is putting any extra strain on the
American hand worker may be doubted.
Even where he Is speeded up and the
practice is far from universal. he tolls
for fewer hours a day than his father,
and probably 30 per cent. less than his
GRANDPA ther. The conditions OF cont
mercial life in this country, with the
short day and free evenings, are far
more favorable 10 health than the long
hours and living-in systems which pre-
vail more or less everywhere else. As
to the professional man, the captain of
trade or industry, the brain worker,
no doubt he takes all he dare out of
himself to-day and in this country;
but where and when, in what age or
land did this class ever spare itself?
AS for the social whirl which Is SC
easily and 80 copiously condemned, are
there not two sides to the question OF
It's effects? Granting for the sake OF
argument that It involves some physl-
cal expenditure by Its votarles, some
lnjudlcious dieting and insufficient
sleeping, are not its effects considerably
overrated? AS a matter of dull every.
day experience only small percentage
Of the community overindulges in any
manner, The Great White Way Is the
steady haunt of perhaps fifty or hun-
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
Ired thousand of New Yorks Ave mill.

dred thousand OF New York's Ave mill
Ion people and two million neighbors,
the rest Of the throng being made up Of
occaslOnals and out OF town innocents
Just seeing what it's like" The vast
majority of people take their recrea-
ton mildly and sparingly. But even IN
the case OF the seeker for pleasure the
question remains whether the mode Of
life is wholly detrimental; excluding
the rare cases of gross excess. Tho
mental and nervous stimulation Of the
gay life often seems to offset the wear
and tear Of drudgery; may 1t not oper-
ate beneficlally to keep up fire and
energy and prolong life by increasing
interest In 1t?
All these considerations cited apply
mainly to city life, but presumably this
Is what is In controversy. Rural stand
ards, whether OF work or play, have
not changed greatly in generation,
and such change as there is can only
be regarded as for the better 1t would
be absurd to talk Of reduced stamina IN
the country jewellers or OF causes Of re-
cent origin tending thereto. This is, II
anything, an urban question. But look
ing over the younger and young men of
the cities It would be difficult to see
signs OF physical deterioration among
them. Their productivity In work,
their success In sport, their appearance
Of strong masculinlty, Of bodily force
and mental alertness, Of will and as
sertlon, are daily, hourly reply TO the
theory of decline. Above all, the con.
trast between the young women Of 90
day and those of a generation ago seems
characteristic. The pale, frall, pretty,
delicate creature Of the '7Os and sos
has given place to the tall, robust out.
door girl, with her healthy face, her
vigorous stride and supreme polse she
Is at once the hope and the pride Of
the race to-day.
The scientist may see something I'M
der the surface that escapes the lay.
man. He may have a perfect provision
Of coming decay. But so long as the
Board Of Health reports steady down
ward tendency in the city's death rate
and so long as life alternately marches
and dances forward day by day, with
assertive vigor and aggressive enjoy.
ment, It will be hard to persuade New
Workers at least that the population is
going 20 the demnition bow-wows."
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
To Keep the People Informed.

Why should there not be a perma-
nent commission to keep the people of
the United States informed about the
strength and equipment Of the army
and navy for defence? Mr.. LODGE in
his exhaustive speech In the Senate on
Friday proposed commission of nine
to inquire into the state OF the mill
tary forces for the information OF the
country, three members to be appointed
by the President, President and
Speaker respectively. "If the people"
said Senator LODGE, ARE to pass intelll.
gently upon this Question-and I am
sure that they feel very deep inter
est in it-they should have the facts
presented TO them in clear and con
densed form and as n result OF an ex-
animation conducted by men in whose
ability, honesty and good judgment
they have entire confidence"
For the emergency this is an excel
lent suggestion, and the report OF such
n commission would compel Congress
to consider the needs of both services
anu hticliSthtu lculIoIdTly Inc Hd-
tional defences: but how long would 1t
be before the interest OF Congress In
the matter waned and the people we're
lulled into the old false sense of Sc
curity? At this session there will be
certain amount Of army and navy leg.
islatlon in response to urgent recon-
mcndations, chiefly for the reason that
publicity has exposed alarming def
clencies, but il will fall far short OF
what should he done to put the coun-
try In an adequate state Of prepared.
ness for a defensive war.
We have General Board OF the Navy
whose advice is regularly dispa aged
because y is . professional hody. We
have General STAFF of the Army whose
recommendations often fall upon deaf
ears for the same reason. But a COM
mission composed OF civilians as well
as army and navy officers and appointed
in the manner suggested by Mr. LODGE
would be more likely to command n
hearing and he needed.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
OIL CITY'S ROAST.
There the Mosquito Never AnnOys the
Seeker After Pleasure.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-ST: Tell
the man who wants to know whether
there Is any locality where mosquitoes are
unknown that In OIL City and vicinity
the mosquito Is never seen.
lie can go fishing without having IN
build a bonfire or wear a mosquito proof
head net. and sit In the parks and hear the
band play without endangerng his reputa-
ton by giving way to profanity.
And, by the way. the dearth OF mosqui-
toes IL not the only ono OF the pleasant
features OF the "oi country" There are
others which | might enumerate, but tho
Connecticut man should come and see for
himself q. w l..
OIL CITY, Pa, January l6.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
MRS. BILLTOPS'S ALMANAC.
A Request That Reminded MIR. u. How
Fast the Years Go By.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUS-Sir. Mrs.
Billtops said 10 me this morning: Ezra,
you haven't got my almanac yet"
don't know why II Is. but Mrs. Bin
tops can't get along without an almanac !:
every year. in December. l bring in one
for her for the next year and now ! said
to her: 81 certainly have brought one
in: hut. NO" she says mo. Ezra, YOU
certainly have not" and then ] realized
that what she said was true. that the
last one | got was in December, 1918, the
almanac for 1914. Time goes so fast to
me now that really II had seemed but a
few days since | got that one. and when
she spoke I thought that | had brought
in the one for 1915.
! must certainly attend to that to-day.
II Is the old Farmers Almanac that !
get for her, though why she prefers that
one Is another mystery 10 me. But I will
get II to-day, sure, and take 1t home with
me when ! go tonight.
EZRA @. BILLToPs.
New York. January IS.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
Certain Aspects of Mexican Liberty.

In all the newspapers of yesterday
the subjoincd news despatch had a de
servedly conspicuous place:
"sAN ANTONIO Tex, Jan. 16.-GUsrAv
HERNANDEZ and Francisco YTURRIA, nat
uralized Americans Of Donna, Hldalgo
county. Tex, have been executed by order
~ General CARRANsA at Rio Bravo, ac-
cording to notifications received by the
families OF tho men"
We reprint this terse record Of an in
cldent in the progress of the Mexican
people in order that It may be read
with few sentences selected from an
address delivered by the President OF
the United States on January 8:
81 hold it as a fundamental principle.
and so do you, that every people has the
right to determine Its own form OF gov
eminent. and until this recent revolution
in Mexico. until the end Of the Diaz reign
30 per cent of the people OF Mexico never
had look in in determining who should
he their Governors or what their Govern
ment should be.
Now / am for the so per cent. II is
your business how long they take in de-
termining it. 1t Is none OF my business
and It is none OF yours how they go about
the business.
The country is theirs, the Government
Is theirs, and the liberty, IL they can get II,
and COB speed them in getting II, Is
theirs and 30 far as my influence goes,
while l am President. nobody shall inter
fere with II.
That is what | mean by a great emo
ton NJ sympathy DO YOU suppose that
the American people are ever going to
count small amount OF material benefit
and advantage to people doing business
in Mexico against. the liberties and the
permanent happiness of the Mexican
people?"
This explanation Of our attitude to.
ward Mexican affairs may never have
fallen under the eyes of GUSTAV HER
NANpEz and Francisco YTuRRIA. We
can only hope 1t did, for with it in their
minds they must have gone out to ex-
ecution with a high and sustaining con.
ception of the significance Of their fate.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
PRICES AND PROFITS.
or talicocs. Hardware and Theatre Tick-
cts. Active Dimes and slow Dollars.

To THE EDITOR oF THE SuN-Sir. Tho
explanation made by we'll known play
wright VINO recently flied a petition In vol
untary bankruptcy that the reason for his
financial difficulty was because OF NOV
Ing pictures, the European war and poor
business in general. is somewhat like the
man who years ago kept a dry goods
store In Newark. and up to tho time OF
the civil war enjoyed the cream OF So
Ciety trade. But when prices dropped he
vowed he would never sell his calicoes at
prices below those which were ruling in
his store at the time. and he kept his
word and his stock, Twenty years after
ward when he was gathered to his fore
fathers, the calico was auctoned OF at
far less than It's original cost.
The comparison between aged calicoes
and theatrical bankruptcy might not seem
properly considered, hut when anything
is kept long In stock and does not move
Il is an indication OF bankruptcy not far
distant. 1t is sad II plays that may pos
sibly call for n considerable outlay in
costumes. scenery, &c, fail TO run for
any length OF time. and hence the theatre
cal managers in their desire to mako hay
while the sun shines boost the prices and
seem to be satisfied with the long, yawn-
ing gaps OF empty seats in the So and
Sl50 rows, while the lower priced seats
are sold.
Managers advertise that tickets are
only procurable hNe or more weeks in
advance, when as n matter OF fact were
one TO drop In almost any time he would
find many seats unoccupied which means
unsold, because OF the managers desire
to fool the theatregoers by making them
believe they can only get tickets so many
weeks I'm advance, and after all this riot
Gus advertising tho house still shows
varying degrees OF emptiness. Reducing
the prices would pack the house night
after night As n truthful comparison 10
show that the nimble dime is better than
a sleeping dollar one need only 20 to tho
five and ten cent stores to see the crowds
pushing their way in and out. giving
profit on the sale OF the low priced goods
as against the old line hardware and gem
eral stores. many OF which have laid of
their clerks because there is no business
I have been in both lines OF mercantile
pursuit, and find that more money can be
made at the lesser figure than at the high
prices with fewer callers TO respond
one means plenty and tho other lack
HIRAM.
GLEN RIDGE, n. j. January 16.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
Unemployment and Hysteria.


Nothing could be more unfortunate
than the oUtburst of sentimental frenzy
in which the Rev. JOHN HAYNES
HOLMES of the Church of the Messiah
INDUCED on Friday at and after the
meeting of the Board of Estimate. 1t
was wrongheaded and mischievous. 1t
was calculated TO excite the very
vlolences which Mr.. HOLMES professed
10 dread. 1t furnished ammunition to
professional meters of riot.
Mr.. HOLMES belongs to that section
of the community which should always
be on the side OF law and order. He Is
the sort of man who should have his
passions and impulses under control
when he lifts up his voice to guide the
public. His profession should be
guarantee that his utterances would
always be just and fair and never I'M
charitable. When such a man gives
way to hysteria and demands the I'M
reasonable. the Illegal. the impossible;
when he lmputes TO conscientious Off
Gals. trying to do their best. the blame
for conditions over which they have
no control; when he virtually threat
ems public officials with mob law II
they do not deal with a semi-crlsis in
his reckless and lawless fashion, then
he becomes more serious public dan
ger than any mere professional agi-
tator
NJ no. 80 g. g,I.
moment he would have seen him
self the fllmslness OF the grounds on
which he demanded that the city pro
vide employment offhand for the peo-
pie made Idle by world conditions. The
provision OF work is under no circum-
stances n primary duty OF the city; 1t
is mere incidental act. The fact
that the Federal Reserve Bank has
money 10 lend has no more bearing
on the situation than the fact that
there are millions in the Federal
Treasury. The bank would not lend
the city dollar which the city was
not authorized by law to borrow, and
the city can borrow only for objects
specifically defined by law.
The rebukes administered by Mr..
PRENDERGAsr and Mr.. McANENY were
most temperate considering the provo
cation. The members of the Board of
Estimate are trying hard to perform
their legal duties in such a manner as
TO give the maximum of early relief to
unemployment. They can do no more
than this. They can neither spend nor
borrow in any way save In accordance
with law and the public need. They
would he criminally liable II they did
otherwise. They are not trying, how
ever, to contract the city's purse
strings; they are endeavoring to relax
them.
SO far from being made the objects
of abusive language these gentlemen
should be praised for their humane as
piratiOn as well as their faithful ad.
herence to the law. So far from being
bombarded with abuse and threats
they should have their hands upheld
by all good citizens.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
AZ Least lie Is q Frank spoil. Monxer

To THE EDITOR or THE SUN-Sir: Every
body Is roasting Bryan because he openly
ana shamelessly tried to get Jobs for de-
serving Democrats. IL Bryan is guilty.
of this sort OF trafiicking President Will
son himself Is equally guilty. Had Il no.
been for Bryan's activity Mr. Wilson
never would have been elected President :
the latter ACKNOWLEDGED his Indebtedness
TO the great conmoner and honorably dis
charged the obligation by giving him the
premier position In his Cabinet
l see nothing gained by kicking against
the pricks; political activity Ia solely n
succession OF cunningly devised schemes
whereby money Is extracted from the
taxpayers and turned over to deserving
members OF the organization. The less
these tax eaters do in return for the sala-
ries paid TO them the greater the public
gain. our international position il much
more assured with Mr.. Bryan performing
in vaudeville than II would be II he were
trying to direct the intricate and highly
technical activities OF the Department OF
State.
The so-caled trade commission, for
which Mr. Wilson Il responsible, is n
highly ingenious and outwardly respect
able method OF providing more Jobs for
deserving" politicians. Here again busi-
ness will be encouraged in proportion TO
absence of attempts on the part OF this
commission 20 make the taxpayers think
they are getting something for their
money.
Mr. Bryan should be applauded rather
than condemned for his refreshing candor
and frankness: nothing Is more expensive
and dangerous than predatory politics
.masquerading In the garb OF so-calied
reform The unfortunate and much
mulcted holders OF New York city real
estate will undoubtedly uphold my con-
tention. ALBERT r. GALLATtN.
ATLANTIC Crrr. N a.. January "a.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
The New Demand of the Teachers

II might be judicious for the Inter
borough Association of Women Teach
rrs TO pause a moment and reflect rs
to whether this is very good time for
a raid on the city treasury. 1t is only
two or three years since they won a
long fight for the equalization OF their
salaries with those OF men in the public
school service. II was supposed they
would be satisfied. But now they are
out with a demand for an increase all
along the line.
The minimum pay for teachers now
Is S720 a year. The maximum, except
in high schools. Is 81 800. The new
minimum is to be 5000 and the maxi
mum is to range from 81 500 to $1,000.
Besides this, the teachers are going to
ask for 100000 to make good a deficit
in their pension fund.
Just now there IL many man in
this city with a wife and children who
would jump at the chance of employ
ment with S720 year pay. There are
unfortunately couple of hundred thou.
sand men who have neither work nor
pay, and probably larger number OF
women. Business is bad; real estate
Is depressed; the taxpayers are over
burdened and find 1t hard to get money
TO meet their obligations to the city.
The city itself has tremendous demands
on It's resources
There are 1896 women teachers In
the public schools. They are all fairly
we'll paid now. The proposed increase
would require at least two and half
millions yearly. Can they not waltz
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
The Peace Society's Plan to Put
an End to War.

In theory the proposals OF the New
York Peace Society to abolish war are
all excellent, but how are most Of
them to be put into practice with ma
tional ambitions as robust and racial
differences as acute as we know them
to be? Proposal No. l is an interna-
tionnl police force to compel turbu-
lent and unprincipled nation to forego
war and behave itself. Americas pol
ley OF avoiding "entangling alliances"
would apparently exclude 1t from such
il coerclye body.
Proposal No. calls for treaty
which shall fix definitely the bounda-
Iies of states and guarantee them
against attack. This Is in effect n
variation Of the first proposal, and 1t il
~ he noted that there are States In
Europe which would want additions 10
The territory now in the possession Of
other States and these latter States
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18
eau for an INVESTIGATION OF Messrs. Bar.
thOldt and Voiimcr.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: 7
am always very much interested I'm
your excellent and much TO the point
editorials, and yesterday your comment
on the two Congressman, Messrs. Barthoidt
and Vollmer was indeed surprising.
II seems TO me that the rather uncalled
for activities OF these two gentlemen
along certain lines should be thoroughly
investigated by the United States Gov
eminent,
l believe that all honest and sincere
American citizens would. In view OF the
surprising activities of the two Congress
men In the possible interests OF the Ger
man Government, feel much relieved II
the reasons for their activities were thor
oughly investigated by the proper authori-
ties. l.. @. w. CARPENTER.
NEW YoRK, January Is.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-18

new attempt to disorganlze the
Fire Department is in progress at Al
bany. Assemblyman BLAKELEY OF West
chester has introduced n two platoon
bill with restriction of hours OF duty
to ten In the daytime and fourteen at
night. The fundamental objection TO
the bill is that It takes the organization
and discipline of tho department out Of
the hands Of the city authorities, maxi
ing the rank and file TO certain extent
independent VI the Commissioner. The
principle is utterly wrong and II looks
as N the plan might be unworkable
The bill should be beaten. II is Sig
nlfcant that II has not been introduced
by representative of New York.