davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21
PfcRTC ACID.
II the Allies Can't Get Enough OF IL,
They Have Themselves to Blame.

To THE EDITOR or THE SUN-Sir. with
reference to THE SUNS article on the
would-be picric corner, | beg to submit
to you Information which may pr"v9
interesting.
The whole consumption OF picric acid
in the United states IN peace times by
private explosive concerns. dyers, me-
dicinal makers and other concerns aver
ages approximately 10000 pounds n
year. All his material was imported.
None OF It was made in this country 81
when the foreign Governments came In
the market for picric acid no concern
was prepared to make any considerable
quantities. Early last fall. however,
two big concerns started the manufac-
ture of picric acid on somewhat bigger
scale. and besides this a small con-
Germ turned out some Of this material.
The output and raw material resources
OF these plants we're practically con-
tracted for from the start. at the same
time preparations were mad and ne
potiations entered into with the differ
ent Governments for large size con-
tracts. These negotiations dragged Ter
weeks and months. but more OF the dew
was willing TO commit Itself
TO six months or a year
As new and expensive plants arc
necessary TO turn out the enormou
quantities required by the present re-
crudescence of the fighting In Europe,
none OF the manufacturers was willing
to contract for less than six months ~
his output. Thu foreign Governments.
probably misled by frequent offers ~
dealers ard Intermediates, did not seem
TO realize the situation and always re-
fused long term contracts. At present
these same Governments are trying -
buy a few thousand tons Of picriC ic.d
at short deliveries. As explained. l. Is
impossible for any American m1nufac'
turer to satisfy these orders. Besides
this, negotiations for war material coo-
tracts are made extremely difficult by
the intercourse Of too many intermeGla-
ries. by the conditions imposed and by
the fact that the slightest change ~
The proposed contract requires coniirind-
ton from abroad. often by the tine
an agreement Is reached conditions ~
the raw material market are thoroughly
changed and arrangements are made i'm
possible.
So II the allied Governments are not
able 20 get an adequate supply OF picric
acid II is not the consequence OF a cor
ncr. but Of their business methods.
A MNSuFACTURER.
PERTH AMBoy, y. j., May 20.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21
THE UNITED MATTERS.
VIII the Union Treat Its Written
Agreement rs a Scrap Of Paper?

To THE EDITOR OF THE SrS-Sir: The
convention OF the United l~iatters or
North America. In session AZ present.
In New York. has taken the Loewe
boycott case into consideration Last
January. after twelve years OF litiga-
tlon. the supreme Court OF the United
states affirmed the Judgment, recovered
November IL. 1912, for s252.l3e 90,
agains, the United IIatters FOR boy
cotting the hats manufactured by II i.
Loewe a co. OF Danhury.
II. T.. Loewe & co. In an omen letter
addressed to all the defendants In the
Danhury ~IIatters case, April %, 1915.
stated
At the outset. the United Hattcrs In
effect substituted Itself as the real de-
PENDANT. by written agreement between
Il and the record defendants. whereby e.
assumed entire responsibility for tn" con
due, Of the suit and the payment ~ any
Judgment. Although this agreement has
been observed and acted upon for over
ten years and up to the time Of afirm-
ance Of the Judgment hy the United
States supreme Court IN January last, and
although the individual defendants In re-
lance thereon have acted only as nominal
parties whose interests were Insured hv
the United Hatters. nevertheless no
preparations have been made by that
union for the protection OF the defend
ants and We have not even been re-
questel to defer proceedings aglirS' their
homes in order that your organization
might have opportunity 10 fulhl i's
pledge
The national union claimed that the
defendants were innocent. and Il took
the entire responsibility for the wrong
doing. Ey underwriting the suit, and
any Judgment tAat might he secured,
the union Constituted itself Tho real
party of interest. and had reduced the
record defendants 10 the position or
nominal parties only. The conduct OF
all these parties shows that they -
regarded themselves. The union claimed
the honor Of hcing tho real w~ruuGao"'.
The local officers uf DauhIry testified
In the Hartford court that they took
no stems against II. T. l.oowo 4 co
except as ordered hy the n1'iont. OIL
GERS. This Is a matter ~ sworn tcsti-
mOny.
Now President Scully, who r~"cs!Acs
at the national convention of fifty dele
gates. in New York. recognizes NJ legal
Obligation ~ tho United lIattrrs, Is
the written agreement merely "a scrap
Of paper WALTER !, STANLEY.
DANBvRY, Conn, My 20,
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21
THE JUDICIARY.
Publicity for Incompetent judges One
Remedy for Its Weaknesses.

To THE EDITOR or THE SUN-Str! II 70
astonishing to read the
of "Barrister' In THE SUN, nat tine
Judges Of the Court OF Appeals shouid
be elected In pursuance OF his idea 'i
obtaining the advantages on the one
hand to be derived from tho
appointment of Judges
True. "Barrister" suggests that the
other Judges be appointed By the Court
of Appeals. but the natural erect OF
such n scheme would be to direct al
the evil influences Of politics 10 the
election OF a Court Of Appeals whieh
would bow to the will OF the bosses IN
their Inferior appointments. and mus
prostitute the entire judiciary.
As 7 see IL, the Judges Of the Cour
OF Appeals. should he. OF all others: re-
moved from the atmosphere OF polltcc,
because .ney are the final bulwark Ok
the rights Of litigants This cannot be
lone by making their Office elective.
Let me call attention to a news arti-
Gle on another page OF THE SrN under
the headline Lawyers Propose Laws
In It Mr. Abraham Gruber IL reported
as saying he would like to see mo
Appellate Division abolished. because a
fair hearing there is Impossible
Whether this he true or not the fact
that an attorney ventures 10 say II
openlv 4 calculated to make all good
citizens sit up and take notice. And II
is more than significant that other at
torneys are saying every where that me
law ,s no longer a safeguard against
the arbitrary action Of our state courts
In the matter of the rights OF ntigants'
whatever be the cause. The remedy
however. would seem 10 lie In such a
constitution of our judiciary system as
to insure honest and able Judges, rather
than I'm the abolition OF any particular
court because its present incumbents
happen 10 lack either qualification.
Much criticism OF our courts has de-
welcomed at hts time owing 10 the PEN
dcncy OF the constitutional convention.
and many methods are being suggefte1
for r~emcdying existing ills connected
Herewith.
In my opinion one of the greatest re-
forms needed can be accomplished by
the press outside OF any constitutional
amendment, and that Is by turning the
pltiless glare OF publicity from the legal
standpoint upon the acts and decisions
Of our courts. Decisions are beng
handed down with too great frequency
by our lower courts. and even affirmed
by the higher courts, that defy and an
nul all the laws on the books Law
yers who know this to be true are Tor
obvious reasons reluctant to speak up
most law journals do not comment on
decisions at all. and the few that do
never reach the public understanding.
MS their circulation Is confined to the
legal profession.
why should our Judges be considered
exempt from such criticism No othe:
government official Is so regarded far
from H.. n the principle OF criticism
o. she acts OF one public servant IL
valuable ! cannot understand why tho
judiciary should be exempt. on the
contrary. | can think OF no part OF "ur
governmental machinery that should
lee held to s~tricter account thar the
judiciary. ALEXANDER DOYLE.
New YORK. May 20.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21

Suggested by the rcpor, tina, the Poly
society has appointed A committee
10 design a gown which shall be equally
suited to the kitchen and the opera,
when Dorothy dcnudes the spuds
And pops them in the POI
She wears a simple style Of duds
quite different from the lot
In which on some occasions she
BedeckS for more formality.
It's simply made Of denim and
Is negligible quite
In cost beside confertions grand
She wears on opera night;
So It's with sentiments Of pity
My heart goes out to that committee.
But as with aympathy I'm flled.
\ doubt u~nhiddan, hold
Leaves an my warmer feelings chilled
\nd makes my blood run cold,
suppose they work-what fears appal!-
From kitchen W 10 opera stan!
MAURICE MORRIS,
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21
HOW LANGUAGE GROWS.
Suggestion for General Economy Of
Syllahlcs.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: Since
the war began the word enemy has
added to It's nounship by becoming an
adjective. both in English and Uncle
samese. Great Is the elasticity OF Ian.
guaGc. That's how it grows and fattens
the latest editions of dictionaries.
But as "enemy's" is curtailed, why
not chop off its head and some more OF
the tail?
Let II he men," which reminds us Of
Nemesis. Why not boil down all words
IA their cots? when this Is done Il
might surprise Iindley Murrayltcs to
find the same roots in so many Ian
guaGes. with Sanscrit as the great great
plus grandmother of them, Sanscrit Is
lovely. PH~ILoLoGIsT.
NEW YORK, May 20.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21

The authorities on weights and
measures now in convention in this
city took no exception to the state
ment made by m OF their orators
that n certain short weight package
exhibited by him indicated n swindle
on housekeepers amounting annually
to SG0,0OO,O 600. Such computations are
not always accurate. hut in this case
common observation confirms the be.
lief that If this sur Is too large. the
actual proceeds of lhievery carried
on in this manner are enormous. IL
is notorious everywhere; rich, well
to do and poor suffer from 1t; and
the poor most Of all.
Among the many subjects that en-
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21
The Saving Of Lives nj Sea.

To u EpIToR OF THE SrN-Sir: The
APPALLING disasters to the Titanic, Gnr-
press Of ireland and Lusitauia have
emphasized the iradcqua'y of IN" tfe
saving means provided In ptacticallf
all ocean passenger ships. ~Iaf'h0I's
are invaluable when the sea IL smooth
and time and conditions permit launch.
ing. but as at present swung from daNt,s
they too often 20 down win ~" 4roWu-
ing passengers. II each of the thrA'
great steamers had been provided itch
"A generous supply of unsuitable oOa'S
and RATS o. floats, with rope loops for
holding on. ana thes" 80 placed ON In"
topmost deck that they would float when
the vessel went down. thousands Of
those who persisted could have been
saved
with ,hc wlre'ess calls rescue cannct
he long dc.aycd. and m each co. fcSo
disasters help was near by and the life
BOLTS were proved to be wOful.y in
sufficient.
\ friend on the Titanic who cllmHcl
to the bottom OF an overturned hodt ard
was rescued 10y one OF the hale cmpt,
lifclodts which had been successfully
launched told m. that hln1r ds Of
those drowned could have been saved
by RATS and floats.
On the last trip but one az the I'm
pcrator | was Informed tho"o were about
1000 aboard. passengers aud .r,W. cur
Of curiosity ! made an inspection os the
entire life saving plant and was Goa.
WINGED that there would he No room my
whore but in the water for fully oar-
half Of THIS number,
This material is not costly and here
is plenty OF space or tho upper de,N
for storing whore il would float ioust
II disaster came. II our public press
will insist on some such measure Com
Eress can he influenced to an y ella
ton of it's obligation m protecting those
that go down to the sea I'm ships,
loHN \ WYETH
New YORK, Nav %,
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21
Taxation for . Surplus.

Governor WHITMAN has allowed II
to become known that he intends 10
approve the $19,OOO,OOO direct State
tax bill and Immediately thereafter
depart for the Pacific coast.
Through his vetoes he has reduced
by $2,3OO.OOO the wasteful appropria-
lions passed by the Legislature. and
In this sum. Oh his own showing, the
product Of the tax will be in excess
Of the needs Of the state. AS the
money in the treasury can be eX-
pended only In pursuance OF law.
these So 900 must lie idle. n use.
less surplus so far as the State Ia
concerned.
Thus the Governor will wear the
distinction Of imposing on the tax
payers Of the State. at a time when
their burden is VIGOROUSLY heavy. o
tax the product Of which he has him
self rendered unavailable for expend.-
ture, and whose only disposition must
lie to the credit OF the State In the
banks to which it confdes its funds.
He will complete Il financial record
begun in grOtesque Ignorance by an
act Of oppression unprecedented IN
the history of the state and unexam-
Pied in sane administration.
The Governor in his decision not to
veto the direct tax bills Is not acting
blindly. lie holds the contemptuouS
conviction which possessed the Leg
islature when it refused to give II
hearing to New York city on the tax
bills, as it was adding to their size,
that the public cannot remember and
that the grossest outrages committed
on the taxpayers today are wiped
from the minds of the voters when
election morning dawns. Like certain
of the lawmakers. he believes that
the overtaxation authorized this yea-
will be forgotten when n moral issue
is presented in 1916: that the vicious
acts Of 1915 will not influence the
choice of the electorate eighteen
months afterward; that the Demo
cratic city of New York will con.
tribute the bulk of the money. and
that the sums to he spent in Rcpub-
lican strongholds will overcome the
natural prejudice Of their population
against the iniquitous proceeding in
which the collection Of money in
taxes for an unnecessary surplus Is
only an incident.
VIII the faith OF Governor WHIT
MAN and his advisers in the incom.
potency OF the taxpayers he justified
by the event?
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21
Curious Temperatures.

Like materialized "reminiscences.
ghosts from the land Of memories AMI
shadows, every now and then we have
a strange temperance Of those long
gone and all but forgotten.
Within a week there have been
three OF them. First there was
Farmer PRoBsr's turkey buzzard out
In Indiana. Gustayus was the buz.
yards lame. He was no warbler as
some birds are. lie had no gift of
melodious u%tterance. lie was a Sc
date. sagacious buzzard. orderly OF
life and nowise given to e%quivocal
disappearance. lie wore a little bel!
tied by a ribbon about his neck. n
token of Farmer PRoBsr's esteem.
Away back in the misty past. las.
fall in fact. he suddenly vanished.
The silvery tinkle of his bell was
heard no more. He was gone and IN
the way of being forgotten. when in
the dim dawn Of n few mornings
ago Farmer PRoBsr was aroused by 4
faint but familiar tinkllnG. 1t came
from the top of a tall tree. Gustavus
had come back home.
Following the news Of Gustavus's
temperance came quickly that Of
the resurrection OF the lamentable
.ADDICRs. ADDICKs wore no bell. lie
did not need n lie was n peri
palette combination Of foghorn and
steam calllope in himself. The shiny
high hat. the fur lined overcoat with
broad lapels modestly thrown back.
the blaze of gllttering diamonds. the
lar streaming mustache-little dan
ger Of ADDrCKs being overlooked II he
were around. and he was generally
around. And then the wealth he left
In his wake among the worthy agri-
culturists and rising young men If
Delaware in his effort to carry his
r%yrotechnic brass band disturbance
into the United States Senate. But
soon anne the court proceedings crash
and the Addicks noise went trickling
away to faint echoes involving
process servers AMI constahles. How
many OF us remembered that there
ever was an ADDICKs until his last
recent appearance with a Jail for
stage setting?
And Immediately IN the heels Of
this naturalization OF ADDICKs came
that Of the once so industrious Mr..
Monk EASTMAN. II MONKS submcr.
gence was more recent than that of
ADDICK6 II was quite as complete.
For professional reasons II for no
other Monk wore a bell. He
slugged not noisily but too well. But
Monk was only n free lance thug.
His finest activities were before the
days when thuggery was organized
under Il General STAFF as n branch If
industrial uplift. SO he was crushed
to the wall, another victim Of trust
combination. His name and fame had
been all but forgotten until promi-
nence was suddenly again thrust
upon him by unexpected attentions
from detectives.
Thus we have Monk. Gustavus
and ApDICKs all three with us once
more, interesting specimens Of fot.
sam and jetsam cast up by the SEA
Of oblivion.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21
Rejected In Favor Of the Testimony
Of American Correspondents.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir:
Judging from recent editorial
the newspapers have unanimously con-
cluded TO accept the Bryce report, And
ing the Germans guilty. thereby reject
ing by clear implication the Cobb-Mc-
Cutcheon report generating the Ger
mans.
The Inference TO he drawn from this
unanimous conclusion Is that in con-
troNers!es between nations we reject
the tests OF credibllity commonly
adopted In courts Of law with respect
TO controversies to which individuals
are parties. and reason along the fol-
lowing lines:
l. A be!liserent can have no human
motive to fasten a crime upon the
enemy. whereas a neutral is motivated
by a desire to eNnnerate the accused
nation.
. An investigation made months after
the alleged crime l. more valuable than
one made a, the ,lme.
,. A report based on the testimony OF
witnesses who are themselves the In.
jnrei parties Is entitled to more welgnt
than one based mainly on personal in
spection.
T. hearing In which the defence IL
not present Is "A safer basis for a re-
port than a hearing In which the de
fence Is represented by advocates and
witnesses.
This course of reasoning may he
clear to editors, although l am frank
to say that To- some others II is not
hviou nor even persuasive. ! need
hardly sly hat | am expressing no
opinion on the main question OF guilt
or innocence. but hat ! am simply
trying 10 discover why the English
mems verdict that the Germans were
guilty was unanimously accepted and
the verdict OF American correspondents
that the Germans were not guilty Vas
unanimously rejected
CHARLES A. BRopEK.
NEW YORK. May 20.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21
One Of Our Battieships severely Criticised.

PrOm TOITn Tories.
Visitors to the fleet received patient
attention from the officers, no matter how
silly the questions asked, hut ! wonder
II one woman who knows her social word
much better than the military as yet
realizes her foolishness In asking a youn.;
nag lieutenant Of the New York as to
where the lifcboats were located. The
officer mOtinned to some boats suspended
and told her an equal number was on the
other side. "But II does not seem to me
YOU have enough to save your Large mum
her Of men on board II YOU were attacked >
she remarked further. Again the officer
replied kindly: I'm time OF action we clear
the decks of all membranes, All boats
are thrown overheard, We stay with the
ship Go down with it?' she gaspel
In horror. Yes, II It goes"-and men
politely changed the subject into a rcmark
that the New York had more dancing
space On deck than most battleshlps,
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21

lagoon is to be sacrificed. From
Mestre to Padua the trenches are Ill
ready dug to repel invaders.
II Italy must fight, all the world
pleads that Venice shall not meet the
fate of Llage. L~ouvain. lpres, Rheims.
and asks in the name of all the tour
lists of the past and yet to come, and
by memory Of that great company Of
lovers Of which TITAN. T%INToRrTro
and BROWNING were n part, that st.
Marks. the Doge's Palace, the Santa
Maria della Salute and all the othe-
noble monuments OF a past nrt may
escape the devastating horrors and
ravages Of war.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21
BETTING AT THE TRACKS.
should the Constitution Permit Wa
gers Under Certain Res %rictlons?

To THE EDITOR Of THE SuS-Sir: Now
that the racing season is near and also
the constitutional convention. lovers .:
spur, would like TO see something :ons
to r~eestablish racing on a popular basis.
as OF old.
While there Is n general ~antlpattv
n the Old bookmaklng system, the es-
tabli. .hment of the pari-mu,uei pool. such
AS exists in many foreign countries,
would he a blessing.
The rosul; would be an added recres-
ton for people in his State and vi
cin!ty and a stimulant for the ~dwindliny
horse supply. COMMON SENSE.
NEW YORK. May 90.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21
The Lees Of PankhurStism.

To THE EDITION OF THE SUN-Sir: II
is deeply TO be regretted that such a dis
courteous attempt was made NY n few
suffragists to harass the President on
his recent visit to New York. ! believe
that | speak for the 400 members OF
the Catholic Committee OF the Woman
Suffrage party in condemninS this un-
digni'ied intrusion or Mr.. Wilson. which
was, 20 say the least, Il grave breach
not only OF good manners but Of good
Judgment. Any injection OF militant
methods into the suffrage movement in
America will meet with sCant approval
from the army Of earnest Women who
have for over Atty Years conducted a
sane and dignifted campaign, worthy of
American womauhoOd.
MARGARET HAYDEN RoRKE,
NEW loRH, May 20, Chairman.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-21

for amateur nimrods. Bears still roam
the Catskills; in Woodland Valley
under the shadow OF Slide Mountain.
"the heart of the southern Catskills'
JOHN BURROUGHS calls It, the farmer
encounters bears every spring and
avoids the mother bear when she is
foraging for her cubs. In spite of
trapping. the Klllington Peak country
in Vermont. not fifteen miles from
Rutland, still supports bears. In the
White Mountain wilderness. remote
from the automobile trails. Bruin de-
fies civilization and frightens the
berry pickers in july and August.