davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
A Constructive Army.

To the Editor OF he Tribune.
Sir. The letter entitled "A Constructive
Armv." written By Mr.. william r. Sherwood
and appearing in The Tribune under the date
of February 7. is very interesting to me.
had already read the tractate. "lnvincib!e
America" bv II. G. Traver to which he refers,
and there are several things in connection
with IL ON which ! would like enlightenment
Where are the men to come from VINO VIII
compose this army OF the pick and shovel
VIII hey be men OF education. nigh minded
.-ith a sense Of duty and patriotism, or VIII
.hev be men Of low mental calibre sucn as
the average Italian 30 well known IN all our
constructive enterprises? II. as ! under
stand il. il require intense military train
ing TO make a good soldier and from two 10
three years II itJ. how long will It take TINS
body of laborers 70 become proficient IN this
limo and of what benefit would they be IN
case Of war. If they spent the majority Of
-heir time on construction work! do not
believe that army men would be Wiling 70
DO This class Of work.
One thing =. a time is necc- -sary 10 success
d.. .r, line. and hoW Mr. rraver or any other
porsou exDects 20 make efficient aborers and
.oid.crs bv orc and the same operation IS
be-ord ne. Nh Sherwood states mat very
satisfactory tests have been made showing
that the mcn can be had; should De inter-
estod n seeing such evidence.
believe hat soldering is trade 20 IT.
self If this is true and ve need ar army
composed Of soldiers then let MS have sol
dicrs by an means. not a congomeraton OF
concrete workers. shovellers, road makers, etc.
would be glad indeed 70 hear what other
readers o. your valuable paper have 10 say
regarding this apparently impractieable
fdss EDWIN !. CAREY.
Rroohlyn. Feb. -. i2l6.
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
Qua ISL Irish Activities.

TO the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: May I trcspass OF Your courtesy for
he privilege Of line o. Two i'm depreeatlon
OF the manner in which certain activities OF
sundry Americans Of Irish birth or descent
were dealt with in your issue Of today
A. reader Of your paper Tor the past
eighteen years. a a member Of the race
whose dialect" is parodied By your reporter
and as an American whose hopes and ideals
in regard 10 the issue and purpose OF the
present war are Numerically opposite those
set forth as anmating the parties mentioned
I feel that different attitude on your part
would have been much more consonant with
the continuous policy Of your publication. and
i'm far greater accord with the spirit Of its
distinguished founder.
I'm this connection. also. it may be well 70
invite attention 20 he fact hat the names
Of Dr. Thomas Adds Emmet. Victor Herbert.
Monsignor Brann and Dr. Caranagh might
we'll nave secured FOR themselves and for the
other persons involved somewhat difTeren,
treatment at your hands, both for the posi-
tions they occupy in their respective fields
and for the spirit OF stalwart Americanism
the career of each has uniformly displayed
FRANK MACLENNAN.
New York Feb. 10. i9l6.
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17

increasing activity of the Zcppclins rather
jus,iies the belief that the Germans nave
greater enterprises in store. 1t Is quite
likely that the raids hitherto have been
more or less experimental and that u
convenient opportunity comes really de-
structivc assault on London and othe'
towns will bc undertaken. The Zeppelin
has pro, ed useless in comparison with the
airplanc for military purposes, and II the
Germans have SO great fleet as Is sup
posed it car only he turned to good ac-
count in some such enterprise. 1t Is un-
likely that a threat Of reprisals Wou'o
bring abou, an immediate revision OF ter
many's policy of punishing England.
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
COMPULSION IN ENGLAND
An EXPLANATION Opposition Encountered Showing That the
ngmen Opposed Principle to National Serve-No >e"
TO Serou Trouble from the Trade Unions

side and know this 20 be so. Mosi oi the
trades unions objectinG represent men en-
gagged in exempted trades, and indeed. very
large proportion Of these men are over Mill
tarv age. and have nothing 70 fear from con
scription in a military sense, but they are
obsessed by the fear that the military Dill If
only the prelude 20 series Of enactments
that will take away their hard won union
rights and introduce the regime Of the irdus-
trial drillmaster.
Personally | think they are mistaken, but
that is the reason Of their opposition. and
YOU do them an injustice in assuming that
.nwillingness 20 serve in the army and do
their share equally with other classes has
ANYTHING 10 10 with II. Almost every one or
these men can tell Of sons or brothers al the
front or training. and many Of them are men
Who have been recalled from the trenches
to the work shops.
II the authorities deal justly with the
and they cannot afford to do any less
/ do not anticipate any trouble from the
unions. The British workman IS az patriotic
a. any in the world. but he knows that after
the lighting with Germany Is finished the
fight for a living will continue. and he Is
determined that himself and his comrades at
the front shall not be shclled from the good
strategcal positions they had won in that
fight before the war. l. DLFoE.
Wevburn. Sask.. Feb 7. 1915.
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
On era cked Brains

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Who would think that sane. judi
cal mind like that Of Judge John W. Cor
would be interested in the forthcoming Irish
and German blstherfest and Who would be
lieye that a man of his gravity and dignity
would be ore Of the convcners Of such a
meeting? Such is the fact nevertheless.
Il is also fact that ihc meeting IS certain
10 take the form OF shouting. whistling
vocifcrsting outburst against England.
What ludcrous nonsense. The day OF ical
Irish grievances is practically no more; in
truth it is becoming almost prehistoric
The day when German hate really began was
when the British refused Germany pcrmis-
sion 20 march IN and batter and pound France
into state of non-recognition. That their
case against England.
Surely the brains OF every ono mu bc a
little cracked. VIII not the presence OF
Judge GoG among such an ll-assortcI. lIl-
balanced crowd prove it?
I. r.. WOODWARD.
New York, Feb II, 1918
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
Don't Disrupt the Fire Department!

According TO schedule the two-pla'oo''
bill for frcmcn in hrst class cities has
aoain made its appearance at Albany th'
wear. fathcrcd 10y Senator Gilchrlst ana
Asscmblyman Ryan. This is dangerous
measure. which deserves no better Tate
than it has met in other years.
Tho wo-platoon system would demor-
aize the frc department of tins city II
IS obvious that irc-Gghters cannot WORK
fixed hours. as DO ribbon clerk. And d
t. suit thc schedule Of hXed hours, men
actually ON duty at IRE, work overtime
and take that overtime out Of subsequent
pcriods when they arc supposed to be on
duty. the city could never he adequaieiy
protected except by maintaining a huge
force Of men. such a, il could not nos
s.5ly afford 70 pay.
Every fire commissioner and every 7re
,hicf Who has had TO consider this system
has advised against it. II has been tired
IN some cities OF the country and rcle>ted
10 try it here. against such expert adv &C
snd such experience. would be a tata
mistake. This bill should never come out
o., committee. New York's fire-fgriinR
service is too good to be disrupted.
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17

10 the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: WIN your article on conscription III
Great Britain in which you maintain that
ccmpulsory service IS democratic in principle
( quite agree But you must have forgotten
some episodes Of the not very distant past
when YOU assume that Americans would agree
to the sacrifices necessary TO putting that
principle in practice any more cheeriully than
Britons have done.
II took the United States good deal more
than eighteen months during the Civil War 70
get anything like the same proportion of her
population under arus as Britain has now
done. and with a grea; deal more obstruction
too What about the arti-conscription riots
il New York. the CopDerhead obstructionists.
the system OF state bouut.es. and the enor-
nous prevalence Of bounty-jumpers. and last,
but not least. the fact that, when the draft
was finally resorted 10. substitution was al
lowed and extensively practised by the we'll
to-do classes, thus completely destroying the
democratic nature of the conscription and
making it levy on poverty while granting
immunity TO wealth.
A very large proportion of the eligible male
population Of the North. belonging mainly to
the commercial classes. never took part in the
Civil War at all. You may be able to count
a good many of them even TO this day among
your acquaintances Of siXty-cight years and
over. and they were very numerous, indeed.
ten or fifteen years ago. Now, ~ is safe TO
say. that this practice Of buying substitutes
would not have ghost Of chance OF being
slowed in England, and equally sure that
very few would dare 10 take advantage Of it
ii 1t were allowed.
What opposition to conscription per So
there has been in England has not come
mainly from the vorking ella ses. but from
the middle classes, among whom there has
been a considerable body ahch held that
England was going outside her proper sphere
in raising such huge armies for foreign ser
vice. No one in England would think Of OBJ
letting 10 the principle Of compulsion for
home defence. but there are many and mill
iary experts among them. who think England
s attempting TOO much in maintaining the
biggest navy ia the world. raising her army
20 the Continental status. and helping 10
finance her Allies. all at the same timn.
The opposition among the trades unions is
oifcctcd more a. what they fear may he the
industrial effects of the measure than from
any personal objections to serving IN the
army. have lately come from the other
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
The Great Issue.

Elsewhere on this page we print I
stirring arrangement of the Admnlstra-
;ion's foreign policy from the pen Of Mr..
James NJ. Beck. Mr.. Beck was one Of the
few Americans who foresaw from the
outset the fatal trend of Mr. Wilson q
neutrality policy. with its subjcction II
principle and moral duty to considerations
of material advantage and physical Sc
curitv. From the first he denounced the
Administrations Indifference to the crime
against Belgium as blot on our honor.
But. like Colonel Roosevelt. at that time
lie found few hearers.
Now his vindication has come. The
failure Of the Wilson policy Of ncutralism
and avoidance is plain to everybody. The
great speech made by Mr.. Root in the
New York State Republican Convention
summarizes the feeling of The hour. MIR.
Bcck's argument is at one with Mr..
Roots. There can be no other issue IN
the Presidential campaign this year than
Nh Wilson'S diplomatic record. 1t over
shadows all else. The nation. as Mr.
Beck truly says. is itself on trial on tins
issue. The great thing to be settled 1t
the polls next fall is whether Americans
arc to recover their lost character ana
align themselves again with all that j.
nobest and proudcst in their spirit ana
history.
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
FOP RIGHT AND ROOSEVELT
The Only Outstanding Candidate 10
the Presidential Possibilities

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: 4 great deal Of talk is heard DOOM
inc Justice Huchcs The justice would prop
ably get n great many German votes on ,"'
chance that he might be favorable 10 INV
cause Of the Central Powers
A. Representative Gardner asserts, 'ustc'
Uuphes's views on foreign end aoiheS'lo
policies are not nationally known. inns -
4, serious obstacle VIC know that the JUS
ticc was strong Governor Tor reform
measures. We know him TO be an honest
man. Of posit:yc nature. Under him. ~
ordinary times. The nation would prosper ne
beioncs 20 the G.. o. T.. which makes me n"-
tion prosper Ills various decisions "ou'n IN
dicafo that he would not be 700 oppre'SNH
toward industry.
But. these arc not ordinary times Ni'
around ms is wsr-cnvclcpcd world inc
paciist cries peace when there is no peace
The Germans destroy our lives. NO hhe
lish halt our trade. France boards our mer-
chant vessels. Mcxico lccrs hateful and de
6art. Japen crouches. ready TO- sprng' per
haps TO seize our Philippines when "e aoa"-
don them. Our own country contains 'hou-
sands whose loyalty is doubtful. Destroyed
nlsnts. shattered honor. murdered c''EcnS.
thinlv vciled scdit;on. weakening national
,p;rit tell :hc story Of the Country oil Dread
ful Night
How can mere ho~cs'y. mere goodness save
Jus I'm this awful hour? Can the boomers o.
Justice hughes show US any declaration ol
his regarding national preparedness! Ma
tionaI hono~? Would he agree TO the policies
OF Wilson. with all that such agreement I'm
plies?
Aside from the justice. no other person
save one. seems available. Root? Absurd
Taft? An ariable person. relying on others
TO do the work; therefore. Of small conse
ouence. Whitman. Cummings. Weeks sr"
men OF local importance only. lhey are no.
big men. The Presidency is big place, re
auiring big man. In all the wide expsnse
of the United States there is but one who
measures NJ 10 the needs Of the hour; who,
in the words Of the English poet, Watson,
Towers as TeneriiTe towers from the ocean,
Theodore Roosevelt, The name alone thrills
Young America. strong, God-fesring, ready
TO battle for the right. ne can carry us OF
to higher. better plane Of national Nv
ing. with such a leader, Moses IN our
wilderness. the American people can ma
restored a measure OF the spirit Of our faith
ers in 81 and &c.
Count me for God right and Theodore
Roosevelt. pAN%-L SNlNh I'LL
New YORK. Tcb. 10. 1916.
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
No Scuttllngi

Inc ffoIf1frff soHfHosi
Nos that the issue Is in concrete form, 10
is time for the American people 70 take a
hand. Public opinion must he brought TO
bear on Congress by every means possible
lacking opportunity for voicing it at the bal
lot box The country AT large has no idea Of
.euttiug. The contempt II has manifested
for the irrcspons bic Philippines legislation
hitherto offered will DE changed 10 denuncla-
ten. now that the discrcditable intention IS
put in plain terms thanks TO the political
honesty Of the senior Senator from Ark 7sas.
The Clarke amendment should be killed IN
the House. and with II everything else IN the
bill that carries any sucgestion that enlarged
self government for the Philippines viii some
day be translated into national sovereignty.
The American people do not intend that
their government shall haul down the flag iu
the Philippines in 1921. or at any other date
within thc vision OF statcsmanship az thi.
time. Moreover. they arc tired of having
Congress p'ay politics cvcrlastugiy with thi.
question. TO tho prejudice of their interest
and the interests Of the Filipino people a.
veil.
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
Judicial Sobriety.

i-f''' .
The question OF what determines Judicial
drunk in Kentucky may soon be decided at
Frankfort. In ne impeachment proceeding
pending before the joint committee Of the
House and Senate against Judge Williams. Of
McCreary County, many witnesses have testi-
fed. attempting 10 show that the Judge
was drunk or that the judge was SOBER.
One witness asserted that the judge
talked "thick-lipped" and that his face was
all "Aared up" Another testified that he
had never seen the judge plumb drunk"
although he had seen him when he thought
ne was "rairly" under the influence Of Liquor.
Another testified that he had seen tho judge
escorted home. and that If he was ever real
drunk he could not tell II. Another testified
that he had never seen the Judge when he
seemed to be under the influence Of liquor.
No witness has ever testified that he had
seen the Judge take a drink. and there "a
no testimony that any man ever smelt in
toxican;s on the judges breath, WHICH proves
conclusively that the Judge "ever drank
apple brandy. Out OF the maze OF conflict
ing proof it will take the verdict Of the
Impeachment committee to decide what CON
stitutes judicial drunk in Kentucky.
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
DISARMING MERCHANTMEN
Why Not Deprive Them Of The'
Engines, Too?

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: The armed merchant ship hss "l'
the seas since men learned thcir way on ~
waters. After the invention OF gunp0'1-
it was always possible for beliigeren' n'"''
10 mount a 3-pounder gun on the DOW 0i
whalcbSt and send her out with q ci'N y
ten or a dozen men 20 raid an enemys n''
chant vessels. Such a boat could ma's
prize OF the average unsrmed trader ol' "''
little chance Of success against snip "'''
couple of 3-inch guns ready mounted 'o'
vice. Yet during the hundred years OF "O''
since rules began 20 be formulated TOT
govenance of bellgerents at sea- no rs''-
ever pleaded the weakness o. me "ha'eo'''
as a reason for dsarmrg the Merchant ,'r
so as 20 make her capture By 'hc wnaieo'.'
a safe and easy operation. 10 has pee"
20 an American Secretary o. state 70 p-'
this crazy proposal before On as'onishe1 '.-
disgusted world.
Perhaps Mr. Lansing. having gone 50
in aid of the murderous degenerates VITO '-
the German navy. viii 20 still furihef -
point out 10 them that all 'tesm'n'Fs
whether armed or not, should he 'rea'e' !
uarships and sunk ar sight. without ~arnl'
For this is what the new theory really "''
Resistance. or an attempt 20 escape 90
part of merchant ship. has always .r
lcld 20 Justify tne nee of force oy iti
De captor. TIE German government ",
clarcs that actual resistance shall no 't.
he necessary brt that. IL a merchant s.P
furnished with guns or armament -
kind so that re- istance is made pos'.''
vessel is 20 be treated as a "arfhip' ..t
Now. If a merchant ship may be- su"s .,. %
out warning because she 's ready ana ..s
fight submarine. t is obvious 'nt't ts
should incur the same penalty 'ho." ,..
happen 20 be- able to run from one ia,
steamships. even the tramps. arc I''" "a.
the average underwater boat. there nv 40.
son why Mr. Lansing should Top ~" 49, n,
rlsnd for the removal Of the guns -, ,s.
Allies boats. Cold logic and con'l'..,ioi =
Guire that he shall insist upon inc tc' .us
the engines a. well. SO that the shl lp'h .
unable either TO fight or escape t,r,,s
course. Is exactly what the "''D'"
desire. .t.-lri
Is +, strange that multitude OF Sod
Of an parties including thousands ,, az
.,ts like myself. are sinking their n'.tr
fcroncos and turning 20 Theodofc lou, s'.'
ih,, crisis I'M .hc nations life2 Nh',' .bsh
Roosevelt may bc. the people .ro" '"''
and viii be-. always an American ,,,sa
''' W ''' JOHN MtoENi'~
New York, Feb. Il. 1910.
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
To See a Battleship

TO the Editor o. The Tribune.
Sir: Can you tell me how one can gain
entrance to the Brooklyn navy yard?
1t is my misfortune never TO have seen a
bsttleship st close range. and view Of a
submarine or torpedo boat. and other nipple
mcnts Of safeguard has never been granted
me.
am very anxious 10 remedy my ignorance
and would he very much obliged TO you l'
YOU could give me the desired information.
Nis,l LILLIAN DTME.
Ncr York. rco. o.. 1916.
The navy yard is open TO citizens about
whom there is nothing suspicious. $40 passe.
are needed, but no cameras are allowed
Ed
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
A Cruiser or a Battleship?

The circumstances attending the loss ol
French warship off the Syrian coast on
February have not been made known
but since il is admitted by the Ministr,
of Marine that the Amiral Charncr was
torpedoed on that occasion i may safely
he assumed that this was the vessel thl
Germans took for the battleship Suitren
Though it may appear little unlikely
that an armored cruiser whose dlsplace-
ment was only $3.50 tons should be ms
taken for battleship Of 12.527 tons II IS
o,ite nossible that the officer i'm command
of the submarine was deceived. Create
mistakes have been made and it is easier
TO attribute the discrepancy in the two
reports to an error of identification than
to believe that in denying the loss Of one
vessel the French would pretend by way
of compromise to have lost another.
# is announced. of course, that "a more
detailed report" Is awaited by the German
Admiralty before "a definite verdict
pronourced. but it is improbable that the
bIunder will be upheld with such absurd
obstinacy az the mythical sinking Of the
Tiger.
Similar blunders nave frequently been
made and many far grosser and less prop
able have been committed even by officers
of great experience Thus, some years
ago during the naval maneuvres OF the
British feet cruiser encounterng some
fishing vessels at night mistook them foi
torpedo-boats. and it was only after she
had returned to port on the supposltlor
that she had been theoretically sunk that
the error was discovered. On another oc-
caslon hotilla Of torpedo-boats was
actually mistaken for the main BODY o.
the enennys fleet. and a battleship has
likewise been mistaken for destroyer by
one who had had much experience in tor
pedo craft.
If errors Of this sort are so common
the misapprehension Of the German oaice'
is easily understandable.
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
Too Much a Politician.

To he Editor OF ihc Tribune.
Sir: have cut out your editorial. "A
Moral Disaster" and placed 1t in my scrap
book along with other treasures that have
cmanated from your sanctum.
Mr.. Wilson has proved conclusively time
and time again. tnat he is TOO much OF a
pandcring politician TO make good Presi-
dent /. 7. D. b.
New York Feb. H. 1916
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17

cur government shall hereafter live up TO
its obligations as champion of the cN-
isting law of nations and shall palicr no
longer with the rights under that law out
ragged through the Lusitanis massacre and
still unvindcated after nine months OF
barren literary dispute.
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17

The intercollegiate competition IN Nenuses
de Milo is now in md-season, with Swartr-
move in the lead.
Mr.. Wilson's candidacy is now inferen-
italy avowed.
New-York tribune., 1916-02-17
tut RSpNN. TrBTr ,RN -. 1910.


f.,.rsl ., ,As rost-~-, A. Nev Yors second Gas
Nal Matte
The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1916-12-07

southward These insects, together
with an unprecedented drouth, threat
en- to reduce the crops by half, -.-'i
in some sections by an ever greater
percentages
The locusts come from some part
of the uneXplored region of southern
Brazil and pour over the country in
great streams so thick and long as
10 often darken the sun. From Pena
today there comes dispatch saying
that a stream extending over 30 llilo-
meters has settled upon the fields
and left no green thing in that part.
The Young hatched from the millions
of eggs deposited, have in places coy
cred the railway SO thickly os 20 im-
oede traffic and trains have been
stalled until the insects have been
hoyeled from the tracks and burn
ID in bitches.
The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1916-12-07

away. | would hate to have my Head
chopped off.
$50 would l. said Mr.. Mole. I'll
get my Family, and you get yours to-
/ gether. And Wen so TO the next
Meadow. There are good Seeds OF
Grain and other nice things over there
And I believe there are many other
Goodies in the Field
"'lIow do you knowy asked Mr..
Meadow Mouse.
"I.isten, and you will hear ? replied
Mfr, Mole.
"And again they heard the Voice:
''Thcre are Goodies for you 10 try,
In the Meadow just nearby
Better hurry up and g.,
Before the Farmer starts TO Now
"Pretty soon Mr., Meadow Mouse
and AIR Mole were off for the next
Meadow, and all their Children with
hem. Mrs. Meadow Mouse and Mrs
Mole didn't care about Moving, but
when they were told that their Heads
would be chopped off if they didn't,
they hurried along!
"And when they got to the next
Meadow. they began to burrow in the
Ground and dig it up With their little
Noses. Especially good for such work
was Mr.. Mole, and his Children all
copied him, and were Il great help.
"Ah, now we're safe said Mr.. Mole.
eyes, and because of the Fairy
Queen said Mr.. Meadow Mouse, hap
PLY. What a great deal of good She
hoesp And all the children squeGled
She does Il great deal of good 7"