davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
Conscience and Intellect

The Stacker at all costs is at present
meeting with many difficulties in England.
The use of conscience has been limited in
practice by the High Court A man may
object on religious grounds TO combatant
service, but not, it seems, to military ser
vice in the broadest sense.
Some time ago a very scrupulous youth.
who could not find it in his heart TO kill,
was assigned to ambulance work. When
he had been at it for a while his conscience
grew too strong for him, and he decided
that saving lives on the battlefield was not
much better than taking them. Nothing
that had anything to do with making war
could by any means he countenanced by
him; so he asked for exemption.
He had some difficulty in making the
judges understand the delicacy of his
scruples, for upon inquiry it was learned
that he was not too conscientious or too
proud to be dependent on his father, who
was managing director of factory given
over to the production of munitions of war
When the Inconsistency of his conscience
was presented to him as clearly as pos
sible he made no attempt 10 deny it, but
pleaded that a very fine conscience was
perfectly compatible with considerable
stupidity.
The argument was impressive, but the
court apparently came to the conclusion
that his intellectuals were sufficient to en-
able him 10 be of some service to his coun-
try in a military way.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
He Has Been Kissed.
DR. Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: ! am sorry TO have TO correct your
hitherto accurate paper, but in the edition of
May ] find my name included in a list OF
Columbia University seniors who have never
been kissed. Now, newspaper reporters, like
the rest of US, are liable to error, and by the
doctrine of universal falliblity may be par
doned for most of the same, but this fight OF
fancy is too much by several flights.
take the liberty, therefore, Of addressing
these few lines to you in the hope that they
may counteract any fallacious ideas arising
in the minds Of my female acquaintance
after perusal Of your article of May Q, and
in order that no young lady whom ] may
have the carelessness to kiss at some future
date shall think she may exercise the rights
of "squstter sovereignty" over the process.
Also, in the hope that any female or group
of females who may have considered descend
ing en- masse upon our fair university and
destroying the barrier between those narrow
minded seniors and the normal outside world
may be disillusionized Of any impression of
novelty in my case. ARTHUR S. CRANE.
New York, May Q, 1916.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
Couping the Coal Consumer.

Evidently Attorney General Gregory is
as suspicious Of the coal mining companies
as the users Of coal are. His advice to the
Federal Trade Commission to begin an
investigation into operating costs and
profits at once, if the companies raise
prices to consumers following the raise in
miners wages Just sanctioned, is justified
by the past performances he cites. The
operators have made the public pay not
only the full wage increase to the workers,
but an additional profit over the Increased
cost of production which, since the 1917
reimbursement of wages, has been esti-
mated at S12,000,000 year. Then an in
crease in wages amounting TO 9 cents
ton was followed by an increase in coal
prices of % cents a ton.
The public is educated to the fact that
it must pay the cost of production on any
article it buys and reasonable profit for
the capital invested in the industry. In
the production cost the American people
are willing to have figured good living
wages. rising as living costs rise. But
there is an inevitable, and natural, preJu-
dice against being gouged by capitalists in
any industry who raise prices consider
ably over what they raise wages, and then
charge the total increase TO the higher
rate of pay for the workers. 1t ought to
dawn on the coal producers that they have
done that about often enough-that the
public recognizes the trick and classes it
with the shell-and-pea game.
Attorney General Gregorys vigilance is
right and proper. If the old trick be tried
again-and there has been plenty of pre-
liminary warning-it would be excellent
for governmental agencies to exercise their
powers to dissuade the coal barons from
further proft-gathering along that line.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
An Accomplish in Crime.
To tho Editor Of The Tribune.

To tho Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The recent note is hypocrit'cal and
malicious attempt on the part of Germany
to force the American people TO become
their accomplish in crime, and should be alb
solutely ignored by the United States.
No convincing proof ia submitted to show
that German women and children have real
ly starved because of the English blockade;
nor has Germany, in order to prove her sin
certify, withdrawn her conquering hordes
from neutral states which she has wantonly
violated We do not know of a single case
where murder was wilfully done on defence
less non -combatants by the Allies.
Our right to buy and sell in our own land
cannot be disputed. Our ports have been
open to the commerce Of the world. We have
not refused TO sell munitions Of war to Ger
many; and to refuse them 10 the unprepared
nations, which are being ruthlessly ravaged
by the frightful German military numbering
machine purely out Of sympathy with the
German cause would be decidedly depraved
act on our part. LONGMOhlh 1hrhN'
New York, May 5, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
Patience That Killed.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: In President Wilson's last note to the
German government occurs rather signir
cant and illuminating paragraph. It IS the
following: Throughout the months since
the imperial government announced on Feb
ruary A. 1915, its submarine policy, no1
happily abandoned, the government OF the
United States has been constantly guided
and restrained by motives of friendship in
its patient efforts to bring to an amicsble
settlement the critical questions arising from
that policy" | venture 10 say that not a
few Americans citizens, not because they
love their President less, but because they
love their country more. very much wish that
motives OF justice and regard for the rights OF
American citizens and the honor Of his coun-
try had guided and constrained the Presi-
dents dealings with the German government
since February 4, 1915. The President can
not be under the illusion that his patient
efforts under the sway OF motives OF friend
ship have borne any other fruit than the
continuance of that iniquitous and frightful
policy so coolly and defiantly announced on
February 4, 1915. II that policy is indee ]
now abandoned, can President Wilson for 4
moment believe that his persistent friendly
sentiments, patient waiting and much per
nave OfOuSHb HhPpy iosuo wv
of our troubles?
Suppose the same unequivocsl and stern
alternative which we have recently presented
to the German government had been set be
fore that government in February, 1915. Is
there much reason TO doubt that the choice
made by the German government would have
been the same it has now made7
One may say all this is useless and un-
gracious barking back and only an enemy
would be saying such things. That might be
90 did not history have the trick OF repeating
itself and IL voter looking TO next Novem-
Der did not need to let the lamp Of experience
shine bit upon his way
JOHN +. RUSSELL.
New York, May TO- 1916.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11

who appears all too infrcqucntly IN dia-
logue form upon the pages of The New
Republic" lie has wife, Edna, who Is
plainly descendant of Nora; and two
children. Henry has discarded the play
fulness that was wont TO cheer the heart
of Torvald. He is rather lugubrious-a
rooster with his wings clipped, TO revert
to primitive metaphor. But he struts
along over the same old route, Haunting
his traditional ommiscience as last hope
in n woman-ridden world. Edna kisses
him on the forehead, punctures his fine
theory with an obvious, particular IN
stance, and goes singing on her cheerful,
independent way. She is more OF mother
to her absurd Henry than anything else
a modern mother, that is, kind and frm,
but not disposed to spoil.
Which strikes us as an excellent spot
upon which to leave the independent fe-
male who slammed the door of her dolls
house in 1879. She has apparently re-
turned home, bringing some wisdom with
her. And she is still woman-quite as
woman as ever. Actually,
the open air has done her good.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
THE WITTENBERG CAMP
Testimony of a Correspondent Cited to
Controvert Charges of Neglect.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: In The Tribune of May s another in
stslment of the British story is given charg-
ing the administration of the prison camp
at Wttenberg, Germany, with criminal
neglect of the prisoners welfare. recall
that most Of these charges have been an
swered by anticipation in The Tribune of
April % in a letter to the editor signed
x. NJ. NJ. 1t is Significant that the author of
this new "typhus story" is obliged to admit
at the end of his narrative that the German
authorities have made provisions (which re-
duce the chance of another outbreak to q
minimum"
There is, however. still other neutral
American evidence, proving, at least, that
actual conditions in the much abused prison
camp are normal and afford no basis for
complaints.
In "The Chicago Tribune" Of May Z, 1910,
Mr.. James ODonnell Bennett, war CORE
spondent of that paper, relates his expe-
riences in the prison camp in an article dated
Wittenberg, April 7. He tells of the routine
life in the little town crowded with soldiers
and $4,000 prisoners. He has apparently in
vestigated the conditions under which the
prisoners live, yet he has nothing unsatis-
factory 10 report. The British portion Of
the prisoners must be very small, though
they have been the only ones to complain.
because Mr.. Bennett does not even mention
them. He talks, however, of the cheerful
faces of the Russian prisoners" He depicts
them as "stocky, broadfsced men, without the
grace and stateliness of bearing of their of
fcers; and they look up with cheerful grins
whenever a passenger train rumbles by
them"
While the English slarmists have pictured
the German guards as hardly better than
cattle drivers who used death as "the only
penalty for any infrsction of the rules" this
American correspondent from his personal
experience has a wholly different view of the
relations between prisoners and guards.
There is no evidence of rancor between the
prisoners and their captors," is his unquai-
fed statement, and elsewhere he says that
he can nowhere discover any signs of the
rigors of war"
In the face Of such statements coming
from such source one is certainly justified
in accepting the new edition of German
atrocities with great reserve. Greatly ex-
aggerated" has become stigma not only Of
British press stories, but also Of many Of
fetal English reports.
DR.. r. ]. 0BERFOHREN.
New York, May Q, 1916.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
Since Nora Slammed the Door.

An elderly poet of some fifty-one years
sat down at Christiania in the year 1879 to
write his first play. At the end of Act III
his heroine, Nora by name, marched out of
her dolls house with banners waving and
slammed the door, Behind the door she
left a husband, whose sole fault, calmly
considered, was in being what he was sup
posed to be, husband. That is to say, he
called his wife his little twittering lark,
his little squirrel" his little feather
head" welcomed what he regarded as her
inability to think, and in so many words
urged her to "lean on me-" 81 should not
be man." he explained, eff this womanly
helplessness did not just give you a double
attractiveness in my eyes" So she slammed
the door and took to the open air
Such an utter husband may have been
even then a shade old-fashioned among the
advanced styles Of Norway. But plenty of
husbands in and out of Christiania arose to
shout their disapproval. The Torvalds of
real life emptied dersion and worse on the
old yet ever young head of Henrik Ibsen.
And it was only an exceptional woman in
the world about that saw anything more in
Nora than a selfish little cat, with no more
sense than to throw up perfectly good job
as a wife for the absurd pleasure of pro-
her creed: 81 believe that before
all else ] am a reasonable human being,
just as you are-or, at all events, that !
must try and become one"
That was thirty-seven years ago. The
Torvalds have not passed away, by any
means. They still exist in profusion-
perhaps a little less pulled out in the
chest, a good deal more addicted to per-
suasion. But essentially the same. An
choice specimen comes to mind
from recent fiction, Edward, husband to
a heroine of Mr.. Georges creation, in "The
Second Blooming" lie called her his
"Gracy- Bracy," with other baby talk TO
fit, and, as we recall, was wont to pinch
her ear amorousy. So she took the only
course open to her as the heroine of a
modern English novel and ran quite life
of it until her second blooms faded and
il became time to return to Edward.
There arc undoubtedly many American
Edwards left. Yet as a type we seem to
recognize a greater prevalency for sig
nifcant hero named Henry W. Henry,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
Dietion in Behalf Of Mr.. Brandeis.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The letter OF the President to Senator
Culberson, the ayowed purpose of which is
ito make clear his reasons" for seeking TO
force the confirmation of his nominee for the
Supreme Court of the United States upon the
Senate lthe questionable taste Of which pro-
ceeding we may refrain from commenting
ON. is conspicuous as usual for its verbal
felicity and fecundty and chaste diction. and
Is further conspicuous for the absence of any
such reason other than the individual and
personal opinion Of DR.. Woodrow Wilson him
self In the course Of the thousand and more
words which compose the letter no tangible
authority is cited in support OF this opinion.
Boiled down, it amounts simply to this: Mr..
Brandcis is the best man for the place be-
cause ] think he is the best man.
Now, could not both time and rhetorical
effort have been greatly economical and the
same idea have been more tersey as we'll as
more sweetly conveyed in the words OF the
erstwhile popular refrain:
"lf you ask the reason,
Words are all too few,
For ] simply love you, dear,
Because you're you"
GEORGE WESTERVELT.
New York, May Q, 1916.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
A Voice of Patriotic Americanism.

From Editorial in The Neto York Timss)
Deserted by their Representative in Con-
gress, the Americans Of his district must be
eager to hear a voice OF patriotic American
ism, of a man who can speak with authority
on the great national duty which Mr.. Hay
will not have done, man who. whatever his
political ambitions or vagaries, can rise, as
he did at Chicago, far above political in
tentions and, profoundly moved by the peril
of his country and the blindness of too many
of his countrymen, utter TO Americans the
undying Amercansm which the politicasters
are trying TO strangle. If the Americans in
the ten unfortunate counties will write 70
Oyster Bay, they will get an answer worth
hearing; and the man who will make it will
be at home in the district OF Daniel Morgan
and George Rogers Clarke.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
An Example for Mr.. Whitman.

Mayor Mitchel's plea TO Governor Whit
man for economy in state affairs would
not come with half so much emphasis if
his administration of New York City's
affairs had not shown the way. 1t is true,
as he says, that real estate here is taxed
to such a point that further increase In
the tax rate will precipitate disaster for
the smaller owners. That is not his fault.
In his administration the city's admins
trative expenses have been reduced 3d.
125,000 below what they were in 1914, and
a sound financial policy has been adopted
which in a decade or two will relieve the
city of large interest payments.
Governor Whitman's administration has
not been similarly successful as to finan-
cial affairs. He insisted on direct state
tax last year-ostensibly to pay for def
ciencies left over from the Glynn admins
tration-and subsequent events proved, as
was pointed out by The Tribune, that that
tax was unnecessary. Now, with no def
ciencies from his own first year of Office to
make up, he is talking about being able
to cut only about 81 100000 from total
of appropriations equalling last years,
which was supposed TO contain S10,OOO,OOO
liabilities inherited from Governor Glynn
New York City naturally will hold
rather with Mayor Mitchell when he urges
the Governor TO veto $14,000,000 appro-
priations as unnecessary. than with the
Governor, who thinks he can save the tax
payers only S1,OOO,OOO. The one has made
good in handling the public funds; the
other has been notably unsuccessful. Gov
ernor Whitman has a chance TO redeem
himself, if he has the courage to cut out
political items and force economy on de-
partments always eager TO grab appropria-
lions from an easy Legislature. If the
Governor will run the states affairs as
well as the fusion administration has han
died the city's, the state at large will be
grateful, and there will be no apprehen-
sion here of another direct state tax next
year.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
How to Prepare for a Parade.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: In the interest of the health OF many
people who are expecting to take part in the
preparedness parade on Saturday next, will
you be good enough, in prominent place in
your paper, to call attention TO the follow
ing matters which may be the means Of pre-
venting serious illness, and in some cases
even DEATH of some of the marchers?
No civilian parade ever starts on time, So
that every subdivision, with hardly an ex-
ception, is obliged to wait often for hours in
the street until the proper moment has ar
rived for it to fall in behind and take its
allotted position in the parade.
A large proportion of the people who are
intending 70 march on Saturday, especially
womeL, have never taken part in any parade,
and their mistake usually is that owing
70 the exercise which they will be having in
this parade, they fail to provide themselves
with the necessary wraps or clothing to keep
them warm during the long waits in the
street 1t is this failure TO properly provide
for the long waits and delays which is the
cause OF pneumonia and innumerable colds.
wrap or sweater, or even a newspaper,
which in the case of men can be easily put
under their coats or vests during the wait
and later discarded after the parade starts,
will be found invaluable.
Another point 10 be noted is regarding
shoes Of the marchers, which are more often
than otherwise too thin or inappropriate
Everybody should wear easy shoes with heavy
soles and low heels, and a proper regard for
this requirement added to sufficient wraps 10
keep them warm during the waits will make
the parade pleasure, whereas Otherwise il
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
Hats Of to the Flag.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: have noticed, or viewing various
parades, that there is a marked lack Of re-
spect shown TO the national flag as 1t passes
on review. A very small minority honor the
flag by taking of their hats as 1t passes by.
attribute this negligence rather to igno-
rance than to disrespect. Would it not be
compatible along with the other patriotic
movements Of the day, and in lieu OF the
coming preparedness parade, to educate the
public through your columns on this point
We might see more Difference paid to the
colors next Saturday.
sincerely hope you may consider this
patriotic movement worthy Of adoption.
J. W. SNOWDEN.
New York, May Q, 1916
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
The Making of Republicans.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: met an acquaintance the other day
who was formerly for several years mem
be, Of the National Guard Of the State of
New York. asked him what he thought of
tic idea of depending upon the militia for
defence in case of invasion.
To use his vigorous expression, ut is all
rot You can't get them to drill Half OF
them don't know enough to sight a gun or
fix a bayonet. | know, for | have drilled
them"
Then he said. "l'm an old line Democrat,
but while | would like to vote for Roosevelt
I'll vote for a yellow dog, if necessary, on
the Republican ticket Wilson is making Re-
pubicans so fast you can't count them"
New York, May &, 1916. NJ. I. r.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
At Last a Victory.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: | am unalterably pro-Ally and pro-
English In this war. and I, therefore, cannot
refrain from registering my indignation in
connection with your recent article entitled
British Failure" when you must admit that
the British army has won one great victory
during the last twenty-one months-namely.
that of the defeat Of the little handful Of
Sim Fein uprisers in Dublin recently.
MATTHEW r. BARRETT.
New York, May 10, 1915
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
Cock Robin-1916.

Who killed the Party?
a." said T. R--t.
Just to be smarty
81 killed the Party"
Who saw it die?
a." said the nation,
an great perturbation,
81 saw it die"
Who tolled the bell?
a." said the Moose
Without any excuse,
IL tolled the bell"
Who'll bring it back?
a." said c. Hughes,
II can If / choose
"I'n bring it back
ELLEN X. HOOKER
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
A Craw6sh Paper.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: president Wilson has sent another
note TO Germany"
He has-s note that no American. placing
country above party, could criticise justly,
but note that a crawfsh paper, placing
party above country, naturally would at
tempt 70 refer to scathingly.
". B. DESPARD.
Brooklyn, May 2, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
"The Anniversary"

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: | wish TO compliment you on your
grand editorial of Sunday, The Anniver.
sary," which is worthy OF preservation with
Lincolns speeches and Tilden's warning on
preparedness.
wish that you could devise some way in
which it could be sent all over the country in
pamphlet form. A. X. SHIPMAN,
Member American Legion.
Bridgeport, Conn, May 8, 1918.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
nav be a tragedy as far as some individuals

may be tragedy as far as some individuals
are concerned.
An experience Of over twenty years as a
member of the national guard of this city
prompts me to make this suggestion, and
earnestly request that you should, in some
appropriate way, bring the matter prominent
ly before the readers Of your esteemed paper
at your earliest possible opportunity.
EX-NATIONAL GUARDSMAN.
New York, May 9, 1916.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
Shorter Catechism.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: The suppression OF the Lusitania
memorial meeting by Mayor Mitchell is the
worst disgrace America has suffered. Why
Is The Tribune silent? Are you gagged. too ?
REGINALD.
Hamilton. Mass. May ?, 1916.
tNo.-Ed.l
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11
TWO DATES
With a Hope That Americans Will Not
Fail to Remember Them.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: There are two dates OF national I'M
portance this year. They stand equal dis
tances from each other. The first brings 20
mind the second and the second will bring TO
mind the first. They are indelible in the
brain OF every American.
May Z.
November Z.
Nay the latter help compensate the former
AN AMERICAN.
Dunkirk, N. Y, May 8, 1916.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-11

you can purchase merchandise advertised
IN TBE TRIBUNE with absolute ssie'y-ior
~ dissatisfaction results in any case 1hI
TRIBUNE guarantees to pay your money oack
rpou request. No red tape, no clubbing we
make good promptly If the advertiser does not