davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27
A Tribute to All Women

There is nothing 40 hard to observe and
estimate and record as public opinion in
the making. It's most striking transfor-
nations take place so gradually that by
the time YOU can perceive what has hap
pened-that nobody wants peace or that
everybody is going to the moves-the
worst is entirely over. Some such calm
and benefcent cataclysm has plainly taken
place in the public's attitude toward the
desire Of women TO vote The jeers have
quite stopped Now that we try to recall
the last example, it seems as If they must
have stopped long while ago. Nor is 1t
to-day queer or absurd or manniSh to want
to vote. Even in your most precise sub
urb YOU can work and talk for suffrage
without losing caste or tempting criticism.
There is no more stigma attached to beng
a suffragist than there is TO being church
member or having an interest in garden
ing or playing a good game Of golf
The services In memory OF Mrs. Boisse-
vain held in the Capitol record the change
lnterestl0SlN. NODVul los PANN~""~N ~
such q decoration Of Statuary Hall.
There shows, rather, general approval
Of the honor to a beautiful and brilliant
woman who died working for what she felt
was hers Of right The pity Of her sacri-
fee finds few unresponsive. The tribute
20 her is felt as tribute 10 all women,
Of whatever cause. who have given their
best for their faith, frce-handedly gayly,
bravely. in the fashion we have learned 70
expect from women. Mrs. Bolssevan was
one Of many women who have brought to
the cause Of women the ineStimable gift
OF charm. She showed by her manners
and appearance as well as by the very
quality Of her courage and thought that
the modern woman in seeking freedom pro
poses no masculinization Of her sex. She
proposes rather to be more complete and
effective woman than ever before.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27
Sir Edward Carson's Admission"

The German newspapers have seized
eagerly upon passage in Sir Edward
Carson's recent discussion Of the status Of
armed merchant ships. Their conclusions
are summarized thus by the Overseas
News Agency:
By this official uttersnce the British gov
eminent openly admits that its merchant
ships have been armed for attack. The
statement that they must not seek out the
enemy in order TO attack him indirectly
means that an attack would be permitted II
hostile forces were encountered By accident.
Moreover, we are told that the news
papers take his admission" as extremely
important" presumably because it is sup
posed to justify the German assumption
that armed merchant ships are to all in
tents and purposes ships Of war.
The Germans have never missed an OPP
portunity to return to this interesting
point, but their way Of dealing with the
plain statement Of the First Lord Of the
Admiralty as something new is hardly
sincere. That which he Openly admits"
has been strongly insisted upon by the
British government from the very first,
and follows, Of course upon the claim Of
right TO arm merchantmen at all. The
admission that defensive armament is al
lowable obviously implies that it may be
turned TO account II is true that wooden
guns have occasionally been used in the
past TO brighten away an aggressor, but
If it were once understood that the guns
carried by merchantmen were always
wooden they would no longer be Of much
use in an emergency.
The Germans themselves can hardly pre-
tend that they ever thought ships ode
fcnsively armed" meant ships with guns
mounted merely for ornament. But II the
guns are designed for a useful purpose It
is difficult to see how they can be used
except to attack. That is precisely what
they are made for.
The threat TO treat armed vessels as
cruisers would be more terrible if it were
quite new. But even last year, before the
submarines were at their best, no fewer
than forty vessels totally unarmed were
sunk without the slightest warning Of any
kind. Whatever the decision may be In the
matter Of arming merchant ships, it is not
likely that it will be seriously affected by
the fear that the Germans may possibly
cease to be chivalrous and humane.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27
Seats in Cars
r Of The Tribune.

10 the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: Brooklyn is about TO meet great
issue in transit. II the people have no right
20 seats In cara, the company has no right 10
run cars. The B. r. T. secured It's fran
chise rights through the Brooklyn City Rail-
way Company, under an express provision
that proper service WAS to be afforded the
travelling public n that company cannot
serve tho public fairly and honestly 1t has no
right to the franchise, and the courts must
turn back to the people all rights granted
20 it.
10 is time 20 look at this matter squarey
in the interest Of the travelling public. For
quarter OF century the public officials
have pandered to this monopoly without re-
gard to the rights OF a sorely oppressed peo-
pie. The press of Manhattan must come to
tho relief of the people Of Brooklyn II decent
service Is TO be secured. Without its help
We are powerless May we not expec. help
from Manhattan VIII The Tribune help'
C. AUGUSTUS HAVILAND.
Brooklyn, Dee 20, 1916
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27
CONCERNING CALTFORNTANS
Having Track Athletes and Tennis PIayera
Why Not a President?
Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: I was tickled By the TRADE Of 20 r
A. in The Tribune % the 4th inst amen. Cal.
ifornisns. happen TO have the good for.
tune to be a Californian myself, not, BY II.
way, from Iowa, but from San Francisco. al
though what the disgrace consists In In b.
ing born in Iowa fail TO see
&c. r. AS" main claim seems 20 b. ia,
Califonians are physically deg.nerst.s
Now, il is we'll known fact that IN Cali.
fornia tho children are usually larger tina,
their parents, the boys taller THAI thsi,
fathers, the girls than their mothers Ihs,.
pen 10 be shade under feet tall. Wh.r
entered the University Of California =.
we're all lined up the first drill day in Ii.
order OF our heights. There were six con.
panies, and ! was not even in the first eor.
pany. I have lived three years in New Yor.
City, and never found it necessary 20 look
up 10 one man in six when / talked 70 him
nor one in ten nor one in twenty. Their
grow them bigger on an average IN Cali.
fomia. Not that that ia any moral cr.d.
TO an individual or a section; IL Is simply
As 70 outdoor sports, ! remember or. in.
stance in point. The university sent a sslS
and track team back East, and they had
sbout dozen meets with different colleges.
They made practically a clean sweep Cali.
fornians do really know something about out
door sports. T. almost seems 20 ne ira. I
have heard OF some tennis players tha. hav.
made good in the East, In spite OF the hand.
cap OF hsiing from California.
Never mind. &C. r. A." You've got crouch
or. for some reason. 7 do not know vha. 10.
animus behind your attack IS; perhaps you
sympathze with the &. r. n 50, can
understand what 10 Is all about But nav.
one suggestion 90 make. Before you vrits
about California again, why don. you lea7.
Los Angeles and make a trip there7 Their,
is nothing like first hand impressions 70 cor.
rect hearsay evidence. Perhaps II you 20.
away from the health-seekers and one
lungers from Iowa. etc, among whom you
are now situated, and up among the real Cal.
ifornans you would not feel 50 ps'simistis
about 10 all.
And. moreover, I'll give you ons last ZIP,
and it's a good one. It's even money or BET
ter that the next President or Vee-Prsn.
dent Of the Z. s. A. will be a Californian,
and HIS name Hiram Johnson.
GEORGE z. PAYzANr.
Santa Barbara. Isle Of Pines, Dec. 10, 1918
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Your editorial Of to-day is sadly true.
The people Of the United States no longer
react, as a nation, 10 great moral ideals. Tho
cold hand OF selishness, commercialism
what you will-has passed upon US. Ameri-
cans whose ancestry runs back to the heroic
ages havo for more than two years deluded
themselves with the hope that at some new
turn OF sffars-perhaps at the last election
they might see a sign OF great-hearted in
dignstion. They wero wrong. There was no
sign OF noble sympathy. on the part OF this
nation, with tho millions who are laying
down their lives for great causes, no sign Of
wrath that We had been misreprescnted be
fore the world, no sign Of repentance for our
Official heartlcssness, no stir OF patriotic
idcalsm. President Wilson rs. after all,
what he claims to be, the true Interpreter of
the mind Of the mass Of the people.
We are, it seems, not even a frankly COW
ard nation We respond in no wiso TO the
great issues which are wringing tho souls OF
men across the sea. We are immovaby in
different. We don't care. We want peace,
not because Of the ngones Of Europe, not
that justice may be satisfied not that wrongs
may be fented, hut that we may escape the
slightest disturbance Of our placid prosperity
and go on with our dream OF complecent op-
portunism. Upon "a now is branded for
generations to come, the inefaceable mark
the "monstrous phrase" proud to
fight" American, who still have hearts that
burn must go softly IN tho land their fore
father. bought with blood They cannot 90
abroad 70 meet tho plying stare OF patriots
of other lands
This only hope for this dvindllng band IA
that God in His mercy may send a great trial
to the nstion. and that, like the Maccsbees
though few and despised, they may be called
upon to testify By their heroism 70 the fact
that righteousness has not utterly persisted
out OF the land
WILLIAM WHITING DAVIS.
New York, Dec. 25. 1916
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27
Strongly Pro-Ally

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: With your statement as 10 the attl-
udo Of this country I most decidedly DIS
gree. theoretically, this country IS neutral
Practically, il has never been. When the war
broke out was in Europe. ! talked with men
and women from all over the Union. with
hardly an exception at that time these were
altogether in sympathy with the Aiiies.
since nv return / have, in various parts Of
the country, interviewed all sorts or people
mon and women. young and old, rich and
moor. learned and unlearned Aside from
such az are Of German birth or origin, these
people have found to be in their symps-
thies strongly pro-Ally. Indeed, il is hard
"a End ANYBODY who ia not-the German, OF
course. excepted, and even among these mo
Of late many who are bitterly opposed TO the
prussian domination Of the Fatherland.
The assumption underlying your editorial
that the reelection OF President Wilson ar
cues tho indifference Of this country az TO
tho issues Of the war IL unwarranted. Aany
things combined to bring that about As
regard, the European conflict and our rela-
tion 10 the nations involved, the issues we're
clouded. Many voted for Wilson because
they feared that Hughes was the choice OF
the nro-Gsrman element Repeatedly since
the war broke out President wilson mas
failed TO represent the deeper life OF the
American people. II was true when he asked
that we be neutral in thought. II was
true when he failed to protest against me
invasion Of Belgium. As also when ne sald
ne was too proud to fight" In the vaeillat-
ing. uncertain. indefinite policy that followed
he sinking Of the Lusitania the President
certainly did not voice the sentiment OF the
American people. Neither did he represent
This pcople when he said that with tho
causes and outcome Of this war We we're IN
no vay concerned" That such statement
could come from an American who had been
all his life A student OF history was receiveo
on this side OF the Atlantic, as IL was IN
France and England, as simply amazing
Whatever he may have meant, his Peace
Noto implies that he considers the nations
at war to be fighting for the same ends. In
this he certainly does not represent the sober
Judgment Of the American people. There is
hardly a ten-year-old boy In the land VINO
does not know better. KtGCLO
Rrooklvn Dec rs, 1918.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27
France and Armenia

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir, The following letter from N. BRAND
10 Senator Louis Martin, written only two
months ago, throws q significant light upon
tho attitude OF the Entente to the war; be-
cause it answers three important questions;
That the Allies are determined TO win the
war decsiyely that they mean 70 punish
those individuals who are guilty o. the com
mission OF atrocities, and that they 90 not
propose to turn over Turkey-the objective
OF Germany's ambition-to her present cut
throat masters. Says NJ. BRAND;
"As you well state in your letter, which
you were good enough to address 10 me on
the Armenian situation, France. forgetting
for a while her own sorrows, fastened 10
share the sympathetic sentiments OF the
civilized nations FOR the appalling atrocities
that have been perpetrated against the Ar
menian.. For a moment she turned her
thoughts from the crimes that were being
committed on her own soil against her own
population 20 pay the tribute Of her deep
sympathy. OF her pity for those martyrs Of
rght and of justice. The government Of the
republic has solemnly denounced the crimes
OF the Young Turks and has referred TO the
judgment Of the conscience OF mankind their
internal project TO exterminste whole race
a race which In their view Is guilty only
OF love for progress and for civilization. The
representatives Of tho republic have sub
mltted TO the neutral governments all the
documentary evidence. with the purpose OF
proclsming 10 the world the ghastly proc
esses OF this attempted determination in
their hideous color For the sake OF the
honor a. mankind. we earnestly hope that
the indignant protests that some OF these
powers have lodged a. Constanfinople will
spare the Armenian nation further outrages.
when the hour of final accounting arrives
France will not forget the terrible suffering
Of the Armenian nation, and, in entire accord
with her Allies, she will assure for her ade-
quats guarantees for peace and for prog
rem" ". c.
New York. Dec. 10, 1915,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27
Struggling Virtue Not Friendless

In his annual report TO the Mayor Chief
Magistrate McAdoo calls attention TO what
seems 20 him TO be a serious gap in New
York City's official and unofficial agencies
= for relief Of the needy. BE declares he
knows Of no institution or agency, or even
individual. open TO appeal for the relief
Of a virtuous woman with children, home
less and in extremity. He points this with
a citation Of a casa respectable woman
with two children, deserted by her hus-
band, whom the Domestic Relations Court
had ordered 70 pay her So a week. This
mandate had not been obcyed. She was
on the streets, and on bitter winter night
came TO the magistrates Office with her
children seeking help.
Of this woman had been q convicted
prostitute instead Of Woodworking Fin
nish woman whose hands were SCARED
with toll" he says, there were several
agencies ] could have called on a. once 10
take care Of her. Now, why should not
a woman who is still struggling in the
ranks Of decency and virtue have as many
friends as the woman who has fallen out
OF the ranks and joined the vicious in the
easier way Of getting q living7"
II conditions were as the Chief Magis-
trate's statement makes them appear this
city would have reason TO feel ashamed Of
itself. They are not so bad, even though
so far as official agencies are concerned
they arc by no means good in providing
for the situation which he instances. The
Charities Department is forbidden by law
10 give immediate relief save TO veterans
or dependents Of veterans or the blind, but
il would have been able, with some shifts
70 care for this woman and her children,
though probably they would have had to
be separated. She could have been cared
for in a city home. or perhaps in farm
colony. Investigation would have been
necessary. but il would have followed
rather than preceded immediate relief.
So far as private agencies arc con-
cerncd. both the Charity Organization So
cicty and the Association for Improving
the Condition Of the Poor would have been
competent and willing 10 afford the neces-
sary relief. The latter organization main
aims "deser.ion bureau" which. in con
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27
Bloodthirsty Birds

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The question Of the relation of the
English sparrow to other birds Is frequently
misunderstood Bird lovers who dislike En-
glish sparrows are liable to attribute the de-
crease OF all songbirds 70 its belligerent and
Teutonlc character. There is no doubt that
the sparrow drives away bluebirds, wrens and
martins, birds whose nesting habits are SINH
lar and whose nest boxes it usurps. But
robins. thrushes. warblers and other birds
that do not nest in bird boxes or holes in
trees are not particularly affected by the
sparrow The most conspicuous example Of
the effect OF the sparrows on other birds is
shown by the case OF the purple martin.
This bird was abundant In northeastern
United States before the introduction of spar
rows, but Is now decidedly rare In most
places. The few martin colonies that still
exist In the state Of Connecticut are main
tanned only by constant warfare against the
sparrows.
Hawks are not always destroyers Of bird
life Some kinds live almost entirely on mice
aud on other small animals and seldom or
never eat birds. One small hawk lives very
largely on grssshoppers, and yet public opin-
.on has misnamed it sparrow hawk" Hawks
are already reduced to very small numbers
by thoughtIess guhhels. lhey are mashlH-
cent and wonderful wild birds in the truest
sense Of tho term, with marvellous powers Of
fight and grace Of movement, and with an
aesthetic value as great as that OF song
birds The sentimentslist who talks or writes
OF hawks as bloodthrsty or cruel creatures
must remember that they are only following
their natural instincts in obtaining food for
themselves and their young. We might as
truthfully talk of the bloodthrsty and cruel
robin. who drags poor earthworms out OF the
ground and devours them.
Why are hawks singled out particularly
among the wild enemies of songbirds? Why
not owls. crows, jays. squirrels, foxes, snakes
and others. Most Of these are equal or even
greater mensces to bird life.
ARETAS A. SAUNDERS.
Norwalk, Conn. Dec. 81, 1916
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27
Are the Officers Responsible

To the Editor Of The Tribune. -,
Sir: The views Of your eorreSp0nuSsS
Alexander Blume, on the treatment aecV'. -.
two enlisted men wearing the Uniform o. ar
United States Navy, who were refused IL
vice in a Brooklyn cafe and discriminate .s''
against in a theatre solely because OF Wv"
uniform. meet with my hearty support
II /. certainly disgraceful condition "s .ss
such discrimination is tolerated. Bat Is -.
army and navy not responsible FOR 'ne I,
tude OF civilians toward enils.eo ~. ..r %
is certainly the practice o. enlisted nv 80
rise. salute and leave restaurant or 80 ss.
upon the entrance OF commissioners :, o", ,si,
When enlisted men arc subjected 70 wv :,
and undemocratie tre"'ns a.
the commissioned officer, who IS r." sS,rs
an equal By civilians, does not arg .,.,,n,.
Of the responsibility for civilian disef'"''
ton rest with the army and navy .,,vr,s
''O" Wv JOHN X. CURTIS
Springfield. Mass. Dec. p, 1910
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27
Cornbread
From The voshv4le Bonner


In response TO Champ Clsrk's advice that
there should be greater use Of corn as food,
the epicure OF "Ths New York Sun" makes
thi. sage observation concerning cornbre /:
at was we'll thought OF IN this country as
human food fifty, forty, perhaps thirty years
ago. But In an unfortunate day even poor
folk began to neglect corn Dressed up as
hominy IL still had certain popularity, pa
rents were willing that their children should
eat it thus. Treated with baking powder, salt,
plenty OF rich cream and butter, II was still
made into hot bread some were not
ashamed TO cat"
This serves chiefly in this part Of the
country TO show how little the South and
Southeners are computed as a part Of the
country, and how little they know in New
York and other supposed enlightened centres
OF what constitutes good eating.
II is sssuredly not necessary 70 use the
past tense when corn as human food Ia
spoken OF in the South. Cornbre,d 10 used
preferably by thousands OF well-to-do people
OF the South, in the cities and towns, as well
as IN the rural sections.
We know the virtue in this region OF the
pone, the hot corn muffin and OF "eggbread,"
which. n our brethren OF the North ever
knew, they are unfortunate to have forgotten.
Bob Taylor used to say one essential DIFF
ference between the South and North is "hot
biscuit and cold ightbread." The negro cooks
in the South made hot bread for each meal
practicable, while the thrifty housewives Of
the North had baking days" when enough
bread was baked for q week. That was where
the difference mainly lay.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27
After the War Is Over
Newark, n. J., Dec. %, 1915.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Amid the mass OF just criticism 81
President Wilson's peace note nothing nn
been said Of the following paragraph, vniei
to my mind is the most humiliating OF a.!
part OF It TO the spirit Of true Amereshisn'
an the measures TO be taken 20 secure ~
future peace Of the world the people and gov
eminent of the United States are as vissly
and as directly interested as the govern
ments now at war. Their interest, moreovsf'
in the means TO be adopted 70 relieve "a.
smaller and weaker peoples Of the roho
OF the peril OF wrong and violence 4"
quick and ardent as that OF any other peop'
or government. They stand ready and even
eager TO cooperate in the Accomplished
Of these ends when the war is over ~l''
every influence and resource az their COM
mand."
II it is going 20 be necessary 10 defeno -.
rights Of neutrals 20 travel and tsas We.
not say so? The fact that our rights az
being invaded is a real basis, although -
insufficient one, for trying 10 end he W."
No matter how quick and ardent our INV.
est In the small and weak nsutrsls ma! ~
why mention IL now when we specify "
same time that We will DO nothing so0''
VA WI VIZ G. W. HUDSON,
Inner Montclair. \. j.. Dec. %, 1910
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27
Money Without Honor

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: On the eve OF the last election
between my Japanese mousse
man and me ran something like this:
M hope Mr. Wilson will be elected.
But why Mr.. Wilson" M.-"but why
not? He has kept out Of war-the country
has made much money" But money IS
not everything" M.-"What is better
I (feebly) -"Surely honor is better" NJ
81 do not think so; with honor and no money,
what good? But with money you can very
we'll get along without honor"
To-day am sadly wondering having read
vour Christmas Day editorial, If you are
ricbt. and if the majority Of Americans feel
as this really intelligent japanese hoy"
does AN AMEklOhN "ONA-N'
Larchmont. Dec %, 1916.