davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1916-11-20
THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
President Wilson Can Put All Amerl'
cans on . Level Before the Law.

To THE EDITOR OF II SuN-Sir: THE
Pistol at the Court House Door Is good
reading. rs are all SUN editorial articles,
for the simple reason that THE SUN II
not afraid to say what Il means In lucid.
clear cut style md never INDUCES In
Pecksnifian sophistry or Uriah Heep
hypocrisy.
Now that the eminent rhetor.cian and
ambiguous phrase maker seems TO have
been reelected. what will he do with or
TO his friends for whom he crawled and
had the Adamson act passed.
Has he got any sand In his makeup
10 cut the Gordian knot and end once and
for all any recurrence OF a threatened
nationwide tieup Of railroads? He can
do this, and do II easier. because OF a
better reason than he used to pass the
Adamson act a reaso OF tho best. as
II would TAKE into account the general
welfare OF the nation and not the de-
mand OF special interests.
He can end at one stroke all dangers
OF present and future holdups by sim
ply asking Congress to repeal that clause
In the Clayton act OF 1914 which ex-
empts or is said to exempt labor unions
and farmers alliances from the penalties
OF the antitrust act when engaged In
a conspiracy In restraint OF trade.
Wilson has a chance to right a wrong
that he did. a wrong one to gain
votes, IND make amends for holdup
legislation In the Adamson act
COLUMBUS. o.. November ~. l.. II.
The sun., 1916-11-20

from the historic policy Of unionism
that has attracted much attention.
The rift, division, drifting apart, OF
black Americans and white Ameri-
cans has been the aus Of grave fore
holdings among thoughtful men for
years; the drawing together Of black
Americans and white Americans OF
which the new attitude Of the feder-
ation Is evidence Ia a matter Of pro-
found significance.
1t Is to be assumed that Mr.. Will
sons contribution to this movement
will take the form Of an a%cceleration
Of Justice. social. legal and moral, for
the negro; and in certain sections
Of the country II the negro a get
justice he will be r~ejoiced to accept
It., even though It lack heart and
pulse and sympathy.
The sun., 1916-11-20
THE PACIFIST'S ERROR.
He Is Not the Only Person With an
Aversi0u TO War.


To THE EDITOR OF THE sUS-sr: In
the letter signed '~'Thoughtful" In The
SUN Of to-day the defence Of the pacihst
Is once again taken up in a way which
proves the lamentable inability Of those
curious people who natter themselves
that they are INSPIRED by some Of the
noblest sentiments hat can dwell In the
human breast to see straight. The
pacinst Is wholly wrong In the SUPPOSE
ton that he is the only person alive who
has on aversion to war and stands APP
palled before the tragedies that follow
In its wake.
Every human being except the Prus-
sian has the same aversion. and even
the Prussian shares in the feeling when
he finds that he cannot ride ~roughshod
over unprepared nations. What the
pacinst cannot understand IL that he
and his kind have done more through
out the ages to make war possible than
all b~loodthirsty people put together. II
IL he who discourages nations from put
ting themselves In q state OF preparation
for war which will make war an i'm
possibility. and the fact that. in face Of
the terrible Lesson which 10 at this mo-
ment still being learned by those nations
which chung blindly and ignorantly and
~pigheadedly to the so-called principles OF
pac.hsm. '"~Thoughtfui' and his fellow
thinkers can even now continue to
babble on the subject does not speak
well for the intelligence Of this century.
one would have imagined that the very
word pacifst had been shamed out Of the
dictionary. CosMo HAMILTON.
NEW York, November IS.
The sun., 1916-11-20
NEW JERSEYS CASE.
4 Statement Of the Freight Aspirations
Of Our Western Friends.

To II EDITOR OF The SrN-Sir: /
read with much amusement the letter
OF Louis Il. Manheimer concerning the
so-called division of the port OF New
York. He seems to dwell upon every
item but the real point at issue. Most
New Workers | have spoken to on the
subject have the same erroneous argu-
ment, that New Jersey is seeking to
disrupt the port of New York. New
Jersey is seeking to do no such thing
New Jersey Is seeking its rights only.
II the port OF New York comprises
Trenton. Newark. Jersey City and the
other northern New Jersey localities so
far as freight rates are concerned. why
are these localities favored in one direc-
ton and Disseminated against in an
other direction To eastbound freight
passing through New Jersey to New
York city is given the same rate a that
of freight destined for any OF the n ,rth-
ern New Jersey localities. while freight
coming from New England points TO
points in northern New Jersey does not
receive the same rate OF New York city.
Tut has 10 pay a lighterage charge from
New York to New Jersey and additional
freight rates to the points shipped to.
This is the complaint we Jerseymen
have TO make. Are we not Justified IN
making It? is II not "A poor rule that
does not work both ways
Mr.. Manheimer speaks without actual
knowledge. He saws there IL at present
a belt line railroad across tho New Jer-
sey meadows connecting practically
every railroad that enters the port
The truth is that no one in New Jersey
ever saw II. because It Is not there.
However. he together with all other New
Workers will % thoroughly enlightened
In the matter when New Jersey pre-
sents Its case before the Interstate Com
merce Commission
New Jersey has been shortsighted In
the past as 10 It's own interests in this
respect. but this viii be corrected In due
course OF time. y. J. MANUFACTURER.
BY G. II. PLuMMER.
NEWARK, y, j.. November IS.
The sun., 1916-11-20
ceased HIshness" more adequately con.

ceased Highness" more adequately con
veye the note Of reverence.
FRANCrA was the subject Of a pane
gyric by CARLYLE, who pictured him
as a solitary superman worthy Of the
extreme Of hero worship. Thou
lonely FRANciA!" exclaimed the spir-
itually hyphenated author Of THE
French Revolution" 1t is n pity that
CARLYLE did not live to read the later
works Of NIETzscHE. How he would
have exulted in Beyond Good and
Evil'! But perhaps by the time that
goal had been proclaimed he had al
ready arrived there.
The truth about the Paraguayan
dictator will never be reached. We
know that he was merciless and vain,
that he executed men without the
semblance Of the forms Of Justice.
that he appeared devoid Of all human
feeling In such episodes as his re-
fusal to forgive his dying father, from
whom he had long been %estranged.
The principal governmental policy Of
FRANCrA was the complete isolation
Of Paraguay from the rest Of the
world; rs a result the Paraguayans
were forced to rely on themselves and
achieved n di~verslfication Of industry
that was distinctly beneficial to the
country. Since the people were thor
oughly untitled for self-government at
that time It may be considered that
FRANcrA's rule was the best thing In
the circumstances. And his detest.
able personal qualities do not lessen
the interest with which we read all
we ri find about him. Those who
have an idea that FRANcIA was n
great and misunderstood immortal
should turn from CARLYLE and the
pages Of fiction to the letters Of j. p.
and w. p. ROBERTSON and to the first
volume Of CHARLES A. WAsHBuRN's
History Of Paraguay"
1t would be interesting to know IL
Paraguayans intend to commemorate
FL Supremo's centenary. How would
they go about II. we wonder?
The sun., 1916-11-20

A novel just published has for Its
central figure JOSE GAspAR RoD-
RIGULz FRANCIA, the dictator OF Para
quay, whose a~utocracy began a little
over n hundred years ago and lasted
until his death In 1910. 1t Is, In fact.
exactly a century since this despOt. to
whom the Paraguayans dared refer
only al III Supreme" was made die
tator for life and styled FL Perpetuo.
The %fattering implication that he
would live forever was not fulfilled,
yet FRANcIA inspired SO much terror
that after his death few ventured tn
speak of him otherwise than as III
Defunto, The Deceased" His De.
The sun., 1916-11-20
where shan the People Go.

II tafic congestion in New York
were confined to q few popular thor.
oughfares and their intersections, 1t
would be comparatively easy to de-
wise means Of relief. Such IL not the
case. In all the boroughs are districts
where the capacity Of roadways and
sidewalks IL exceeded by the demanhs
made on them. and where this condition
Is found the diversion Of vehicles and
pedestrians to other streets and ave
nue. Is impracticable. In Manhattan
and parts Of Queens, Brooklyn and The
Bronx the situation is complicated BY
subway construction. which curtails II
1t does not prohibit the use Of numerous
highways: and tho dislnclination Of
citizens generally to abandon accus-
toned routes of travel is an obstacle
to distribution that cannot he over
looked by the authorities.
Police Commissioner Woops. who
has been Obliged carefully to study the
problems involved, has decided that
only by new highways can the load be
reduced. The completion Of the sub
ways, when 1t ia accomplished, will
make Seventh avenue available for
purposes for which 1t Is now closed (;
the connection Of upper and lower
Park avenue would provide a new
artery for north and south bound
vehicles; but In the meantime other
possibilities Of reimbursement must he
considered. 1t should be borne In mind
that provision has to be made not only
for the present. but for the future.
and this contemplates the utilization Of
streets which are now neglected, as
well as the increase Of facilities on
crowded streets.
Traffic regulation can mitigate the
discomforts originating In overcrowd-
ing. but this Is not sufficient. The
real solution Of the problem lies IN
distributing the trafic. and this can
be done only by controlling 1t from
its origin to Its destination. and en-
ploying for this purpose the street
system as n whole, without emphasis
OH any particular subdivision Of 1t.
The sun., 1916-11-20
DINING UNDER THE DOME.
No Sad. Bored Faces In This Partisan
Refractory.

To THE EDITOR OF THE s~rS-Sir; May
not the sad. bored diner owe his ex-
preston to a state OF inciplent coma
or sem!-suffocation caused by the bad
air In most OF our restaurants? In
these days. when every one smokes
everywhere and AT any time. the air
In our eating places is apt TO be thicker
than the soup. and this criticism applies
to our ladies' clubs as well as to our
restaurants.
l recall a hotel In Paris whose res
taurant. built in an extension. had a
sliding glass roof which on opening
showed n glass dome that divided in its
turn. letting out all the bad air at once
n giving the diners a glimpse OF the
open sky.
Perhaps u climate does not permit
this. but It Is a pleasant recollection.
and there were nc bored faces under
that dome. FRESH AIR F1END.
NEW York. November IS.
The sun., 1916-11-20
LOOK BEFORE YOU LAUGH.
Limitations Imposed on Personal Free.
dom by the street Car RarOns.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: While
ta~xieabbing 10 the Horse Show in one
OF Mr.. Shonts's chariots-353t Is its
number II my memory serves me cor
rectly--I was Mortified 20 md painted
on the door leading TO the ves,ibule thi.
legend:
Passenger. are not srow.d 10 r,r. on
tho platform.
Are We to understand that we may
laugh only in the subway stations and
In the inside OF the cars MAY i ask
OF TIL SUN. whIch shines for ALL"
what Is a poor fellow TO do when wedged
In a corner OF the vestibule on n typical
crowded train when the guard bowls in
his ear: IVAN cent Nxfortine -? Is
he TO suppress his mlrth at this cry for
money or hold his stomach II he Is a
fat man to keep 1t from shaking like a
blanc mango? JOE COSTLY.
NEW YORK, November IS.
The sun., 1916-11-20

bers Of this House committee. The
Newlands investigators are expected
to begin work to-day.
1t Is to be hoped that their lab0rs
will be fruitful. But there Is no Ger.
tainty Of this, and indeed the imme-
diate prospects are not favorable. Ex-
traordinary freight trafRc, largely a
concomitant Of the heavy war export
trade We are doing, has given the
railroads an exceptionally prosperous
year in some cases. The rather large
returns Of the last twelvemonth are
likely to be pointed to as a convincing
proof Of railway prosperity. OF course
they are not the trouble lies much
deeper than any years earnings. 1t
Is rooted in u governmental rela-
tons with the roads. They must obey
the United States and forty.eight diff
ferent States, each with different and
ever changing laws.
The important question Of Federal.
Icing the roads and making them
amenable to Congress alone goes to
the kernel Of the problem. With that
accomplished there would still remain
much to be done. Should not the In
terstate Commerce Commission deter
mine railway wages as well as rail-
way rates? II arbitration Is refused
In railway disputes and cannot he
compelled. rs 1t probably cannot ex-
cept by the force Of public opinion,
should the Interstate Commerce Com
mission have power to operate the
roads during a strike? How Ia the
matter Of a reasonable return" on
railway capital to be handled? 1t
has recently been pointed out that,
after all, It Is not a governmental
body but the private investor who de-
| cides whether the return Is reasonable
or not. And the railway lei might
ask the Newlands committee this
question: IF Government regulation
Of profits finally makes It impossible
for us to attract new and necessary
capital will the Government substitute
the railroads.
The Federal Government has a mar
row choice: 1t has either to feed the
business that II has brought into the
brendlIne or else turn employer.
The sun., 1916-11-20
DANGERS THAT ARE INHERENT IN
THE HOME MADE WILL.
Disastrous Consequences Of Attempts By inexperienced Persons 10
Draw Their Own Last Testaments.

Ing and putting into effect imperfee,,v
Wills for testators. and tina, IN. un
above quoted was fatally defective IN ,
vital point. for II fails to mention, mueh
less to identify any gift. devise or
legacy"
There are many cases In which IN.
subject Of a gift has been imperfec,lv
described. but where the courts hay.
been able to spell out from the vho,.
instrument the poorly expressed in,en.
ton Of the testator and have let the ri,t
stand u a gift by implication"
In another case often used as a rr.c..
dent when II II sought to prove the in.
validity of a home made will. after
the testatrix had written the whole pare-
carefully. che sent for two wi,ncsse. 10
attend at her room In a hotel to Wit.
ness a document" 1t was shown on IN.
trial that she presented the "document,
to them thaving signed IT before IN.
witnesses called) folded In such a man.
ner as to conceal its contents and -.
quested them TO sign II. or course NJ.
cation which is the handmade Of sue,
instruments resulted In the will being
declared void and of no effect by IN.
Court Of Appeals. 1t would have bee,
so little trouble to inform the wltnes..,
that the paper was her will. and slsn II
In their presence and request them to
sign 1t and to have them do SO In her
presence, and the document would then
have withstood any assaults upon II
based upon alleged defective execution
III - ..Itl .-.l .s l-.
contents, but II Is essential to its validity
that they know 1t is a will.
So few home made wills survive Al.
Jack that when one does succeed in pro.
bate 1t deserves mention. The following
attained such distinction:
A member Of the Saratoga Club wrote
upon a sheet Of the clubs letter paper
his desire as to the disposition OF hs
property at his death. After writing and
signing 1t he called another member over
to the desk and asked him to sign It, say.
Ing 1t was his will, and he did so in the
testator's presence. Five hours later the
testator too the paper to the clubs
steward. showed It TO him. told him i,
Was his will and requested him to s.sn
It a u witness. which he did in the
testator's presence. Such informally IN
the making of this will naturally invited
n contest based upon the ground Of DE-.
fective execution. The Appellate Division
decided. however. that the will was prop.
erly executed, hat the testator had com.
piled substantially" with the require.
ments OF the statute. and admitted TIE
same to probate. How much less eY.
pens!ve to the estate of that man IL
The sun., 1916-11-20
DR.. EATON'S METHODS.
4 Further Examination of His Recent
Remarks on War.

To THE EDITOR Of THE SUN-Sir; II
seems to me that my critic Ia begging
the question. did not object 10 Dr.
Eaton's Just Indignation at the course
pursued by the Administrator land
what mar with red blood in his veins
would not he i~ndisnant?). What | did
object TO was his lnfammatory remarks.
Henry Ward Beecher did sell a slave
girl In his church to emphasize tho
cruelties OF slavery OF this there is no
doubt. And DR.. Charles II. Parkhurst
in his crusade against vice underwent
unpleasant experiences in order to con-
vince the Police Department that vice
still existed :, New York city. But does
this prove In either case that they
adopted the best means OF driving
home their arguments?
So with DR.. Eaton's remarks: does
any sane person believe that he was
really sincere when he said what he did
in his sermon last Sunday:
ADRIAN HEGEMAN.
STAMFORD. Conn. November 10.
The sun., 1916-11-20
CHANNELS FOR SUBMARINES
sAsulA Dangerous Night Waters BE
Closed to the Deutschland?

To THE EDITOR OF The suN-St: The
recent collision Of the German sub
marine Deutschland and her conveying
tug of Race Rock. In which the lives Of
I'VE In the tugs crew were lost. shows
plainly the danger Of permitting these
submarines to use that passage during
the hours Of darkness.
The Race is a narrow channel at best.
The tide run strong east and west and
considerable eddy is caused by the cross
tide. striking the usual current, coming
from the Thames River. It Is the only en-.
trance to Long Island Sound for large
vessels from the east. Tugs with long
tows and lumber laden schooners and
last but not least the Fall River and
Boston steamers all use the Race be-
tween 10 o'clock p. NJ. and 4 o'clock
A. NJ. Passengers on the steamers are
In bed at this point and would have lit
tie chance for their lives II the eighteen
knot steamer struck a submarine.
The recent accident would indicate.
although reports say otherwise. that the
submarine wal not we'll lighted. 1t il
reasonable to suppose that in making
for the open she would not carry n
more telltale light than was necessary.
and possibly not as much. At any rate.
II the conveying tug. which knew ap-
proximately her whereabouts, could not
keep clear OF her, what chance has a
yacht or commercial vessel which does
rot know OF her presence? Submarines
are not easily managed In strong tides
and narrow channels. and large, fast
steamers are lard to handle under the
same conditions unless a high rate OF
speed Is maintained. Who would shoul-
der the responsibility II one OF the Fall
River steamers was mi as a result OF
one Of these unheralded, movable UNDER
water objects getting In her path? A
slight misunderstanding of lights or sig
nails and hundreds Of people would per-
ish in the wreck.
Tn westward passage OF any small
yacht or craft. no matter how peaceful
her errand. may be looked upon with
suspicion by the crew Of the outbound
submarine and its convoy. All yachts
bound to the Sound either by way Of the
Race or Fishers Island Sound would
cross the submarines track or course
In making Cornield liehtship. There Is
the danger OF the Germans mistaking
any Of our small craft for n OF the
small scout cruisers which England has
In large numbers. and disastrous re-
suits might well be the sequel In case
OF mistaken identity.
The Germans have evidently made a
permanent base at New London. and
this nightly passage OF submarines In or
out may be looked for on an average
OF once n month. Now liz the time for
The sun., 1916-11-20
REvExuEs SRoH LIQUOR.
Prediction Of Financial Disaster n
Prohibition Prevails.


To THE EDITOR or the suN-sr: No
vernber Z brought disastrous news to
the brewers and saloon keepers Of the
States Of Montana. South Dakota. Mich
isan and Nebraska when these Common
wealths decided in favor Of statewide
prohibition. The addition Of these four
states to those already under the So
called dry" edict makes q total Of
tn cnty-thres. and II II believed that
when the new Governors Of Florida
and Utah are inaugurated measures will
be adopted to bring these " States
into the dry column.
II has been believed by students who
are watching the prohibition movement
that It would react. but such does not
appear to Be the case. That . reaction
will set In some time 10 quite possible,
but whether the brewers and saloon men
ran stand the financial strain colnci-
dent with the repeated attacks that they
must meet I cannot say. But II the
brewers, distillers and saloon men were
to agree 10 close down their establish
ments ven for q space Of six months
or one rear. thereby making the ma
ton automatically as dry as a bone.'
and would demand from the prohibi-
tionists that they Join hands in estab-
fishing q Law making It . criminal Of
fence for any one to ave liquors In
his or her possession. municipality after
municipality and state after State now
dry would wipe out the prohibition
law in q hurry. II such a movement
were { o be inausurated every State in
the Union and our national Government
would be compelled to Issue bonds 10
save themselves from bankruptcy.
when consideration Is given to the
fact that the United States Government
annually derives $3e5.0oo.oo from
liquors alone the financial catastrophe
that would overtake the Government
should the liquor men close up shop
for q while 10 appalling.
A. r.. ARDsLHY.
NEW York. November Is.
The sun., 1916-11-20
WHY CARS ARE SCARCE.


To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir. Ire
thousand times predicted car shortage
is upon us. Nor shall we shake It ~
before the war is past history. In ~,
last eight years the railroads o. the
United states increased their supply o.
cars l per cent a year.
Ground between interstate comners
rulings and ever rising trainmens
wages. our roads, up to twen,y-'a.-
months ago. have been gradually ani
progressively prepared FOR the srrdn
heap The count as Of 1914 shovel
one-s!xth OF them had arrived
In 1908 u roads operated 1875,
freight cars, In 1916 2.tt7.17s.
Listen to what Ivy l.. Lee. late o, ,A
pennsylvania Railroad. has to SAY. IA
1918 the roads actually earned less ,rtu
In 1907. Yet in the nine wears
since 1907 they had invested $500"
300 900 In increased facilities lie tn-H
adds that even in this record hreaN,u-
year the additional money earned =
less than 6 per cent. return on this adj
tional investment of $1,000. 900. 600.
Railway rolling stock is selling 'o-ll'
from 20 TO 100 per cent. above Us cns'
three years ago, and the quotations Z"
cars are constantly mounting. For t,g
materials are constantly being maY,si
up, and the only thing LEFT for the stet.
car builders to do IL to protect them
selves and advance the price 81 tars
Moreover u roads are TODAY fo'.ei
into the open market for Their pol. rr
stock requirements In the teeth ~ 'a
RranfAaf ,An,,.,s,.-. -..-
mating from the warning Powers IT,,
are making their too long DELAYED
chases at war prices,
1t will be years before the car Nl'le''
OF the United States are able g. at
up with the oncoming tide OF car ori'
from Russia and Italy and Franz 80
II our roads have passed through sh
lean nroht years Of late. so. too.
the car builders and equipment c.rr ..
tons. The car building frateru''' Dos
had no incentive in these lean ror Ms
justlf%ing plant extensions AMI 'area
capital OUTLAWS for Increasing ou',.'
Hence they feel themselves mu.h 'r
same boat with their railroad cas- ne
caught IN the Jam OF rapidly ris'- .."
material quotations and cou.,T 49,
limited plant capacity. Hence 'her ..
ability 10 handle at n moments r'' ,
AS 1t were, this flood OF orders
Inc sentiment Of the people - .
country Is for higher railroad rates q
ROADS must live. and they mus, 10 SO
TO pay a fair profit 10 the stocNho''s'
u any other business ~ the rrpu'.'
a oeep nassed n ground - e7"''
as mas the railroad business ,hss. '7''
dozen years. there would have hscu = We
luton In the land. and the hous-'''s'
ING would have been OF the genuine. 81
fashioned kind.
WILLIAM HENRY Gvy'
B~RooKLiSr. Mass, November