davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New Britain herald., 1916-02-08
Free Press ana Free Republics.
 (New York World.)

Deferred after a hot debate, the censorship will come up again for discussion tomorrow in the French Chamber of Deputies. Dissatisfaction will doubtless force some loosening Of it's vexatious curb upon publicity.
 French censorship has been in some ways more severe than that of Germany. It may be a wise ret- cence that since the beginning of the war no figures of French losses nave been given out; but the seizure of La Croix for printing a prayer ot Pope Benedict is a stupidity to match the British censor's blue pencllng Key note speech of Premier Asqulth.
 In empire or kingdom or republic the permitted blurting out of military secrets in war will not again be known. All countries have come to Gen. Shermans opinion that it is not well to let a thousand mon die be- cause a military plan is published in advance
 But the proper censorship of mili- tary news, and nothing else, degen- crates into a danger to free govern ment when it becomes a censorship over political agitation. Under present restrictions, the Crimean despatcheS of w. H Russell. which overthrow a British Ministry by revealing faults of military management, though pro- perly silent as to strategy. would not be possible. By such censorship the army itself suffers.
 Nowhere is this better. understood than in the land that remembers the Third Napoleon. No people more clearly realize than the French that free republics cannot endure without a free press.
New Britain herald., 1916-02-08
Ar Island Eper in
 Ihe Widst 0f War

Washington, D. C., Feb, 8.-"Corfu, whose occupation by the Italians and Serbians recently brought forth pro- test from Greece, is one of the parts of the lock that secures the Adria tic sea at it's narrow neck from the Ionian sea and the open waters of the Medi- terranean,' begins sketch on war geography issued by the National Geo. graphic society. Every power and al- Hance of powers, which have sought mastery of Adriatic waters, from the Delian league in the fifth century be- fore Christ to the entente allies in the twentieth after Christ, have warred for possession of Corfu. Corfu then, in the role of storm center in the clash of Southeastern Europe's rivalries, is but experiencing another of the count less repetitions of it's history.
 "Cofu lies like watch-tower in the Ionian sea before the narrowing en- trance Of the Strait of OtrantO. To the north or it, a rugged finger of AL banian mOuntain-land reaches out into the strait, and, bending back, forms the splendid naval harbor of AVlOna, one of the golden hopes of Austrian and Italian ambitions. To the northwest Of Corfu, the long Ital- ian heel cuts out into the waters of the lonian sea. Together, these three elements dominate the Adriatic's out let, and around them the strife of our civilization among it's own members might almost be said to have kindled.
 There is great fertility and much picturesque beauty in the island, the most northeriy of the Ionian islands and one of the most important. It is hlrty-e1ght miles long, varying in breadth from three to twenty miles, and containing 275 square miles of area. It supports about 100000 in habltants Abruptly mountain nOus, with highly fruitful valleys between, Corfu follows the nature of the other lonian islands. PantOkratOr, 5000 feet high, rises the loftiest peak on the island. It's largely bald head is the only present-day memorial to many prehistoric fable and myth.
New Britain herald., 1916-02-08
Is it 2 Mystery:
(NeW Haven Journal-Courier.)

(NeW Haven JOurnal-COurierO
 The news comes from Hartford that the state civil service commis- sion recalled from the governor it's annual report, made 10 him some weeks ago, and that at it's meeting of last Wednesday. it struck out the DOT tion Of the report signed by Presi- dent Charles c. Morris. It appears that the report will be submitted as the annual report without this state ment. Naturally speculation is rife as to the meaning of this move. Is there disagreement among the civil ser vice commissioners? Was the report scurrilous or improper? Why should 1t be recalled?
 Perhaps it is fortunate that the report has already been printed in full in many newspapers of the state. Briefly it consists first of description of the purpose of the civil service law of 1913. followed by a descrip- tion of the purpose of the civil ser vice law of 1915. These statements are to some extent differences, but as both laws are public property, any body may draw any differences they choose from them and be subject 10 immediate public contradiction if the
  other para graphs speak of the result of the new law on the work of the commission. The balance of the re- port consists of statistics, and a rec ommendation concerning the pay of subordinates in the state service.
 This does not appear to be such very dangerous material to put into the hands of the voting public. that it ought to be suppressed. Inasmuch as the report is signed by the presi dent alone, it is to he assumed that the expressions of opinion are his own personal ojinion. They may be totally without justification or they may be well founded. The other mem- bers of the commission might readily permit an expression of opinion in such a report. which did not strictly accord with their own views. and yet which were not sufficiently divergent from them to require a minority pro- test.
 RumOr has it that some of the members of the board were not pres ent at the meeting when the report was drafted. The facts and statistics in the report arc facts or not, entirely regardless of any personal opinion. and they are subject to confirmation from public records The opinions are the opinions of one of the two mem bers out of the five on the commits
New Britain herald., 1916-02-08

About the time Grecian states broke through the uncertain veil of tradition into the age of history and criticism, Corfu was settled by colon ists from Corinth, the date being placed at 734 B. c. The colony grew rapidly in wealth, in maritime power, and into confident spirit of inde- pendence. In the course of a dispute with the mother-city, it allied itself with Athens, much as our colonial forefathers allied themselves with England's great rival, France. More over, just as our alliance with France is held to have been a Contributary cause to a far greater, an overshad- owing conflict, so the alliance brought about by the Corcyreans was one of the causes of the outbreak of the Pel- oponnesian war, the world-war of classic times.
 Next the Romans, becoming a jeal- ous power on the Adriatic. felt the need of the island that a desire to control this vitally important sea-arm always brings, and took Corfu under their protection in 229 B. C. Byzanti- um held it during the middle ages; and the Venetians, come to world power as dictators of Adriatic waters, neld COr1u, deTenulng It by bribery, wonderful naval combats. and stub born land fighting against the most hitter attacks of Turkey until 1797. At that time the island fell into the hands of the Ottoman, only to revert to modern Greece, with it's governme ent in ancient Athens, more than 2,300 years after the end of the Delian league.
 ''The town of Corfu, on the east, well-built and comfortably circum- stanced, is the principal community on the island. It has population of about 29,O00, and it's people handle the whole of the islands trade. Olive oil, fish, wine, salt, honey, oranges, figs, and other fruits are the articles of it's export. It's imports are manu- factures of Central Europe, brought in from Brindisi, Athens and Plume"
New Britain herald., 1916-02-08
Can the Bicycle "Come Back. ?' Louisville Courier

There have been rumors, time and again, of the revival of the bicycle
 as pleasure vehicle, but in America the "wheel' which once was the fad of society, as well as the vehicle of 1 the multitudes. remains in an incon- spicuous position. Dealers say that many bicycles are sold; they are used by workmen to save carfare and by messenger boys to save time that may be devoted to dime novels. But they are not seen in the parks and on the country roads. straddled by pleasure seekers in smart outing costumes. The cycle path in the Bois still Is re- served for the exclusive use of cy- clists, and many Parisians ride in i the Bois every afternoon. English men in England and on the Contin- ent, use bicycles for pleasure, and as a cheap means of transportation. But Americans do not. The loss of interest in bicycling in America has been so complete that it does not seem possible that even the follow ing bit of news from Palm Beach can turn society toward the wheel as the latest craze:
 Mrs Herman Oelrichs was out on the edge of the golf links learning to ride a bicycle"
 The Chicago Evening Post whose alert correspondent sent the porten-
 tous news, heralds with confidence the
 return of the "craze'' and bids young
 women who would be smart to buy
 bicycles and begin to practice up if they hope to retain social standing.
 But the Post overlooks the geo. graphic aspect of Mrs. Oelrichs' bic ycle lesson. The "wheel' never suc- cumbed altogether in Florida. It sur vived about the coast hotels to serve the purpose of the riksha in the Orient. Mrs. Oelrichs was taking her bicycle lesson at Palm Beach, and not in Newport.
 "The days of the bicycle craze are coming back, as surely as the sun rises and sets predicts the Post. The prophecy will seem hazardous un- less someone in society ventures out upon bicycle between which the chief centers of fashion lie in summer.
New Britain herald., 1916-02-08

''It is interesting to note," comments he Hartford Post, that the National Baseball League, which observes it's aortieth anniversary in New York
 Wednesday, has had two Connecticut zlen as presidents of the organization. Hon Morgan c. BulkeIey was head of ghe league during the first years of ks existence, and Thomas Lynch of Few Britain was president from 1910 Ip 1913"
 It is also safe to say that the Ma konal League, which has numbered Hmong it's presidents a few governors Af states, has never had a more hon. srable, upright, courageous, and eff Hent chief executive than this same Thomas J. Lynch of our own New Britain. As to the Hon. Morgan c. fulkeley, being from the Nutmeg late, he also measured up to ths
 tandard.
New Britain herald., 1916-02-08
The State Police.
(NeW Haven Register. )

One needs to study beyond the grand flourish with which it is an- nOunced that the state police have made a big raid on gam bling places in New London. to know how much good is done. The descent on five al- legged places of gambling and the cap ture of SiXty-tiVe persons sounds int preSsiVe. What we need to know for accurate and final judgment is how many of those persons are convicted
 how many of the places are perman- ently closed, how much less public gambling there is in New London when things settle down again. And Wc&need to have one other question answered in a fair and final way: Why did not the New London police do that same thing, and do it first
 These raids by the state police are too often as they have been recently here in New Haven: a cause and an evidence of friction between the local and the county authorities due to our impossbly political county commits sioner system. They say that the lC- cal police are handicapped because of politics Is it not enough to say that il is necessary to discover what is the source and nature of the politics. It will be found that there is some poll- tics back of the trouble which forced Chief smith to come De1ore tlle clly court and receive, not a reprlmand'
New Britain herald., 1916-02-08
The State of the Union.
(From the New York World)

IT rom the New OIh w oAAN''|
 He shall, from time to time, give to the congress information of the state of the Union" Thus the COnStitu- tiOn commands.
 In accordance with this mandate. President Wilson in December gave to the coneress vitally important infor- nation of the state of the Union, and the congress proved itself sceptical and indifferent, playing factional poli- tics and party politics with the graveSt situation that has arisen since the Civil war. In series of the most remarkable speeches ever delivered by a president of the United States, Mr. Wilson has now been giving to the people themselves information of the state of the Union," and the response is instantaneous.
 Not since Lincoln's day would it have been possible for a president to do what Mr. Wilson has done for there was neither the occasion nor the necessity for so frank and intimate discussion of the foreign relations of the country and the possible outcome of those relations as affecting our do- mestic affairs and our domestic insti- tutions. The president has taken the American people into his confidence certain disaster had it been under taken by anybody who was less a mas ter of self-expression and self-control than MT. Wilson, and in consequence the country has a clearer and saner idea of the serious problems that it's government has been grappling with
New Britain herald., 1916-02-08
YOUNG AMERICA,

mere Is now a plan on foot where- # by each and every boy and girl in the Schools of America shall contribute q. sdime and with the entire amount coi- zieeted have built battleship called q America." If for no other reason sthan the fostering of patriotism, there
 Ps much Worthiness in this project. 8The amount need not be confined to Sa dime; penny, a nickel, or mayhap
 Ra quarter would easily be available, 8dependine largely upon the financial 8condition of the particular boy or girl, or, ultimately, their parents
 In our own city of New Britain we gould do some yeomanry work along ms line. All that is needed to start Hhe campaign is the active interest of Some patriotic young American boy .,r #gIrI. In each and every schoolhouse #n the town the boys and girls could 8get together and in this way show heir love for a nation that is the greatest on earth, the most lib- Rral land that ever sun shone on. And hen when the final collection takes #place, after the last penny or nickel,
 pr dime, shall have been gathered. axhat proud moment it will be when xDur boys and girls present their offer Eng to the President of the United Btates to help build the great dread- bought America Apart from living in a land of sun shine and liberty, there is the duty Rf each and every person who en- i Hoys it's hospitality to lend a hand in | nelping to make it a bigger and bet Fer nation, to come forth in time of 8tress with any needed aid. to answer Ahe summons of it's officials, even if Wy that call life itself must be sacri- #ced. At this particular time the United States needs a greater Navy Hnd while the national Congress is the Sogical means of assigning the appro- #riations, what a gallant and patriotic Ahing 1t would be if every boy and gii,I an the entire United States contributed dime to build battleship, especially # this battleship should be christened < America" And if this plan is going #O work out New Britain must not }a 8ehind any other city it's size in the #ation. We are made up of many Saces and bloods here; but we are loyal nevertheless to the land of our birrn #r adoption, whatever the case may Ne It is for the young folk to get the Hiea of America, what it is and what l means, and then to lift up their s1- ae- hands in it's defense The strength Af the nation lies in Young America.
New Britain herald., 1916-02-08
Picking Ivory Nuts.

Whats getting into the faculties? Are youth and wealth and athletic standing played out? Must a fellow fall by his ability or inability to learn his lessons?
 Here are 220 midshipmen, about a quarter of the membership of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, likely to be turned out because they failed 1n examinations. They thought there would be such a demand for them for war purposes that they would be passed whether or mo- Some 60 stu dents of New York university have been dropped for deficient scholarship including several football men, base ball players and track athletes. It was not supposed the university could get along without them and hold it's head up. Apparently it is going to let it's head drOop, if it must. At Yale there are OminouS reports that several men absolutely necessary to recover the athletic honor of the university are below in their sck cla rship and are not likely to be able to pull out in time to work on this years teams.
 It actually looks as though the faculties were in a conspiracy to put brains and applica ton above muscle. We hope they have had the sense to make an agreement in advance that each shall not rush in to secure for their own institutions the star ath- letes which other institutions turn out. It is this competition which has despOiled hClaStic virtue and un- dermined athletic decency.
New Britain herald., 1916-02-08

but regretful explanation of how the law hampers him in his efforts to protect the interests of New Haven And in this trouble the state police have played their part, having per- haps, been used by the interests op- posed to the chief.
 There is in such incidents increas- ing cause for the opinion. held by many well informed observers from the first, that the function of the state police is not, except in rare cases, to operate in the cities. They should serve the interests of law and order in communities which lack an organized police force. They should keep out of the cities, except at the call of the police of those cities.
New Britain herald., 1916-02-08
The Public Can't Strike.
(Detroit Free Press.)

NDclfOII r rec 1foSS.
 Things are coming to be pretty bad in American railroading. The employ es all over the country are talkin g seriously now about a general strike TOT more pay. and the latest statis- tlcs-published only this month showed that the owners of the rail- roads have already gone on a strike. The compiled returns given out about the first of the year revealed that there had been fewer miles of track laid in the United States in 1915 than in any of the preceding fifty years and that more roads are in receivers' hands than ever before. These two statements mean nothing else than that the men and women who have been investing their money in rail roads arc as sore over their earnings as the mon who work on the railroads are over their wages. and as far as can be seen we are getting to the polnt where neither party to the ar rangcment will go ahead unless it's compensation is increased.
 The railroad owners can strike when they don't like the situation. So can the railroad employees But the great third party. the public, cannot strike. It is absolutely dependent uD- on the railroad for it's supplies, anl 1t can do nothing but intervene, ra- ther clumsily, and try periodically to adjust the relations of the two dis putants when they get too badly un- balanced.
 When the owners were taking too large a share of the railroad receipts the public stepped in and reduced the amount, If it is found that the balance 11 tn1 owners are not getting enough while the employees are getting an undue proportion of the income it may be that the public will be obliged to step in once more and to try balanc- ing the scale all over again,
 The public is learning a lesson about good many things these days. Among others. it is realizing that in creased railroad profits come out of the public and not out of the en- ployes of the railroads. and also that increased wages come out of the pub lie and not out of the employers Either form of advanced cost Of operation is passed along and is Saddled upon the ultimate consumer in the way of higher prices for everv- thing that enters into living requirC- rents.
 The public is beginning to get a dim idea, too, that no really perman- ent adjustment of wage troubles on the railroads is possible by merely in creaslng wages, because the increas- Ing mean increased living cost all around including the living cost of the employees, and by the time the extra price is added to commodities the railroad wage increase is eaten up by the higher cost of living. and the wage raising process has to he begun all over again. Some day, per- haps, real statesman will solve this seemingly insoluble problem. but as yet the answer has not been discover ed
New Britain herald., 1916-02-08
State Trade School.
Bridgeport Telegram )


 'There is no question about the value of this school,'' the Sunday Post quotes William R. Webster, Jr., of the local Board of Education, in eneaLing of the State Trade school There certainly is no question Of it's value. MT. Webster is a manufac- turer. and he knows it, utility through the skilled artisans which are grad uated from it. Hundreds and hundreds of young men and women have learn ed, or are learning it's value. through the technical education and the i'm proved craftsmanship which a course in the Trade school has afforded them. Those who have taken advan- tage of the courses in practical trades have not only bettered themselves, have not only made it possible to se- cure more certain work and greater remuneration, but have bettered the community and bad workmanship gives a community bad name that clings to all it's products.
 The State Board of Education has notified Bridgeport that henceforth it must pay the rent for the Trade school in this city. This action is under a state law. and if the city does not choose to pay the rental, it may lose the school. There should not be-and probably is not-any question as to the city's choice in the matter. The Trade school is far too valuable an institution to let slip for a matter of $4,000 a year. which is the rental cost for the two buildings which house the branches of the state institution. When it is considered that
New Britain herald., 1916-02-08

sion who have been on it from the beginning. They may be good or they may be prejudiced, but to an impartial eye it looks as though the known facts rather corroborated them.
 But the recall of such report means more than it's submission. There can be but one implication, namely that it's suppression was ne- cessary. Evidently it was not distaste full to MT. Morris and the two other members of the commission who were present at a meeting where it was proposed. Who are the members who are afraid of it. and what is the req son for this fear?