davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1916-02-24

time, that It's engineer brazenly ran
past two signals set against him,
in the bright light Of noon on a clear
day More, the engineer had started
his run but little while before and
had not the excuse Of fatigue.
Il is all too perfect. The showing
is so impressive as to defeat itself
and start the unprejudiced looking
for the flaws.
How could a trainman be so
crassly careless? Why, as already
has been suggested by railroad men,
he may have tainted or have died at
the throttle, as is not unknown in
the annals Of railroading. II he
were in possession Of his faculties,
why did he not jump when he saw
himself racing to certain death? Or,
IL he chose to die, why did he not
shout to his fireman to jump, as
engineers have done in scores Of
cases?
Some passengers on the train say
the brakes never were applied;
others say they were. There is, then,
a doubt. II the dead engineer had
guiltily run by signals, at least II
would seem that he would have set
the brakes when he saw the express
II he were conscious. Did he?
We are not arguing the case. II
the New Haven management is at
fault for defective train equipment
for permitting incompetent or worn
out crews to work, for useless sig.
nails, it should be exposed, censured
and punished. But what are the
facts? Two Investigations are ir
progress, and third will be made
Even with the lips Of vital witnesses
sealed by death the facts no doubt
will be brought out.
What we do say, in view oi
Elliott's splendid work with the New
Haven, is that as a matter Of justic,
and on his record of careful, com
petent management for the two
years and a half he has been on tn,
job, Howard Elliott and his admins
tration are entitled until then to sus
pended judgment and should not b
condemned out of hand, as one oppo
nent already has done.
The Washington times., 1916-02-24
GEORGETOWN DEBATE UNDERWRITERS FEAST
TEAM VS.. HOPKINS TO OPEN CONVENTION
Contest Will Be Held at CASTOR
Hall on Saturday Evening.

The Adams Society OF Johns Hopkins
will debate with the Philo-
demic Society in CASTOR Hall. George
town. Saturday evening at s:l5
o'clock.
The question to be discussed will be:
Resolved. That the President OF the
United States should be elected for a
single term of six years"
The board of judges Is composed OF
Robert NJ. Montgomery. Judge. United
States Court of Customs Appeals.
chairman; Charles II. Robb. Associate
Justice Court of AppealsI Rear Ad-
miral William ii. Bronson, U, s. N;
William F. Mccoy, associate judge.
Supreme Court of the District Of Co
lumbia. and James +. Smith, associate
Judge, Court of Customs Appeals.
The representative OF the Balti-
more Society taking the negative side
are Thomas j. Tingley, 'l6; Reuben
Oppenheimer, 'lS, and Robert II. Dun-
can, '18. The negative side of the
question will be upheld by this very
capable trio.
The three Georgetown men have dis
tinguished themselves by winning
honors as orators during their three
years at the college. They are John y
Darby, jr., IT, OF Washington; Rufus
S. Lusk, II. of Washington. and Ed
ward J. Callahan. IT. OF Lewiston
Me.
The committee on arrangements Il
Thomas F. Curry, 'l6, chairman; Loui,
]. Joyce, 'l6; w. st. John Garwood, II
and Thomas c. Egan, II.
The Washington times., 1916-02-24
NEW HAVEN WRECK FACTS

On the very morning before
Howard Elliott assumed the presi-
dency of the New Haven railroad
there was a frightful wreck, the
elimination of series of such dis
asters. His earliest and his foremost
effort has been to prevent the recur-
renee of such horrors. He has turn.
ed millions of earnings back into the
physical system, and he has i'm
proved the morale of the employees
60 a remarkable degree. The results
until Tuesday, spoke for themselves
for in two years and a half not q
passenger had lost his life on the
New Haven.
On Tuesday a local train crashed
into the rear of stalled express
with gruesome toll of dead and in,
jured. Bitter critics leap impulsive
ly, not to say maliciously, to tn,
conclusion that the signal system
still is out of date, that the express
train depended for safety largel!
upon a fiagman, that the local wal
! speeding rscklsSSly 10 make up los
The Washington times., 1916-02-24
An Open Letter To Those Whn
Travel in Berwyn Heights, Md.

To the Editor OF THE TINES:
We have noticed with regret from
time to time the difficulty experienced
by motor vehicles and others In travel
Ing through the roads OF Berwyn
Heights. greatly inconvenicnc!ng ner-
chants and patrons. In a number Of
cases automobile delivery trucks have
become stuck. delaying them for several
hours, resulting in a great loss to the
owner We now understand that the
merchants from the CITY are refusing
to make delivery. due to the condition
or the roads. These roads being neither
State or county roads. their mainten-
ance entirely depends upon public spir-
tied citizens.
One year ago the citizens OF this sub
division formed themselves together
into voluntary association for the
purpose of improving the roads anC
walks. During this year $40 has beer
expended In the improvements OF tn,
roads and walks, which has materially
relieved the condition in good weather
but due to the large road mileage and
the very bad condition OF the roads thii
| work is only a starter.
We now propose to purchase n roaC
machine by public subscription. tn,
Saile 10 DeCOHle tne property OF tne Der
wyn Heights Citizens Improvement As
ISOLATION. With this machine It Is pro
posed TO so crown and properly draii
the roads by opening the bitches tina
they will be passable and In good con
dition at all times for the travel OF an,
! kind OF vehicle.
We earnestly solicit youi assistane,
and cooperation In this work. whicl
! Will be. when completed, a great benefi
TO everyone. more especially to thos
who have occasion to use the roads 70
travel and delivery OF goods. Severa
subscription lists have been prepare,
and circulated. and It is hoped tha
everyone will earnestly assist the asso
ciation In this mucb-needed work.
would also ask that all members VIII
have not paid their dues for 1916 to kind
~ do so at their earliest convenience
as we need a neat sum for our sprin
drive.
BERWYN HEIGHTS IMPROVEMENT,
| ASSOCIATION.
f. J. TAYLOR, Treasurer.
| Washington, Feb l6
The Washington times., 1916-02-24

proper sort. They sought to arouse
interest in the same community
topics that are being discussed in the
churches. Many churches are devot-
ing their Sunday evening services to
discussions Of civic affairs, and more
ought to be doing It. Just why the
school meetings incurred the oppo-
sition Of the board, in the face of
the hearty Endorsement Of clergymen
Of every denomination, Of citizens
associations, and Of the community
where It operates. has not been clear
ly stated. But 1t is not too late
for the board to recede from its OBJ
jections and encourage this whole
some and highly educational use Of
the schools.
The Washington times., 1916-02-24
CULTIVATION OF PATRIOTISM

Holidays such as Washington's
Birthday mean too little TO native
Americans; they are apt to signify
almost nothing to newcomers on
American soil. That is why the
"Americanization Day" exercises,
held under the auspices of the Cham
Der Of Commerce, at the Central
High School, marked a highly sig
nificant movement.
More than 300 foreign-born resi-
dents Of the Capital, most Of whom
had taken out naturalization papers,
assembled there to hear, in their
own tongue, messages Of patriotism,
Present were Justice Gould, who is
sued the papers, and the chief of the
immigration Bureau, who admins
ters the affairs Of these newcomers.
In large industrial centers there is
even more need for such meetings
than in Washington. This city has
set an example that should be emu.
lated on every patriotic occasion and
holiday.
Incidentally the celebration Of
Washington's Birthday this year in.
dicated the increasing patriotic feel
ing of native Americans. Seldom
before has there been such n general
observance of the day. To many
the day still means nothing more
than a cessation Of work, or the op
portunity for amusement, and these
native Americans should be shameC
into little serious thought by sucf
meetings as that which the Chamber
Of Commerce SO successfully fos
tered,
The Washington times., 1916-02-24
Banquet Will Preeede Congress Of
Insurance Men.

AS a prelude to the first Southeastern
Congress OF Life Underwriters Associa-
tions, which convenes here tomorrow
morning. insurance men will give a
banquet at I o'clock this evening in the
Willard in honor of the executive COM
mittee of the National Association OF
Life Underwriters.
The banquet will be attended by men,
bers of the District of Columbia Life
Underwriters Association and delegates
fgom five other underwriters associa-
tions. President Wilson has been in
vited to attend and make an address.
George c. Jordan. of this city, is chair
man OF the congress. Ernest ]. Clark
is chairman of the speakers and pro-
gram committee; John Dolph. chair
man. finance committee; Eugene c.
Adams. chairman press committee. and
Edward s. Brashears. reception com.
mittee.
The program for tomorrow includes
addresses by Edward A. Wood. presi.
dent OF the National Association of Life
Underwriters; Neil d. Sills, of Rich,
mond. Va; r. u. Darby, Baltimore
Clement w. Huske, Washington; K
Mulford Crutchheld. Richmond, and Ed
ward 8. Brashears. of Washington. TIL,
congress will convene at 10 a. m. in the
Willard.
The Washington times., 1916-02-24
THAT STOLEN NAVAL CODE

The code book of the United States
navy, by means Of which command
ing officers are enabled to transmit
and receive messages to and from
the Navy Department, with assured
secrecy, is said by those familiar
with the code to be the most efficient
Of It's kind in existence. But so i'm
portant it is that the book should
not fall into the hands of anyone
not entitled to its possession, that
officers are specially instructed and
admonished to throw it overheard in
case Of imminent danger Of capture,
so that the weighted covers may
bear it safely to an obscure haven
on the bottom of the deep. -
Only recently one of these code
books was in some way stolen from
the cabin of destroyer, as a result
Of which both the commanding Of
ficer and his executive were forth
with subjected to trial by general
court-martial, during the course OF
which, however, no evidence was ad.
duced tending to identify the thief
or AK direct and real responsibility
for the loss. AS usual, the proceed.
ings were delightfully."- open and pub.
lie, and the details proclaimed from
one end of the country to the other
Then, and then only, with that com.
placency, intelligence, and rare self
confidence that has never failed to
characterize the present Administra.
ton, did the Navy Department, as
if to warn the guilty culprit of hit
peril and compel him to surrender
the book, cause it to be announced
that the mystery would now be sub
mitted to the sleuths Of the Depart
ment of Justice for appropriate ac
ton.
The mystery of the purloined code
book is only paralleled by tn,
strange mental process of the nava
management that could figure ou
such sure method of defeating rea
results.
The Washington times., 1916-02-24
.SCHWAD TO ENLARGE
SPARROWS PT. PLANT
E. G. Grace, Of Bethlehem Steel
Company, Inspects the
Works.

BALTIMORE. Feb. 24.--E. q. Grace,
president of the Bethlehem Steel
Company and next to Charles NJ.
schwab in the management OF the
Bethlehem corporation. which has ac-
duired possession of the Pennsylvania
Steel Company. including plants at
steelton. Sparrows Point. and at Leba-
non. Pa. will today inspect the Mary
land Steel Company plant and discuss
improvements to be made.
Mr.. Grace and his party spent yester-
day going through the mills at Harris
burg and declared after the inspection
that the new owners would Immediately
remodel. enlarge and modernize the
plants at steelton. Lebanon and Spar
rows Point
Mr.. Grace intimated that mlliioiN viii
be spent in the proposed development OF
the Pennsylvania Steel plants and stated
the blast furnace department at Steel
ton will be enlarged and modernized
Immediately.
Asked to- comment on reports that
high officials at Steelton and Sparows
Point vii be asked to resign by Mr..
Schwab. Mr.. Grace said:
lit Is a little premature to talk OIL this
subject at thin time"
The Washington times., 1916-02-24
JapanRevivesAie
Dispute With U. S.
Urges State Department to Hurry
Settlement OF California
Law Controversy.

The controversy between the United
States and Japan over the California
alien land legislation. which has been
hanging fire since the war began. has
been revived by Japan.
Viscount Chinda, the Japanese am
bassador. has urged the State De-
partment to hurry the matter to set
tlement. HIS request comes at a time
when the immigration bill. with
Asiatic exclusion provisions. Is pend
ing in Congress.
Passage of legislation three years
ago by the California legislature pro-
hibiting Japanese in that State from
owning land precipitated this issue.
Secretary Bryan then went to Cali.
fornia in a vain effort to induce the
legislature to defeat or amend the
bill. While negotiations were pend
ing between the State Department
and Japanese embassy to bring about
an agreement the war broke out and
the Japanese question was side
tracked.
The Washington times., 1916-02-24
USING THE SCHOOL HOUSES

The Board of Education, which has
managed to array itself on the
wrong side of number of questions
recently, has surprised and disap-
pointed friends of the community
center movement by it's hostility to
the use of schools for Sunday after
noon neighborhood forum meetings.
Fortunately the board has not yet
closed the question, and there is yet
time for the officials now consider
ing the matter to recommend the
opening of the schools for such pur-
poses. Citizens of Washington work
ed arduously for law permitting
the use of the schools for social
center purposes. Having gained
that law, the Board of Education
took no particular steps to see that
such use of the schools was en-.
couraged.
Then parents began to be active
and community centers were launch
ed at the James Ormond Wilson, al
the Thompson, and at the Grover
Cleveland Schools. Enlisting the
services of Miss Margaret Wilson
representatives from the United
States Bureau of Education, and in
viting members of Congress in Il
speak, the center at the last nameC
school started its Sunday Afternoon
forums. Interest was marked, ant
the two meetings that have beel
held were highly successful.
The meetings were Of q highl,
The Washington times., 1916-02-24
Washington, Feb. ].
A Highly Alliterative Dissertation
On War, Whisky, and Waste.

To the Editor OF THE TINES:
What Is the matter with America? Z?
II America is not afraid of anybody.
what Is the meaning of all this clatter
and clamor about preparedness? There
is n greSt deal of clangor and clap
trap in this noise: but II Is clear that
It cannot be classified under one cate
gorical head, Some of II is clean cut
and classical, some OF II dangerous and
demagogical. pandering to popular polit-
lcal prejudices, and some OF II branded
with dollars and cents marks OF com
mercialism, in an attempt to compel
the citizens OF the country to enter a
close combination, to form a strong
military power for the purposes OF pro-
tecting and promoting the interests oil
the capitalist classes, on the land and
at sea, at home and abroad, within and
without, and, particularly, to settle
strife and strikes, with saber and shot
when the slaves OF tho money mon
starvation share OF the profits on the
products OF their toll.
Men OF America must study this situa.
tion close to safeguard their homes anC
happiness. The greatest dangers thai
menace this country are not from FOR
eign foes far over the seas. but from
selfish self-seekers. the perfervid polit
icsl patriots. the pernicious, pestiferoui
parasites, the professional, poisonous
pessimists, and the poor, pious pluto
Gratis, pinched with poverty OF soui
| wanting to pick a few more pennies
| from the pockets OF the people.
As Christ was crucifled on the eros
OF Calvary, shall civilization be crucifiet
! OH the cross OF commercialismy
Why worry about war? What W,
| want 70 worry about Is how to ge
whisky when prohibition passes!
! War and whisky both work for wick
| atal
mill onaires, mendicants, and misery
! Women and children are the worst sur
| ferers.
| War and whisky make waste; vast
| makes want. want makes wickednesi
want and wickedness will be no more.
J. w. NI0H.
! LAnGdon. d. c., Feb. II.
The Washington times., 1916-02-24
THE NEWEST PEACE TERMS

Premier Asquith's statement Of the
peace terms of the allies, made on the
very day when the Germans launch
an effective assault against the
outer defenses c, Tcrdcn, is surely
not suggestive Of any weakening. 1t
is a restatement Of old terms, made
stronger than ever, however, by the
events that have intervened. Said
Mr.. Asquith:
have stated in clear. direct, explicit
and emphatic language what are the
terms upon which we In this country
are prepared to make peace. 1 will re-
peat them. They are familiar to our
allies and well known to the German
chancellor.
What said on November 9, 1914, I
repeat now. We shall never sheath tho
sword which we have not lightly drawn
until Belgium-and, l will add, Serbia
recover In full measure all and moro
than they have sacrificed: until France
is adequately secured against aggres-
sion. until the rights OF the small ma
tions OF Europe are based upon an un-
assailable foundation. and until tho
military domination OF Prussia Is wholly
and finally destroyed.
The premier has been accused at
times of making fine phrases cover a
certain paucity of precise meaning
but he cannot be held thus charge
able in the present instance. His
government has never wavered from
it's adherence to the original state
ment as made more than fifteen
months ago. At that time Serbia
had not been overrun and destroyed;
so that, in now insisting on the res.
toration of Serbia, he is really max.
ing the terms more sweeping thar
they were as first laid down.
Mr.. Asquith's government has its
difficulties with captious critics, just
as any other democratic administra.
tion is bound to have. Interpretations
have been addressed to the govern.
ment benches, demanding to know
minimum peace terms; addressed
too, in terms which indicated a lacl
Of confidence in the present cabinet
as if it were suspected of taking {
position that was calculated to blocl
peace. President Wilson is having
that same sort of trouble with tn,
weakened members of Congress
who would paralyze his management
of difficult relations abroad, b!
warning Americans not to sail ol
armed belligerent merchantmen.
is one of the difficulties of the demo
cratic state; but after all democra
cies have way of wabbling right
The Commons cheered Mr.. Asquitl
to the echo when he delivered his re
statement of peace terms; and tn
American public, we believe tn
great majority of Congress, will
stand by the President so long as h
is following a course consistent wit
American honor, respect, dignity
and world rights.
The Washington times., 1916-02-24
Railway Workers Feel
Confident OF Success
Labor Leaders Are Relying For Victory in Demands
On Principle That the Public Must
Be Served.
BY GLEN B. wINsHIP.

NEW YORK, Feb. A-Railroad em-
ployes. in demanding an increase in
wages. are relying for victory upon the
principle that the public must be served.
The conflicting desires OF $4,000 or more
workmen and OF their employers are
OF insignificant consequence as COM
pared with the public welfare. Obvious
ly, there will be no general railroad
strike IL the public can prevent II. but
unless the public in some way shows
It Is not asleep the threatened struggle
may be started. Then II will be ques-
ton OF stopping It instead OF preventing
Il.
In the FIRST two articles Of this series
Il was shown conclusively that tho
men now seeking higher wages already
are receiving much more, on the aver
age, than their fellow workmen. In the
third article the fact was demonstrated
that IL the railroads as whole could
eliminate all duplicated capitalization
and make adequate provision Tor pay
ing their debts. the amount available
for dividend would be l-S per per- cent en- IN y,
stocks and bonds were eliminated from
consideration, or upward OF 70 per cent
OF the total. and account was taken OF
the fact that earnings In the year iyi'
|
Gates the average condition. u beiny
idle TO point out that many roads could
pay higher wages and still remain soi'
vent
lie? The public is not interested pri
marily In dividends. although the mum
| Der OF men and women owning railroad
securities is much greater than tn
number OF men now asking for highe
wages. 1t Is interested In DIVIDENDS
1 l.. Na %
ability to pay them will affect tn
amount and quality Of service.
System Must Expand.
Everyone who knows how rapidly tn
population Of this country is growinI
knows also that II the public Is to b.
i adequately served. large amounts mus
be spent each year In extending ant
improving the railway system. Eacl
extension and Improvement must be pal,
for, snd as the railroads derive thei
revenue from the public. the publ
must provide In one way or anothe
each dollar spent. So. whatever Is pal
i eIIher to railway employees or to bond
holders and stockholders must be an
is paid by the public.
, Naturally, the employe wants as mucl
as he can get Quite as naturally tn
stockholders want as much as they ca
get. The spubiic pays and the publ
must decide how much II Is content I
pay.
II II has been shown that on n norma
basis. with more than 81. 800. 900. 900 capi
talization eliminated. the true matgi
OF railroad earnings available for divi
dends under existing conditions woul
be approximately 5000. .000, 600. The tott
' allowance for interest and amortizatio
gradual paymenD OF debt was 8 pc
cent.
Unless that margin In increased-tha
Is, unless the public pays more-whai
ever net increase In wages Is granite
must come out of that S200. 900. 900. O
the amount or quality of service mui
be reduced. The public will not tolerat
The Washington times., 1916-02-24
Prophecy of Jerome B. Woodruff Or
Use of motor Cars

To the Editor OF THE TINES:
In addition to the quite correct letter
OF your correspondent with regard tC
tho invention OF the "motor car or
"horseless carriage" az then called by
]. d. Woodruff. there can he added a
prophecy which he uttered at that time
when he sought the privilege OF running
II upon the streets ard give an exhibi-
ton OF 1t TO the City authorities. He
was thought to bc a visionary; hence
was denied the privilege. At that time.
however he told them frunkiy and with
an eye TO the future. that 1T would
rot be many years before the horse
would be superseded and all Hinds OF
Nehlcles. for all purposes. would be run
upon the streets. propelled by some M.
tor power" Sc now, In less ttnn thir-
ty-fve years. this prophecy has become
literally true. Mr.. Woodruff was an i'm
vSntor OF a sewing machine and manu-
factured them In 49,. lie was n piano
manufacturer by trade and camo T.
Washing Eton about seventy years ago,
intending TO establish n factory and
open music store! hut by the unfor-
tuEatc loss OF his tools and materials.
packet and washed into the Gulf
Stream. II forced him into different cir
cumstnnces.
lie then became patent attorney
model maker. Mt enc time an examiner
in the Patent Office. lie was also in
strJmental In many IL the improve
mcnts in the city. Designing tire lamp
posts In which gas was first used In
lighting the city. Many OF these posts
are now seen in the suburbs-known
by the grapes and leaves. Also amcns
other things he was instrumental III
poising the Jackson statue Upon the
horses hind feet without a support al
any kind. Mr.. Mills. the sculptor gave
him many "reDiicas' of statues
a ]. YOUNGS.