davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1917-12-25
The Sword Of Democracy
WHY 1t Is Welded in the Sacred Name
of Love
To The Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: Again does Christendom celebrate the
glory and mystery Of Loves incarnation
Again. and daily, do we pray that Loves KING
dom may come and Loves will be done on
earth as it is in heaven. And again, Tor the
fourth Christmas during the great war; 90
the hosts Of democracy champion that divine
aspiration with the sword.
For the ways Of Loves peace arc the ways
of victory; psychic victory over hate, and' Oh
occasion, physical victory over the forces oil
hate incarnate. And because autocracy and
miltarism spell hate organized and incar-
mated does the sword of freedom execute
what the heart OF true democracy commands.
One Of the original Colonies of the days OF
'76. that honorcd sister commonwealth upon
whose soil the American Revolution broke
out, has for its motto, "Ense petit placidam
sub lbertate ouietem," attestlng then as no"
that even by the sword if need be. Ameri-
cans seek the assured peace that only IS pos
sble under the auspices of liberty. And the
spirit of that undying slogan animates both
America and the cause Of cooperative democ-
racy to-day On the fields of Europe and on
inc sea arc HOW Hthih ~ H'f'' '''
umc the echo of that olden shot whose voice
carried round the world because the soul OF
modern democracy echoes with still more
majestic utterancc OF the spirit the same
old truth that inspired our patriots Of yore.
For the democracy of the twentieth cen
tury at once vindcates, develops and trans
cends that of the Revolutionary period, both
here and abroad. Does it not constitute
tacit pledge that. in and through the rela-
tions Of organized humanity, Loves kingdom
on earth shall he realized and have freedom
10 grow. in spirit and in truth? Surely, love
is the spiritual sanction Of all true democ-
racy. as we'll as the crown of its life. Other
wise were not the tolls of to-day in vain and
far hence the hour when Chrstendom, in
unison. should come into her own or could
give back to Zion her ancient capital and
hope?
Therefore doth democracy wage mortal
combat with the enemy-with the foe that
would bar Love from His earthly kingdom.
Therefore are democracy's sons free to con-
fess the sovereignty of Love, as the common
and supreme law Of democracy's life, national
and international. And therefore be it on
the very day consecrated TO Loves holy in
carnation doth democracy still WELD her
sword in His sacred name. For she taketh
not Loves name in vain and her sword is His
sword even the sword of the Prince Of Peace.
Roxbury, Mass, Dee. q. 1917. READER.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-25
The Star to the Trenches
CHRISTMAS, 1917

Dark trenches, where the body dies.
There, on the ravaged hills Of France,
Take ye my light for weary eyes,
My hope, for mems uplifted glance.
Was not kindled for such need
For strife and pain-for selfess ruth?
am the lamp of those who bleed
For home, for freedom and for truth.
Their breasts are bare to bitter death
The worlds sole shield from maddene
hordes;
My white rays keen in Winters breath,
Give answer TO their cleaning swords
Deep as your winding dreary ways
Is that vast love that walked my light;
Yours is the martyrdom, the praise
The spirit that has made me bright
The striving hearts, the homesick eyes.
My tender glory keeps them whole,
Dark trenches, where the body dies,
Take ye my challenge TO the soul,
MARION CoUTHoUY SMITH.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-25
Reluctant America

Gingerly, shiverinGly, with frequent
look backward at the safe shore and a
very wry face for the deep water ahead,
our reluctant Americans are inching into
the war. To be precise, we should say
that the water was we'll up over their
knees at the present moment and ap-
preaching the waist. They have all but
reached that interesting point which
comes sooner or later to the most reluctant
swimmer when he must either quit and re-
treat or plunge boldly in. Presently they
will be splashing about and striking out.
For the moment, the water was never so
cold, the whole venture never so chilly and
uninviting.
This is not true Of all Americans by a
long shot. Our volunteers and our drafted
fighting men have both taken the
plunge. They may not be gayer than
the rest Of us. But surely they are
happier They have made their sac
rifce; they have accepted their fate; they
are in the war. But the criticism is true
in part of many of us-and well worth a
little candid self-eXamination.
AS always, as in France and as in Eng
land, as in every fighting country, it is the
people who are not fighting, who are
safely settled at home, that are doing the
bulk of the shiyering and groaning and
hesitating. We don't know where our
next ton of coal is coming from, and we
curse poor Mr.. Garfield (who is un-
doubtedly the best college president that
ever went into coaD. We do with only
one lump of sugar in our coffee and hurry
off TO the scales to see if we are going into
a decline. Or we find a neighbor doing a
little mild boarding and try hand at it
ourselves. We bite perfunctorily into our
bran muffin and change the subject. We
express the hope that American cooks will
some day learn how 10 cook these strange
cuts that yield so gracefully to French
technique We have lost our taste for the
old shows and books. and nothing has yet
New-York tribune., 1917-12-25
The German Spirit

L In the course of a chat at German
Grand Headquarters on the Western front
the Kaiser complained to Ambassador
Gerard that nobody knew where the
French officers came from nowadays, and
that they were not what they were in
1870. Possibly he was right. The French
of 1870 have been described as "an army
of lions led by asses To-day they are
oficered from an aristocracy of intelli-
gence.
But the Kaser's peevish little fling
gives the measure Of the man. William,
adorned in the shining armOr of the Alma
mach de Gotha, is still strutting about in
the days before the guillotine grew popu-
lar. Indeed the whole House OF Hohen'
zollern. of which he is the chief eXcres-
cence, is an anachronism, interesting, no
doubt. as a survival of one of civiliza-
tons social errors, but no more so than
natures prehistoric mistakes which we
see stuffed and set up in museum.
No. it is neither as a man nor a royalty
that the Kaiser gains his importance. 1t
is as the symbol of a gigantic conspiracy
against the peace, goods and life Of the
world.
Since 1S49 the spirit of Germany, fat
tened by plunder and whetted by prosper
GUS rapine, has been developing as one in
satiable appetite. Such an appetite, espe-
cially if it be labelled philosophy and in
fects a whole nation, naturally finds its
exponents in a ruling class, though that
of Germany was always carefully regu-
lated and modified to pamper It, Though
the cataclysm precipitated by these junk
ers has been appalling, history will allow
them but little grandeur, for they are not
in essence different from gang of East
Side gunner numbering their rivals In
the chicken business, nor are the German
people different from the people who ad-
mire and support such exploits. And the
Kaiser, with his insolent mustaches his
swashbuckling speeches and his truculent
gestures, is no more than a symbol and
reflection of a national attitude.
How futile it is to say that we are at
war with the German ruling classes, but
not with the German people! We are
fighting what up to the present has been a
solidarity of the Kaiser, the Kaiser's gun
men and the Kaiser's people. But above
all we are fighting the primal cause back
of them-the ungovernable German appe-
tite. We are fighting to eradicate it if we
can, and if we cannot, TO make it too eX-
pensive for indulgence-to force it under
that judicious control which civilization
imposes on all primal appetites.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-25
New Year and the Calendar

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Here's wishing you happy New
Year and many returns thereof.
This is New Years Day, but the calendars
do not say so. Our calendar is ten days be-
hind time, the Russian is twenty-five days
behind and the Jewish some months behind
time. Why the learned men who drew up
our calendar did not put New Years Day
in its proper place is more than | can un-
derstand.
Here is my idea of proper calendar: The
first of January ought to be on the 22d OF
December; that is, the day on which Old
Sol begins the new year, and there is no mis-
take about it,
Under my arrangement, the old rhyme of
the length of days can be used as follows:
Thirty-one days hath September, March,
June, August and November; all the others
thirty each. remember, and leap year, COM
ing once in four, gives to December one day
more. Altering the leap year day makes no
difference. It simplfes the quarter days
which now are not quarter days, some BENG
four DAYS longer than others. They are now
the 25th Of March. the oath of June, the 18th
Of September and the 25th of December.
Under my calendar, they Will be the last
dav Of March, the last day of June, the last
day of September and the last day Of De-
cember. The first three quarters have nine
ty-one days each and the last quarter ninety
two days. it being impossible to divide the
three hundred and siYty-fve days by four.
All historical days should be put in place as
thew occurred by being put the same number
of davs before or after the longest or short
est day as they occurred in the year in
which they took place.
Here is also chance for Russia. when
she gets settled, to adopt a new calendar, and
truthful one, and the other nations will
follow in soon after.
JAMES n. BREWSTER.
Now York Dec. %, 1917.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-25
Make Money and Serve, Too

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The shipbuilding corporation To-
Gated at Newburgh which has big contracts
Cor ships, is in a predicament, not for men,
but for boarding houses and hotels to Ac-
commodate them. Newburgh itself could not
begin to take care of these shipyard work
ers, and even with the special transporta-
tion facilities which have been arranged for
with surrounding towns, Beacon, Canter-
bury, Cornwall Hudson and many others
contracts amounting to several hundred
thousand dollars had to be turned down
just because workers could not be housed in
Newburgh and vicinity.
In this Newburgh section, with which the
writer is very familiar, there are number
of large houses or hotels in very fair repair
some partly furnished, that can even now be
rented or purchased at absurdly low figures
places admirably suited for housing these
shipyard workers, who are for the most part
highly paid mechanics who would pay well
for satisfactory board, yet no one in the
vicinity seems to be wideawake enough to
take advantage Of the situation and utilize
these big houses This may seem strange
TO hustling. alert New Workers. but people
in Newburgh and in the surrounding towns
as well are of the Rip Van Winkle type.
Shipbullding is most essential element
in the war and this Newburgh situation, il
seems to me, offers an exceptional oppor-
tunity FOR some wideawake New Workers to
enrich themselves and serve the government
at the same time. l.. NJ.
Brooklyn, Dec. II, 1917.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-25
Home Rule Advances

One more step in the long and nara
Journey of municipalities toward freedom
to handle their own affairs as they deem
best-that vague state of attairS termed
home rule-was approved when the Court
of Appeals upheld the optional city gov
ernment law. so called, passed by the
LEGISLATURE in 1914. This measure
granted permission to certain classes OF
cities TO determine the kind of charter
they would operate under, giving forms
or models in accordance with modern
ideas of the duties of municipalities ana
the powers which they should have TO
fulfil their obligations to their citizens.
Il provided for selection by referendum.
Niagara Falls and Watertown, two
hustling upstate communities, decided
they wanted their affairs conducted
under the city manager plan, by which
small commission, elected, is made re-
snonsible for the administration of the
public's business, but hires paid execu-
tive. or manager, to handle the actual
details.
Taxpayers actions were brought to
tost the constitutionality of the law, on
the ground that it improperly delegated
legislative power. These the Court OF
Appeals. reversing a verdict of the Ap-
neUate Division, has set aside. The
whole trend of modern thought and re-
cent legislation" says Judge Mclaughlin,
writing the opinion, 'is toward vestlng IN
each municipality the management OF its
local affairs, and ] have been unable to
discover any valid reason why the present
act, which is a step in that direction,
should not be given a fair trial without
interference from the court.
This is a liberal and heartening deci-
sion. The various new forms of munich
pal government, notably the commission
plan and the city manager plan, came
into being because the old form, with an
executive and a legislative body, often a
bicameral council, had proved made
ouate. There were too much opportunity
for political manipulation, too much de-
Law. too much division of authority, too
much rushing to the Legislature for
changes in charter provisions. There
were too little freedom for the local au-
thorities to meet local situations, too
little flexibility, too little chance for the
taxpayers to take hand directly in man.
aging the business for which they paid.
All the forces of conservatism and many
Of the forces of professional politics have
been against any experimentation with
these new forms of city government.
Yet where they have been tried they have
made good. That is not to say that they
have produced municipal millennium.
But at least they have frequently shown
such beneficial results that the spread of
the commission government scheme has
been one Of the notable phases of present
day life.
New conditions in social and industrial
life have created new demands on city
governments, and these new demands
have bred new agencies for handling the
publc's affairs If they were to be ruled
out without a trial the case of the tax
payers and citizens in general would be
hard one. The public, particularly the
residents of the cities directly affected,
may be congratulated on this intelligent
and farsighted decision
New-York tribune., 1917-12-25
Thrift
Something Wrong With Our Method
of Financing WARP

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In your mornings issue you refer "
an admirable effort that is to be made by
bankers and business men for thrift cam
paign. There can be no objection to desis'
mating a dollar spent FOR an unnecessary
purpose as a traitor dollar; but why sfs
dollars so abundant that we are obligei 70
go to such lengths to impound them! u
the situation were not so serious one misn'
be inclined to accept it as a joke.
There was a time when the Dime Savinp
Bank was heralded as an admirable insu'a'
/ tion for encouraging thrift. To-day, nov,
ever, we have to chase the dollar and piesa
and beg for subscriptions TO orr war iesns
when these subscriptions should be mso'
voluntarily. There is surely something Sn~
with such a situation. A sober-mlnded ~
asks: "Why this abundance OF dollars! os'
homes must be defended against the nm
sion of the Hun. IL is necessary for w
protect our womenfolk from being denlea "
the enemy soldiers, and our people genefsV
from being butchered and subjected to s.vs'
tiles that would By comparison make oi'ea
time barbarities seem ridiculously tame.
Have we been brought to the posiuea
them TO protect themselves from the MOTIFS
of the most terrible war that the woro ~, -,
ever seen? And if so, have not the hnsns-'
methods shat have been pursued been no..
or less responsible for this most unfor'uhSN
situation? a..
Was it necessary to pay abncrmal W.
dends to stockholders in order TO eneous.
the various corporations to make muni''ss
for the Allied powers, who have sppsfsH~s
been financially bled white as a result 'as,s sIr.
of? II the United States wishes suceess'ss. ~.
to carry on It's financial operations IN =.
world war it will be obliged to ehanss =
financial policy. Only a few days sss
large corporation which was in the ns@ :
of receivers previous to the war ra'.'
addition 10 a splendid dividend on It's s''>~
an extra dividend of some si2 share. -.
Is it not reasonable TO suggest tns' ~
large earnings of corporations sn's's
turned into the Treasury OF the go'eD;.s ;.s
in order that it can meet the interen IA
bonds that have been sold 10 the puol'e. -
there any sense in financial ponG vhils
permits disbursing money so reek's''' I'd n
crying for subscriptions to oonus' n>s.
the same breath pleads for thrlt esw "a
pie intoxicated by war prosperity 'o.rsy
know that war impoverishes; ana 'ns III
We run the war on a financial plan 'has -.
leave more in the Treasury OF tns -
ment and less in the pockets OF Wv k
rich and poor alike-the better
for all concerned. w.
New York, Dee. z. 1917. ~
New-York tribune., 1917-12-25
Pneumonia and the Coal Shortage

The recent remarkable prevalence of
pneumonia has been attributed conject-
urally to the shortage in coal. This may
be. and probably is, one Of the factors,
how important factor it would be i'm
possible 70 determine without a minute
and searching examination Of the stats.
tics. Weather such as we have had OF
late seems usually to bring with it nota-
Die increase in the number Of cases, even
b winters when coal is plentiful, and
warm houses have not invariably saved the
inmates from infection.
II may comfort those who cannot by
New-York tribune., 1917-12-25

80, %, ru-,tss, merchandise sd,,..'', ,,s,s
-pfpr.>y vim ahso. ate ss'e,-'or " - sr money
.,- 49, case THE TRIBUNE soA''l., ,,9tiirs We make
b.. f. i,r,n REQUEST No red tspe No 'l'''
80 r,,n.-,', IL the advertiser does not
New-York tribune., 1917-12-25
TUESDAY. DECEMBER 25' 1917

o,,.s and pasi,sed daily by n. Tneuse .s., v.rno
& yo-k co-po-s,ioo ogden REID iJes,os.. ,SSr,.
forr-, Ncs President: , 4 e..'' ., yors rel,phon,
. -n-.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-25

SUBSCRIPTION RATEs-RJ MAIL I''''s'
... r, create New YORK. .,r,-rp
AZ rgr rNITEp sTATEs. OUTSIDE OF 'Ni-N In
IN 40" '' NrN YORK
The log cabin Democrat., 1917-01-22
BERYL.

q went to town the other day,
 Was just enjoying the sport,
 When deputy caught my arm and
 said,
 You are wanted over at court "
 Yes, MT. Editor, quite lot of us had to go to court last week. Some of us willingly went, others reluctant ly, while some, we imagine, got pret- ty cool hiding out to keep from going, We were very much gratified to learn what court was doing, for it sure made it hot for bootleggers, gamblers, thieves and lawbreakers in general. We can't understand why any honest man would hesitate to go before the grand jury and prosecute any one who would wilfully violate our prohi- bition laws, for it has actually come to the pass where if they can't sell your boy whiskey they will give it to
The log cabin Democrat., 1917-01-22
GUY HIGH SCHOOL.

l
 We are yet alive, although our schoolhouse was totally destroyed on December 13, 1916. School was open ed on December Ii in the local churches. The attendance is good and the school spirit is high.
 The Guy school district received a draft for $1,G00 from the Aetna In surance Company. We believe this is 1 a highly responsible company. About $3, 900 will be expended by this dis trict next summer in the erection of model country schoolhouse. An up to-date school building is the watch word of every patron of the school.
 Coach Gray's basketball teams con- tinue to win more victories to their ! already famous record. Mt. Vernon was defeated on the local court by the score of p to IT. Chubby Weatherly was the spot light of the game.
 Monthly examinations were con ducted last week. M9h improvement is shown in all work. ! JUL etbSGHNGS were icpOi ptu IttA4 week on account of illness.
 Messrs. Ross and Hefiington, two of the grade teachers, took the civil service examination last Saturday.
 The church and school will give a box supper on Saturday night, Jan uary 27, to raise money to finish the work on the new church, which is now occupied as the high school de ipartment of the Guy school. We hope to have a large attendance, as it will help two causes, the school and the church.
 The last month of the school ses- sion will be devoted chiefly to the preparation of young teachers for the March examination. We are expect ing about a half dozen of our stu dents to apply for teachers license then. We feel sure that the most of them will make good.
 The Guy basketball team is ex- pecting Damascus to play on the To- cal court as soon as the weather will permit
 January IT.
The log cabin Democrat., 1917-01-22
MT. VERNON HIGH SCHOOL.

There was program given at the schoolhouse Saturday night that seem ed to be enjoyed by all. It was di- rected by Miss Mime Lee Jones, who spent Christmas with her father, F.. K. Jones. She sacrificed one week of her salary to prepare the program, so the proceeds might be given for the piano. She will begin her work next week in Louisiana. Her time will be given to lyceum work for the next year and half. We thank her very much for her kindness toward us and wish for her much success.
 Examinations will be held next week in Prof. Parsons room. He ex- tended the time one week on account of the program. Attendance has been good since Christmas. Several new pupils have been enrolled.
 The basketball boys went to Guy last Saturday and played the boys there. At the end of the first half the orange and blue boys had tie, II and II. Then at the expiration of the game the score was 16 and 16-- still tied. At the close of the last five minutes, which is necessary in case of a tie, Guy stood 21 and Mt. Vernon IF. The team will go to Fl Paso Friday and play the boys there. We will be glad to play Greenbrier and Blackfork soon. We won a game from Nebo Wednesday, 12 to l, and Friday 15 to 16.
 The piano that was purchased for the school is nice present The chapel exercises are much more inter esting than they have been in the past.
 There has been some talk of de- bate at the schoolhouse Friday night relating to woman suffrage
 Several of the students here are preparing to take the examination in March and June.
 The patrons and board are well pleased with Prof. Parsons work. We think he will make us a fine county examiner.
 January IT.
The log cabin Democrat., 1917-01-22
BECKETT MOUNTAIN.

We have a fine snow on now.
 " r. 0'Guinn was at Conway tho first of last week.
 r. F. Presley has been hauling lum ber from John Goodwin's mill the past Vee}; to build a room to his house.
 N. w. Beckett made trip to Little Rock Inst week
 ". r. O'Guinn. and wife visited J F. Presley last Wednesday.
 Alex Evans, Jr., and Ernest Evans were at T. T. Presloy's last Tuesday and purchased some hogs.
 ila Permenter visited J. T. Pres lev i Tuesday,,
 r. J. Presley killed some nice hogs la7t Wednesday.
 j. H. Tackatt made a trip to Con way the first of last week.