davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07
Fire Protection and Insurance Rates

It is to be hoped that Mr.. Phillips, State
Insurance Commissioner, will undertake
promptly the investigation of fire insur-
ence costs in this city which the Board Of
Estimate and Apportionment has re-
quested him to make. Nothing less than
such comprehensive examination of com
panies' records as he alone is empowered
to conduct can show whether this city is
being overcharged, as the Advisory Coun-
Gil of Real Estate Interests and other bust
ness men believe. There is enough surface
evidence to bear out their contention to
warrant the inquiry.
The case of the property owners, briefly
stated, is this New York City in 1918 had
the lowest per capita fire loss of any large
city in the country. New York City prop
erty has in recent years undergone extern
sive alterations on orders of the Bureau
of Fire Prevention, the State Industrial
Commission and other official agencies,
which have tended TO reduce greatly the
fire risk, both for individual buildings and
the city at large. All this, naturally, has
imposed heavy expense on the owners Of
real estate, while it has correspondingly
benefited the fire insurance companies.
Finally, this city has high pressure
water supply system, of great value in
checking fires, which has been paid for
largely by the real estate owners, who thus
made another contribution to the benefit of
the fire insurance companies.
In view Of these facts New York, with
its property best protected against fire loss
land with the lowest per capita fire loss in
the country 10 its credit, seems to deserve
lower rates than communities where fire
insurance is not so profitable commodity.
The insurance companies, at the request OF
Commissioner Adamson, have agreed to
make a reduction Of l per cent in rates
when the new fire alarm system is com
pleted--a recognition Of the principle that
increased protection for property means
more profit in the premiums collected, and
consequently justifes some reduction in the
rate Of premium. The inquiry by CON-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07
Not an Authority on Reform

Tammany Hall cannot be greatly cheered
by the opinion Of Mr.. Joseph Cassidy, re-
Gently expressed, that il should come right
out in the open and nominate a man whose
affiliations with the regular Democratic or
ganization are known" for 1t could win
with him. "The people are tired of this so
called reform" declares Mr.. Cassidy, re-
ferring TO the Mitchell administration and
it, accomplishments. Therefore there Is
no need for the Wigwam 10 hide behind
some unheard-of man and parade him
forth az a highbrow." One Of the good,
old-fashioned you-scratch-my-back-and-l'll-
scratch-yours sort can do the trick.
II is natural enough for Cassidy 10 hold
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07
Liberty-Loving Slackers
r of The Tribune,

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Having sons now wearing the unliOt'
of the United States, II was with great ples.
ure | read Mr.. J. A. Macleods very able .s'
ter in your columns of July 81 in reply TO NJ
Laliberte.
If French Canadians tank so much OF 'n ~
French language as they profess to, IL "ou.,
surely seem their place TO preserve II is 0'.
in the trenches Of their mother country -
sorely pressed to-day, !.
This war Is as much their fight as any ONE.
and hanging back as they are, under Cove
Of some petty grievance as an excuse. '.
ing all the load to be carried by men OF 0'as;
races, is a mighty shabby performance, sr
IL our American boys and their paren"
going to make such sacrifices the fr," :.
Canadians and the Irish, too, should ai' "
made to do their share.
They all pirate loudly Of liberty ana l,' :,
dom, but from their contemplate stane -
this war they evidently want the other ieI,O,
to do the fighting for them. while they s's'
home and control the votes. fine exhlplu0'
surely, ANTI-sLAcKEk
Providence, R. /. July 81. 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07
"A Time for Courage
nr Of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir; The editorial in last Saturdays Trib.
me was excellent and timely. have thought
at times the task to which Uncle Sam mas
set himself of whipping Germany has been
unduly magnified. l am looking for Germany
TO collapse any day. Straws show which way
the current runs, and little story told me IN
Florida last winter may have some connection
with my optimism
A friend had a relative, an old lady, living
in a small town in Germany, and she, by
device not necessary to describe, managed 70
get letter to him uncensored in which she
told the truth. She had formerly kept
little store. She wrote that the shelves were
empty; they had no money to stock up WIN
and if they had they could not get the goods;
even the stocking boards of the poor people
had gone into government bonds; they were
half starved, living only on the coarsest fooo
and there was much sickness. Now ! see
that the imperial government has COM
mandeered even the family jewels and heir
looms.
Within the last three years the German
people have shown that they are the mos
patient, submissive set Of asses in the world
but one would think this would be the last
straw. All signs indicate that Kaiserism and
miitarism are at their last gasp. II England
and France, with their enormous resources
have been forced to borrow money TO con
tinue the war, how much longer car Germany
which can borrow money nowhere, continue
from her own resources the conflict?
VETERAN,
Taylorsville, Penn, Aug. 2, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: l greatly appreciate the space you
gave to the article THE Conscientious OBJ
iector" which | sent you from the pen of
bishop R. ]. Cooke, d, d., IL. ID. 1t has been
widely copied and circulated throughout the
country, and believe will do great good.
would further appreciate 1t II you would
be kind enough to correct one error-namely,
that Bishop Cooke was said to be OF the Meth
odist Episcopal Church South, He is not a
bishop of that church, but has always held his
membership in the Methodist Episcopal
Church. His name should appear as Bishop
Richard J. Cooke, OF the Methodist Episcopal
Church, and not Bishop J. r. Cooke, of ths
Methodist Episcopal Church South.
j. N. MELEAR,
Editor Methodist Advocste-Journal."
Athens, Tenn, Aug. !. 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07
For More Destroyers

1t is quite unnecessary to seek out-of-
the-way explanations of the Navy Depart
ment's decision to expend less energy on
the construction of light motor craft and
more on the construction of destroyers.
Very probably Admiral Sims is convinced,
as the reports from Washington inform US,
that the present policy followed by the
British navy will never dispose of the sub
Marines" but that is no new discovery. 1t
was admitted long ago that the problem of
disposing of them had not been solved, and
the First Sea Lord himself has repeatedly
told us that all that has so far been done
is to make their work more difficult. More
over, it seems to be forgotten that destroy
ers play a very important part in "the
present policy" and that we have con-
stantly been advised that there cannot be
too many Of them.
In point Of fact, there are not nearly
enough of them at present. Great Britain
began with serious shortage In this class
Of vessel. Though the number at disposal
was vastly greater than what we possess,
two or three hundred more might easily
have been turned to account. But unfortu-
nately the building Of destroyers was more
OF less neglected for several years, and the
shortage had not been fully made up when
the war broke out, nor has it been since
then, so far as we know.
There is every reason to believe that the
building of destroyers has been greatly &C
CELEBRATED of late in England, but some time
was lost in other enterprises, which, ac-
cording to distinguished British Admiral
Of the Fleet, involved the expenditure of
something like eighteen million pounds on
the construction Of the most ridiculous
crack-braned big ships that ever entered
into the mind of mortal man" and the en-
ployment of labor enough TO turn out per-
haps hundred destroyers.
Be that as it may, the Importance Of de-
stroyers in anti-submarine work has long
been recognized, and it is too late to specu-
late now on how much better off we should
be if at the beginning of the war there had
been twice as many of them. What our
own contribution has been we have not
been told, but it must Of necessity be rela-
lively small. Many more are undoubtedly
an urgent need. The life of a destroyer
is short, and however industriously they
have been building in the British yards,
the wastage must be taken into account,
nor must we forget the needs of the Grand
Fleet.
In short, there is no indication of a new
policy in the news from Washington. The
demand for destroyers has existed from
the first, as well as the demand for small
craft of all kinds, and the more we can lay
down and the quicker we can turn them
cut the better The need for destroyers
does not disprove the value of other types
Of vessel in the great business Of fighting
the submarine, though it is highly prob
able that many of the craft that were used
effectively in the early days of the war are.
as offensive instruments, quite useless
against the later and more powerful
IJ-boats
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07
No Fake Food Bill


1t is manifest that the Legislature is at
tempting to play politics of pretty cheap
brand in the proposed food control meas
ure. Colonel Roosevelt, by his refusal to
serve as one of the Food Commissioners
named in the bill, has pretty effectually
spiked that scheme of opposing the Gov
ernor, but that does not relieve the legis-
lators who sponsored the bill from the re-
sponsibility for attempting an altogether
unjustifable and improper assault on exc
cutive privilege and duty. In itself, that
provision stamps the bill as deceitful, a
trick and unworthy of being enacted.
Entirely aside from that feature, the
measure offers slight hope of relief in
serious situation where means of relief
must be created. 1t is inadequate; as an
emergency measure-and an emergency
assuredly is what confronts the public-it
is almost joke. If food prices continue
to rise and foodstuffs to grow scarcer, as
those in best position to know the facts
expect, official acquisition and sale Of food
must be relied on to meet the emergency.
State and municipal competition with the
dealers must be employed to break COM
binations, to bring down prices and TO con-
auer conditions with which no prohibition
in statute form can deal successfully.
Mr.. Perkins in his work for the Mayors
Food Commission few months ago showed
the possibilities of this form of relief from
hardships which the public was suffering.
But as Mr.. Perkins points out, under the
provisions of the proposed bill formalities
and red tape would so limit the power of
municipalities that what would occur if it
were enacted would be famine first, relief
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS"
1t is commendable to desire to draft
bill which will not interfere with the pro-
duction of food or vita the producers. 1t
is proper to endeavor to avoid unnecessary
and harmful interference with the natural
course Of business and the legitimate prac-
tees of business men. What is Of prime
Importance, however, is to make certain
that foods shall be produced and get where
they are needed-to the soldiers and the
workers-when they are needed, without
enriching SPECTATORS, manipulators and
middlemen, and without undue profits 10
producers and dealers. If interference
with business" is necessary to accomplish
this, then business" must be interfered
with and state and municipal authorities
must have the power to act-not after
famine, but in time to prevent 1t.
The legislators who are dealing with
this question at Albany do not seem to
realize that it Is not an academic issue or
thing to play politics with. The COM
munity Is in no frame Of mind to be pa
tient with pinheads, politicians or pro-
tectors Of some "interest" or other. So far
as Governor Whitman stands for bill for
genuine food control, giving real powers
to the commissioners, he will assuredly
have the full strength of public approval
behind him.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07
Two Important Events
r of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In your issue of July 20. In that por-
ton OF the summary of the three years OF
war entitled Outstanding Events Briefly
Skstched," it appears that you have made no
mention Of the withdrawal OF the Allies from
the Gallipoli Peninsula in January, 1915 or
Of the surrender Of General Townshend in
Mesopotamis. which was, believe, some time
in April, 1918.
believe that after mature consideration
you will agree with me that these two events,
which definitely closed two campaigns of con-
siderable Importance, are more justly entitled
TO mention in such q summary than number
Of other events which do appear.
LAWRENCE S. HOLT, Jr.
Burlington, N. C.. Aug. ., 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07
Life at the Training Camps

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir, The article in to-days Tribune, CIV
ing an account Of the life of the rookie
officer at Fort Myer and signed Sergeant
Hill" is comprehensive and instructive.
Everybody is interested in the work be-
ing done at these training camps, and many
questions are daily asked concerning the life
and work Of the men IN training at them,
but this is the first account that have
seen by one who has "been on the job"
Can we not have more of them7
THOMAS L. RUST.
Washington, D. c.. Aug. 8, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07

You can purchase merchandise advertised In TIE
TRIBUNE with absolute saiey-for dissatisfaction results
IN any case THE TRIBUNE guarantees to your money
back upon request No red tsps No clubbing We make
good promptly n the advertiser docs not.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07
Fire Insurance Profit.
Not So Large as They Seem WIZ,
Analysed
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The publication Of the annual .,...
ment Of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Comma
in the identical issues OF the newspao.,.
giving publicity to the efforts Of the Adyi,...
Council of Real Estate Interests to rsdp,.
fire insurance rates in New York. City sa.ya,
opportunity for some interesting comparison,
B. R. T. figures show gross earn.
ings ..........,........,. VS., 50i,bR
Operating expenses .............. l67ti.1-
Net earnings .si2,lS.sn
These figures are reduced by taxes and
fixed charges to net income Of s5,ls5,2ss
Commissioner AdamsOn gives s25,oOO,oOo a,
the premium receipts Of the fire insursn.
companies for the year, whereas the Are loss
in 1916 as estimated by the department was
only sS,746,4O4. The premiums, therefore.
were about sl6,OOO,OOO in excess Of the FIRE
loss" While Mr.. Adamson does not say "a
specifically, the manner in which these hgarH
are presented would justify almost any one
in assuming that s1600O,0oo represents profit
A moments consideration will, Of course, dis.
close that the fire insurance business also Ia,
operating expenses.
In addition to Office rentals and maintes.
snee, taxes, expenses Of fire patrol New Yert
Beard Bureau of Surveys and New York Pin
Insurance Exchange, there is the item Of con-
missions, which averages closely 10 is Per
cent. Altogether the operating expenses mar
be said to approximate S3 per cent.
Moreover, the Fire Department estimates
Of losses are always much below actual in.
surance payments. Water and smoke damage
are seldom apparent upon the first or any
cursory examination. Loss Of profits, com.
missions. rents or rental values and the like
1.-THE premiums from which go TO swell the
total income quoted) are wholly ignored in
the estimates by the Fire Department, al.
though they constitute very substantial I'D.
dition to the aggregate losses, which are
further increased by numerous claims OF no
inconsiderable amounts OF which the Fire
Department has no record whatever
Instead Of ss,746,404 Of losses, these tots.
nearer $4,000 900. Add to this figure S,ss1'
Ss3 for operating expenses, and the account
reads:
Total income ......,....'.'''''''S LoVVvpoo
Total expenses ...........'.''''. %O,SSS'SS
Net earnings .....,..,.,.''' sfooo'sN
Does It not seem odd that any one should
begrudgs this profit to the fire Insurance
business, which is confronted at all times |
the possibility of staggering confederation
losses, yet enjoys no public benefits, while an
equally large proportionate proht by the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit, operating under val
liable and exclusive public franchises, is &C.
cepted as quite the proper thing?
Probably the largest measure OF responS'
bility for this condition rests with the lnsur'
ance interests themselves for their failure to
give adequate publicity to these matters
Some of us in the insurance business a"
strongly inclined to this view, at any rate:
EDWIN o. TORBOHM.
Brooklyn, Aug. |, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07
ckNADTLN RATES.

Entered a, the Posonce at New York Second o'ss
Mall Matter.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07

missioner Phillips is the only procedure
which can answer authoritatively the ques-
ton why this principle should not be ex-
tended further
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07

Owned and published dsily BY Ths Tribune As'eS'AO-
New York Corporation. OGDEN Rcd. PFeaiaeh'' y.
Roze, VIC. President Richard H. waldo sscrstsIJi a.
s,,,r T4..,u,.r address Trbun. Building i0t NASSAU
Street. Nss York Telephone. BssSmsn 5000
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-07

SUBSCRIPTION RATEs.-By NAL. Postage PAID OUT
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-03-02

Ia these days Of high prices when
potatoes are around the a0-eanfs-uer-
peck mark. and other eatabIe are also
aeroplaDtug. the government IS urging
the people t9 eat rice. practically fhe
only food which has not risen in price
tremendously the last TWO years.
According TO the government bulle-
TINS the food uujte fra one poana ii
various foods are as follows. Celery.
so eGCum0ersl so. lettuce SO: onions
20 carrots. Z10; cauHhower. 14g.
cabbage, 1876 bread 1915 cnrnraa4
1000; rice. 1890 dried beans. $40.
h4ce contains more streugth-afvin=s
materials than potatoes. vet potatoes
nave elevated IN price until some peo-
PIE cannot afford to serve them. Pc
tatoes are thre@-gUart water. while
rice has scarcely any water. Potatoes
nave only ole-ELtb starch. while rice is
more lnan three-uuarters starch.
El1e is TOO often considered . food
only Ior the Chinese. AS far as I'VE can
learn there is nothing ia rice vynfeE,
#ouAQ make an Americans hair GROVE
Gown als BACK in a. long aueua me-
when would put q slant ON his ewes.
yer Americans prefer to paw out their
good money for high priced notafoae
an" ieL me rice accumulate an the
gr0cers' shelves.
George ". Perkins of New York has
taken a great interest 5D advertising
the food values OF rice. As Chairman
q the food supply committee Of New
York he has recently issued . nam
paiet called Facts About Food in
#hlch ne appeals 10 the people ~
EE0t the high cost OF living Ey E4rsr.
ing acquainted with rice We 7Vaufa
almost forgive Brother Perkins for his
recent sad attempt to boost Roosevelt
PACK Ihlo he presidency If be succeeds
lH educating tne American people into
eating the good old-fasuianea food pf
rice But Americans are hard to affrg-
cate. Aeil an American thar corn
h1esi or nee IS both cheap and plentiful
ana Ae iz Sable 70 turn up his nose
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-03-02

President Wilson wl1l take the oath
on Sunday. March Z, and It has been
suggested that lie make the public
ceremony on March s merely the oe-
oastou for delivering his inaugural
address Probably the president
would DE glad Il la could deliver the
inaugural address I'm private. TOO. The
inaugural address is delivered. but
NOS heard. FL Is not probable that
more than EltE people have ever heard
single complete sentence OF an IN
auguraI address. It's delivery is sim
Pig an opportunity for the people 10
see -ae president elected but not to
hear him. FL begins at about /
clock. Since dawn the crowd has
been collecting i'm the immense space
IA front Of the capitol The long wait
has tired them Those OF them who
have had foreth0ueht have brought
along sandwiches and pickles. and as
it IS about luncheon time when the
president comes CUT on the capitol
steps. they are eating them. ID gem
orally rains in Washington the first
week in March. SO the vast snace is
rooted with wet umbrellas When the
president comes out the roar Of con
TersaTIuD stops for a few minutes BUT
most Of the crowd can see him only as
r. Gttle tar-oG figure. standing within
H pavilion and occasionally king
gestures so under the great roof OF
umbrellas the road begins again and
sweNs high After q while the In
audible speaker bows and retjres. and
zle crowd realizes that the speech is
over and makes tts rush.
Once. in our time. there was a nIfz-
card on March and the opeu-air
ceremony had to be abandoned. The
president delivered his address in the
senate chamber Every word rang to
-a@ last corner; and tile fall meaning
lae dignity the Lnpressiveness. of the
peoples choice entering upon the du-
ties for which he haa been chosen
ane home with 2 thrill for the first
time 10 men who had attended many
'naUEuraaens ana had never had thar
feeling before. The senators them
selves were moved and thrilled. much
more fbau tHese IN the galleries That
7era sion. tbs inaugural Of President
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-03-02
The Daily Story
Lost on the Mountain Side-By Ethel Holmes

not exactly know how 10 go about i
You're right there. I don't see how
can help you. since I'm not familiar
with the country about here
The girl looked about her with
troubled chances. The man started To
so on.
Yer not goiu' 10 leave a pore gal
out hyer ON this lonely hillside. air
~ she said. looking at him re-
proachfulIy
II don't see how I can help it,. said
the man Il don't know where y0u
want 10 so, and I've got to get on my
self"
n y mind my goin' on with ~
she asked pitifuliy.
Wei. I don't see how I car dc
that was the reply, "seein' that iii
have to walk great deal faster than
you can
Try me
The man looked perplexed. lie
couldn't very well leave a girl Who
was lost on the mountain side and In
the business in which he was engaged
she would be an obstacle to him In
deed. he could not very well acc1mn-
Hsh it without getting rid Of her.
Il haven't time to bother with 70
he said Crabbedly. All you got so 10
is to so down the mountain and yoaU
md plenty OF persons to tel you hoW
to get home
With that he started on. but hear
ing a sob, turned and saw the girl with
her hands 80 her face, shaking con
vulsively.
There is 30 wea pom so powerful sz
a W0man's tears. The man turned and
Went back 10 the girl He did NOS get
away from her for an hour. First h.
spent q good deal Of time soothing her
Then she told him that she had
sprained her ankle and could not walE
Finally footsteps were heard coming
from above and o young man ap-
peared on the trail. He started on see
ing the girl and the man.
4 reckon said the girl 10 She man
with the red beard, that this Teller
viii take me down. Much oblesEed 70
you all the same"
The man addressed looked the other
over and without a word started mp
the trail. The two watched him till he
was ont Of sight, then the girl threw
her arm around the newcomer.
He's got this letter you wrote ne I
recEoued it had the way 10 find son
laid down purity clear, hadn't it,"
Yes. it. mad"
"He TUX il from the postuan fol-
lowed him and have been deIayiu him
hyar. hopint to find some way to warn
you"
Well. he'll get the stu. but he
won't get me"
Clasped in each others arms. they
rejoiced that the delay she had caused
had saved him from arrest and per
haps q term OF Imprisonment
Better give up maxim whisky.
Ben" she said.
.Ill do it fer your sake"