davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
Sammy" II Isn't

Protesting against nickname Is about
the surest way of attaching it firmly to one
for keeps in small boy circles. "Skinnay"
very likely kicked like young mule when
first tagged; his name was changed for
the ages none the less. So our soldiers in
France might be thought to be taking q
risk in rebelling against Sammy" the
handmade nickname pinned on their chests
by eager correspondents.
But we guess not If there are any
privileged characters on the map to-day
they are our men in khaki. If they don't
like a nickname, nothing more need be said.
Back goes Sammy" to the void from which
it sprang. And if any other argument
were needed there is the conclusive fact
that it isn't going. Artificial respiration
for nickname can't be done. The thing
either leaps into life and spreads from lip
to lip or it doesn't. There is no halfway
existence. And Sammy" seems to have died
a-borning.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
weak enough to falter now, when all that
has been striven for in the three years that
have passed is at stake.
The Capture of London

That ante-bellum, stony British stare,
celebrated in song and story and American
tradition, cracked into a thousand pieces
when our soldiers marched through London
yesterday. Women pushed through the
police lines to kiss our husky engineers.
veteran Tommies embraced them like so
many crazy poilus, and tears and cheers
ran riot from Piccadilly to the Strand
What is technically known in America as
O big time was had by all.
Probably we are still too closely related
to Britons to understand each other com,
pletely. That lingering American resent
ment of British toploftiness and reserve
dies hard. But if Britons do their full
share in dropping their ancient stoniness,
what will we have left to complain Of?
There have been many signs of new
breadth of mind in England and grow
ing spirit of brotherliness toward such
preposterous outlanders as Canadians and
Australians. Now even Americans are
pressed in. The surrender Of London
could scarcely be more complete.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16

gestion for which we must pay dearly in many
ways. Why is the private dwelling exempt
from the visits of the Fire Prevention Bureau,
the Health Department and all the other in
spectors whose activities are such an annoy
ance to sggrieved property owners? The
answer is, of course, obvious. The further away
we get from the conditions which surround
the private dwelling the more need for super
vision of various kinds. And for this super
vision we do and must continue to pay
1t has apparently never occurred to the
critics of fire insurance rates that in view Of
increased height and area of buildings, and
been forced up in the absence of the help af-
forded by municipal fire prevention, which has
just about kept matters in stable condition.
Fire prevention as now prosecuted by the
City of New York is not done "to make the
risk safer for the fire insurance companies"
but solely and wholly as a desirable activity
for the public at large. Why expect the fire
insurance business to pay for any part Of this
any more than you would expect the East
Side property owner to pay proportionately
more for street cleaning or waste removal be-
cause that quarter of the city makes rela-
lively greater demands upon the departments
than do less congested districts?
II is most gratifying that so able and con-
scentious an official as the Hon. Jesse L.
Phillips, Superintendent of the Insurance De-
partment of the state, has been requested 70
institute an investigation.
EDWIN o. ToRBOHM.
Brooklyn, Aug. 8, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
Fire Insurance Rates
Should Not Be Lowered Because OF
Fire Prevention Costs

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir; Fire prevention costs are advanced by
Picbard O. Chittick, executive secretary OF
tho Real Estate Board of New York City, as
. reason for the reduction in fire insurance
rates now demanded by that organization
.Tt is clearly an outrage upon the tax
rovorn Mr.. Chittick is quoted as saying, TO
continue to pay more than 100000 year to
maintain the Fire Department and S2o,OOO-
OoO a wear in fire insurance premiums, and
nerhsps twice this sum a year to carry out
structural and other requirements for FIRE
prevention; or, TO put it another way, to make
the risk safer for the fire insurance COM
panies."
This statement is far from being in accord
with the facts. The specific intent and pur-
nose of fire prevention ordinances are to con-
serve human life-to make buildings safer for
occupancy and to provide ready and ample
means for exit in case of emergency, whether
from panic due to fire or from any other
cause. People are rarely manned or actually
burned to death by fire itself, but rather as
the result of mob violence or the inhalation
of smoke while in panicky condition. Loss
of life does not necessarily include a large
property loss; in fact, the reverse is often
true. Where the subsequent property damage
is heavy it is due frequently to the absolute
necessity of the firemen devoting their atten-
ton to the saving Of life. Such incidental
benefits as the fire insurance business now
derives from municipal fire prevention work
tba ind han
efts vouchsafed to human life through the
activities of the fire insurance engineers over
a period of many years, and, in fact, still ex-
tended by these engineers in the large num-
Der Of communities where no other organized
fire prevention exists.
The advantages of doing business upon Man
haitian Island or contiguous thereto, be they
real or assumed, have led to . degree Of con-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
Washington, D. C., Aug. II, 1917.
Singing The Star-Spangled Banner

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: After reading in last Sundays Tribune
the quotations from an article by Alelster
Crowley about "The Star-Spangled Banner"
giving his reasons why the American national
hymn is difficult to sing, | must say here
that the members of the New Singing Soci-
ETY. sing very WE'LL and without any effort at
all 1.-THE Star-Spangled Banner" in the choral
form herewith inclosed, which has been pub
lished By our society. Its members, in learn
ing to read the text before applying 1t to
the music, have overcome easily all the diti-
culties enumerated by Mr.. Crowley in his
article.
| avail myself of this opportunity to say
that the members Of the New Singing Society
are men and women of all walks of life, and
that they are true New Workers, native and
foreign born, and from every nationality.
OF course in order to have the pleasure OF
singing well the American national hymn
the members of the New Singing Society
have had patience, first, to learn to read
properly the words, and after to apply them
TO the music.
The trouble with many people who talk
and write about singing in general, and all
the advantages which can be derived from
singing with others, is that when they come
TO the fact they refuse to submit to the nat
ura law, that nothing good can be obtained
without the proportionate amount Of true
work. NJ CAM1LlERl, Conductor
New York, Aug. Is, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
The Cerman-American Pres

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: | have assiduously read all the ."
items relative to the German-langusse ~"
situation, your regular front-page 'G''nr
americanisms," your editorial comments, y
finally the letters which patriotic si''''
have contributed relative TO the SAME F'''
lem.
Yet do not remember It's once beng ~.
toned as Numerically opposed to 81 si',
ing law. The general trend Of all ns p,
test seems to be toward the estsblsan'.,'
of a law muzzling these Journalists ~
dogs. .
1t does not seem as IL there could 70 '~'
ignorance of President Wilson's pNs.
ton of April 6, 1917. II concerns l's'H "a
marily with regulations having to ., -
alien enemies. The specific law whiea >"
in mind is Regulation 5, and reads as io..',
"An alien enemy shall not write plNs
publish any attack or threat ags'h' s..
government or Congress OF the United ga 80.
or either branch thereof, or against IN. !,
ures or policy Of the United sAN' :.
against the personal property OF any
son in the military, naval or elvii
of the United States. or Of the states :, .
ritories, or Of the District Of Colun'.
of the municipal governments thei'L a.,
Surely not to suppress such ilegsi r.
tions as the "New-Yorker Stsats-beh.'ss IA
rank neglect of duty. While keeplns !,
Masses" and other such organs ou' LII
mails why not include the other p'O.Ou \
publications? | do not think II III
a very difficult thing to prove tn.a
loyalty. CHARLES > NV
Arlington. n. j.. Aug. II, lsl'
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
A Neglected Cheap Food

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Cannot some philanthropic .s,,s.
push the use of mushrooms! When , NJ
is also luxury, how strange that ". ~,
no thought to secure it-now!
In Canada there is some study Of r,a
rooms; college professor in Ottawa. ,y
whose family we boarded in the eov,,,
made his table far better constantly By u,,,
them.
/ do not mean mainly the usual mushr,-,
but many other species of edible fung. az,
far better and far easier to distinguisk t,-
toadstools than the usual kind. The ,r,,,
sor's wife and children could gather e,-
readily.
Some of the very best are dreadful lOct,,
to us who have preconceived notion ,is.,
ought to be toadstool: dark, smok. ,,l,,,i
or terra Gotta colored, the few ths. n,
were.
The only ones that and my cirel. raj,
ventured to eat on our own judgn,r. sy,
puff balls. Any person can tell pss ball.
We once had one so big that it mad, u IN,
dishes Of, so to speak, steaks; vey ret bv,
not nearly so good as some Of d. Sau
fungi.
The United States government putii.u
at least one mushroom bulletin, IRE. vs.t
bly,, by writing for it to the Department
Agriculture at Washington, D. c.; but th,ni
great need that some wise man do ha II
by pushing the idea, so that the .on-a
mind can get to work practically to seer
this fine added food.
That is necessary above all becaus. u :,
danger of poisoning. But | suppose hri
keen, careful teaching could be given va
would enable any ordinary person to sG
safely. The test spoken Of as the bss.-sl
understand-by the Canadian specialist ~
the taste: if the fungus is tasteless II nsti
if acrid it is poisonous. was told that
had various tests, but that that was the W.
AS toadstools are not violent poison 10
cyanide of potassium tasting, then prorfi
splitting out, is not dangerous.
So will not some safe teacher undsras
speedily, while the season is just upon a1
inspire and thoroughly to instruct the IN
to use this great mass of food, which 10 ~
in the reach Of thousands Of our people,
MARGARET NILLEE
Princeton, n. j., Aug. II, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
A War of Young Men
the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: | sincerely hope that The Tribune will
use its great infuence-never so great as at
the present time-to heartily and strenuously
support General Pershing in his request to
Washington that no old men be sept to lead
our armies on the battlefelds of Europe.
know this is hard on the earnest, able men
who have attained rank in our army and have
faithfully served the country; but war is war,
and the great trouble with this war is that up
to the present time it has been an old mans
war.
Men Of forty-fve years or over do not win
victories on the ball field or in the prize ring,
Experienced age has its place, but not in ac-
tive leadership on the field of battle. To men
ton and praise the old generals on both sides
who have led armies to victory will not serve
as an argument against General Pershing's
suggestion These old men have been fighting
old men. We will accept nothing but youth in
the ranks; then let youth lead them.
JOHN MORGAN.
Brooklyn, Aug. 4, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
Another Blow to Kultur
CFrom The WORLDLY

(From The IForld)
With regret learn we that Herr Wilhelm r.
Hearst the Tammany candidate for Burger
r.eister of New York not to be is. This will
a sad disappointment to His Imperial Majesty,
who so active an interest in American politics
takes, prove.
Often has Herr Hearst a candidate for
Burgermeister been, but never before the
Observation-Disclosures candidate. No ex-
PLANTATION Of the refusal of Charles F..
Murphy, the boss Of Tammany Hall, to nomi-
nate Herr Hearst Forthcoming Isl but it is
misunderstanding that Murphy cold feet has
and afraid is to defy the British Govern
ment, which its agent Northcliffe here sent
American politics to control.
The humiliation Of Herr Hearst by Murphy
the more contemplate is because President
Wilson's embargo policy also Tammany of
the fats that necessary TO sustain life are
deprives.
When His Imperial Majesty independence
to Ireland promised. intended he also Tam
many Hall to emancipate; but Murphy this
boon has forfeited and his treachery toward
His Majesty will not unpublished 60.
More than two years ago, said His Majesty
10 the American Ambassador that after this
war he no more nonsense from the Americans
stand would. The rejection Of Herr Hearst
for Bdrgermeister shows once again the need
of strong measures with the blodsinnige Yam
KEGS The insult the greater is because Herr
Hearst loyal and outspoken friend Of the
Kaiser has been and since the departure of
Count Won Bernstorf the German cause with
great eloquence and force above everybody
else pleaded has. The afront of Tammany
to Herr Hearst also is an affront to His
Imperial Majesty which our stout German
aiElies to svenge . way find will.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
A Legacy Of Hate
of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The letter you published in your issue
Of 18th inst on the British Empire, with
the sub-caption Of "a Scot Corrects Some
Wrong Impressions About It," is naught but
gross stupidity and has an atmosphere about
it which leads any one having a knowledge
of British imperial affairs to surmise that it
is the work of Hun propaganda, which has
been working along these lines during the
present war, belittlng everything British.
The whole letter is full of gross prejudice
and in no way represents either Scottish
feeling or intelligence, but rather Of those
people who have come to America imbued
with British hatred and prejudices of creed.
Remember Nelson's battle cry, which flew
from the peak of the Victory at Trafalgar,
and remember
The legacy from sire to son of hate
Is but Stag in a freless CRATE.
DONALD MACEWAN.
New York, Aug. IL, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
The Original Pacihst
AS Painted by Edward Lear in the
Far Unkultured Years

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The real, old, original pacifist seems
to have been overlooked these strenuous
DAYS. Her picture was drawn by the late
Edward Lear some fifty years ago in DOCK
Of nonsense rhymes; here it is:
There was young lady said, How
Shall flee from that horrible COW?
/ will sit on this stile
And continue to smile
Till | soften the heart of that COW.
This seems to be the method approved by
the new peace movement so eloquently ad-
vocated by one of your correspondents last
week And the Kaiser and Won Hindenburg
are sure to approve it, too; it just fits in
with their scheme of things. But how would
these pacfsts feel if their wives and daugh-
tiers had been carried off into Germany, as
have all the women from sixteen to forty
from the part of Northern France from which
the Germans have Just been driven?
FRANK HUNTER POTTER,
OF the Vigilantes.
New York Aug. 10 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16


To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Your numerous correspondents who
urge formal for the daily newspaper sub
stantally the same as the weekly reviews,
so as to facilitate newspaper reading IN
crowded streetcars, amuse and interest me.
They amuse me because it vindicates the
journalistic article of faith that the public IS
always more competent to manage news
paper than the editor, and it interests me
because it sustains my pet theory that, gwen
time. every discarded idea is sure to be
resurrected and paraded as certain ana ne"
cure for an imaginary evil.
Some thirty years ago Lieutenant Govern
or William Dorsheimer, Tilden's running
mate, bought "The New York Star" and did
the very thing your correspondents imagine
would relieve the weary newspaper reader.
"The Star" as recall it, after the lapse Of
ell these years, was about 10 or II inches by
Is or so, and Dorsheimer's idea was theoreti-
cally sound, but practically it was unworka-
BILE; and it was one of the reasons why The
Star" died in its youth. The pages were so
small that only few items could be put on
each, so that the reader, instead Of having
practically all the important news of the day
on the first page and at glance, had TO go
hunting through numerous pages; and you
can imagine how the display advertisements
of the large advertisers suffered.
Your readers suggest that the contents OF
the paper could be indexed. 1t sounds easy,
this simple matter Of an index, but those OF
us who have sweated over the makeup OF
morning newspaper in the small hours know
the mechanical difficulties of making an index
when every minute is precious.
A. MAURICE LOW.
Washington. D. c., Aug. II, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
Not Perfect Animals al
Other Qualifications Needed to MI
Ideal Officers
To the Editor of The Trihrn.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: Having recently besr Il,
commission by United States Armv ,n,. w
on physical grounds the nature O, wss, ''s
refuse to give, I can sympatbi,s 49,, ac
who have recently been exprss,iD, :, a's
your columns their disappointment 49,, ..' v
rejection. 0'es tie,
Army surgeons must neee.,.-u
erned by the restrictions established .. s'''
guidance by the War Department, w s''
long as there are more would.be os.. s
vacancies the government canno, h. n '@e
for choosing the best Obtainabl. vance
BUT 1t seems to me that too mp,,
is laid on physical perfection in IN. -, we"
of officers. A man may be a r.,t.. ''''''''a
and yet be lacking in the ouali,;., ANA
and will necessary to make and
leader of men, so that as an oss,.. r''a''l
prove a failure. "sr
fer CONTRA man may possess
and aggressive qualities, initis,iv. an
ability experience in handling ma, ''''n
nation and power of endurance srdr. e'"'ns
solely because his weight or cbs,, '!scss
does not square with standards arb,,.'"'a
tablished on the theory that for WE
inch in height a man must sx :"
spondingly in weight and chest cirrr ~ o's
although the reverse is freoueptlv :.
That is, tall men are slim and ,h"'. as
stout. 'H0H &c
In my own case il required an s,.,.,
VIII power to convince myself tina,
sacrifice a lucrative professional .a
for the risks of army life; but wear, -
vice in the National Guard and the so,.;. W.
exhortation for every man 10 do hi, 4, .s
duced a state of mind in which i,s;.,s ]"
interest surrendered to national ia.
Having only recently been nut "a 10y
tests Of endurance in roughing il. ,,.r.I''
camping out and mountain climbirs
told that | am not physically a. "a
Uncle Sam when | know that am -.
the suggestion that modification IN rI,,.s'
requirements will become necessary -
war lasts long and the government Win =
be glad to get some of US 1t has reject.
New York, Aug. 10, 1917. REJEcryn
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
Cause and Efect2

To the Editor of The Tribune. a.
Sir: 1t may interest the resdSr' 81
Tribune to know that in SUMTER .ss
20 per cent of the men examined i0'
were found physically unit ,,siv
OF. the first 10 men called io' :. -
ton in Sumter only % we're found 70
for nilitary service. ..w,vs,ss
Judging from reports In the n,r.;esi,tt
from other sections, this IS
fine showing for Sumter. -. ,,,ira
II was in Sumter that miIi'a.yl ,isrs
in the public schools was itais. An irlb
years ago. Sumter is city OF lev, ,.rt .
itants and has stood in the ron "a ~
many things. II was the ars' Tow II r.
the city manager commission ,o'G cpErS
eminent. LEU"
New York, Aug. o, 1917 Il
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
Open Propaganda

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Almost every day on the elevated
or in surface cars | see some one openly
and almost ostentatiously reading German
language newspapers. How long shall we
tolerate enemy propaganda so open and IA
grant in our midst? How long would such
a thing be tolerated in Paris, London or
Berlin! The pro-German press in English
is more difficult to deal with, but this ought
to be easy. And how soon shall we begin
to retaliate for the limitless German propa.
ganda by propaganda OF our own, here and
elsewhere, especially in Russia, where it is
so extensive and dsngerous7
MAN IN THE STREET.
New York, Aug. II, 1917
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: As the mother of one Of the student
officers at Plattsburg, permit me to thank
you for the faithful reports of the Officers
Training Corps at Plattsburg Barracks
which have appeared in your paper from the
first day of the camps opening until its clos
ing. want you to know there has been
one mother who sincerely appreciated them
especially. too. when you printed my boys
name among those commissioned.
MRS. G. S. MARSHALL.
New York, Aug IL, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16

W, can purchase merchandise advertised 70 ~,
rptpf-N,T- with absolute safeyfor dissatisfaction I
in any case THE TRIBUNE guarantees 70 pay w w ~
bark upon request. No red tape. No qlDOiN's Wv
so,i promptly n the advertiser does not
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16

rr,.-,a a, the Poso1ce at New York As seconu OiAS'
Mall Matter.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
THURSDAY. AUGvsT IS. 1917

Owned and published daily BY The Tribune ' ysrnor
N,y YORK Corporation ogden Reid PreSaeit, :" +
loseTs S.e 49, Tribune building. 1884 Nassau
street, New York Telephone. Beekman 'VV''
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16

SUBSCRIPTION RATEs.-By Mai" r'S
side Of Greater New York; .. & "a
DHy 40 SuI,S % Daily only months. SVo
bAp ~ $500 - { IA Daily only year....... ovV
PAW ana Su.15 80. 1 95 sunday only yesr..... zoo
-,,,, p.rrs CANADIAN RATES
DAILY AND SUNDAY. DALI AM IS
one mouth. ............ Sl'st w w - - s 50
one year .,, 800, o>ty DAILY ONLY.
60, - 4 a one month. .........''' 'oooo
- year. WV
DAILY ONLY 500 so
one month. ............ l-sy Onc ~ ass
one year. ..........''.' l'.'' WV
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
In Appreciation

New York, Aug. II, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-16
The Magazine Newspaper Discarded

New York, Aug. 10, 1917.