davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
A CHANCE FOR AMERICAN OPERA

TNHE opportunity which Philadelphians
L will have tonight of hearing Reginald
De koven and Percy Mackaye's "The
Canterbury Pilgrims" gives new empha-
sis to the present fortunate position of
American opera makers.
For years American music-drama has
been fragile plant, victim OF many "a
chilling frost. Excellent musicians like
Walter Damrosch, F.. S. Converse and DR..
Horatio Parker have bravely sought to
make It bloom, and their record of failure
would be disheartening did not changed
conditions here make possible a much
more active cultivation of their art I'M
portant factors involved are the enor.
nous development of American musical
taste within the last two decades and the
virtual extinction of keen competition
by the European opera factories. France
Italy, Germany and Russia are not deeply
concerned over musical problems Just
now.
Furthermore, even before the war it
was a1rarent that an era of inspiration
begun by the twentieth century was
nearly sat an end. Puccini's Humper-
dinck's and Strauss's best work seems to
have been completed. Massenet is dead.
Debussy is in many ways an exotic whose
lines of departure it is impossible to
foresee.
Recollections of such mediocre modern
works as "Adrienne Lecouvreur," LES
RAM des Vaches," "Zingari' and la
Wally" have done much TO diminish the
old respect for foreign composers of the
lyric play. Such productions We're neither
demanded nor deeply enjoyed by our
public. Musical audiences are now willing
to grant the American opera maker con-
siderably more than the benefit of the
doubt.
In 1911 Victor Herbert tried his hand
with "Natoma" and with some success.
But that was before armed strife had dis
organized the continental producing
centers. Mr.. De Koven, whose operetta
robin Hood" has triumphantly with.
stood times ravages. has now much more
in his favor. Mr.. Mackaye. his librettist,
Is a dramatist of taste and experience.
Above all, American opera is distinctly
wanted. And supply frequently follows
demand.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
UNPREPAREDNESS

Congress in its last session directed that
the building of four battle cruisers be be-
gun forthwith. Contracts for them have
not yet been let. They are long that
neither the Government nor private COM
panies have ways long enough to build
them on (our biggest dreadnought the
Pennsylvania, is COO feet long, while the
projected battle cruisers are $50 feet long) !:
and to equip the most promising navy yard
for the purpose Philadelphia) would re-
quire more than one year of work before
the men could begin constructing the battle
cruisers. They would then require nearly
as much time in building as the battleships
To date no progress has been made toward
doing anything about building them at all,
Worlds Work.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
All Points of the Compass
Our Own Arabian Nights

TT HAS been related to me, o happv
l. King, how it befell one of thy brothers
who reigns abroad. The tale Is told by EI
Wood Up Holster of the House of Souder
and he speaks sooth. According to his rela
ton, the King, thy Brother went journey
ing upon the Water Wagon for the snace
OF one lunar month and sent a messenger
to his Vizier who. was upon a voyage to a
fair island that he might get reply to n
letter which was intrusted to the care OF
the bearer.
The King ordered his Minister to strain
his nerves. tuck up his skirts and use ali
expedition In returning. When the mes.
senger came to the Vizier of the King no
exclaimed o my Brother, perceive ma
thy body is emaciated and thy countenancs
is become sallow l pray thee tell me wbv
thy health faileth thus.
Then the messenger delivered 10 ,ba
Vizier the letter from the King and waited
the answer. The Vizier pondered well tha
letter which contained but one Question
Tell me my Vizier. art thou. too, upon The
Water Wagon still?
For three several days he pondered ma
then he wrote the King. his master. savin~
No. very restless.
Now Scheherazade. the teller OF tales. An
ished. and the King laughed Is that 4. tr,.
story? he asked.
Then Schehsraxade made reply, True q
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
Answers to Yesterdays Quiz

l. a bureaucracy is II system of government
BY departments or bureaus. each con-
frolled by chief, as opposed to ass0-
ciated authority and responsibility.
2. The Yale bowl il the oval athletic coliseum
Of Yale University, at New Haven, seat
Ing 81, 900 persons.
5. The area of Russia. 80, ,255. 900 square miles,
~ between one-sixth and One-seyenth OF
the land area of the earth.
4. The United States Military Academy at
West Point. y. w.. was established In
5. A color sergeant In the United states army
Is "a nOncOmmissiOned officer who carries
and has charge Of the flag.
O. "ThanatOpsis," one of Americas greatest
poems, was written by william Cullen
Bryant. The title means "a view OF
death"
Z. The removal OF the Russian Gar from 10.
huence in Entente councils Is Thought
10 remove the last. great opposition
against the formation OF u Greek re-
public, planned by the Entente.
3. Buck laws are laws fOrbidding the killing OF
female deer and fawns.
0. The greatest elevation of land In the world
Is Mount Everest. In the Himalayas
10. The greatest. depth yet found in the ocean
is 32,088 feet, off MindanaO. Ph'lppine
Islands.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20

John Hart, of the London Opinion, VIII
was something of a figure at the Adver
tising Convention in this town last June
carried home with him bunch of strang
stories about us folks in the States
Here's one of them:
A man who had been born and
brought up on the range and HAD never
seen or known woman rode into
border town to see the sights.
Immediately he fell III love with a
buXom waitress and they We're married.
The cowpuncher bought another horse
and the couple rode away to the far
off ranch. supposedly happy and
content.
Two days afterward the cowpuncher
came back, looking very sorrowful,
leading the other horse.
"Why, where Is your wife?" asked
all the men about the hotel in concert
as he rode up.
"She broke her leg the second day
out" answered the cowpuncher as the
tears ran down his face, land had to
shoot her."
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
Christ's Apostles

II. +. La Christ's apostles were origl-
naliy twelve in number. to which were addeo
Matthias, to take the place of Judas lscariot'
betrayer of Christ and later Paul. the tue
was extended to many, seventy others being
mentioned among those who. though not out
wardly appointed, gave evidence of their mt
ness to spread the gospel Among the addi-
tional apostles named We're Mark Luxe
Barnabas. Timothy, Silvanus, Apollos, An.
dronius and Juna. (b) The time, place and
manner of death of the original apostles
offer subject for much dispute and uncer-
tainty. The following information Is given
as coming in most instances from mere
tradition: tSimon) Peter, crucihed in Rome
about 81, 81 or 80 A. d.; James son OF
Zebedee (whose death is the only one re-
corded in the Scriptures and who was tns
first to be sain), beheaded in Jerusalem, 80
or A; John, son of Zebedee. died OF old age
in Ephesus or killed by Jews about 60-io'
Andrew, crucifed on X-shaped est An
drews'D cross in northern Greece about W
Philip, died natural death at HieraponA
Syria or crucified or hanged; Bartholo'
NEW, fiayed alive and crucified at Alpanop-
oils. Armenia. or at Urbanopois, Ciicia'
Matthew died natural death or martyrec
in Ethiopia Thomas called Didymusl dleo
dia or Parthia James son of Alphaeus' no
tradition of death Thaddaeus called Judeh
martyred In Persia (O; Simon the canaan
lite, crucifed in Palestine at age OF isv
years 90: Judas Iscariot, committed SUI
eide (O; Paul, beheaded in Rome In -
or 81, and Matthias, fate unknown.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20

Sir-My charwoman, who comes from
Mayo, asked me had / any shamrock, and
on my answer that il had not come this
year. said '1t's the first time in twenty
years that my mother didn't send it. Glory
be to God isn't it terrible the hardships the
war Is putting on u.s. BEGOR
Ii will give us joy to take care of the
charady, for in this mornings mail comes
wee pot Of true shamrock grown in
the University of Chicago greenhouses
from seed brought from Ireland. W. j.
OCarroll, the university's horticulturist,
who performed this miracle, sent a couple
of tiny pots o. them to Mrs. Margaret
Griffin OMeara, of Valparaiso, Ind, who
kindly remembered us.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
DEMOCRATIC HUMOR

TO the Editor OF the Erening Ledger:
Sir-ln n grocery in a western town.
where local loafers congregated and where
everything from local gossip to the most
intricate diplomatic problems was discussed
one evening there was group of men COM
posed of Prohibitionists, Populists, Repub-
licans and Democrats. The conversation
turned to the political parties in American
history, and after a full discussion thereof
one of the men, who was Democrat, said
After all Is said, the Democratic party is
the Oldest party in the country" There
upon another. who was a Republican, and
an irresponsible wagI broke in with the
statement that the Democratic party is as
old as sin. In reply thereto a third mem.
ber of the bunch, who was a lawyer and a
Democrat, retorted, "Yes. that is true, as
soon as sin entered into the world the
Democratic party was organized to fight it,"
Reading, Pa. March g. B. B.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
HUNT DOWN THE U-BOATS

! IF EVER an executive received over.
whelming Endorsement of a declared
| policy, President Wilson received IL from
| the whole nation for his address to Con.
| gress of February 26. He asked that he
be authorized to supply merchant ships
with defensive arms, should that become
necessary. and with the means of using
them, "and to employ any other instru.
mentalities or methods that may be neces.
sary and adequate to protect our ships
and our people in their legitimate and
peaceful pursuits on the seas"
The last phrase plainly implied the use
of the navy to hunt down and destroy
submarines whose actions had made the
seas unsafe even for armed ships. Ger
tainly the congressional paciflsts saw this
Implication, for it was upon this point
that they made their chief fight and even
got the House to eliminate the "other in.
strumentalities" clause. The Senate did
not eliminate 1t, however, and it was said
the House would have accepted the
amendment had the Senate fiibusters
allowed conference measure to pass. AT
all events, the temper of the country was
not long in doubt. as the popular wrath
against the filibusters showed The exc.
crations hurled at the "willful men" meant
that the nation trusted the President to
arm the ships, use submarine chasers, or
the whole navy if need be.
Later. when Mr.. Wilson decided to arm
the ships on his own authority, the news
was heard with rejoicing. 1t is time now,
since three American ships have been
sunk, two of them returning home in bal.
last-that s not carrying aid and com.
fort to Germany's enemies-wlth Ameri-
can lives probably lost, or at the very
least pitilessly left to the mercy OF the
winter seas, to employ those "other in
strumentalities." 1t is time to send naval
vessels to hunt down and destroy the
submarines which have declared war
upon us.
Mr.. Wilson's own words imply that
he has seen fit to take this action
under the provocation that now has been
given, and he weighs his words and does
not waste them.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
TRAINMEN PUBLIC SERVANTS

TT HAS long been maintained by the
best organs of public opinion that
railroad workers and others engaged in
public service have not the right to strike
without submitting their complaints to
arbitration. 1t is of the greatest impor-
tance that the Supreme Court In an
obiter dictum declares that the right TO
strike in concert lis necessarily sur
rendered when the men are engaged in
the public service. They are comparable
to soldiers in the ranks, who In the pres
ence of enemies of their country may
not desert"
This principle. with the upholding. of
the right of Congress to regulate wages,
raises the standing of the railroad worker
in the community. His acceptance of
1t will throw public sympathy to his side
IN future Disputes That the Supreme
Court has supported It makes It sum-
e(eptly piain that the comprehensive pro-
q |ER2 legiglattep Srre4 n the
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20

AND, speaking of Irish things as wei.
come as shamrocks, Peter Il. Kyne, the
grand story.teller. blew in upon us yes.
terday. He left his California home sew
eral weeks ago TO give the effete East
the onceover and to transact much bust.
ness here OF one sort and another
Among other things" sez he. "I had
hoped TO get sight of a good but crooked
actor who put on "A western play Of mine
In Ionkers some months ago. The show
was hit. but it had cost me more than
/ thought was right to stage it. This
star of mine wrote to me that he had
moved from Yonkers and was showing
in Harlem and needed $3.50 for stage
broke donkey. I told him I knew where
there was one stage.broke donkey, but
that there wasn't anything doing. After
that my actor faded. I haven't been able
to locate him."
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
SYKES'S "SPRING DRIVE"


10 He razor OF the ECcNtnD Ledger.
Sir-I wish to congratulate your car
toonist, Mr.. Sykes, for his drawing "Mobil-
izing for the Spring Drive" 1t tells the
story forclbly and simply, and it ought to
do great deal to awaken the minds of
our citizens to the filth we are living in,
and also help to stir their imagination TO
the dangers which lurk in the dirt that
is flung in our faces by both the winds and
the street cleaners
Are we really at the mercy of the con-
tractor bosses, or is it because of our inertia
that we are treated with indifference and
contempt? Is it necessary for the people
TO rise in a body Snd force them to some
real action? Must we suffer some terrible
scourge more terrifying than last years 'in-
fantile paralysis" to awaken us from what
seems a dead dullness of mind and body?
Keep up the good work, Sykes, old man !;
who knows but something may come out of
it? The. more horrible and terrifying you
will make your cartoons, the easier it will
be for us duh ones to read and understand
their message and' philadelphia" may
some day be clean.
NICOLA D'ASCENzO.
Philadelphia, March ID.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
PICTORIAL INTOLERANCE

To the Editor Of the EUeninG Ledger:
Sir--During the last weeks run of ':In-
tolerance" the sign in front of the theatre
read. mo More Intolerance i'm Philadel-
phia": but even if the city had been freed
from this curse the good work did not
spread very far, for the letter of IN" pub
lished in last nights paper shows the SAME
stamp OF intolerance that was responsible
for all of the principal scenes in Griffth's
masterpiece. Does M fail to consider
that there are many who enjoy the very
features that are Objectionable to him
IN" has been reader occasionally and finds
fault. I have been a constant reader from
the first edition and wish to heartily con-
gratulate you for the clean and interesting
paper which you have so far published.
1t is intolerant and unc1ristian to cast
reflections on members Of the theatrical
profession. Does MS" life meet the de-
mands of every creed and schism?
Every paper should do all that is pos
sibe to encourage literature, art and drama.
for they are the real gauge of our mental
progress.
who wish to worship Bel may do So but we
who are happy in our devotions to Ishtar
have the same right as do you o prophets
of Bel! We who enjoy pictures of the
theatrical stars have the right to demand
that we are given what we want WHY
shouiu the EHENiNd LEDGER publish pic
lures of the latest styles? ] am man
and they all look the same to me. / have
the same right to discontinue the paper
because of the valuable space used in show
ing the latest styles as M has TO kick
about pictures of stage celebrities
But, Mr.. Editor, considering the replv
you made to M" / will continue loyaI
even IL you continue to show the latest
gowns and bonnets
HENRY RIDGAWAY ZELLEY,
Paulsboro, n. j., March 15
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20

past felt they could best aid the oppressed
millions by lending money to Russia's
foes. They helped to finance Japan in
the RussoJapanese war. And in this war
they have till now made the proviso in
Allied loan arrangements that Russia
was not to gain advantage. 1t must be
remembered, too, that the chief defense
of German Jews here and abroad for sup
porting the Kaiser has been the Cars
treatment Of their coreligionists. The re-
moval of this argument should have a
great influence in the liberalizing of Ger.
many.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20

an orator. Catholic Christian In the
deep sense of the two words, and n patriot
endowed with a profound love OF France.
Neither his patriotism, nor his religion, for
that matter, dates from the beginning Of
the war. They have been lifelong with
him in word and act And thereby hangs
this tale of genuine human interest. with
the profound lesson it teaches.
Fifty-eight years ago in a village a few
kilometers from Hazebrouck, Jules Lemire
saw the light--but he shall tell his own
story:
II was educated in IIazebrouck at the
College of st. Francis, ordained n priest
there and remained many years afterward
as professor of rhetoric and philosophy.
still holding that chair. have never had
church, and hence never been curate in
the general sense of the term. In 1891 I
conceived the idea of the worEmans gar
den, the coin de terre. bit of land at
tached to or very close to the home of the
worker. of which we had Il 900 employed
in and about the Hazebrouck woolen mills
at the outbreak Of the war. Behind IL was
the arriere pensee OF instiling within all
the French men and women of Hazebrouck
n love of the earth. of their native soil, of
the home. the hearth, the hit of France
that gave them birth and sustenance. 1t
was my intent that little piece of land
titled, cultivated and cared for by work.
men inhabiting a city should be accessible
to him without cost Mt the expense of the
city, something distinctively for himself
his wife and children, an integral part of
his home to watch and care for, ard vision
blooming through seed. labor ard Gods
providence into the material needs of life,
cabbaEes, carrots, potatoes, and what you
will
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
Secretary Daniels has allowed h

9 Secretary Daniels has allowed his
.neal for prohibition to drive him to an
Almost incredibly stupid decision. He has
dismissed lieutenant held by all his
3ormer commanding officers to be the best
shot in the navy and steadily increas-
Ing In efficiency" The officer has lust
made 100 per cent record with an E
(excepent- for practice. the score being
he highest ever made with his type of
furret. His offense is drunkenness. not
. habit, but first offense after twelve
years of exemplary conduct and. there
<fere. presumably the result OF some ex-
'ceptional nerve strain or personal mis-
1ortune. But the Secretary refused to
'Aeed his trained advisers, keeping his eyes
Siued to the dry map and its petty
political significance" He actually
1gnored our imperative need Of the few
trained officers we have in order to pose
before the folks back home. What Lin
'ooln replied to the prohibitionists who
tDmplained that Grant occasionally took
Il drink is. Of course. lost upon Mr.
Daniels.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
WAR NOT THE WORST EVIL

TO He Edttor OF the EDehtng Ledger:
Sir-Among your correspondents lately
quite few seem to have been Experiencing
rather "panicky" feeling as thew con.
templated the possibility of our entering
into war with Germany. "R. H." con.
cludes with the thought they all contriye
somehow to express when he saws. "Wbv
should 1 and millions Of others 90 10 war.
unless We know what we are going for ?''
"R. H." may possess his soul in peace If
we do enter a war, which /, personally.
consider very doubtful. 1t will not be neces'
sary to call upon those whose .intelligence
is of SO low grade that they will NOT
know what the war il about There will
be enough OF the others who do not seek
fiimsy excuses to escape feared duties.
/ am not a i1re-eater; I am quite reaa,,
to agree with Sherman and the rest of the
world in their opinion OF war. But there
are worse things than war When condl-
tioris become unbearable the strusrIa ~
remoYe those conditions, even al '9re~s
'eG11 n Wero % - 6quiro1 fnnn anti
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20

Mr.. Wilson as n statesman. But I have
always admired him as an earnest con-
scentious man, filling an almost unbe-
lievably difficult position to the best of his
ability and with the best interests of the
nation always in mind. Therefore. l am
satisfied that> if the President considers it
necessary to have war, it will be because
every honorable means of preventing it has
failed. And in that case. there is only one
thing for all Of us to do forget personal
fears and personal comfort, and do what
ever We are best equipped to do to aid in
bringing the war to a successful end
Philadelphia, March II. r. *. b.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20

Series of 1917" is plainly stamped upon
the brow of the new" two-dollar bill
but lower down-that is TO say, in about
the middle Of its gray-green face--there
is an engraving of the Capitol at WASH
ington which is full of such glaringly mod
ern high lights as q horse car and a
funeral Coach, both vintage of 1860; a
corner lamppost. ditto many hoop-skirted
Godey's Ladys Book subscribers; some
sg-topped troussped men; two-whselsd
shsass, epa ovsr =. 4. : Fs1erei sir o breed.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20

man in the simple
garb of a country
cure. the Able Le-
mire. of delightful
personality. W @ ] !
beloved b V { h e
workers of France,
n priest of the
Il o m n n Catholic
Church. member OF
{ h o Chamber Of
Deputies from the
Department of the
North, and Mayor
Of re como u c red
HaZebrouck, n city
of $4,000 inhabi-
tants, forty kilom-
eters from invad-
ed Lille, in the
same province.
Abhn I.prnire Is
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
UNPATRIOTIC TRAINMEN

TO the Editor OF the EUening Ledger.
Sir-The four trainmen's brotherhoods
go on record as decidedly unpatriotic They
did all they could to effect a strike in the
very hour of their country's peril, and
called it off only when they got all they de-
manded. ON the whole, any credit in the
episode belongs to the much-abused rail-
road magnates. JOHN O'GROAT
Philadelphia. March 10.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20

"The Poor Richard Club presents on
Thursday, March %, 1917, at S:15 p. m.
promptly moving pictures of the fighting
around Verdun followed by formal
dance in the ballroom, Bellevue-Strat.
ford" is the exact wording of the cards.
The promptly moving" pictures, if no
film snaps, will thus avoid being trampled
by the dancers.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-20
"FOLLIES" OF 1867 AND 1917

MARCH 80 will be the flftieth annlver-
AVA sary of our acquisition of the GOO, 900
square miles of Russian America. Seward
bought Alaska for s7,2O000O in 1867, and
in dozen years the annual market value
Of the fur product alone was estimated
at s2,25o,ooo. But the purchase of Alaska
was called Stewards folly"
Hasten the day when Philadelphia will
have obtained the folly" that it's pull
backs would obstruct.