davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1917-02-13

these amateur efforts add any re-
cruits to the stage, either in the
field of acting or production. The
Theater Workshop, in New York,
founded by an organizer, Of the
Washington Square Players, has
started seriously into the business Of
trying to train young men and
women for professional work, and
even has launched a playwright
bureau for the encouragement Of
young authors.
Whether these organizations sue
ceed in developing playwrights or
not, they will perform a welcome
service if they do turn the attention
of intelligent young folk to the op-
portunities of the, stage at a time
when the lure of the motion picture
theater is calling some of our best
actors into that field.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
THE RIGHT REPLY

Nothing could be more admirable
than the reply sent by Secretary
Lansing to the German suggestion
for a palaver over U-boat frightful-
ness. No discussion is possible while
American and other neutral lives are
imperiled through Germany's de-
fiance of the recognized international
code of warfare and her disregard of
all humane considerations.
To parley while Germany comedies
nothing, would be to stultify our
selves as respects our positive action
in breaking off diplomatic relations.
We have taken a step from which
there can be no honorable recall.
Germany must withdraw the out
rageous proclamation of January 81
before any negotiations of any kind
can be instituted.
1t is perfectly plain that Ger
many's proposal is purely dilatory.
She aims to commit us to a new
policy of note writing, which will
lead nowhere, while she goes ahead
and carries out her schemes Of de-
struction.
The situation is absolutely trans
parent. The President and the State
Department have seen through it
and they decline to be fooled by such
cheap trickery.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
PREPAREDNESS-FOR DEATH

The Red Cross may be able to mo-
bilize a force capable of caring for
an army of 1,OOO, 900 Americans, but
not of caring for such an army Of
l ,0O0, 900 men as would "spring to
the colors between sunrise and sun
set" For that host, going out to
meet a thoroughly trained enemy,
no less than 10000 doctors, 1,OOO,-
900 trained nurses and 1000, 900
undertakers would be required-not
to mention the auxiliary force of
grave-diggers.
II they refuse to recognize the ne
cessity for universal military train
ing as provided for in the Chamber
lain bill reported to the Senate on
Saturday, the American people will
indorse preparedness for. death on
grander scale than any yet wit
messed by history. The national
mania for doing the 'big" thing may
be carried to excess.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
MEXICO A MENACE

Mexico is still the open sore it has
been for the last seven years, and it
invites a blow against the United
States by offering a vulnerable spot.
By reason of the break with Germany
the risk of trouble with Mexico is
suddenly increased. 1t was in the
course of a previous difficulty with
Germany that the United States suf-
fered at the hands of Villa, the first
foreign incursion on its territory in
more than a century. Our present
difficulty with Germany is more
serious than that of 1915. The fac
tions in Mexico are nearer to union
than a year ago. Mexico holds dis
agreeable possibilities, beside which
the incidents of Columbus and Car
rial were pin pricks.
Dispatches. enumerate a long list
Of indications pointing to a suspicion
that Germany is brewing a Mexican
tornado. Among these stands out
the fact that a traffic in the secret
expectation of American ammuni-
tion in half. million round consign-
ments to German merchants in Mex
leo via Vera Cruz was revealed in
New York last November. The
names are given of Germans who
even now occupy important posts in
the Carranza military organization.
Numbers of Germans are reported
from Texas as taking their way over
the Mexican border. These are
trifies in themselves, too slight to
prove anything. But a keen watch
for such trihes is the only way to
escape the risk of being taken un-
pleasantly unawares in times like
this.
The 100000 men. more or less,
available to guard the American bor-
der have to patrol nearly 700 miles
of the kind of boundary represented
by dotted line on the map and con-
Ederably less than that on the
ground itself. They must also guard
over 300 miles of the shores Of the
Rio Grande, traversable in most
parts for light troops during a great
portion of the year. The guards,
strung out, would afford the pfotec-
tion of about sixty-seven men to
each mile. If grouped or concen-
trsted they would leave a portion of
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
PHONE ARGUMENTS
HEARDBY CITIZENS
Company Official Gives Its Yer
sion Of Effects of Lewis
Bill, If Passed.

The telephone company's side OF the
proposed municipal ownership OF the
District telephone system, as cover
ed by the Lewis bill, was presented
to residents OF Congress Heights, at
a meeting OF the Public Improvement
Association last night in Loeffler's
Hotel, by J. Z. Boisseau. Baltimore
publicity agent of the Bell system.
Mr.. Boisseau gave a history OF the
telephone industry and declared that
the Bell system in this country Is
twenty years ahead or other indu.-
tries in providing service to the
public.
During the past ten years. the
speaker stated, the telephones in uss
in the District had increased fro:n
10000 to 60,s20, and that the service
rendered in this country for twenty
four hours each day was far superior
to that in most foreign countries,
where the service was discontinued
at night. He also stated that facts
available proved that every company
that had attempted to give an SIS
rate had failed.
Favor Reduced Rates.
Edward Blaine, Edward J. New
comb, L. d. Weeks. and ]. S. Lyon
also spoke on the subject. Each
speaker favored a reduction in the
present rates, stating that 1t was his
belief that such a reduction was pos
sible and still allow a good margin
OF profit, but they were not willing
to say that Government ownership
would accomplish this
No action was taken on the Lewis
bill, but at the next meeting a reso-
luton will be presented asking that
steps be taken to reduce the present
rates, so that practically every resi-
phone
Taxa Up Postal Service.
That the present postal facilities
in the suburb are below that needed.
was the opinion expressed by several
OF the members. Attention was call
ed to the fact that a letter mailed
after o'clock IT night was not col
lected until about noon the next day,
and was not delivered until the fos-
lowing day. The postmaster will be
asked to have a collection each morn
ing before s o'clock to overcome this
condition.
According to reports made last
night the street car service iS Tar
below the standard, and another ef-
fort will be made to have this ser
vice improved
A letter was read from the Con-
gress Heights Brass Band to the ef-
feet that 1t would give public con-
certs during the summer months. pro-
vided the association would ec-
operate and secure the necessary per
init and space for conducting same.
To this end the association appointed
a special committee composed OF
Messrs. Newcomb, Elaine. and Ma
gruder. w. L Ballard and jacob
waldman were elected to membership
in the association.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
"MY COUNTRY, IT'S OF PHEEl"

Under the caption "Millions fol
Offense, But Not One Cent for Per
manent improvements" the Sar
Francisco Chronicle printed one day
recently a remarkable editorial in
which it said, in part:
Congress has been instructed to
appropriate 1851 ,OO0,0OO for war
ships, which il will require years
to construct, but no public build
ing bill will be allowed to become
a law.
As we had no quarrel with any
country before the present war
broke out and are not likely to
have one after it ends, there can
be no pretense that this sudden
and tremendous military eXpan-
sion is intended for purposes Of
defense"
The world will believe that we
are making these preparations
with the same object that Ger
many had in providing in time of
peace war machinery more pow
erful than that OF any other ma
tion.
But there are to be no public
buildings and as little harbor i'm
provement as possible. Now,
those improvements are really
useful. warships do no one any
good.
The first question that arises is:
Just what species Of improvement
can be permanent" in a world in
which the spirit of might makes
fight" remains unleashed and run
ming amuck? Warships and all other
"do no one any good" "
no more than the San
Francisco police department does
anyone any good. There would
never be any fights or disorderly
if it were not for the police,
as everyone knows.
AS to our present strained rela-
tions with Germany the Chronicle in
Guires, even after the threat to sink
our ships on sight: "But why talk
of an EMERGENCY when it is not an
consequence of the latest
Developments ?" Why talk of insur-
ance until the house is burning
down?
Here is admirably enunciated the
'pork"' policy which has debased
Congress for so many years. 1t was
the San Francisco vote which as
sured Wilson's reelection, and the
city seized accordingly upon the op-
portunity to "get its share" A hint
IF disappointment is too much to
oear-what matter if the Kaiser
blockade every AtlSptic port? It's
ong way from the Kiel canal to the
Golden Gate.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
FRUIT GROWERS TO MEET
VIII Formulate pills to Regulate.
Apple Grading

The sixth annual convention OF the
Eastern Fruit Growers Association
will be opened at 10 o'clock tomorrow
morning at the Raleigh Hotel. II Is
proposed. during the two days ses-
sion, to formulate bills on apple pack
ing and grading and to regulate COM
mission merchants.
Secretary of Agriculture Houston
will address the convention Thursday
morning on How the United States
Bureau of Markets Will Benefit Fruit
Growers" other speakers viii be
s. L. Lupton, president OF the associa-
tion, of Winchester, Va; Frank 5.
Adams, secretary, of Charlottesville,
Va: Thomas P. Littlepage, of Wash
ington; S. ]. T. Bush. of Morton, N. Y;
Congressman John N. Tillman Of Ar
Kansas, Herbert l. Quick, OF the Farm
Loan Board: c. l. Corbett. horttcul-
turist, Department of Agriculture, and
U. T. Cox, vice president of the Ma
tional Apple Growers Association,
Proctorville, Ohio.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
FACULTY BARS SPEAKER
Columbia Will Not Allow Count
Tolstoy to Address Students.

NEW YORK, Feb. ia free speech
fight in Columbia University over re-
rusal OF the faculty to permit Count
Ilya Tolstoy to speak on the campus,
is expected TO break with fireworks
in a protest mass meeting tomorrow,
The counts father was radical
pacifist. Prof. John d. Prince, who
protested against the scheduled
speech and was upheld, declared 1T
would be unwise for the count to
speak at the university in this crisis"
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
VIENNA VISIT DISCUSSED
England Believes Kaiser Is Bolster
Ing Weakening Support.

LONDON, Feb. 13.-whether Kaiser
wilhelm's VISIT today to vienna for
conference with Emperor Karl was
brought about by a desire to stiffen
up Germany's ally was the subject OF
considerable speculation here today.
Amsterdam dispatches. repeating
meager advices from Vienna, merely
said the Kaiser was paying a visit TO
the new sovereign of Austra-Hun-
gary.
1t was pointed out here today.that
the United States has not broken re-
lations with Austria Hungary and
there have been hints that the Ameri-
can Government was negotiating with
Vienna hoping that Austria would not
indorse the German policy of .uE-
limited summarizing.
British officials think Austria.
which has fSlt the pinch OF hunger
and OF her MAR losses far more than
Germany, has long been wayering.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
Says Children Lost on the California
Were Americans Under ConstItu-
tIouaI Provision.

To the Editor OF THE TINES:
Referring to the article on the first
page of the noon edition of The Times
on February 0, headed Future Amer
leans Victims OF U.boats," I note it
is therein stated that the children in
question were held by the "authori-
ties" not to be American citizens be-
cause, although born of forcing par
ents in the United States, they had
not since chosen to claim American
citizenship. Help! What becomes OF
the United States Constitution: Four
teenth Amendment, Section l. which
says:
"All persons born or naturalized in
the United States and subject to the
Jurisdiction thereof. are citizens of
the United States - 80"
DONALD p. AULT.
Washington. Feb. 10.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
AMERICANS WILL STAY
Majority Of Those In Berlin Will
Stand Pat.

BERLIN. Feb. 13-These additional
Americans have signed the registry
in the United Press office here, in
dicating their future plans:
John A. Eckhardt, Union Hill, n.
Y, remaining.
Henry Hasper, his mother and SIS
ters, Pittsburgh, remaining.
John G. Dudley, Pittsburgh, re-
naming.
LouiA Bullock, Pittsburgh, remain
ing.
Mrs. Walter Hoffman, Pittsburgh,
remaining.
r. B. Norfolk, Pittsburgh, remain
ing.
Georges Ehret and Mrs. Anna Won
ZedIitz formerly Miss EhreD New
York, going to Switzerland
Fred Voege, New York. returning
to America, route unspecified.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
FIND NO COAL H0LD-UP
Investigators Unable to Locate High
Price Conspiracy.

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 13>-That
the advance of 81 ton in the whole
sale price of coal in Pennsylvania
during the past year is not due to any
illegal conspiracy on the part OF coal
dealers, is the opinion made public
today by the special committee
appointed by Governor Brumbaugh in
January, 1916.
In a lengthy report made to the
governor today the commission went
into details causing the advance in
price OF anthracite, among the most
prominent OF which was the labor
situation, petty strikes among coal
laborers, and the incresed cost OF
mining and transportation.
In the investigation the commission
revealed the fact that the Reading
Coal and ISon Company owns or con-
trolls more than 40 per cent of all the
unmIned coal in the State.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
REAR ADMIRAL IDE DEAD
News Reaches Here Of Death in New
York.

Word has been received here of the
death Of Rear Admiral George Elmore
Ide. at his home. 1l2S Madison avenue.
New York city.
Admiral Ide served on the Juniata,
which went to Greenland in 1873 after
the survivors OF the Polaris polar ex-
pedition. He was born I'm GAINESVILLE,
Ohio, in 1s45. and graduated from the
Naval Academy twenty years later. He
commanded the L. S. S. Justin during
the Spanish-American war. He was re-
tired after more than forty years serv-
ice in 1901.
Admiral Ide is survived by his wife.
who was Miss Alexandra Louise Bruen
of Fort Monroe. Va. and a son, John
Jay Ide.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
EXPRESS WAGON ON RAMPAGE.

There was no horse, neither was
there a driver attached to an ex-
press wagon which started a trip
with no apparent reason Yesterday
evening, which ended when the
shafts broke through the front win
dow OF 2l2S l. street northwest. oc-
cupied by Isasc Bel land his family.
The wagon was owned by William
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
District Guardsman Asks "POst of
Honor" for the Third IL War Ii De-


To the Editor of THE TINES:
Inasmuch as there seems to be i'm
pending trouble. with Germany, the
men of the Third District of Columbia
Infantry feel they should be given the
post OF honor" Should hostilities
commence our lam forces will be
used for guarding navy yards, arsen-
ais, public buildings, etc.
We have done our bitr on the bor-
der, and we feel that IL is our right
to protect the President. statesmen,
and the various public buildings OF
Washington.
We have been eight months in ac-
tive service, and We can perform this
duty equally as well as many OF the
"rookie"-filled regular regiments and
better than anySother militia egiment
in the country.
We sincerely hope that Uncle Sam
will see fit to bestow this honor on us.
''NON-COM."
Camp Wilson, San Antonio, Tex,
Feb. 4.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
II. w INI .NOI1Ds5
Washington, Feb. 10.
Suggests Plan for Distinguishing Our
Various AdmIraIs.

Suggests Plan for Distinguishing Our
Various AdmIrals.
To the Editor OF THE TIMES:
There are several kinds Of naval
officers who register themselves in
the Social Register, in hotel registers
and In other places, as rear admirals,
when they have exactly the same
right to the title as to that of major
general, Judge, or governor.
We, the people, give all these officers
the title of admiral, which means.
"he who commands at sea-" whether
or not the occupations OF such officers
would make It possible for them to
command at sea, or anywhere else.
under any conceivable circumstances.
1t has been suggested that we, the
people, adopt the usage of prenxing
the initial letter of the officers. oc-
cupation to the title admiral, in order
to reduce that confusion of ideas in
regard to the navy that wosfd ensue
in case We became embroiIed in the
European war, as follows:
Doctor admiral, dadmiral: paymas-
ter admiral. padmiral; civil engineer
admiral, cadmiral: chaplain admiral.
chadmiral; professor of mathematics
admiral, ImadmiraI; constructor or
builder admiral, badmiral; dentist or
tooth carpenter admiral, tadmiral;
seaman or real admiral, sadmiraI.
A CONFUSED CIVILIAN.
Washington, Feb. 10.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
The Five Hundred Greater Than
Old Shakespeare.

The Five Hundred Greater Thar
Old Shakespeare.
being a sequel to the list OF Fifty
American Poets doing better work
than Longfellow," said list prepared
by a professor OF English and appear
ing in the Des Moines Leader.)
Not long ago it.was-somewhere Mid
West,
A Chair Of English other chairs ad-
dressed.
The subject .Poetry-fts present
status.
Its aims and all its glories that
await us
But in the meantime ESQ the Chair
announced)
'Twere meet some ancient idols should
be bounced
Whose cracked laurels such a litter
make!
Ex cathedra-ss Chairs must speak
he spake,
And Herewith gave a list of Fifty
Names
OF bards American with better claims
that bard
Hight Longfeliow, whose pstronymic
hard
You see-dehes my perfect occasion
now.
I to that Chair OF English made my
bow.
It's terms, authentic and altisohant,
Convinced me that, with sense and
reason scant.
Too long we'd borne with many a te-
dious nun,
when right at hand was bran new
poet-stuff
More worth the eternal brazen OF our
praise
Than meters stretch'd from the an
tique days.
(You take me? See what am COM
ing to?
Ny Quotes-above-or misquotes lend
the clueD
"oh, we'll" said, "to other Chairs
why stoop?
have a wit, myself, can loop the
loop.
With acrobatic tricks and jumps en-
I'll do it now. while I'm in such fine
form"'
And so, incontinent, I cried aloud:
-oyeze! Come hither. all ye singing
crowd,
Ye MUSES.. and ye Muses. friends ga
lore!
OF you there are Five Hundred, yea,
or more
Are writing better stuff (my oath
thereon)
Than ever Shakespeare wrote-Avon's
Old Swan,
He left a lot OF saws, their edge long
dulled,
And fuII-bIown posies tiresome folk
have culled,
And Ossa piled on = Pelion stilted
speeches
Exhorting heroes once more to the
All, things that you and land any
ReJoIced to mouth upon the rostrum
once"
But where was I?-Oh, yes, the sing
ing crowdA
To see that they have justice 1 am
vowed
'Tis OF Five Hundred living bHrds
speak
Henceforth let Avon's Swan back
water seek!
Why, more distinctive" work each
day is signed
BY this Five Hundred that I have IN
mind!
I could, myself, make out the list,
trow,
II 'twould not throw my brethren in
a row.
Then, too, grown cautious In my
ripper years
(Ah, ripper. sadder seasonO, have
fears
That other Hundreds (maybe Five),
not named.
Would fall on me In bardic wrath
untamed.
So, I selection-and renown-depute
To one who, though no singer, is not
mute,
Nor inexpert in sampIing poets all-I-I
Upon Sir Branley Batebreath 1 will
call.
Down Boston way he lives; but far
and near
His oracles cause wonder-joy-and
He'll do my task with fervor and
with grace:
Less honor mine-but i shall save
my face.
He'll name Five Hundred. drawn
from near and far,
Who greater. by all counts. than
Shakespeare arei
LIONEL d'ESCRIAIS.
Ramming an umbrella down "A mans
throat il n nleasantry. and not an overt
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
HAVE BREAKFAST DANCES.

CHICAGO. Feb. l3.-Luncheon
dances and dinner dances fail TO sat
isfy the terpsichorean lonGings of
Chicago University students So
they've introduced breakfast dances. d"
Oatmeal Is served.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13

There is nothing yellow about the
White House just now except the
suffragist banners.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13

Perhaps, after all, Germany's rum
ming up the black flag is merely a
preliminary to hosting the white.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13

II is expected that with the begin
ming OF naval activities the III Paso
liar will return to Mole ST. Nicholas.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
LETTERS TO EDITOR /.
ON CURRENT. TOPICS
Views of Readers on Sub
jects Found in the
News.

To the Editor Of THE TIMES:
The poem in Don Marquis column
today has been read with utmost sat
-isfaction and approval. I have never
seen anything to match this, unsigned.
In a newspaper column. 1t ranks in
my humble opinion with all but the
Recessional. May not the public
know the name of this modest au-
thor? II Mr.. Owen did it he certainly
has no cause to hide his light or his
signature. Unless ] mistake the taste
OF IT'S editors the Literary Digest will
think similarly.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
Don Marquis
& Column

"All 1 ask of you now." the Kaiser
is reported to have written to King
Constantine, 'is that you shall keep
your throne" Perhaps he told Con-
stantine how to go about it, and the
information was deleted by the GEN.
sor.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
Praises The Times Work In ReportIng
The GypsyAsmith, Jr.. Services.

To the Editor Of THE TIMES:
Permit me to say how much the re-
ports in The Washington Times of the
Gypsy Smith. jr.. Services are appreci-
ated by those who are especially in
terested in thu campaign and also
by those who have not been able to
attend except enthusiastically. Your
reports thus far are much the fullest
and most-accurate OF any made in our
city. l hope you will continue the good
work. CHARLES WOOD.
Washington, Feb. 3
Pastor, Church of the Covenant.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13
nents Of . Hundred Years Ago
and Today.

To the Editor OF THE TINES:
The battle OF Trafalgar brought
about. as may easily be- imagined,
many vacancies in the British naval
service. A young object who con-
sidered that his services there en-
titled him to promotion, sought the
good offices of Lord Collingwood, one
of the admirals who participated in
that engagement, and received from
him the following reply, which will
be appreciated by a number OF our
naval officers at the present time:
Lord Mulgrave knows my opin-
ion OF you and the confidence
have in you, but the truth Is that
he is so pressed by persons hav-
ing parliamentary influence that
he cannot find himself at liberty
to select those whose nautical
skill and gallantry would other
wise present them as proper men
for the service. A hole or two
in the skin will not weigh against
a vote in parliament, and my in
fluence is very light at present.
Human nature appears to have been
precisely the same 100 years ago as it
is now. c. w. MAUPIN.
Washington, February Z.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13

Having turned ALI the cheeks We have
10 Germany. and having had them srfit-
ten methodicaty and in, due order. does
CrrlStIanity demand anything further?
physical surfacss-
DON MARQUIS.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13

On February 10, when this
was written, it seemed likely that
President Wilson would regard 1t as
an overt act of war-if the Germans
came up the Potomac and sank the
Capitol and White House without
warning
Provided, Of course, they did not
succeed in putting forth some piaus-
ible explanation showing that their
intentions were innocent and honor
able.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13

Too may legislators get into the
habjt OF dropping a stitch here and
there when they knit a law.
The Washington times., 1917-02-13

His torpedo has ears-and a brain
Chicago scientist claims missile will
hear vessel over mile away and tnen
attack--HeddhHe.
hut suppose it was a vessel sailing
half seas over. with d disguised voice?