davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05
SOCIETY RESPONSIBLE
The Individual Alone Can't Control His
Condition in Life

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: | was glad to see that bill Tor UNI
versal health insurance has been introduced
+, the legislature and meets with favor with
musicians, including the compulsory princi-
pie as the only comprehensive and efficient
plan.
The old idea that the individual alone is
responsible for his situation in life and his
employment or unemployment, as well as his
sickness. has been abandoned and sociolo.
gists and publicists have decided that some
how interviewer with individual responsible
ity is the responsibility of society, Of, in
fact, the whole state.
/ am my brothers keeper in more senses
than one, and the policy of protection for
the cmpoye co0rdinates with protection OF
agricultural and internal trade, and the APP
plication Of state funds for such purpose
has been deemed correct in principle
We have compulsory education, and should
have compulsory military service, and Ike
wise we should see to the keeping up OF
the wage Garner as a labor unit as C. con-
tributing organism of the state, and, N the
words Of n certain writer: Neither circum-
stances nor the individuals own inadequate
powers of resistance must be allowed to
transform him into parasite
He must, as a matter of state policy as
we'll as humanity, be kept on his feet and out
of the dependent and defective class, and
thus save taxes.
Professor Fisher said at the last meeting
OF the American Association for Labor Leg
islation that there is no other measure be.
fore the public which equals the power OF
health Insurance toward social regeneration.
Also, that "the United States has the unen-
viablc distinction of being the only great
in lustrisl nation without compulsory health
Insurance." and he added this AT least AZ
per cent of the deaths now occurring in the
United States are unnecessary"
wish success to this bill, presented BY
NJ. Ogden Mills, because I feel sure it will
If enacted, be of great service to the wage
earners Of the state.
JOSIAH c. PUMPELLY.
New York, Jan. 90. 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05
Who Wants "Sex Equality?

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The headline in The Tribune This
morning What Sex Equality Means is a
resurrection of that old mummy that we had
hoped nobody wanted to see again.
Who on earth wants sex equality? Equal
rights Of franchise without regard to sex
does not imply sex equality" We have laws
for the protection Of laborers against en-
ployers, but this does not deny the laborer
his rights Of citizenship. We have laws to
protect the innocent against the swindler but
this does not take the vote from the innocent
We have laws TO protect the weak against the
strong, the unarmed against the armed, but
they are equal at the polls About one fourth
of the men are subject to military duty. but
no country on earth makes eligibility TO mill
tary duty a qualification to vote.
The fact that all men land women are
created free and equal does not mean that
they remain always equal in all things or
that any two arc equal" It means that they
have equal rights in government; that no one
division on any line shall be Disseminated
against as TO the voice Of the people. Race
religion, station or sex has nothing 10 do with
the rights Of citizenship, and equal rights OF
citizenship do not make people equal" In
,ther respects. A DEMOCRAT.
(Smsll "d.")
New York Feb l. 1917
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05
Allies Are the Greater Fools

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: How can We prevent the next s"'
Can We win lasting peace by the Ue"'!
Of one side? Peace by victory is an sosa''
dream, iigment OF the imagination. o',.
many, or rather Prussia, was whipped u
1906 as she had never been whipped oeioS'
She beat France in 1915 and again in le'L
II the Allied powers believe that they -.
assure an everlasting peace 10 their pe0p''.
by the absolute domination OF the ene~i
they are hare-brained fools. II the Cenu'.
Powers believe that they can make 10,
lasting peace by crushing the English -.
French and the Russians and Eve or SIX o'n.,
powers they are also fools. At this momenii
representatives Of the nations nj war snos.
meet for the purpose of drawing up aru'" "a
Of peace. Each side must be prepared
suffer losses and must prepare their pevfa.,
for those losses. II tho nations do no. \,
this now they will do il, they must 90 " a,
another year. The Teutons are nghuns "a.
peace, the Allied powers for victory. .,,r
Allied nations, are, therefore. the g
fools. hARRi s"H'
New York. Feb. 2, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05
AN END TO GAMBLING IN ART
What the Incorporation Of the Society of
Independent Artists Foreshadows

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The expression of the mo jury, no
prizes" idea in the Incorporation of the So
ciety of Independent Artists is the beginning
of the end of many foolish things. For
thirty years have preached the inherent
unjust absurdity of the jury system and the
evil childshness of the prize system.
One hundred and forty-nine years ago there
was born the Royal Academy-birth Of Eng
lsh snobbery and English commerciaism-a
socially and legally intrenched group of self
elected insiders. Our National Academy is
a mental child of this idea-the idea of a
self-elected, irresponsible group of artists
that, owing to public ignorance, can pose as
n public institution, national" institution.
All over the world, for a century, this idea
has been variously embodied. Art has suf-
fered from it.
In 1884 the forerunner of the new Society
of Independent Artists was organized, as the
Socete des Independents of Paris. BY the
simple determination to stand on a demo-
cratic, and not an aristocratic, basis, to let
every public be its own judge of every artist
in short, to have no jury and no prizes
this became, and remains, the most artist
cally useful of all organized bodies of
artists.
Thirty-three years-America is very slug
gish in art matters-have elapsed, and only
now have we also had the enterprise to
organize thus democratically, to abolish
privilege and to set the whole body of Great
i've artists and the general public face to
face so .hat they may get acquainted and
find out who's who and what's what accord
ing to the laws Of nature, the psychic laws
by which everything, if given a chance, grad
ualy gravitatcs 20 its proper place
The adjustment Of the jury and prize sys-
TEN is the greatest art event TO Americans
that has ever happened. The new S. l. A.
will hang all pictures, in alphabetical order.
The only further reform yet waiting the
turning OF the wheels of time is to abolish
signatures on paintings and the publication
of the artists names in the catalogues Not
until then can picture really be offered,
judged or sold on it's merits. And not until
then can the public be said to know work
of art when it sees it.
1: will be a joy, in that great day. to see
the critic and the Spectator standing around
on one foot wondering where they are at.
Yes, there does, in the iridescent haze of
nv awakened fancy, there does float the per-
ception that, in the millennium, the unidenti-
fed artist shall receive sealed bids for his
exhibited canvas, 10 take or leave. This
would kill picture gambling, the root of more
art evil than any other one thing.
BOLTON BROWN
New York, Feb. I, 1917
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05
What a Literacy Test Might Do

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: While the literacy test is met with
disapproval by all who wish TO insure the
welfare of their country, and TO whom the
ideals of the founders of the Constitution
are dear, yet there is latent power in
the literacy test, overlooked in all the dis
cussions of this bill, which, il given ex'
preston, would not only serve our highest
ideals, as we'll as promote the welfare OF
the country, but would raise mans stand
ard in the four corners Of the globe.
1t is well known fact that the pro.
spective immigrant spares no effort TO meet
all the requirements Of our immigration
department and watches with utmost vigi'
lance the changes in our immigration Law.
The passing of the literacy bill, therefore,
will resound as call to the taking Of the
primer, irrespective Of the attitude Of the
various governments toward the education
of their masses. The influence Of such law
would extend beyond the scope Of the pro-
spective immigrant, as the thirst for
knowledge is contagious. The desire 70
come to this country with the hope Of bet
tering ones position in life should pro's
sufficient impetus for any normal individual
to learn to read his native tongue within
a reasonable time. The pride Of the mos.
humble would be pricked TO be considered
too stupid to be admitted 20 America.
To meet both our needs and ideals .
literacy bill should be passed, to come IN"
effect at some future date, giving the aver
age normal prospective immigrant sum
cient time to qualify himself for the test
A bill of this kind would have TO be drawn
up with great leniency and wide exception,
as to age, sex, etc. An age limit shou'a
be made, after which person otherw'"
qualified would be exempt from the test
This bill. apparently narrow and undem0'
cratic, when thus modified would no long
err cause the hardships it otherwise wou'a
and would serve as torch Of Eight vne''
rays would reach all parts Of the World
New York, Jan. 81, 1917. A. ;. W.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05
Submarine Prodigies

If Germany possesses reasonable num-
Der of such formidable vessels as Mr..
Louis Durant Edwards has been describ-
ing in The Tribune, it is easy to under
stand the wonderful confidence" of the
naval officer from whom he gathered his
surprising information. "His enthusiasm
was extravagant," Mr.. Edwards admits,
and perhaps we are justified in suspecting
that it ran away with him when he came
to describe the new vessels in detail.
1t is true, as Mr.. Edwards observes,
that "submersibles have undergone a
mighty evolution since the early days of
the war" The first notable submarine
feat, the sinking of the three Cressys, was
achieved off the Hook of Holland. In a
few months we heard of submarines OPP
Grating on the south coast of Ireland. In
year they were active in the Mediter-
ranean, and in another year they were
sinking ships off our own coast. Their
range Of action has therefore increased
at an astonishing rate, and they have
doubtless become much more dangerous
than they ever were before. Yet before
accepting the reports which Mr.. Edwards
brings from Germany we may safely wait
for some better evidence than the en-
thusiasm of his German informant.
An obvious improbabiiity in the de
scription he gives of the new vessels lies
in the vast disparity between his figures
and those of which we have reasonably
authentic information. II is significant
that reports of similar submarine Won
ders were current in England at least a
year ago. We heard then of heavily
armed vessels 400 feet long, of 5000 tons
displacement and at least 10000 horse
power; but the report was not commonly
credited, nor was it ever confirmed, though
at the time it was alleged that the YES
sells were already in commission. Mr.. Ed
wards has heard of vessels even more
formidable, some Of them equipped with
twenty-five guns and thirty torpedo tubes !
This is little too difficult to swallow.
Naval guns are heavy, and it is almost in
credible that a battery such as Mr.. Ed
wards describes could be carried. AS to
the thirty torpedo tubes, it is impossible
TO conceive how they could be disposed Of
or usefully turned TO account. The U-53
is said TO have carried two guns and four
torpedo tubes, and she is one Of the latest
types. Setting aside all other improba-
biIities, it is unlikely that such sud
den jump would be made as is here i'm
piled. We should expect some sacrifice
in one direction or another, but Mr.. Ed
gsrdss submarine is a prodigy in speed,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05
Our Nays Task

Since it is manifest that in case of
war with Germany we could not hope for a
long time to add materially to the strength
of the armies in Europe, popular expect
ancy is at present centred principally upon
the navy, and there is great deal of
speculation as to the part our fleet may
possibly be called upon to play in the i'm
mediate future.
The editor Of one English paper takes
so sanguine view of the possibilities as
to declare that "the addition of the United
States navy to the Allies battle strength
would perhaps make possible operations
which might finally destroy German hopes
at the source" This is f1attering tribute
to our power at sea, but we can hardly
accept it without some more definite infor-
nation about the operations so vaguely
limited at. And as it is extremely unlikely
that definite information will be vouch-
safed TO US, we are justified In leaving
the underlined possibility out of consdera-
ton for the present.
For, in the first place, it is not clear
that any reinforcements we could spare at
once would be of decisive Importance to
the fleets in European waters. We have
ourselves an extensive coast to protect, and
it is notorious that we are none too well
off in the types of vessels best adapted
to the purpose, and these are perhaps the
types most urgently needed abroad. All
sorts of small craft would undoubtedly be
of great use even now, but there is no
reason to suppose that as yet we can
spare any.
As a number of our ships are still Writ
ually out of commission for want Of men,
one of the first tasks will undoubtedly
be to make good the shortage. This can
not be done overnight. The raising and
training of seamen for modern fighting
ships is a much longer and more arduous
task than the raising and training of men
for the army The late Admiral Mahan
put the case clearly many years ago.
Take" he said, ian entirely fresh man: a
battleship can be built and put in commits
sion before he becomes a trained man-of-
wars man, and torpedo boat can be built
and ready for service before, to use the
old sea phrase, the hayseed is out of his
hair"
We must therefore pay for our want Of
preparedness. And as the lack of thou
sands of men detracts from the apparent
strength of our fleet, so the fleet is further
handicapped by manifest shortages in sun
dry essential,units. These will have to be
supplied as speedily as possible, that we
may have a we'll balanced and efficient
fighting force at sea.
For the rest, it is idle to guess at the
part the navy would be called upon to
play apart from coast defence. The CO.
operation of the several fleets already at
war is full of complexity, and very little
detailed information has ever been given
out to the public in any of the countries
concerned. Should we be compelled to
fight, our fleet, too, would speedily be en-
veloped in the fog of war.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05
Forced Feeding
.ditor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: In response TO your able criticism
of my letter regarding the futility Of forci.
Bile feeding, may call the attention Of your
readers to the fact that Mrs Byrne had asked
for a trial by jury. which request should
have been granted by free people TO a
member thereof?
Surely the intelligent American judges are
not going to repeat the "cat-and-mouser
farce of England Mrs. Byrne had given
warning she would 20 on hunger strike
Now, has any point been gained? Do not le,
us be dull! Why not amend the law?
LOUISE LOCKWOOD THURBER.
Scarsdalc, n. Y, Feb. /. 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05

practically useless imitation of one which
we have tolerated simply because we were
too indolent and too fond of sham to face
the realities of world politics and to equip
ourselves nationally for self-defence.
Congress is going to do many things
now which it was too self-complacent and
unenlightened to do before. One of the
first of them ought to be to give the coun-
try a real army and military system
worth while.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05
Theory and Practice

1t used to be favorite saying OF Mr..
Bryan's, used by him to discourage mill
tary preparation, that if war came l,Ooo,-
600 Americans would spring to arms over
night
Now war is here-or practically here
and Mr.. Bryan is arguing that there is no
excuse for fighting since there are at least
seven different ways in which the United
States can back away from trouble with
Germany. And by tomorrow he will prob
ably be able to discover seven more rea-
sons for postponing that rush of l,OOO,OOO
citizenry to arms overnight.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05

You can purchase merchandise advertised
in THE TRIBUNE with absolute safety-ior
" dissatisfaction results in any case ihE
TRIBUNE guarantees to pay your money naek
upon request. No red tape. No clubbing. we
make good promptly il the advertiser does not
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05

armor. armament and everything. 1t re-
minds US of the fantastic stories we used
to hear of new Zeppelins, and it is equally
incredible.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05

Owned and published daily BY The Tribune Association:
<s. yc,f Corneystion Ogden Reid President q werner
Rogers V'oe President Richard u WAldo secIeiS,S
S,-r- TrcGsurcr Address Tribune Builcug 10 N@NSA1
S;-eci New YoFi- Telephone. BeeSIn~n v5yV
SUBSCRIPTION RATESS.--By Mail, Ics'akc f~1u' "N'
tide Of Greater Nov York
Daily and sunday mos % Daily Only. mcntl = ~
Daily sunday. mos . DAILY only, inoh's'''' AZ
Daily sunday. $50 Daily orH. year .'''''' "a
sunday only. months. l-5 sunday 'hy 9e~'''''-' "
rnprrcS RATES CANADIAN RATES.
oati ASn SI,NDAY DAILY AND SUNDAY.
One month. SlNt one noil~'
One year .--.pJ one yea ,,Nry''
SUNDAY ONLY. DALI o''H'' n
sir months 80 uhe h1n" 90
Wv DliiY Only SUNDAY ONLY. .
o,e month ..... ] % ono mcrth ........''.' ~
toe year..........l539 one year TO
Mail Matter
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05

Entered a. the Postonos at New York as Second GAS
Mall Matter.
The state herald., 1917-03-30
YES! MAGICALLY!
C0RNS LIFT OUT
WITH FINGERS

You sny to the drug store man,
"Give me n smnli bottle Of frcezonc."
This will cost very little but will
positively remove every hnrd or soft
corn or callus from ones feet.
A few drops Of this new ether com.
pound applied directly upon n tender.
aching corn relieves the soreness In.
stnntly. md soon the entire corn or
cnllus. root and nil, dries up and cnn
be lifted Of with the fingers.
This new way 10 rid ones feet Of
corns wns introduced by a Cincinnati
man. who snys that frcczonc dries In
Q moment, and simply shrivcis up tho
corn or cnllus without Irritating the
surrounding skin.
II your druggist hnsn't my frcczone
tell him TO order n smnli bottle from
his wholesale drug house for you.-ndv
The state herald., 1917-03-30
"chinese Knew the English"
liverics guaranteed.

An Englishmnn who was appointed
to nm important post In China married
soon after. Among the recipients OF
the usunl little cardboard boxes con-
talning pieces OF wedding cake was a
Chinese merchant with whom the
bridegroom had nm outstanding nc
count for goods supplied. After the
honeymoon one OF the first persons
the newly-wedded husband met was
his Celestial creditor.
"And how did you like the caker'
said the Engllshmnn. laughlngly. after
the usual congratulations.
"Ah. ha," returned the Chinnman.
with cunning leer, ''me no such big
fool to eat him. sah. me put cakce In
fire. Burn him up. Iia hc!"
"Oh, that's too bad" said the Eng
llshmnn. very much hurt. "You might
have tnstcd It ut least. out OF compll-
ment to my wife md myself. Why
didn't your
"Mc too clute. snh," said the Cclcs-
tini. with the same cunning smile.
"You owe me monec, sah scndee pol
son cnkee; ent him; die; you no
payee up. Houp-inl He! he! hel l
know you Inglosshl"
The state herald., 1917-03-30
A Lucky Bullet.

Hussar declares that there IN no
mascot to compare with the bullet
with which man has been wounded.
AT the Battle Of the Mnrne." he snys,
~ was struck by bullet which lodg'Si
in my right thigh without doing much
damage. When II wns extracted
drilled hole through II, md supersi-
ed II by n string from my neck. And.
although ! have been through dozens
Of fierce bnttles since then, Including
tho hottest lights on the Sommc, md
hnve seen my comrades full In hun.
drcds. l have come through them NIL
without n scratch, thanks. ] firmly be-
iicve. to my bullet mnscot."-Tit-Blts.
The state herald., 1917-03-30
Gen. Mursui. Wants Men Paid.

FL Paso. TEXAN American ar
rivins from chihuahua City Tuesday
brought report that Gen. Francisco
Murguia. commander Ia chief OF the
de facto troops in tho north. had sent
n message TO Gen. Carranza request.
Ing money with which to pay his
troops and munitions with which to
conduct his campaign against villa.
threatening to resign unless the re-
quest was met at once. The report
was in general circulation In Chihua
hun City. the American said. but
could not be confirmed.
The state herald., 1917-03-30
KILLS BABIES
THEN sHooTs sELF, ON RANCH
NEAR BOULDER.
Hanged Two and shot Thlrd.-Infant
sf Three Months Found by Father,
Nearly suffoeated.
western New.p.per Union New, sorvis..

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Boulder.-Determine to die. yet un.
eble to bear the thought of separa-
tion from the four Of her six children
whom she loved the most. Mrs. Will
lam A. Nelson, IS 7sars old. living on
o ranch two and half miles east
Of here, hanged two Of them with rags
around their necks from the hooks In
q clothes closot. tried to strangle her
3-months.old baby by knotting cloth
around its throat. shot her Oldest
daughter in the back and then turned
the revolver on herself. sending the
bullet through her heart.
The father, William A. Nelson. had
gone to Lafayette In the morning to
deliver milk. He returned at 4 o'clock
In the afternoon. He found all the
doors locked. He called to his wife
and to his children. but not sound
came from inside the house. Puzzled.
he finally broke window and crawled
In.
The first thing he found as he en-.
tered the living room was the baby.
George, lying on the floor, choking. but
alive. Believing It might be some
prank OF the other children, he called
out again and then pulled open the
closet door, thinking tho others might
be hiding from him. Two Of thom
were there-hanging from the hooks,
Ralph. years old. and Margaret.
years old, both dead. Nelson rushed
through the house. calling his wife.
On q table he found note:
well, WILL" It read. 'T have decid.
ed today to get out Of the way. Take
good care Of Goldie and Willie.
couldn't go and leave the little ones.
Goodbye until we meet again. want
to be buried from the 14th chapter d
| st. John.
Later It was found that passages in
the gospel had been marked in the
family Bible by Mrs. Nelson. Al II she
sought comfort and q promise for the
future before she made her fatal de
cision. The note told him that two Of
his children were still alive but his
eldest daughter. Beulah. years old
and his wife were not in the house
He ran TO the barn and there found
both dead. Tho girl had evidently
been shot from behind A. she was
crossing the floor. The bullet had
pierced her heart. The wife lay on
her back. holding the revolver she had
fired through her own breast.
Nelson ran from there 10 the homt
Of .Yilaiam spartman. about 800 yardi
from his own place. where he founc
the two older children.
How came you here!" he asked.
Mamma sent US over" answered
William. the elder Of the two. "Shs
asked us Just after dinner II we did
not want to 60 a.visiting. and dressed
us up and sent US over here. Sht
kissed US goodbye as We went away
The incidents have a tragic similar
ity TO those In the case Of Mrs. Ever
EFT Croker. who killed herself and hel
five daughters near Greeley last Jan
uary.