davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1917-07-17

mailed from there (eyen sent from there
by wireless) will also be delayed long
enough 10 make it of little value so far as
concerns the waylaying Of our transports
or other vessels on their voyages across
the Atlantic. If outbound cable and wire
less service can be controlled, the censor's
legitimate work here will be practically
accomplished.
It is unfortunate that the situation was
so misunderstood for weeks and months at
Washington. The government labored to
get law through Congress giving it con-
troll of the publication Of all information
relating to the conduct Of the war 1t even
tried TO suppress criticism of Administra-
tion officials or Administration policies. 1t
seemed to take for granted that if II could
only keep information about the conduct
Of the war which was Objectionable 70 1t
out Of the newspapers it would solve the
espionage problem.
That was beginning at the wrong end.
No spy who is worth his salt gets his in
formation out Of the newspapers or pub
fishes it in them. Like every other SNUG
gler, he works in the dark, and ne must be
caught before he gets his goods across the
border. All the governments anti-espion-
age vigilance should be concentrated at the
outlets Of news-at the points where mails
and cable and wireless dispatches leave the
country. 1t is gratifying that the Admin
istration at last recognizes the real field
in which a Federal censorship should
operate. Spies will be relatively impotent
if we can cut their communications and
maroon their information.
New-York tribune., 1917-07-17
Ireland and Belgium

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Apropos Of Mr. Charles Johnstoril
ticle, "The Ambassador from IrelaDd" 4
his defence Of British rule in ireland, t,
is one point, the pivotal point in the vi
Irish question, which Mr. Johnston sri
fellow-apologists for England always On
look or ignore, !. e, that England has
ways occupied and still occupies ireland
force Of arms and in defiance OF the wis
of the Irish people.
1lr. Johnston is fond o. snalogle'. Le,
therefore, put this case in the form Of
analogy. The present German Occupation
Belgium is, In substance, akin to the org'
English occupation of Ireland. None o.
outrages credited to the Germans in Ber
exceed in their brutality those perpetrs,2
different times, notably In the Cromwell
period. by the English IN Ireland. Le
then, suppose that the German occupasoi
been maintained for several centuries
that Germany then claims that she has 81
feet moral right TO govern Belgium lH
further suppose that the whole Belgian !
PIE. with the exception Of that small min''
who, by ties OF blood and economic inter-
have become allied with the cause Of me
ouerors. have at all times maintained =
fight for freedom and have never for a
ment accepted the yoke Of the conquer
We will then have a very fair analogy
the present condition Of Ireland. Noule
Johnston be prepared to claim thst CEN
of occupation under such conditions y.
have given Germany the right 20 govern
gium and have deprived the Belgian -
of their right to self-goyerment!.
Does the lapse Of time make wrong \
or Injustice Just? Has Great Brital'
more right TO govern ireland today 'aa,
had in the beginning? And if not, ha
any more right to govern Ireland taS'
many has to govern Belgium! ,oru
RICHARD c. PoND|
New Rochelle, y. Y, July Il, lsl''
New-York tribune., 1917-07-17
Germany's Prisoners

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: May / inquire if, to your knowledge,
any steps are now being taken, or are in con-
temptation, by the Allied governments to
prevent the wholesale massacre Of prisoners
Of all nationalities Othe hated English frsD
by orders from German Grand Headquarters ?
II may be considered as a foregone conclu-
sion that people who have consistently out
ragged every dictate of humanity and have
been guilty Of atrocities which put the cruel
ties Of Attila and Ghengis Kahn in the shade
will not hesitate to take some final desperate
course 10 avert defeat and the total over
throw of the Kaiscr's aims Of establishing an
unconquerable military empire under the
name of Mitteleuropa. They Will, undoubt-
edly seek by some such means, when the
time comes that defeat is staring them in
the face. TO compel the conquerng armies Of
the Allied forces TO stay their hands. They
will plead the usual military necessity" and
doubtless point TO the fact that Napoleon was
compelled to shoot down in cold blood no
less than 4 600 unarmed soldier prisoners for
the same reason.
This wholesale slaughter and determination
Of millions of unhappy prisoners now confined
IN the military prisons and pens Of the Gem
trail Empire may not be actually brought
about by shooting, although the Germans
know full well that the Allies would not
think of re;aiiating in kind. | believe the
method they will pursue will be that Of slow
but certain starvation. IL will be the least
expensive, and they can plead that as the
blockade of Great Britain reduces the Ger
manic peoples to state of semi-starvation
robody can blame them if the prisoners are
the first to suffer.
II should be remembered that there is little
TO appeal to in the way Of honor, and still
less in the name of humanity to be urged for
the decent treatment Of these unfortunate
people. The threat OF condemnation of every
German and Austrian prisoner to a lifelong
servitude and the economic boycott for, say,
the next one hundred years of every article
that comes from German and Austrian manu-
factories might be a deterrent. This threat
should be at once presented.
AUSTIN GRANVILLE.
Bridgeport Conn, July 10, 1917.
New-York tribune., 1917-07-17
Censorship Which Means Something

The Administration is to put into effect
to-day a complete censorship Of outgoing
wireless and cable messages. This step
should have been taken at the beginning
Of t5e war; There has been an official
censorship of outgoing messages for some
time past. Why it should have been only
partial is mystery.
Nobody can object 20 the strictest posi-
bic censorship on outgoing information.
Espionage here could have no terrors for
us if we knew that the information gath
cred by German agents could not be de
.gc-cd abroad in time 70 have an infu.
cnce on military operations. The mail is
very slow. 1t can be censored here Though
as yet it is not and it can be censored
again on the other side by our allies. In
formation carried by spies to Mexico, Cen.
tral America and South America and
New-York tribune., 1917-07-17
Opera at Columbia

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: You have heard that the Summer Ses-
sion Opera Company has arranged to give at
Columbia University eight operas during the
period in which the students are attending
the university.
We are opening these performances to the
general public, although the impression has
been that this is not so, and the opera COM
pany is devoting the net income to the Ma
tional Special Aid Society, Aviation Depart
ment We should like to have your assist
aEee in making this known, so that the
venture may be success and we may be en-
couraged to give performances OF this char
acter IN other summers. The Metropolitan
Opera Company has allowed US to use it's
orchestra and chorus.
We have called upon you for aid. as such
an undertaking is of civic interest. You real
ize that this is an extraordinary proposition
and calls for help from every side.
JAMES c. EGBERT.
New York, July l3, 1917, Director
New-York tribune., 1917-07-17
Thomas F. Heating
Or Of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In the death OF Thomas +. Keating on
last Friday New York lost one of its noble
citizens. Born in Pittsburgh, his father an
lrishman and his mother a daughter of
Switzerland, and nheriting the best qualities
of both races, he left an impression Of high
character and action upon all who knew him.
He had high courage, unblemished integrity
and gift of convincing utterance. 4 citizen
OF New York since 1869, there never was an
effort for it's political uplift but had his sim
cerest support. knew him to save the fort
unes of two families by his energy. foresight
and judgment, working for friendship only.
and refusing any monetary rocompense. |
knew him to refuse high political office be.
cause he would have to stultfy some of his
principles IN accepting 1t. Those who asso-
ciated with him have a keen sense OF ner-
sonal loss for to his other merits he added
warm and steadfast heart.
DANIEL J, PHELAN, NJ. d.
New York, July 10, 1917.
New-York tribune., 1917-07-17
Police Shortcomings
Intelligent Criticism Of Them Never
More Desirable

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The Tribune is TO be commended Tor
the article in last Sundays issue on the de-
tective bureau Of the Police Department, be-
cause il is a practical recognition OF the fact
that no municipal administrative agency
ought ito be exempt from intelligent, crIti-
cisla. however honest and disinterested may
be those charged with its conduct. Il IS
great mistake from the point Of view OF the
public interest to assume that some admin
istrations are as incapable Of being wrong as
others are Of being right.
II further criticism of the present police
administration may be permitted "ould
venture 70 say that the energies OF the rank
and file Of the force have been too widely di-
fused-that they have been diverted from
their proper and primary purposes TO ends
that have no proper relation to police force
activities. The principal purpose OF the crea-
tion Of the police is the prevention OF crime
and the detection of criminals. There are
thousand other services that the police can
render the community, but only at the eN-
ponse of that primary service Tor wnlch tney
exist and TO perform which with even mod
crate success will test all their capacity and
industry.
The very best service that any public de-
Dartment can render the community Is to DIS
charge with its whole soul and with its whole
mind the duties imposed on it by law leav-
ing to others the tasks assigned to them.
The police are not intended to be soldiers
nor sociolosists. For the first we have the
army and the militia; for the second we nave
numberiess civic agencies. But to do the
work of the police we have no agency but the
police themselves, and if they fail therein
the consequences are much more serious than
those resulting from their failure to supple
ment the activities of other bodies.
The reputation Of Commissioner Woods IS
such that his integrity cannot be even ques-
toned, but this statement applies equally
well to most if not all of his immediate pred
ecessors Commissioner NOW CHIEF Magls-
trate) McAdoo, for example Hence 1t IS not
peculiarly derogatory to Commissioner WOODS
TO saw that he has made mistakes, just as hls
predecessors may have. One Of these mis-
takes is the subject of the preceding para
qrarh; the other is the assumption that evil
was non-cxistent in the department.
f. j. DUNDON.
New York. July Is, 1917.
New-York tribune., 1917-07-17
Prohibition and Crime
Doubt as to the Close Connection
Between the Two
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: f. Titon replies to my suggestion
that an impartial commission should ascer-
tain the facts showing the relation, If any
between the use Of alcoholic beverages and
crime. poverty and insanity by referring tc
the work of the COMMITTEE to Investigate
the Liquor Problem" l am familiar with
the voluminous reports Of that committee
none of which, however, contains accurate
data on the subject The statements quoted
from the reports are a sample of the vague
ceneralities used by prohibitionists as argu-
ments. 1t is alleged that drink was an
Operating factor" in "a per cent of the cases
coming to organized charity for relief. What
is an operating factor" and what relevanco
has the fact that certain people drink to the
other fact that they are poor? Thousands
of rich men drink Does liquor make them
rich?
/ have been unable to find in the Commit
tee Of Ffty's reports any proof that 81 per
cent of crime is due TO drink. As the COM
mittee reports that so per cent of the male
adult population uses liquor, it is doubtless
true that a large percentage of criminals
drink but there is nothing to show that drink
is Lue cause OIL lutlI Criminal aus ~ ~ y
non drinkers commit crimes. Is total absti-
nence the cause?
If it is true that prohibition dimnishes
crime, why do the last census reports show
that dry Kansas had Oil sentenced prisoner,
per 100000 population, while wet Nebraska
had only 55.1 per 100000?
If prohibition decreases insanity. why has
the rate Of insane persons increased 83 per
cent in dry Maine and "a per cent in dry
Kansas from 1890 to 1910?
If prohibition abolishes poverty, why has
dry Maine 1918 paupers per 100000 popula-
tion, while wet Minnesota has only 46.2 per
900?
These are facts of official record-not opin-
ions of individuals or organizations. l do
not want to know about Norway. l want the
facts about the United States.
New York, July If, 1917. MODERATE.
New-York tribune., 1917-07-17

The bond Of sympathy which links Alsaee'
Lorraine TO this great country was not iorseu
yesterday The monument OF Liberty hold
inc the torch Of light 70 the world, the work
of our Great sculptor. Bartholdi. gives noble
impression of the power and ideals OF the
United States, where so many Of the sons OF
Alsace and Lorraine have found second
country. The participation of America IN the
war, side by side with the defenders Of right
and Justice. has filled every heart with con-
fdence. for the friends of our dear Asace
are convinced that America will carry to
successful finish the noble task she assumed
i'm a spirit of admirable disnterestedneSs
and with only one object in view-that OF
saving civilization jeopardized by the as-
gression Of the barbarians
Frances national holiday is the day OF lib
Grafton of all peoples, and its celebration on
every 14th of July has always given renewed
strength TO our brothers Of Alsace and Lor-
raine.
/ am the bearer Of a message of trlendIy
greeting from those of your brothers who
have suffered the domination Of abhorred
Germany, and who, in spite OF veNatlous
measures and threats of every sort, have re-
mained unateraby attached 10 their beloved
mother country. We are living to-day IN the
hone Of happier days. The victory OF the
Allies. which the magnificent effort OF the
United States is certainly going TO hasten
will once more place Alsace and Lorraine
under the flag of France, and we have the
right TO rejoice over this although we de-
plore the catastrophe which Germany mas
criminally brought about. Let us proclaim
10 all the world that this war cannot be laid
AT the door of Alsace Lorraine.
Had we been asked whether we wished 70
he delivered from the German yoke at the
nrico of a world war, not one Of US would
have had the courage to assume the respoE-
sibility of so many tragedies or to ask OF
France such countless sacrifices Rather
would we have chosen to bow our heads uh-
der vet greater suffering. But now that Ger
MANY. by her own act, has torn into shreds
the Treaty of Frankfort like any scrap OF
naper." things are once more as they were
before the war of 1870. France will simply
take back that which was wrested from her
bv brute force The authorized representa-
lives of the annexed provinces declared unan-
imously at the National Assembly OF Bor-
doaux "to be null and void any acts that
would lead to a surrender of territory
This solemn protest was repeated by every
one Of the Deputies from Alsace- Lorraine be-
New-York tribune., 1917-07-17
The Future of Fr;;n
Dissent from Mr.. Johnston. v;.x
the O'Connor Mi,s;o.
To the Editor Of The Tribun,

To the Editor of The Tribu,.
Sir; l have a profound admir.,o,
Charles Johnston. Every one who va sa '0' '
viii admit that he has finely ~ n' b
mind, a sustained scholarship a. O'saits
sal grasp Of affairs. In his Hist. eas'1 !,
land" Mr.. Johnston reveals a svrn.., " \
Is deep and sincere and a knovloS- "a
people ana country above and bsyo..
general run Of Irish writers, 'D' Z
So it was not alone with surr,,,.
sorrow that read my friends aria, ~ '
Ambassador from Ireland" in to.s,v,, q
une. What is wrong? Do I misp,s'.' -
Mr.. Johnston, or does he misyrao,-.,s ,s
Irish situation? Why such heat, ra' TI 4
carolessness, the irreieyancy? wy Z
What harm II Piunkett and so,..
did receive public salaries? DiSn', ~ ~ nA
IN Ireland for Irish institutior,; ~! "
their salaries come from the poets,, Ue
taxpayers? Surely not from tho r. r. u
Let AS assume that two or three bsls
tions under the imperial authoritiss
4 local-what Of it? Must men bsr.as $40
their souls for a handful Of silvo. M
paid out Of the London Treasuryg NM.
sacrifice everything that God ard q
gave them because a false econor,i.
compelled them 20 work for covos!s .!.'
they disliked?
Mr. Johnston knows what small r.s
have done for the world. He krow. rs' ~''
arid place this earth would be II +, v..-
for the spiritual contribution Of -.
the Greeks, the Swiss and the Dp,,,
knows, probably more than any ma, |,
United States, what Ireland did FOR r.
/ in the Dark Ages. And knowing al =
why does he want TO plunge the ls.t :,
nant OF the Irish people into the furac, !.
: is consuming Europe?
For some reason or other the rrs,, !,
contributions to the Scottish regimen,
the Liverpool. to the Lancashire ar5 !.
+ Yorkshire regiments are ignored. tn. i.
Irish contingents in the South Wae, ri
derers, the Anzacs and the Canadian, !,
+ forgotten. The London Irish and .ba r.
side Irish are reluctantly mentioned /,
no doubt that if those contributions y
given just recognition IL would nea, !
/ end of the agitation conducted BY such !
as O'Connor, Redmond and Carson-yes 4,
chance for the Irish people to settle Il
own affairs, as well as giving them a n
needed rest.
There are men who insist that II "a all
/ lutely necessary for every able-bodied ls
man to join and help to defeat Prussia. \
US assume that they have their way. Tie
the consequences? The Pussian Junss,
beaten and Ireland Is converted into a i
/ derness or cemetery. The cradle-lart
Father Mathew, of Duns Scotus, Of ca. j
/ banus, Of Columbcilie and the mighty 4
/ of the Book and the Cross viii pass into /
/ livion, so that imperial and commercial I'd
pires may drag out a few more years o. /.
istence. Il
Passaic, N. j., July u, 1917.
New-York tribune., 1917-07-17
tuberculosis in France
CFrom The Medical Record


For many years tuberculosis has been
more prevalent in France than in, perhaps,
any of the European countries, and the con-
ditions of trench warfare have been respon-
sible for a vast increase of the disease among
French soldiers. Al the beginning of the
way the French were compelled to defend
themselves without much aid from the Brit
ish and Be,gians, and in consequence could
not be very particular as to the physical tit
ness of their men. tuberculosis is there
fore rife among French soldiers, and al
though the authorities are doing their best
to repair the results Of the early neglect Of
careful examination, and are removing all
tuberculous soldiers as quickly as possible
the problem of tuberculosis in that country
is extremely serious. II has been announced
recently that the Rockefeller Foundation,
with the approval Of The French government
and in cooperation with the American Red
Cross, is about to take steps with a view to
curbng the spread Of this disease in France
IL is understood that the work will be car
ried on under the supervision Of a French
central committee and local committees
which are being organized throughout pro-
vincial France. From all points o. view the
scheme Of the Rockefeller Foundation 10 re-
strict the rayages of tuberculosis in France
is most meritorious. Not only is it giving
powerful aid to a brave ally, but It is helping
TO lessen danger TO which our own troops
will be exposed when they reach French soil
New-York tribune., 1917-07-17
The Ugly Londoner

'irom The London Daiy Telegraph
Are we ugly? Are we growing ugler?
These disconcerting questions Mr.. John
Galsworthy-it was ever his meter TO make
US feel ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS to the nation.
He has been looking us over with stern and
searching eyes. and this is what happened:
"Out Of 1850 passersby. women and men
Including soldiers), observed in perhaps the
best districts OF London-St James's Park.
Trafalgar Square, Westminster Bridge ana
Piccadilly-in May OF this year. only 80
had any prc'enslons TO not being very plain
or definitely uely-not one in five. And out
OF the $40 who passed this quite low stand
ard of looks perhaps one in thirty had what
might be called beauty-say. one out Of each
100 m ALL Now, does your flesh not Green .
-Four out Of five Of Us are definitely ugly";
only one in 100 is beautiful.
New-York tribune., 1917-07-17

fore the Rcchstag in 1874, when lot 'HV '''
time Alsace-Lorraine was given the ilght o.
lifting her voice before the German Farl'a-
ment. These statements have never Deeh
contradicted By any contrary manifestation,
The attitude of Alsace Lorraine during the
last fortv-seven years has always oeeh '""'
of a territory hostile to Germany, IN Whose
nrecinets every effort 10 Germanize the peo-
,le has met with utter failure. Il woulu DC
serious error TO imagine that German I'M
migration has taken the place Of the lndlee-
nous nonulation and that Alsace-Lorralne
to-day is inhabited mostly by Germans. WINE
il is true that many of our most represents
rive poonle have left the land or their olr'n
II is fortunately a fact that great many %
the autochthonous inhabitants nave teHla'"1u
The Germans have never been aoie 10 a'
simiIato our land. because there has AWAY
been absolute ineompatiblllty between '"'"'
and the sons of Alsace-Lorraine.
And in this respect there is no distinction
,ybatsoever 10 be made between the dInereh'
narts of Alsace and Lorralne-ooth '"oSe
who speak the Alsatian dialect ana '"ose VIZ
sneak pure French have always oeeh ""Po.
vious TO German "Kultur' And germany ),
so we'll aware of this fact that duilhs an
those years Alsace- Lorraine has never ceaseu
70 he the object Of laws OF exception anu '"1
nobIe-minded Germans told their troops wneh Il
thew marched through our far lahd' 10"
are now on the enemy's territory. .-,.
In accordance with all the rules OF rlgh'
and equity Lorraine should return TO
Frorco without the necessity Of consulting
The nonulation. for why ask men VINO nave
nersistently and loudly proclaimed their un-
aIterablo wish to become once more rrenc"-
n,er whether or not they wish to remain Ger
man subjects? This would almost amount 10
an insult. The people of Alsace ana Lor,
zinc over faithful to their memories ana
70 the promises Of their representatives az
Rordeaux. have repeatedly given proof OF
tboir uncomfortable will to remain FrehGh-
man And to-day, even as it was YESTERDAY
and a. il will be tomorrow, the feeling ina,
ia unnermost in their hearts may be summed
nm IN these words which | shall quote tro"
tb. nrotestation of March :, 1871, addres5eu
20 tho Deputies Of the National Assemoiy :
"your brothers of Alsace and Lorraine no"
.ar,ars+ed from the common family, remain
unslterably attached to France at preSen'
absont from their hearths, ard VIII so re
main until the day she returns to take mel
rightful place A.. ,lo.e ie
That dsy is with us now-and the place iS
ready and waiting.
New-York tribune., 1917-07-17
A Prophet

To the Editor Of The Tribune. ,,i
Sir: In the last two paragraph,s' i.s' ~ '1' !,
column of "The New World edl.o,'St 5 snrs
is much which recalls a lecture s"1 : q,
Of the years events given by Mr - y :,
lev. of POL West Twenty-hrst street street - !,
ocer1S Oceoie wSui5 in February fear our imHss :,
poVp'S lar. ~0G.1 int, :" ,be war but that 8, "
likely ,lSoiy .". not p"..,s US1Cs Occupying the meas
and in June Spain would be l''''"'
fuence. +. .he tren;
lie also stated the men % - SSeo,er
were TO end the war. prooao,! ~. y" srisus,
His forecasts are made WI" Wv ~
numbers used by Pythagol%s orINCEl
Brooklyn, July 10, l9l''