davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1917-10-10
The Garabed Peril
Disastrous Consequences That Must
Follow New Use Of Free Energy

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: One reads frequently these days OF
Garabcd r. X. Giragossian. an Armenian gen
tleman. who is said to have at last harnessed
the ublouitous but elusive Somewhat known
as free energy" His most spectacular claim
is that of being able TO generate. on site as
large as Boston Common, sufficient "energy'
to meet the industrial needs Of all the world
The gentle reader may be pardoned for re-
Carding the assertions of this startling lndi-
vidual. who is evidently attempting TO live up
t) his name, with scientific suspension OF
judgment" born Of long experience in the in
terpretation OF glowing newspaper write
ups The new invention seems, one might
say. too improbable to be possible.
Let US, however, "just suppose" that Mr.
Carabed. etc, is actually able to demonstrate
the truth of his proposition. What tre-
mendous jolt is coming TO this long-suferlng
planet! The last 100 years have been one
continuous period Of constantly accelerated
Industrial progress, calling for never-ending
series of economic adaptations on huge
scale. Can our present social system with
stand the terrific convusion which such an in
immediate results of the successful introduc-
ton Of the "energy" device which its parent
wishes to be known as "Garabed."
In the first place. millions of factory work
ers miners and other members OF the labor
ing community will Of a sudden fad them
selves entirely superfuous members OF So
ciety.
At the same time capital will undergo
tremendous concentration in the hands OF the
few entrepreneurs necessary TO carry on the
worlds industry under the "Garabed" regime;
class lines will be accentuated myriad-fold
and an entirely new social order will have TO
be worked out.
No. Productive processes and costs will
undergo a change which will be nothing shor,
C stupendous As result all price levels
and values will be plunged into chaos.
In short. the worlds tempo of life will sud
denly leap to an undreamed of pace; it will De
as though the escapement were removed from
the works Of a watch and the mechanism al
lowed to run without let or hndrance. His
tory will simply be telescoped in the making.
Surely this invention, if perfected, cannot
fail to bring about such an overturning of
forces that we shall not know where we stand.
Reason totters at the prospect; the industrial
revolution itself. now we'll along in its second
century and still going strong" will be mere
" a preliminary culver Of the titanic forces
about to be loosed In fact, the human race
will nave on its hands a whole circus parade
oil white elephants.
Mr.. G. T. X. G.'s device may be only
fraud. or a dream. But suppose for the mo-
ment, that it isn't. Is il not we'll that we
should take long breath and be at least
mentally prepared for the catacysm? Let US
stop, and likewise let Us consider; what. if
Gsrsbed r. X. Giragoss ian has his way. is the
world coming 70? SAMUEL ". STRAUSS.
New York. Oct. 5. 1917.
New-York tribune., 1917-10-10
Sheariny the Shorn

I After the epochs of masculine glory and
grandeur which saw the lions name eN-
banded to its present enviable length and
sprouted the ROSTERS tail feathers, 1t was
no doubt. a wholesome reaction that re-
duced male adornments to their lowest
terms Strutting has lost its vogue save
among anti-suffragists. Why MAINTAIN the
impedimenta Of past as obsolete as crino-
line and stage coaches or snuff and the
chained Bible?
The only question that can be raised
touching the proposal to prohibit vests
cuffs on trousers and Norfolk jackets IN
toto (because of the waste cloth in belts
and pleats). all for the duration OF the
war. is whether there is not the shade OF a
hint of rubbing it in to be suspected IN the
move. 1t is a poor, hard thing at best that
man now wears. 1t covers HIM, after a
fashion. and lets it go at that. Is 1t wise
10 nick on him further without first snip
ping feather or two off the trappingS OF
women? Hens have, no doubt. expressed
corresponding protest in the secrecy OF
their mothers meetings. Perhaps some
men will refuse to thank us for filing the
present plea in behalf Of such few re
serve feathers as they still possess. 1t IS
the proud way of such primitive males
TO elect death from pneumonia rather than
confess weakness. The newer male viii
prefer to protest in time.
The statisticians have not reported yet
upon the number of blankets which all the
vests in Christendom would produce If
stitched together. Doubtless regiments OF
an appalling total could be shod with socks
out of the box pleats in Norfolk jackets
depicted by the artists of magazine ad-
vertisements alone. Let the totals reach
where they may, however, they could not
equal the gain to a cold and woollenless
winter to be derived from aholshing, say,
only the starboard dapper or pocket or
pouch or whatever it is that waves at
either hip of a womans skirt to-day.
If trousers are to he Hooverized, let
skirts do their bit as well, is the ultimatum
which we suggest for Washington's dis
tinguished consideration.
New-York tribune., 1917-10-10
Figures. but No Meaning to Them

To tte Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In this mornings Tribune I note
letter from Mr.. Everett p. Wheeler, IN reply
to the letter. Women Want the Vote buI
so far as can see, his letter is 10 argument
against it. lie quotes lot Of figures whiea
really mean nothing. because those women
who do not wish 20 exercise the privilege
Of voting DO not have TO- any more than men.
He, like good many others, seems 70
miss the point of the whole matter Jus
tce"-b but there are none so blind as those
who can, but won't, see. To me - IS no'
a question of whether the majority Of women
want the vote. There never should have been
any question about it, it is theirs By rgn'
as citizens and taxpayers. Would Mr. Whee'
Ter wish to give up the privilege simply
because many men do not exercise %! II
women are given the right 70 vote ana
hope that our New York men will vote yes
and have voice in the government, when
concerns them just as much as 10 does men
! feel very certain that they will not sN
back and let the naturalized population eNer'
else il for them. as a good many Of our
men do men who are quick 10 criticise the
government. but who rarely go TO the polls
themselves to SEQ TO IT that the righ, men
ere elected TO office.
A WOMAN WHO WANTS THE VOTE.
New York. Oct. g. 1917.
New-York tribune., 1917-10-10
A Municipal Milk Plant

Mayor Mitchel's suggestion that his Milk
Committee report on the advisabiIity OF
establishing a pasteurization plant for all
milk used by municipal institutions, with
the possibility that it he enlarged to sup
ply milk for the public. is one of the most
interesting developments of the local situa-
ton. Up to date the various official in
vcstigations have led nowhere. They have
presented schedules of dairymen's costs
and rcceipts and of distributors costs and
receipts These have not been conclusive
because other clements than costs and re-
Ccipts are necessary 10 determine profits
ON these other elements. notably invest
mcnts or capital. the value of by-products
and the like. the bookkeeping Of most
farmers is too vague or incomplete to shed
much light. More than that, granting that
10th parties to the price controversy, the
dairvmen and the distributors, are right
i, their contentious. there must come a
point where price-raising cannot 90 on
where the traffic will not bear what exist
ing conditions seem to demand in the way
G. higher prices.
That point is rapidly being reached. The
falling off in consumption of milk, attested
by the surplus which has been discussed
Nv dealers and trade papers, and the sub
stitution by consumers of lower grade
milk for the higher grades they have been
accustomed TO use indicate this plainly
enough. impairment of the dairy indus
try. such as is threatened by the selling
of herds: a decrease in the rural popula-
tion. such as Professor Warren, Of the
state Agricultural College, hints at, can
not be contemplated without alarm. The
possibility, then, of change in the system
cf handling milk which may reduce its
cost 10 consumers while allowing a fair
price to the producers becomes of great
Importance.
The City Of New York is the largest
milk consumer in the metropolis. Recent
new legislation permits IT to undertake
this experiment of eliminating the middle
man. 1t is distinctly worth trying. The
working out of the experiment inevitably
will furnish experience by which to Judge
the Justice of some of the contentious of
the milk distributing companies here.
There seems no reason why it should not
save money for the city. If it did 1t would
pay to build other plants to sell milk to
the public That is a possibility which
must assuredly be considered, little as the
milk distributors and that portion of the
public which objects to municipal invasion
Of the field of private business" might
Ike IT,
New-York tribune., 1917-10-10
The Truth About Milk
0From 7le chicago Tribuuo

oFrora The chicago Tribune
One Of the spokesmen for the milk produc-
ers is quoted as saying:
"You may say TO your readers that they
may have milk or not as they choose. All of
the sob stories about the suffering babies
don't 20 far with the milk producers, and no
basis OF soft sentiment is just basis 20
work on"
If the arrogance Of this statement cor
rectly represents the attitude Of the milk
PRODUCERS then the public cannot be blamed
d. il regards them as commercial buccaneers.
T. is perfectly true that no basis OF soft SEN
t,mfnt is just basis to work on. but 1t
also is true that no basis Of brazen extortion
cen be tolerated.
We would not be understood as passing
judgment on the equity Of the price advance
decreed by the producers, though 1t seems to
De exorbitant Ii is certainly eXorbitant
from the consumers standpoint. The pro-
ducers may sneer at sob stories about suf-
fering babies" they may try 10 dismiss every
objection or complaint as "Sentimentality.
but the fact remains that the babies must
have milk. If prices are raised so high as
to deprive them of milk, then there Is only
one answer: The government Will have 10
take hold Of the business.
New-York tribune., 1917-10-10
Submarines and Our New Destroyers

A local commentator discovers what he
believes to be an unmistakable relation be-
tween the trials of one of our new destroy
ers and the more hopeful mood apparently
prevailing for the moment in Washington
with regard 10 the tonnage losses at sea.
According to unofficial reports, the de
signed speed of thirty-fve knots was
actually exceeded; hence with the menace
of the German submarine already greatly
diminished by the operations of British
and American destroyers, of which few
are as fast as the American boats now
building, it is easy to see,' we are told,
why our naval authorities believe that
the sea wolves will soon be conquered"
1t is by no means easy 10 see how any
such conclusion could possibly be drawn
from the reports at hand. Nothing could
be more mistaken than to encourage eX-
travagant hopes on the strength Of the in
formation impaired about one vessel not
vet passed into commission; for even If 1t
be authentic it is far too meagre to serve
as a foundation for the belief that Ger
manys submarines will soon be con-
New-York tribune., 1917-10-10
One American Victory

lFrOm me Fhiddftphld IrQhfff'
one Of the victories of the United States
in this war concerns the triumph Of Ameri-
can manufacturers in the matter OF dyestutFs.
Ii IS not complete yet. and it must be prop
erly guarded at the close Of the war but all
that is needed is continued enterprise and
wise craftsmanship.
The manufacturers have been holding an
exhibition in New York, and some of the
things shown there illustrate the wonderful
ingenuity of the Americai- workman and the
American manufacturer. II. Gardner McKer-
row. who has closely studied this phase Of
activity. calls attention TO the fact that when
;he war began there were five concerns in
this country engaged in the manufacture Of
anilne dyestufs and a mere handful Of
makers of the crudcs and intermediates.
What is the condition to-day? Ninety manu-
fGcturors Of crudcs and intermediates and
eighty manufacturers OF artlacis! dyestuGs.
New-York tribune., 1917-10-10
Settle This Issue Right
tor of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The time to have matter settled
right is when the question is before the
people for consideration, and not after it's
all gone wrong.
Now, there is Mayor to be elected for
New York City
Theodore Roosevelt says. "Mr Mitchell is
the best Mayor New York ever had"
Mr.. Roosevelt never makes. thoughtless
ill-cons dered, hasty remarks, and if you fol-
low his political career. when he had the ap-
pointlve power, you will find he always Sc
lected the best men for important posts. and
made no mistakes Let good men who feel
the responsibility of citizenship and the
value OF the ballot not only vote them
selves. but use all their influence TO see TO
1t that the other man who. selfshly or
thoughtlessly, is taking no interest in this
important election votes. All the more
Mr. Mitchell should be elected, because the
Hearst pro-German alien enemy factions are
trying 10 defeat him
This is no time 10 be Influenced by old
party lines or prejudces Patriotism de-
nands that the most patriotic the most
efficient and energetic man be given the
highest place in New York City, and that
man Is Mayor Mitchell.
MARY b. SHELDON
Athens, Penn, Oct. 8, 1917.
New-York tribune., 1917-10-10
Suffrage Votes Lost by Picketing

20 the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Those who know me know that FOR
years past I have been an advocate Of woman
suffrage. But the antics Of those crazy
women in front Of the White House during
the past few months have shown ne that =
would be a very unwse policy 70 let peopl.
subject 70 such hysteris vote As long as
live and have the power | shall work snd
vote against woman suffrage.
Two friends of mine in Maine have written
me that while they for years felt as did IN
the matter. they had at the recent election
voted against giving women a privilege Vhieh
their actions in Washington have shown they
would sadly abuse How long would men
have been allowed 70 indulge in such antics.
such evil actions?
remarks as to a proposed statue Of our
martyred President. Lincoln, and your por'
trait of one in The Tribune which did no'
look any more like that wonderful man than
I do or did During the last year OF hrs NE
l. was my privilege to see him almost every
working day and I talked with him many
times. have seen many so-called portraits
of him. but only one does him justice. 4
steel engraving known as "Marsha.fs steel
Engraving of Lincoln" is the only good por'
trayal OF that grand man, the only almost
perfect likeness Of him.
A BELIEVER IN LIBERTY, NOT LICENSE.
Jersey City. y. j.. Oct. 7. 1917.
New-York tribune., 1917-10-10
Technical Experts Needed
A Civil Service Plea for Patriotic
Workers Of Education
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The National Civil Service Reform
League has been asked BY the Ordnance De
partment of the United States army to assist
il recruiting technical experts, Of whose ser
vices there is urgent need.
The positions for which applicants are de-
sired a, once are as follows (open to men
only:
Inspectors Of ordnance equipment, consist
ing of articles manufactured from leather.
cloth and webbing, or metal. such as can
teens, meat cans, cutlery and intrenching
tools. Salaries, $1,000 TO 81 400.
Assistant inspectors Of cloth equipment,
assistant inspectors of leather. assistant in
srectors of small hardware, assistant inspec-
tors of textiles. $1,000 to $4,000.
Assistant inspectors Of leather equipment,
81 800 to $1,000.
Mechanical craftsmen, $500 to $500
Salaries will depend on skill and exper-
iCnce
In view OF the unusual labor conditions il
is difficult 70 obtain men for these positions
except by patriotic appeal. We, therefore,
ask men having a good education and the
necessary experience 10 step forward and vol
unteer their services TO the government even
il it means some pecuniary sacrifice.
At the same time call upon employers
Who have such men under them TO grant
leaves of absence for the duration of the war.
that employees may be assured of return
ing to their positions when the war is over.
if the government no longer requires their
services.
At the Offices Of the League. 10 Wall Street.
we have supply of application blanks and
complete information as to the qualifications
necessary for the various positions.
GEORGE T. KEYES. Secretary.
New York, Oct S, 1917
New-York tribune., 1917-10-10
Training Band Leaders

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Concerning the reports which, from
time 10 time, appear in the newspapers. that
il is contemplated TO establish a training
centre for band leaders Of the army and navy.
+. should be stated that the Institute of Mus
ical Art has been training bandmasters for
the United States army under the auspices of
the War Department during the past seven
years In 1910 the trustees of the Institute
offered 10 the War Department the dsposi-
ton Of ten free scholarships for the purpose
Of educating army band musicians for the
post Of band leader This offer was accepted
by the War Department and arrangements
we're made 10 conduct the instruction partly
at Fort Jay, on Governors Island and partly
A. the Institute Of Musical Art. 100 Clare
mont Avenue Every year five army band
musicians have been selected from large
number of applicants by competitive exami-
nation. and these have remained under very
CO comprehensive and exacting instruction for a
period of two years. so that ten students
have been under training every year. There
arc now twenty-six graduates OF this depart
nent Of the Institute serving as band leaders
in various organizations of the regular army,
ard their work has received the highest com
II is hoped and believed that ultimately
the government will find it desirable to estab
lsh its own school for the training of band
musicians and band leaders. but until this
plan is carried out the Institute Of Musical
Art stands ready to aid the government to the
utmost Of its ability in preparing competent
band leaders.
Inasmuch as the motive which prompted
the trustees of the institute Of Musical Art
to make this offer TO the War Department
was a purely patriotic one and was made long
before there was any hint OF war. 1T seems
only right to let the public know that the
needs Of the army in this direction are being
provided for TO the extent which our gov
ernment requires, and that therefore add
tional schools do not seem TO be necessary.
FRANK DAMROSCH.
Director Institute Of Musical Art
New York, Oct. 3, 1917
New-York tribune., 1917-10-10
Caliban Enthroned

But who. then. was the first to lay out the
barren path Of such course? We answer;
Germany. Germany has twisted the meaning
Of life. with right that We shall not deny
but which We can only call brutality. She 1T
il who for long. particularly since 1870 has
led this at first rapid, then accelerated, finally
vertiginous pace. dragging along all those
who have tried 10 follow her in wild race
where all gasped for breath. having no longer
time even to look at the flying landscape
Germany has straddled science like horse
lashing it and forcing it to give up its max
imum possibilities and harder and harder
she has struck the fanks Of the exhausted
beas, that to-days race may be swifter than
yesterdays
New-York tribune., 1917-10-10

oucred"; and it would he so though 1t held
good for considerable notilla.
If such expectations could justly be
established on the results of speed trlal
the submarine menace would have been
overcome before this. The British de-
stroyer Tartar launched ten years ago
did better than 80 knots on trial yet no
one dreamed of assuming as a consequence
that any new problem had been solved. In
fact. the designed speed Of sixteen later
destroyers. of the l90S'O9 programme,
was actually reduced from 33 knots to q.
This does not mean that speed had come
to be regarded as minor point; it means
merely that the maximum acnievement on
speed trials is not the only or the most
important consideration. Strength and
the maintenance of steady normal speed
in all weathers are at least as necessary
fcr the kind of service required of de-
stroycr as the attainment of extraordinary
speed under singularly favorable condl-
tions; and so it is ridiculous to draw con-
clusons on the evidence of single factor
that may not he the most essential in any
given case.
II is notorious that some swift destroy
ers which look very we'll on paper have
proved sadly disappointing in reality, since
they have been obliged to spend most of
their lives in repair, the maximum trial
speed not even affording trustworthy
index of what they could do in a seaway.
II need hardly be said that these obvious
truisms have no particular bearing on our
now destroyers. which there is every rea-
son to believe are highly satisfactory.
They are only intended as a warning
against assumptions which are utterly un-
warranted.
New-York tribune., 1917-10-10
The Columbia Issue

With the general cause of free speech
End academic independence at Columbia
The Tribune has profound sympathy. II
has frequently expressed its criticism of
action by the trustees of the university
which tended to hamper such liberty Of
thought and action. The case of Professor
Cattell seems to il, however, clearly Of
another character. His utterances had
reached a pitch which promised TO bring
the whole doctrine of academic liberty into
contempt. His activities had become a
menace to free speech, and in ending chem
President Butler and the trustees have
struck a blow for freedom, not against II.
President Butler accurately stated the
principles which should control in his com
mencement day address last June, when
he said:
So long as national policies we're in dc
bate. We gave complete freedom, as is our
wont and as becomes university. freedom
of assembly. freedom Of speech and free
dom Of publication to all members of the
university who in lawful and decent ways
might wish to inform and to guide public
rolicy Wrongheadedness and folly we
might deplore. but we arc bound 10 tolerate
: So soon, however as the nation spoke by
the Congress and by the President, declar-
ing that il would volunteer as one man for
the protection and defence Of civil liberty
and self-gOvernment, conditions sharply
changed
What had been tolerated before became
intolerable now. What had been wrong
I hot lai
been folly was now treason. In your pres
ence ! speak by authority for the whole
university my colleagues Of the trus
tees and for my colleagues Of the faculties
when ! say. with all possible emphasis
that there is and will be no place IN Colum
bia University either on the rolls Of its
faculties or on the rolls of its students, FOR
any person who opposes or who counsels
I oppostion TO the effective enforcement OF
the laws of the United States, or who acts
speaks or writes treason.
The crucial words are those referring &c
person "who opposes or who counsels
opposition to the effective enforcement OF
the laws of the United States" Such
counsel or opposition has been the out
spoken and implied meaning Of Professor
Cattell's forthgivings. We do not think
there will be any considerable opinion
which will fail to Judge Professor Cattell's
actions exactly as have the trustees of his
university The Tribune regrets to dis
agree with those members of the Columbia
faculty who have been active in the strug-
cle for academic freedom and who now
deem it necessary to uphold Professor Cat
tell. 1t has the greatest respect for their
motives and their intelligence. 1t feels
that in the present instance they are mis-
taken and are committing a blunder which
can only retard not advance, the cause
which they have at heart