davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30
Our Safety Against Invasion
1t Depends Upon the Farmer Who
Alone Will Decide War

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In this great time. when every citi-
zen must do his part, the President mas
made his chief appeal to the men who ave
on the land. He is right in doing So for
the safety of our country just now IS IN the
hands of our farmers. What | mean IS not
merely our safety and the safety OF our
Allies in the matter of food. mean tnas
the safety of the United States agains: fol-
eign invasion hangs on the decision OF inc
farmers of the forty eight states
The two great weapons in this war are
arms and starvation. The war against Ger
man arms will be won or lost in France;
the war against starvation viii be won or
lost in America. The Kaiser cannot whip
the French and English armies and the
English navy while England has food But
it is still possible that the German sub
marines may be able to keep food enough
from reaching England to starve her into
submission.
II the submarines win, the first item in
the Kaisers terms of peace will be the Eng
ish fleet. With the English fleet in his
possession the Kaiser will be master o. the
world.
What will happen TO US then? Every man
who stops to think knows the answer. We
shall have money. food, labor, land-every-
thing that is desirable in the world except
the power to protect what we have GN-
perts estimate that it will take Us nine
months to get ready to meet German
army of even 100000 men, with modern
artillery Under such circumstances would
the Germans treat Va better than they have
already treated Belgium and France
Even il the armies of our allies should
crush the German military power this sum
mer. before the shortage Of food can reach
the point of want, the world would still need
vast quantities OF American food. But il
they do not. only one course can make Us
safe. and that is to grow food enough on
our fspns for ourselves and our allies, and
to put ships enough on the sea to carry the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30
Vox Populi
object

You can doubt democracy as system
of government with which to make war,
but YOU cannot doubt the people them
selves. That is the chief moral of poll1-
cal faith to which the war has thus TAR
given birth. In France, in England and
in the United States politicians and states
men have shown themselves again and
again hopelessly lacking in courage and In
imagination. In each country the popular
will has swept aside politicians and states
men. got what it wanted, and what 1t
wanted was right.
As pretty an illustration of the rot
bopuH speaking its mind with courage and
vigor as we have seen was the reply OF
Hamilton, Montana, to Miss Jeanette
Rankin. Congressman t-Large from that
state. She hac wired home: 81 have heard
of no one in the House who is supporting
the Presidents conscription bill. Do you
wish me to stand alone for this?' To
which the Hamilton Chamber of Com
MERGE made answer in words worthy OF
framing, to be hung before the eyes OF
LEGISLATORS, male or female:
Hamilton overwhelmingly favors con-
scription as only fair method for democ-
racy. Ask you and other Representatives
of Montana to stand firmly by the Presi-
dent in his plansif need be, alone.
If need be, alone There is the courage
which how many voices of legislators and
statesmen have lacked in the past three
years And the Chamber of Commerce
of Hamilton, Montana population 2,24O,
bites out the words while you wait.
By a coincidence there were published
in The Tribune on the same day the words
of Joseph Chamberlain, written in 1898,
to DR.. Morton Prince, of Boston. One
striking passage in his extraordinarily in
teresting letter reads:
The statesmen whom Victor Hugo de-
scrbed Gun homme d'etat c'est une Ger
tame mediocrite superieureO are timid.
They will not take occasion by the hand
but the people are all right, and, sooner or
later, the cor populi will prevail.
The ror populi has prevailed; and in
prevailing it has exhibited all the courage
and all the imagination which contempt
rary statesmen have lacked.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30

food, in spite of the submarines, to the men
who are lighting our fight.
If the war lasts beyond this sumner 70
will be the American farmer who will win
or lose the war. who will overcome mill
tarism and autocracy or allow then. 20
spread and control the world, ourselves in
cuded.
This is no fanciful picture. but sober fact.
Many man will make light of it until re
comes to think it over but | venture t. say
that few will treat it lightly after careful
thought. Il is no more impossible than the
great war itself appeared to be only few
days before it began.
1t is true that we can greatly increase the
available food supply out of grain now used
in making liquors and by reducing house
hold waste But when these two things are
DONE and done thoroughly, they will not DC
enough. The final decision will still rest in
the hands Of the men who raise our food IN
the first place
The clear duty of the nation is to guar
antee the farmers fair price for their
crops when grown and reasonable supply
of labor at harvest. The clear duty of the
farmer is to raise food enough to win this
war for democracy against Kaiserisn.
No such responsibility has ever rested on
any class of men since the world began az
rests to-day on the farmers of America
CLIFFORD PINCHO1.
Milford, Penn, April 26, 1917
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30

and efficiently than any other
living officer he has worked for universal
military training and service. He boldly
preached the doctrine Of CONSUMPTION when
few others had the courage to use that
word. Public indifference never
deferred or discouraged him. But for ms
breadth of vision, energy and fidelity
American opinion might not even now
have been educated up to the point G dis
carding volunteering as broken stan.
His name will be Justly coupled with Up
tons as a leader in the fight TO destroy
our most dangerous military delusion.
Equally with Upton his place will he Sc
cure in the history Of Che nrodernlzation of
tho military system of the United States.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30
The Backyard Gardener
ofrom The Detroit JourHGD


That backyard gardener who says he has
put forty dollars worth OF work into his
patch and taken out ten dollars worth Of
products is lost. lie is betrayed by apply
ing conventional business thought to an af-
fair that should be as far from business rs
fishing for catfish is from making real
estate deal
The least valuable thing that the amateur
gardener gets out of his plot Is vegetables.
Infinitely more important Is the exercise,
the interest in growing things, the associa-
ton with black soil, cutworms. mysterious
fungus diseases and new forms of worry.
The man who leaves problem downtown
and tackles another kind of problem back
Of the kitchen goes through a training in
proportion. The man who fees from the
irritation OF competitors and tackles the
competition OF wet ground or neighbors'
hens learns a fact of value to all men, that
few things are acquired without a struggle.
ii "in the sweat Of thy face shalt thou eat
bread" is true it is equally true that only
through work and watchfulness shall YOU
make a garden patch bring forth IT. in
crease.
Gardening is the thing, not the yield;
clean, honest toll in the sweet open air not
the radishes and onions and tomatoes.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30
From Free America

TO the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: One Of the most recent Official acts
of the sovereign people of New York was to
repudiate Elihu Root and the constitution
he had devised for their state. That cir
cumstance, coupled with his reputation rs
the high priest Of reaction in the Western
Hems sphere, makes him the ideal emisssry OF
free America TO free Russia. II is deplor-
able that Alexander Hamilton is not alive
to accompany Root on this delicate exped-
ton that we are sending abroad TO regulate
Russian liberty II Congress will only
hurry through with the military conscrip-
ton bill American plutocracy may expert
ence the holy JOY, some months later, OF
contributing an army to put down the mobs
Of freemen who will shortly rise in their
might TO make an end Of the catastrophe in
Europe. HANNA.
Philadelphia, April 81, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30
A Grave Injustice
itor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir;' If your article in yesterdays Trib
une on the training camps for officers i.
authentic as to facts. a grave injustice vii
be done to many of the men who have spent
the better part of the last two year: in H.
ting themselves for commissions in the Off
GERS Reserve Corps.
refer to the part of the article whiet
states the The officers commissioned in he
o. r. c. will be ordered to camps of instrue.
tion for a period of three months without
pay. Many Of these men have already spent
two or more months in the Plsttsburg CAM
at their own expense and have given nam
hours of time to study to prepare themselves
for their examinations.
1t is again putting a premium on wealth
FOR the reserve officer with an independsn
income naturally will welcome the Oppor
tunity to take the training. How many mer
working on a salary land there are many Of
them who have won commissions at eonsid
cradle financial loss 10 themselves and theii
families) can take three months, vseatior
without hardship, and in some cases ~tua
want, to their families?
Patriotism is not so prevalent n this eoun-
try to-day as to make it advisable to con
staney put handicap on it, And what about
the law TO the effect that the government
cannot accept gratuitous services?
The national defence act Of June
1915, Section IS, reads: Officers Reserve
Corps in war. In time of actual or threat
ened hostilities the President may order
officers of the O. r. c. TO Temporal,
duty with the regular army, or
officers OF volunteers or other organization
that may be authorized by law; or as officers
Of recruit rendezvous and depots, or on sues
other duty as the President may preserips
When such officers are on such ser
vice they shall by virtue Of their eomns
sions as reserve officers exercise cornInsn'
and shall be entitled to pay and 81
lowances Of the corresponding grade IN 'n'
regular army"
There is ample authority under TIE e~s''
gency appropriation to pay the reserve our
GERS, and il there IS a joker in the nsuons'
defence act, as you state in your article .,
amendment should be made to the prese"'
oct covering This point ABB.
Islip. Long Island, April 20. 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30
Getting Aid to the Farmers

Great stress has been laid by every gov
eminent agency since the declaration Of
war on the necessity for raising bumper
crops in order to feed ourselves and our
allies. Indications of a willingness to re-
spond have been gratifying. Everybody
with available land, from professional
farmers to commuters, women club mem
bers and children with plots in school gar
dens. has rallied to the call to be soldier
of the soil" Two great items stand in the
way of making this movement really effec-
tive-the difficulty of obtaining seeds or
money for seeds, at present prices, and the
scarcity of farm labor.
Many schemes have been suggested for
drafting Of men not fit for military service
and the impressing of schoolboys, Boy
Scouts and other potential labor not now
employed. 1t may be assumed that pres
emily some government action will be taken
to put seeds within the reach of the farm
ers or funds in farmers hands to pur-
chase seeds even at present prices, and to
make available supply of labor But in
the meantime no agency exists which can
serve as a go-between for farmers and Off
caldom-which can correlate the needs OF
the farmers and the resources of the gov
eminent to meet them. As the situation
stands, farmers with available acreage,
hitherto unworked for lack of sufficient
capital or sufficient labor. must get into
touch with county farm bureaus, with their
state departments Of agriculture or with
the Federal department, and all this in
wolves some uncertainty about the result
and inevitable delay, while the planting
season is at hand.
To supply the missing link in the chain,
the Merchants Association has evolved an
excellent plan to be applied in the agricult-
ural district tributary to New York City.
At the request of its food problem COM
mittee, President Morgan has written to
banks and trust companies throughout this
state, New Jersey and Connecticut urging
the formation Of local committees of bank
clN, farmers ana DuSlHeSS HCll' lhSSt
committees are to learn the financial and
labor needs of farmers and to tabulate
them and communicate them to govern
nent agencies. They are to assure the
farmers that financial aid will be forth
coming and that labor will be supplied so
that no time may be lost in putting under
cultivation all workable land
Such committees would have an impor-
tant place in the campaign for intensive
foodstuff production. farmer in plough
ing and planting time cannot indulge In
extensive correspondence regarding funds
for charging his work. But if he can go
to some responsible representative Of
local group Of bankers and business men
and get assurance of a loan to finance pur-
chases Of seeds and fertilizers, and file
request for a certain number of farm
hands, with the certainty that his requisi-
ton will be honored when the aid is needed
he will have every inducement to keep
every tillabe acre busy.
President Wilson has said that upon
the farmers of this country in large meas
ure rests the fate Of the war" The farm
ers may be depended on to do their part,
but the problem is bigger than that. This
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30

To the Editor Of the Tribune.
Sir: As member Of the lst New w
Cavalry, wish to protest against ine y.
stacles put in the Guardsmen's way to"s'"
getting an appointment in the Ofieers
serve Corps. The last ruling states 'ns, ..,.
examinations will be given for officers ~ ~.
time; instead, all those who already nas ~
pointments also applicants, must at then ~.
expense undergo a prescribed course Of rs'''
ing at some designated camp. y.
Inasmuch a. the Guard officers reiO'. ~,
give us ninety days furlough to undergo ~.
training. we are unable to get comuniss -,
even though we could pass the exanln'.As.
o-day. 1t would appear to me that me" s.,.
have already served eight months on .ns Is
der and who are Of as high s'sna'"t
those in my regiment ought to be s'~
preference over citizens who are just ass'''
;rs 10 earry a rifle. A TRooPEA
New York, April 2e, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30
Singing The Star-Spangled Banner

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: | stopped at a recruiting stand at
Fifth Avenue and Forty-second Street to-day
TO listen to a very able speech which young
man was making in an cndeavor to stir the
men to a sense Of the duty which they owe
their country. At the conclusion of his
speech he asked the people (and there were
large number to join in singing "The Star
Spangled Banner" He started the anthem
twice but no one joined him. and as he was
not a singer he was compelled to stop, much
to the apparent amusement of the crowd.
Fortunately, a lady volunteered to lead the
singing, and she sang one verse and the
chorus, with perhaps half dozen or a dozen
people joining in, while il was necessary in
several instances for the National Guards
men who were at the stand TO tell men (and
probably citizens to remove their hats.
have never witnessed more disgraceful
scene Such thing would never have hap
pened in any other country, especially at a
time like this Can you imagine similar
crowd of English or Canadians being asked
to sing "God Save the King? Every one
would have sung il, and not been ashamed to
do so, as apparently many people to-day were
ashamed TO sing. America is at var. and its
citizens are asked TO join in singing our
national anthem. and they not only do not
sing it or try to sing it, hut seem to con-
slider it quite Joke" that no ono could
sing it.
Il was not an ignorant crowd-there were
rich and poor, fairly representative crowd -
but they were ignorant of their national an
them or else ashamed (which seems even
worse) 20 sing IT. \ WOMAN.
Yonkcrs, ~ Y, April II, 1871
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30
Science and Craftsmanship

tFrou, The Times. Of London
Let US face the fact freely that emnence in
scientific research does not of itself confer
judgment in the conduct of life; but if it IS
conjoined with such judgment you get the
most effective man Of all, compared with
whom the administrator who lives by picking
other mems brains is helpless. He speaketh
with authority, and rot as do the scribes.
The true way of using the scientific men in
business or official life is to staff the whole
establishment with them and then to pick out
for the direction those who develop talent for
administration and judgment in affairs.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30
The Reserve Corps Tanol.
Department to Blame for Shall
Treatment Of Candidates

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In your excellent editorial -.
where Tact Would Have Counted,
miss very important point.
You say at is encouraging to know a..
candidates for commissions who hav. -.
their examinations are not to be suh,.-'.
to additional tests etc, etc.; "tba, 81.
who have already qualified will receive -.
missions whether they enter the t,,i,a
camps or not"
The point is that the men who have T.
commissioned, or who have qualified for -.
missions. arc supposedly better fitted =
such positions Of command than a new
picant for the camp without training y.
many Of them have but a Theoretical &c."
ing. and even those who have seen e.,
service arc far from trained officer.
judged by the regular army standards. ~
need this three months training in nod.-5'
ways of warfare just as much az "A =.
"rookics." and / even question IL the roos
after this training will not make b.e..
officer than some already commissioned
As these reserve officers or prospective. =.
serve officers who have qualified have h..
grounded in Tho clements OF military -
erce, is the government playing the gan.s
not giving them an opportunity 70 nsrs.-
themselves by field training without e,W..
on them for more "gratuitous servivce.S
| myself served through the Sosn;,s.
American War in Cuba, attended the Plat,
burg camp, have successfully completed N.
winter courses prescribed by the War NJ.
partment in the past two winters. suses,..
fully passed my examinations for eom-i,.
sion over a month ago, and now have no,t
ing to show for that effort. I have slrs.s.
sacrificed great deal Of time and mar.
financially, than / would receive in y..,,
pay in my rank. and yet the department a,
demands an additional three months e,,.
rice.
There is no use in saying that We Sos,
have to go; VIC do. just as much a. II =,
were drafted. We all know We need N.
training; we all know we will be penali,.s
in competing with the men that have ,a.,n
it; we all know we will be considered sIa,s.
ers if We don't 60 Yet those that are ,,u.
ated, as | am, with dependent wife and chill.
rem, have to take their means Of support sv,v
to comply with such requirements.
Does such mismsnagement breed pstrio,.
ism? Docs it make better Americans Of az,
wives and children?
1t is gcrmane to this subject to call YOU,
attention to a provision that has always beep
a part Of the General Stats plan for The
army. One Of the first clauses has been; ~Re
organization Of the War Department" I'm.
I'll this reorganization occurs, until the de-
partment cleans house from top to bottom
and at present the top is a good place ia
commence), and businessike. thorough
and efficient method Of conducting the bust
ness Of that department is devised, we will
always have continual orders and plans Of $
like nature to this one of training officers.
A. BP.
lslip, Long Island. April s6, 1911.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30
Mysterious

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: am writing to bring up point 'n''
so far has escaped the notice Of the Vsf0D'
officers Of the reserve who have protests
against the gross injustice that IS Oe'as
forced upon US. On Governors Island =.
other day met lieutenant OF engineer.
who had his examination in March ana 20
commissi oned on April IS. The fact ! We
to bring TO your notice is that was ear 0ss.
ined in February and am not yet COMM
stoned.
As | understand il, go without pay :"
smaller pay, than the man whom ! rank y |.
grade and whom | preceded in exanin'''''
by a month.
RESERVE
New York, April 26, 1917
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30

suggestion for local committees to work
with them and the government agencies Is
highly practical. in that it will enable the
farmers to start their part Of the work Inn
1nndiafclN. as is noccssarV.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30

vow can purchase merchandise advertised
IN THE TRIBI NJ with absolute satet>-ior
n dissatisfaction results in any case M
TRIBUNE guarantees 20 PAY YOUR money bacN
upon request. No rcd tape No clubbing. We
make good promptly il the advertiser does not
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30
Austria and the Vatican
Blu a French Catholic

,cd on an /rGclc in the Revue de Paris Signed "X)
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-30

,.r~-a,ruo~ rArr> %, Nal ro.'s' Pad. '''-
f-er.rr Nrv Nc.f
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-07-27
Thousands of Men Regis
tered Under the Draft
Write to Washington
WILL
NOT BE ANSWERED
They Should Seek Information of Local
Boards, and Failing There, the Next
Court of Resort Will Be the Governor
of the State
Of the State.

WASHINGTON, July 27T Thousands Of
men registered under the selective service
law have been flooding the provost marshal
generals office with questions. As re-
suit the provost marshal general today pro
mulgatcd rules under which no question
from individuals or from local exemptions
will be answered by his office These
rules follow: Questions by individuals
should be asked Of the local board near
est them II the board is unable after
consideration Of the regulations and rulings
to answer the question it should forward
the question to the governor for decision
Questions from local boards should never
be addressed to the provost marshal gen
erals office, but in all cases should b1
forwarded to the governor OF the state
In no case viii opinions or rulings be given
on individual cases that have not vet becf
presented to the proper local board
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-07-27
PERSONAL.

Mrs. Charles Evans has returned from
a week visit with friends i'll Ludlow
Mrs G +. Bingham is spending several
days at Spofford lake as guest OF Mr..
and Mrs Amidon of Chesterfield.
Miss Margaret McGinn, stenographer in
r. c. Bacon's office, went this afternoon
to her home in Windsor Locks, Conn, on
two-wceks vacation.
Leon Akley. son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry
f. Akley Of Brattleboro, has enlisted II
Troop |, 3rd squadron, Colorado cavalry
at Overland Park, Denver, Col.
Lewis Kent Of Montclair, \. J., who
has been spending vacation with Mr.
and Mrs Robert Kent in Guilford, vii
return to his home tomorrow
Godfrey Crosby left this afternoon b!
automobile for Amsterdam, \. Y, Mrs
Crosby, who has been visiting at he
home, will accompany him here tomorrow
or Sunday
Leon d. Chamberlain, who has beel
o1king here several months for Lero
II. Wagner, has moved his family fror
Bridgewater, Mass, and taken an apart
ment on Birge street.
/, James NJ Adams left this morning fo
Boston on vacation which he will spen
in Massachusetts and New Hampshire
Mrs. Adams will join him in the Whit
mountains about Aug. 6.