davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
DEGENERATE AMERICA"

To the Editor Of the EUenino Ledoer:
Sir-One cannot help being struck by the
very parochial point Of view which your
readers take up in this discussion per-
son who knows but one country is no fudge
of countries, as he has no standards of
comparison to pass any opinion of any
value. 1t has been my lot to visit the
United States every year for the last thirty
years and several other countries as we'll
There is no doubt whatsoever that tho
worship of the dollar has reached a dan
gerous stage in. this country Both civic
and national spirit ~ weak, and concerted
action against a venial and corrupt police
and magistracy does not exist The Grim
inal and murder statistics OF the United
States are disgraceful More than 1000 mur-
ders during 1916, and about one and n
half per cent of those brutal maIefactors
paid the just penalty of their crime Roh.
berry is rife, and this proves the existence
of large body of secret buyers of stolen
articles There are parts of this city
which burglary insurance companies re-
fuse to insure. on any terms Whatsoever
The widespread habit of using narcotics is
another scandal. AS many of the cIerg,,
recently have remarked. the style of MANI
women's dress is simply loud, tasteless
copy OF the worst OF the Partisan demi-
monde, The popular movie" pictures
with their vaudeville views of high So
ciety and their awful grimaclng, contor-
tionng, gibbering heroes and heroines rem
resent the lowest grade of idocy capable
of being produced The run on the nude
pictures, too, shows the low taste of their
patrons. Commercial morality is very low.
indeed. The churches. instead of preach
ing the Gospel, simply give theological lee
lures with refined musical accountant
ment The enormous number Of divorces
is another dsagreeable feature OF Amer
lean life. The ideal Of true liberty has
been merged into careless license. The
presidential horror u war has somethlng
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
WHO IS MISTRESS OF THE SEAS? ?

TO the Editor Of the Erenin1 Ledger:
Sir-According to EVENING LEDGER
dispatches today, the British Admiralty ad-
mits that IA small German vessel bom-
barded the east coast of England
With German submarines operating in
the west Atlantic. the North Sea, the
English Channel, the Irish Sea, the Mediter-
ranean and the Adriatic, with German
raiders piercing the British blockade of
Germany and playing havoc with enemy
shipping and with about one ship per day
of the Allies and of neutrals being tor
pedoed how can the fiction that England is
mistress of the seas be sustained by facts?
German warshps have often bombarded
English towns When did an English war
ship lombard one solitary square inch Of
German soil? The strength Of the British
navy. 1t is true, has kept German shipping
off the seas but what record has that navy
made in the way of actual fighting? Echo
answers nothing" and echo is perfectly
right. e. j. COY.
Philadelphia, January 26
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
Answers 10 Yesterdays Quiz

J. General PershinE's force entered Mexico
March Is, 1916.
9. "EV librS." used on book plates, means
"frOm the library"
3. Meyer london Is Socialist Rcprcsentatiy 70
from New York.
4. In the, Carib tongue Haiti signifies trough
land"
D. CARLYLE was said to have understood Ger
many better than did any other ISrit0n.
o. The Spr0ul resolution, introduced in the
state Legislature by Senator William G.
Nproul. OF Delaware County, proposes "A
commission TO investigate GOyernOr Drum-
baugh's alleged malaGmnistratiOn and
eNtraVaGance.
:. \ nOytheistc religion Is one In which many
gods wOrshiped
4. DIR. Charles y. SteinmetZ IS this cOuntry's
most noted electrical engineer.
D. Daylight -sayinE consists in turning the
clock forward one hour, a. has been done
~ Austria, France, Germany, Great
nrltnin, Italy, Sweden, Norway and
Denmark.
10. The thCory OF peace without victory" Is
that IL one antagonist crushes another II
would Operate against future peace by
leading to wars of revenge.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

I would not know the future If could
If it be charged with evil or with good
Since, knowing ALL today would lose its zest
No fascinating riddle left unguessed
No problems left unsolved of any kind
To stimulate the mind.
And Eothing of surprise
To stir the heart and captivate the eyes.
John Kendrick Bangs Daily Line o. Cheer.
All, pcs, but il from Wall street, John.
you might
into the future peer,
You could enjoy, and neUer hare to aorite,
A Daily Line o. Cheer.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
THE ADMONITION

The January sunbeam comes a-linger,n,
along,
An the neht that glmmers feebly through
the mist is CROWN strong.
Though the blusterin' wind may RIA
From the gray and frosty skies.
There's the promise of blossom an, a..
whisper of a song '"'
AS the sunbeam writes letter 'nongst tbs
shadows on the snow: '"e
It's a message to Old Winter an 4, so,..
you've got to goP says
Old Winter gets indignant an" he trias :.
make a bluff. ~
An frighten all creation with his swso
germ so tough.
An the sunbeam stands aIoof
While he rattles round the roof.
Till Winter weakens some, inquirin' .Tyay.
you had enoughY"s
An the sunbeam merely answers, with the
writin' plain an slow,
In great, big golden letters; an ~ saw.
You've got TO 90 r.
Y "a n 81 ~ --Washinrton etar
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
CANNED OPENERS
Predigested Preludes Prepared for Post.
prandial Prattlers

Predigested Preludes Prepared for Post.
prandial Prattlers
The main thing in after-dinner speak.
ing is to get good start. To assist those
of our readers who may be with us to.
nightH (and who, pray. is not at one time
or anotherD we have inaugurated this
department
We will assume that it Is the annual
banquet of the Clannish Caledonians.
The pupil will arise. bow and say:
"Unaccustomed as I am to public
speaking, / am reminded at once of a
story which 1 am sure will interest you.
1t seems one man said to another:
Were you ever at McPhersons house?
the Mcpherson in question being
typical Scott. I was the other man
replied. Indeed, and did you ever get
a meal there? One. l was there for
breakfast, dinner and supper one day.
1t was Artemus Ward, l think who
upon returning from his European lee
ture trip remarked, am no sporting
man, but it was my privilege to OBJ
serve a close race across the Atlantic
'Yes? queried friend. and what was
it, praJ?' The Scotch said Artemus
In his droll drawl."
This should be sufficient as a starter.
for our pupil will now be well upon his
way.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

Here is a simple problem in common
sense arithmetic that was recently pro-
pounded at a gathering of publishers, who
are supposed to know all about books, but
that stumped everyone:
IT have standing upon my private shelf
an old edition of the Aeneid in two volumes
Each volume is bound In covers an eighth
of an inch thick and contains 800 pages
that make the total thickness of the paper
alone in each book about an inch. Now,
hungry and enterprlsing bookworm, begin
ming at page one. volume one, ate its way
clear through page 800. volume two. How
long hole did that bookworm maker"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

source. but don't take my opinions
from the papers; never read their
leading articles (editorlals).'
Every opinion he expressed responded
accurately to just that distribution OF
emphasis In the news OF our time which
marks the Northcliffe press. Given
the facts as this householder conceived
them. he could come TO no other opin-
ION; and those facts--one group OF
them stressed day after day and an
other group lntrinsically as important
quietly hidden away in corners-were
presented as Lord Northcliffe had de-
creed they should be presented
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

encminate about it. All these remarks do
not mean that the leaven of brave and reso-
Lutte manhood does not still exist in this
country America does not seem to rea-
lize the magnificent remnant CT American
chivalry In those college boys helping the
wounded and dying on the blood -sOdden
fields Of France. As long as a country can
produce such men there is hope for her.
Has the spirit OF the old tea party in
Boston harbor died out? Did the North
and South settle their differences with
fountain pen? What is the difference be-
tween the assassination of the Maine and
the Lusitania? Shall civilization mean
that human life can he paid for like bales
of cotton? l trust not. The soul OF
America will yet awaken, and may | have
the joy of seeing it and recognizing IT,
GASTON BOITTEAC.
Philadelphia January so.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
THE SHELL QUESTION

To the Editor Of the EUCHin0 Ledger:
Sr-England refuses to permit an Eng
lsh firm to manufacture shells for the
United States. Is it not perfectly in order,
then, that the United States forbid the
making of shells here for the British?
True it is that England needs every shell
she can get, and her refusal to permit any
TO go out of the country was entirely proper.
But it is just as true that Uncle Sam needs
all the shells that can be made for him. and
in manner, needs them just as badly as
Johh bull' ALPHA
Manayunk, January 81
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
Valued Above Mathematics

now IN developing n disciplined and ef-
tectlNely working mind the Latin language
Is FOR these and for other reasons, a power
luI lhSVrument-to my way of thinking.
Iar the most powerful, surprising even
mathematics and the bugbear Greek, Those
VINO cannot learn Latin-more often. | sus-
pect, 1t is will not than cannot-are NOT
those who will have the grasp of the mast
ana or the present and the vision of the
future TO reorgauize our American indus
tries Tor meeting sharpened competition.
II boy cannot be efficient at his studv
then he lacks certain clements of mind 10
make him a leader; If he will not concen-
trate his energies on this study why expect
MN 10 concentrate successfully on some
thlng else which is far more eXactingp The
hlament in the electric lamp resists tho
passage of the electric current and this
resistance is the sole reason why II glows
with brilliant light; it is only a study
which resists the effort of the boy to master
it that can bring out his possibilities.
Therefore | firmly believe that in tho
times after the close of the present dread
ful war Latin must always have n central
place in the school curriculum, which ia most
worth while for those who are to do tno
work most worth while, for it will assist
powerfully in developing a spirit of dis
cipline enabling men to work in harp,or,,
with one another and an efficiency which
will reform our present careless and waste
full methods
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
THE NECESSARY BUT INSIGNIFICANT
HALF

Sir-In last weeks Catholic STANDARD
and Times l read
In the Church of st. Francis de Sales
on Saturday morning OF last week the mar
riage of Miss Frances Il. A. Mccain.
daughter OF MIR. and Mrs Cornelius Nc
Cann was solemniEed at a nuptiai mass
Mellon. A sister, Miss Regina c. McCann,
attended the bride. III. Eugene Eichmsn
was best man.
Some people who were not present at the
wedding are anxious to send the bride
greetings of material kind. but do not
know her newly acquired name. What do
you suggest? MORRIS
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
Tom Daly's Column
FEB.
Feb.

Feb,
Though tce're glad your face TO sco,.
G'tCdni
You are little better than
Jan. "
one and thirty days he ran;
Some,chdt brieter Is vom span.
BIT you're of the seltsdme clan
G'tcdni
We tcho hope and yearn and plan
To dchiere coat OF tan,
Rise and tell you Beat Hi G',oani.
Hdrk TO Time, the td1imdn.
"Kebl"
Get aboard and beat Il. G'toan,
Ebb,
Febl
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
VERMONT AND ITS COURTS

Vermont is passing through its periodical
upheaval In relation to its courts. Public
opinion demands simpler judicial procedure
and more speedy justice that shall be with
in reach of the poor as well as the rich A
small but influential portion of the bar is
determined that things shall remain as they
are. The result is persistent antagonism
disrespect for profession which rs desery-
ing of thS highest respect, lessened prestige
for our judicial system and an unwholesome
condition of affairs generally as regards the
administration of Observation-Disclosures Free
Press and Times.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
QUIZ

I. What was the Stone OF Scone?
2. Where is the "rainicst place In the world"?
3. Why Is, physician called disciple OF
hesculapius?
4. Locate Porto Rico. with reference to the
Danish West indies.
3. Who Is Il. W. Boiling?
q. Who was Mrs. Marian Iewes Crosse
:. What race forms the greatest part OF Ha-
walls population?
4. At what point IL Pennsylynnia's greatest
elevation above the sea?
D. What i the Bureau Of War Risk Insur-
ance:
10. How far il the port of New York from the
open sea?
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
BRITAIN HAD WARNING

rTyHE British Government knew what
1 was coming, for on Saturday of last
week it announced an extension of the
area in the North Sea in which neutral
shipping could not enter without dan.
ger. The new area was big enough to
cover the ports which Germany controls.
The purpose OF the extension OF the dan
eerous area was TO make the blockade
~ Germany more effective and to pen
tho f1erpan warshlps IN their ports SO far
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

WHEN we contemplate the heap Of let.
ters upon our desk, the accumulation of
the pneumoniac interreg mum, it is incon.
ceivable that anything could have been
lost. But such is the case. There was a
long and interesting letter from Gus, one
of our charter contribs, who is now in
London. We read it when the nurse
wasn't looking. She took it away from
us later and all we can remember of its
contents was the news that a man named
Alias is wigmaker and costumer on the
Strand.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
The British Parli

The British Parliament is finding
time between consideration of various
war measures to take up the subject of
electoral reform. 1t is proposed to hold
all parliamentary elections on the same
day instead of scattering them over a
period of several weeks. This change
would make much of the plural voting of
the past impossible, for a man with a
voting residence in half a dozen different
constituencies could not make the rounds
while the polls were open; but a man
with O residence in one constituency and
business place in another is to be per.
mitted to vote in both. This is a radical
restriction on plural voting in the in.
terests of democracy. To adopt It in
America would be an equally radical de.
parture from established custom. Yet
there are many municipal reformers who
believe that the standard of city gov.
ernment would be raised If the business
men who live and vote in the suburbs
were permitted to vote in the city as
well. What do the readers of the
EvENINo LEDGER think of the wisdom
Of adopting such a plan for the better.
ment Of Philadelphia? Or do they think
* would not improve conditions at all?
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
Old Church

G. b. NJ Jr-The deserted church n,
Broad and Spruce streets formerly was
the beth Eden Baptist Church About
a quarter of n century ago thai cor,r.o.
ton united with the First Baptist Cbnron
then located at Broad and Arch streets ana
the combined congregations built the MI r"u
ent FIRST Church, at 18th and Sanson,
street streets, The old Beth Eden Church was
SOFA ana mas not been used since. excen,
for period as a Christian Science olp ncept
and for sundry meetings '"urch
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
SAM LOYD's PUZZLE

ENIGHT children divided thirty.two an.
II Piles as follows: "p
Ann got one apple, May took two
Jane three and Kate four. Ned sm,th
received as many as his sister. Tom
Brown twlee as many as his sister, Bill
and Jack Robinson four times as manv
as his sister many
Can you tell the surnames of An.
May, Jane and Kate?. 'i'
Answer to Yesterdays Puzzle
THE giraffe could beat the hipno hv
i 1884 OF mile.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
One member of a train crew ge

One member of a train crew gets
. $2500 verdict because he broke an arm
while flirting with red-headed woman.
Now comes another member of another
train crew who is being sued for $25OO
for stealing kiss from another woman
who itemizes the bill 'at $4,000 for the
kiss and $500 for a sprained wrist in try.
ing to avoid it, Trying to even matters,
Il would seem.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

WE RUSH the above into print with.
out consulting Mr.. Bangs about it, but
we know what he'd say. He said it to
us many years ago, when we were timid
about publishing a squib about him: 60
ahead. Sweet are the uses of Adver.
tising.'" We thought at the time that
he might have made it more clever and
more exact If he had said, Sweet are the
uses of Adver.-see, T?"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

MISCHA ELMAN, whose comical avr.
wardness and glorious fiddling observed
and heard at a Philadelphia Orchestrs
concert year or so ago inspired one
of our best poems. has been elected
Supreme Musical Violet. Bert Lesion
Taylor hung this honor upon him on
the strength Of the testimony Of a friend
who had heard the modest Elman saw
How do they know Paganin played as
we'll as / do?" And now another witness
appears in Bert's court, to testify in
language that even our most un.Teutonlc
of readers may enjoy without an inter.
prefer:
lie told me once of having spent the
entire afternoon alone in Central Park.
New York. "Es muss aber sehr einsam
gewesen sen, den ganzen Nachmittag
ALLEN zu sein," said |. 80 nein," neined
he; 'wo Eman list. list man niemals
alen." That held me for a while
Eff
This, as one of our eve. contemps would
say, is modesty pure and simple"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

The Suggestion that the city mark
the beginning of work on the develop
ment of the League Island Navy Yard
by an appropriate celebration is receiv.
ing the Endorsement which it deserves.
The equipment of the yard for building
battleships means much to the city, but
1t means more to the nation. We as
sumo that In stressing its local signif-
canoe the country will not be allowed
to get the impression that we are going
to have merely local jolllfication.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

If THE PRESIDENT is to be 40
curately described in the pages of history,
1t will be necessary for Clio to suffer Q
spasmodic inspiration (see webster's
definition OF ''stammering') and announces
him as Tuttut'Thom wood-wood, WOOD
row WiLwil Wilson. & a
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

Doctor schaeffer is an optimist. He
thinks that the war would end in twenty
four hours IL about six kings he could
name were put in the trenches. The
superintendent of Public Instruction
credits kings with more power-than they
have.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

The Associated Artists of Philadei-
phia celebrated their second anniversary
by playing a one-act tragedy. When one
considers the proverbial fate Of artists
one cannot help asking now long the
act was. or Is.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
Philadelphia, Thursday, February l. 1917,
They are fighting for position ir
Harrisburg-and positions.

The c. O.'s, as the conscientious
obJectors are abbreviated In England,
who tried to poison Lloyd George are
evidently not conscientiously objecting to
private murder.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

Now | gladly admit that Latin Is hard.
That is why it is worth mere than the
so-calcd vocational studies" which really
lack utility ] know a boy of nine in a
| fourth grade who has not been taught
TO spell ordinary words hut Is obliged to
spend his time in hcmsttching "A highly
vocational study. highly use less to boy
BY the way, do those who take blacksmith
ing In the schools become backs.niths and
do those who make chairs and tables at
school become carpcntersf | doubt IL
thcY do; but that deserves II separate in
vcstgation,
Latin ] say, is hard for that very
reason II summons up all the students
powers and develops them. Ny first rule
or translation is ''if ii doesn't make sense.
1t isn't right" SO the student must at
every moment, in translating Latin Tse
| MS power of judgment to determine which
one OF the possibilities Of translation maltes
sense, and not only makes sense but makes
the sense required by the passage as n
whole. Is not the power of Judgment a
prime necessity for the business man, OF
course, Latin trains the memory: there are
forms Of words, meanings of words and
uSaEes of words and of forms which must
be remembered
Much as memory work has been de-
cried, what business man can be consid-
cred efficient who does not carry con-
stantly in his mind a myriad of details
the forgetting or inaccurate recollec-
tloh OF which would entail loss of pre-
cious time and money? Latin, it happens
is that school study which is best suited
Tor developing the memory. Again, the
study or Latin reacts favorably upon the
students use Of English, as teachers of
EhgIsh have constantly said in print; and
n correct use Of English is an asset of
much value in business relations, not merely
from the personal and social standpoint
but for the avoidance of misunderstandings
M
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

Mr.. Bryan's suggestion that the
state governments issue bipartisan news.
papers in which editorial space shall be
divided between the parties. to insure
eonsideration Of both sides of important
aAfters. leaves out a more important mat
-<or than editorial bias. and one which an
~ nowspaperman like Bryan should not
&Ee kor6otten-tha is. dishonest EN-.
r1ls on news items to mold the thought
& xeadsrs who do not read editorials.
t1s y well explained by Norman Angel
& ~ New Republic:
4 havs known an English house,
= 1c)1@r talk most contemptuously Of
f1&n Harmpvorth fellow and his half
nr 1onza<<ons" and become indig-
- ~ notion that he could be
e11 ~ hIs opinions thereby. and
<<n eroes-examinatiop that
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
With the Yves

With the Westinghouse Company
preparing to spend s7,OOO,OOO on the cree
ton of plant at Essington and the Gov
Sernment going TO spend s6,0000O0 Cor
improvements at the League Island Navy
Yard, rapid transit for South Philadelphia
and Darby cannot come day too soon.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

IN THE long rum Doctor-and the long
run frequently figures in college football
Doctor--starting too fast is not-pardon
the pun, Doctor-Goodspee
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

Boss Kuehnle is back" saying he
''made" Governor Edge and will make
him President, remembering that Boss
Jim" Smith made" Governor wilson
But Jersey Governors go to the White
House only on condition that they un-
make the men who made them.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

This sign. says Berenice, was actually
seen on the window of barber shop along
toward Pottstown:
SHAVING AND HAIRCUTTING
DONE
WHILE YOU WAIT
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
1t Would Seam Sew

sir-Bought a hand-me-dow shirt yes
terday. Two right-hand sleeves were sewsd
in. Would you say In this instance that
two rights make a wrong? CON.