davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1917-03-12
PRESIDENT KING HAS HIS WAY
AND THE PUBLIC IS PAY
ING THE PRICE

Against the better judgment of
the District Commissioners, the De-
partment of Labor, and, as we be-
lieve. even his associates in the own
ership and direction of the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company,
President King has brought about a
strike on the lines of his company.
The correspondence between the
various parties concerned and let
ters from those officials who sought
to prevent trouble appear in full in
other columns of The Times. The
only logical conclusion to be reached
is that President King was deter
mined upon one of two things: either
to crush unionism on the part of his
employees or bring about a strike.
And Mr.. King had his way. He
has full-fedged strike on his hands
and the public is paying the price
of discomfort and delay and danger.
The one thing everybody, and es-
pecially the strikers, should seek to
do, is to minimize as much as pos
sible the three DIS enumerated
above. Everybody must bear in
mind that the laws of the city and
of the country should under any cir
cumstances be Obeyed. There should
be no rioting, no melting to riot, no
destruction of property or injury to
person. Everybody should seek to
maintain a mental attitude of calm
judgment and restraint even under
provocation. The strike is much to
be regretted, but it is here and the
public can subtract something from
its undesirability by conducting itself
with as much charity as the circum-
stances allow.
The Washington times., 1917-03-12

Brooklyn navy yard, the measures
extemporized to meet the need, if
any, have not been published. New
York harbor and Long Island Sound,
the mouth of the Delaware and Bos-
ton harbor are apparently still un-
netted and unmined. No sufficient
motorboat flotilla, if any, is scouting
between Cape Ann and Cape Hen
lopen.
Yet enormous temptations press
Germany to strike at one or many
points between these extremes. Black
Tom, the scene of last summers Ca
tastrophe, and the natural point for
great part of our munition exports,
can be set in eruption once more by
the missiles Of a single submarine,
lying screened from the Governors
Island guns by Bedlow's Island.
Ships at anchor in the upper bay
during the. present shipping conges-
tion probably often exceed 100000
tons, all helpless before single
submarine. Inflammable piers gorged
with goods awaiting export to the
entente could be set fire in the in
cendiary operations Of a few minutes
by half-dozen submarines, so as to
deprive the entente of a vast ship
tonnage, hundreds of millions Of dol
lars worth of supplies and the facili-
ties for future loading of American
freight, all at a single blow. The
destruction of the under river tubes
and the East river bridges, less
easy to accomplish but still feasible
by several plans, would paralyze the
industry of the city for some time to
come.
A night run up to Albany might
make an end of the Hudson river
bridges and the possibilities Of
hydroaeroplane perils either in New
York or in the vicinity of Washing
ton are serious enough to warrant
precaution. Long Island Sound
along its south shore offers favorable
lurking places for submarines, and
the Maine and Massachusetts coasts
do likewise.
With such facilities and such ad-
vantages to be gained for attack it
would be idle to go on thinking that
Germany cannot or will not disturb
these coasts. Their peril and the
steps for their protection are a pub
lie concern and the public is entitled
to proof that the proper defensive
steps are being taken. AS yet it has
only Mr.. Daniels behest to keep
quiet.
The Washington times., 1917-03-12

United States Government. Neu-
trality implies obligations to this
country which will be enforced to the
letter.
Venustiano Carranza Ws large
farmer, educated for the law, serv-
ing with a marked degree of indie
pendence in Congress under Diaz,
elected governor of Coahuila, under
Madero, and refusing allegiance to
Huerta after Madero's deposition
and death. Under the process de-
scribed by Carlyle of "a revolution
devouring its own children" he has
survived, end has now received the
seal of popular approval. The peo-
pie Of the United States will be glad
to see him succeed in maintaining
peace and order in the troubled
region over which he has been called
to rule.
The Washington times., 1917-03-12
JEREMIAH" WORKS

Ex-senator Works seems bound to
remind US that there were twelve
Senators bent on paralyzing the de-
fensive power of the United States,
instead of the nine who still remain
in the Senate. His stay in Wash
ington and his ability to get a hear
ing here is perhaps due to his re-
luctance to return to California and
the impossibility of securing an au-
dience there.
But Works should have homol-
gated with his fellows who tumbled
over themselves to vote for cloture
while protesting that the Presidents
description of the helplessness of the
Senate had nothing 70 DO with that
result. Works thinks that we have
a dictator and a despot in the White
House who bends Congress obedient-
ly to his will.
The wittiest thing ever said about
Works was the remark of a Califor-
MIA Congressman: Works asks the
Lords advice every morning and
then coppers his tip" For the bene-
fit of those to whom the fame of
faro is unknown, it is sufficient to
say that he proceeds to act in oppo-
sition to the advice received. No
other theory could possibly account
for his mental alterations.
The Washington times., 1917-03-12
AN ALMA MATER

Alma Gluck comes into the lime
light with the advice to American
mothers to shoot their sons rather
than have them go to war. The logic
that, if this advice were adopted,
there would be no war, is not i'm
mediately comprehensive except on
the theory that Germany and like
minded nations are to be converted to
the new idea first. 1t would hardly
help matters in the face of an invad-
ing army to have this Wholesale fill
eide take place.
Point is given to the advice by the
consideration that Alma's boys are
both girls, and girl babies at that.
Should son be born to her, he might
well echo the wish of the Confederate
soldier who was found in battle cry
ing with fright and was upbtaided
for being a baby. He replied: 81
wish was a baby, and a gal baby
at that"
1t would be far more practical if
Alma could persuade the mothers of
all nations to follow her own example
and henceforth be the mothers of
girls only. After the unfortunate
nasculines had either been killed in
battle or had been shot by their
mothers, there would certainly be no
more war on earth. A little later
there would not be anything else
worth recording in the closing chap
ter of human history.
The Washington times., 1917-03-12
PRESIDENT CARRANZA

The elections held yesterday in
Mexico resulted in the prearranged
triumph of First Chief Carranza.
The confusing accounts of the num-
Der participating in the election come
from ignorance of the Mexican cleo
toral system.
For example, the opponents of the
:ll-fsted Madero constantly main
tanned that only 10000 votes were
cast for him out of a population of
100000. The 10000 were cleo
tors, representing, as in Carranza's
case, some million of voters. The
encouraging thing is that four years
after the despotism of Huerta was
established by conspiracy and as
sassination, followed by revolution
and anarchy, there has been an or
derby election of a President and a
Congress. The President will be in
augurated on May 1, and the Con-
gress will convene at the same time.
The new constitution does not pro-
vide for a vice president, but leaves
the Congress to elect a successor to
.he President, pending a popular
election. The Mexican vice presi-
dent is presumed to worry unduly
over the state of the Presidents
health, with a tendency to accelerate
the operations of Providence.
While the apparent restoration Of
civil processes will be hailed with
pleasure in the United States, the
election of Carranza will be received
with somewhat tempered joy. Per-
haps with a better understanding of
the Latin-American temperament, he
will prove to US that what has
seemed merely stupidity and stub
bornness was regarded as patriotic
INDEPENDENCE by the Mexican people
and strengthened his hands with
them. 1t is to be hoped that the un-
exampled patience of the State De-
partment in dealing with him will
not be taken as the result of cow
ardice on our part. Much depends
on the success of that skillful di.
plomatist, Ambassador Fletcher,
learned in Latin ways through His
South American experience.
The chief danger for Carranza and
his people just now comes from Ger
man intrigue. Doubtless he will be
given to understand that there will
be no federation Of that by the
The Washington times., 1917-03-12
Envy.

We wandered in the country, did the
little boy and I.
(But, this was in the summer, when
the ways were warm and dry.)
we strolled along the brooklet, and we
sat upon a log,
And / told him how a pollywog al
last became a frog.
1 pointed out the tadpoles, as they
wiggled in and out,
Explaining to him how the transfer.
nation came about;
And he looked upon the wrigglers
with a sort of glad surprise,
And the light of speculation was a.
shining in his eyes.
Why do they wiggIe so?" he asked,
and frowned a puzzled frown;
Because" I said, until they're frogs,
they never can sit down.
Until their tails drop off, and till their
legs begin to sprout,
There's nothing else for them to do
but wiggle all about"
II WISH" exclaimed the youngster, as
he shied a skipping stone.
That little boys were tadpoles until
they were fully grownI
I'd wiggle In the river, and you'd
croak upon the bank,
And you could never spank me-'cause
there'd be no place to spankl'
Ted Robinson, in Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
The Washington times., 1917-03-12
BRITISH PUSH ON
TOWARD MOSUL
Victorious Forces Do Not Rest
on Arms After Fall Of
Bagdad.

LONDON, March 12.-Mosul Is the
next objective OF General Maude's
victorious forces In Mesopotamia-
While details OF the occupation Of
the ancient city Of Bagdad were lack
ing today. and the public was ex-
pectantly awaiting q full narrative
which would show important captures
OF prisoners and war material from
the Turks in the taking of the city,
1t was known the British forces do
not intend to rest on their arms.
Mesopotamia Is now sncircled by
three great forces Of entente troops,
whose lines are Tightening and driv-
ing the Turks further toward the
tip of Asia embraced In Anatolia-
These forces are first, Geaerai
Maude's victorious column which has
taken Kut-el-Amara and now Bagdad
and Is still advancing: second, the
British force advancing along the
coast like Mediterranean toward Jer-
usalem; third, the Russian advancing
forces across Persia toward the Turk
ish flank and rear.
A fourth force OF Russians, from
which little has been heard recently,
Is around Mush, still fartner 10 the
rear of the Turks.
Military experts today hailed the
fall of Bagdad as q tremendous blow
at Turkish prestige and one likely TO
have far reaching effect in the near
east.
The capture of the city likewise
is the final blow inflicted on Berlin's
ambitious plans for . Berlin to Bag
dad railway which would connect
Germany with Asia.
The Washington times., 1917-03-12
~ : = = " -H-N = y
Washington, March II.
Believe. Public VIII Give Loyalty to

Strikers
To the Editor OF THE TIMES:
The present stand OF the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company
surely comes as no surprise. The
average washingtonian is well ac-
quainted with the caliber of this COM
pany, so that the present situation
could be easily foreseen. Personally,
feel as though 1 wanted to say, 81
told you So"
The men in the company's employ
should have seized the opportunity
one week ago, and demanded by
threat of strike at that time, that
their terms be met by the company.
However, they acceded to the cry
put UP by the company and now at
this time the company is showing
them the kind OF loyalty it possesses.
IL l am not mistaken, the public will
step in and demonstrate to the COM
pany that it's loyalty to the WASH
ington Railway and Electric Com
pany is about OF the same standard.
As for breaking the strike, will the
public patroniZe corporation which
treats the just demands OF its en-
ployes in this way? 1t is our duty
to stand by the men, even at the cost
of a little Inconvenience. Start now
walking to and from your work, for
you will benefit not only these unfair
ly treated employees, but you will
henefit your work and yourself. Stand
by the men and they will win.
JUSTICE.
Washington, March L..
The Washington times., 1917-03-12
SEABOARD PROTECTION

Mr.. Daniels has requested the
press Of the country to cease pub
fishing certain kinds of news relat-
ing to shipping, to its defense, and
to naval operations. Secrecy is a
defensive, weapon to which those re-
sponsible for sea protection are en-
titled. That the merchant ships of
the United States are to receive pro-
lection is assured in the statement
given out by the Presidents secre-
tary on Friday. AS soon as the as
surance is formally made the man.
ner of this protection will cease to be
public question, so long as the
Navy Department handles the work
satisfactorily. Mr.. Daniels request
as to ship news will be met with
every reasonable effort at compli-
ance by at least the majority of the
press.
The question of coast defense
wears quite different aspect. 1t is
one of most immediate personal
concern to the millions who live
within gunfre of tidewater on the
Atlantic seaboard. Nothing will be
taken for granted or on faith as to
the protection of this region, even
at the request of Mr.. Daniels.
1t is necessary to realize that the
Atlantic seaboard lies open to attacks
such as Germany has power to de-
liver in the event of a war declara-
ton, or even, according to a time
honored Prussian custom, before it.
Captain Nickerson, of the steamship
Indian, reported in Boston on March
8 that he had seen a submarine off
Fire Island. Mistakes in this sort
of thing are frequent yet such a re-
port should put the public on its
guard. The actual presence of Ger
man submarines on these coasts is
the only element needed TO complete
the situation that must be feared.
Here are the other elements of
this situation: The present German
submarines have proved their ability
to make the round trip across the
Atlantic, as the U-boat visits at
Newport witness. Germany faces
prospect of war with the United
States, whether she sends her u
boats here or not. By sending them
early she may wreak damage that
would be impossible once we were on
our guard. Mr.. Wilson's decision to
arm the merchantmen once an
nounced by him will supply Germany
with the assurance that she must
strike or yield. 1t may furnish the
signal for an American coast raid.
Against such a raid our standing
"modern" coast defenses are more
useless than old Castle Williams,
which at least sits on the water and
affords emplacements for rapid
firers. Save for steel nets at New
port News, plugging the Chesapeake,
and across the entrance Of the
The Washington times., 1917-03-12
WHATS ON PROGRAM
Interesting Events Of impertanes
SCHEDULED Today.

Entertainment and oyster roast. Fratsrnai Or
der Of Eagles. Sixth aPd z srssts north
Banquet of Mutual, Bensat Life Insurance
Company. Hotel Lafayette. D. m.
Memorial services for public school teachers
Of tenth. eleventh. twelfth. and thirteenth
cal Association. Metropolitan A. n E.
Meetins Of the Legion Of Loyal women. R.-
Concert By United States Marine Band Or
ehestrs, United States Marine barracks, 2:so
Meeting Of soeIsty Of Medical Jurisprudsncs.
university Club, s:l5 p; m;
Address on presidents Have Known" BY
Simon Wolf. before Ohio Society, RAusch-
Meeting Of Conduit Read Citizens AssocIa-
tion, 81. David's Parish Hall. .. m
Meeting Of Piaey Branch CitiSens' Assocta-
tion, Iowa Avenus Asthodist Episcopal
Meeting Of board CT directors. washinEtsn
Board OF Trade, t:l6 o'clock
Association. Northeast Temple. . D. m.
Meeting Of Congress Heights Public I'M
provsmsnt Association, LoSfner's Hotel, TO
Lecture on France by Nine. de wIlhorst.
Washington Club. 40 p. ~
Meeting Of johnson Powell Parent-Tsachsr
Mseting OF Georgia state Society. Kew Ed
Lecture @ = q on THE Value Of Good Teeth by
Harp r recital. 6y Miss virgins sisekSsad.
assembly hall. Y. N. G. A, p. m
Meeting Of ehairmen of subcommittses on ar
rangements for United Confederats vsts-
rams Union. New willard. $50 .. m.
Masonic-DAzson Lodge. No. Is; Hope. No.
%, and stansbury, No. a; Mt: Vernon
Chapter. No. ,: Hiram. No. 10, and Anacos-
tia, No. Il. Royal Arch; Temple Chapter.
No. IL. and Columbia, No. Is, Order Of the
Eastern Star.
Odd FeIlows-Beacon Lodge. No. Is: LAnsdon,
No. 26, and Union No. II.
Rebekahs-Esther Lodge, No. s.
Knights Of Pythias-Decatur Lodge, No. .;
Calanthe, No. IL: Ascalon Temple, No. IL:
Knights OF Khorassam.
National UnIon-Pressmen's Council.
The Washington times., 1917-03-12
Don Marquis
Column
The Debate.

The Debate.
I've talked 1t all over-the wherefores
and why's
With the Little Old Man with the
PARKWAY Eyes
Who comes to my den, seeks his own
cozy nook,
And watches his dad DER the rim of
his book.
I've talked it all DER, and he seems
to impart
A Joy that is new and a hope to my
heart:
Perhaps the ideas I've held all
along
All theorists views-are lamentably
wrong.
I've questioned him closely, and to my
surprise
The laughter brimmed full in his far
away eyes,
AS he ridiculed, shredded, the truths
I have hurled
Concerning the things that are
wrong with the world.
And when he disproved them and
made me forlorn
He laughed at me more in his pity
than scOrn-
A laugh that impaired a theory new,
"Now, is 1t the world that is faulty?"
or your"
All, here's an opponent who is won by
debate!
What argument ever could shatter or
mate
The sweet, sunny smiles and the
laughter and cheer
He brings to combat all my argu-
ments here?-
The goodness that shines In the face
of the tad,
That says, plain as words, that "the
world isn't bad
It's the same sunny world that you
knew, long ago."
And some way or other I feel he
should know!
John d. Wells, in the Buffalo
News.
The Washington times., 1917-03-12
THE CAPTURE OF BAGDAD

The capture of Bagdad by the
British troops after brilliant mill
tary campaign in which the taking
of Kut-el-Amara was the first sue
cess, is an event of far-reaching i'm
portance. Unless it is recaptured,
and that seems hardly possible now,
it ends the archaeological dream
on which has been based the great
German diplomatic success of en-
listing Turkey and Bulgaria on the
side of the central empires. The
moral effect on the Mohammedan
world is of greater immediate i'm
portance. The fact will be duly i'm
pressed upon the Mohammedan
mind that it is the Briton and not the
Teuton who has won possession of
the ancient city of the Caliphs.
The juncture of the British troops
under General Maude with the Rus
sian troops, one hundred and fifty
miles distant. who are pressing east
ward through Persia under the eff
cient leadership of the Grand Duke
Nicholas, is now to be anticipated.
The Russo-British line will then ex-
tend from the Black Sea to the Medi-
terranean, readily re-enforceable
from either sea and the march east
ward upon Constantinople will be
the next thing on the program.
The British strategy also reveals
the foresight of British plans. A
glance at the map will show that
porsession of the Mediterranean
coast of Palestine will put the Brit
ish in possession of the Damascus
railway connecting with the unfin-
ished line to Bagdad. That will give
the British the shortest line to India,
through the Persian Gulf, that has
yet been marked out, shorter by a
week than the Suez canal route. The
most significant thing is that Great
Britain can contemplate with equa-
nimity the possession of CONSTANT
nople by Russia, which is Russia's
chosen share of the spoils of victory.
British pluck and British deter
mination to hold her Indian empire
against all possible rivals of the fu-
ture have received new exemplifica-
ton. The capture of the ill-fated
Kut-el-Amara garrison under Gen.
eral Townshend in April, 1916, has
been amply avenged. The corre-
spending depression in Germany at
this new victory, with the failure of
the submarine campaign and the
prospect of gaining a new enemy in
the United States. coupled with the
facing of an early famine, can be
readily imagined. The past history
of German wars warrants the be-
lief, based upon a study of Teuton
psychology, that a sudden and COM
plete collapse of German effort is
among the possibilities of the near
future.
The Washington times., 1917-03-12
Tomorrow.

Mass meeting In interest of Booker T.
Washington memorial fund. John Wes-
ley A. NJ. z. Zion Church. Fourtsenth
and Corcoran streets northwest, s D. m.
stag" party by Park View CitizenR As
soeiation. Park View School. p. m
Rehearsal OF The Bohemian Girl" Thom-
son School. Twelfth and L streets north
Meeting OF North Washington CitIssns'
Association. Second and streets north
Musicale for the blind. pavilion No. :.
Library OF Congress, s:15 p m.
Entertainment by Weightman section of
Parent-Teaeher Association OF Grant
TOner-Weightman schools. assembly
hall. weightman School. afternoon.
Readers Club, auditorium, Public Ii
brary. Sis p. m.
Entertainment for Boy Scout Band. at
street northwest, p. m.
Beneft performance for Monroe Home and
school Association. Polls. s:ls ?: m,
Meeting Of executive committee, washing-
ton Board of Trade. p m.
"Story Telling Hour" with short talk on
The spell o. the Fairy T1s." by Miss
Eleventh street northwest. 4 p. m.
stereopticon lecture on Planning a Home
Garden" by II. c. Thompson. Wilson Nor
NAL school, Eleventh and Harvard streets
Banquet by Association Of Women Members
OF the Bar to the woman's lawyer division
of the Inauguration Suffrage Parade, New
Masked ball by Ladies' AuxfIlry Of Adath
Israel Congregation, Old Masonic Temple.
D. m.
Address, Abraham Iincoln's Message to the
Young Americans Of Today" by Judge Will
liam F. Norris. before Columbia Chapter
brotherhood. Western Presbyterian Church,
II street. between Nineteenth and Twentieth
streets northwest, y. m.
Address, Better Health for School ChIldren," 4"
by DR.. Prentiss Wilson, Monroe Home and
School Association. afternoon.
MAsonIc-Federal Lodge, No. /: Acacia, No.
IS, and Tahoma, No. %; Mt. Horeb Chapter,
No T. and Potomac, No. 9, Royal Arch:
DeMolay Commandery. No. 4, Knights Tenn
plar: Evangelist Chapter. Rose CroIx Scot
tish Rite: Electa Chapter. No. :. Bethlehem,
No. :; Friendship, No. II. and Ascension
No. -. Order Of the Eastern Star.
Odd Fellows-waEhingtnn Lodge. No. S; Got
den Rule. No. =, and AIrity. No. q: Fred
II. Stuart Encampment. No. 7.
Rebekshs-Ladies Auxiliary. Canton WASH
ington, No. l.
Knights OF Pythlas-webster Lodss, Ne. .,
Excelsior, No. IL; Capital, No. %. and
Myrtle. No. Is.
The Washington times., 1917-03-12
SInEuInrIy Similar.

Irwin Cobb attended an authors
banquet in New York.
\ deaf man sat next to Cobb. Far
ther down the table another man told
a fanny story, and when he finished
the deaf man laughed and applauded
louder and longer than any of the
rest.
Good old boy" shouted the deaf
man. THAT reminds me of a story
he added to those nearby.
"Gct up and tell 1t, Charlie" cried
several The toastmaster sanction ed
the suggestions.
Then the deaf man got up and told
the same story the other man had
told.-EXchange.
The Washington times., 1917-03-12
HOW IRLEs WAS DEFENDED
Germans Placed ,Eisht-Man Units to
Guard Town.

WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES
AFIELD. March 12-Capture Of Irles
by British forces brings England's nght-
ing men to the main German defense
line between Loupart Wood and Achiet
Le Petit.
This latest victory achieved by Field
Marshal Sir Douglas Haig's troops was
cited today as an illustration Of the
curious fighting on the Somme, which
has entered brand new phase with the
beginning Of the 'Getrman retirement
The once coEy village of Irles sat al
most at the top Of a slope leading TO
the plateau on which IL Boupart Wood.
There were quarries east and north Of
the village. with sunken roads on all
sides. 1t was this feature Of the ground
surrounding the town that made It's de-
fense by small units easy.