davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-02-20
Preposterous, but True

Is it possible under our laws for an en-
emy alien to be voter? Certainly not,
answers the man in the street. The idea
is preposterous.
Such a situation is certainly preposter-
Gus in theory. But it exists in fact. Years
ago many Of the states gave the right to
vote to aliens who had declared an inten-
ton to become naturalzed. 1t was a recl1-
less thing to do, for it allowed men who
were still subjects or citizens of foreign
power to take a part in the government of
country to which they owed no loyalty.
Some OF these states have seen their
error and corrected it. But others have
permitted this grant of suffrage to nom
citizens to stand so that to-day German,
an Austrian or an Hungarian, if he has
merely taken out first papers, may vote
for state officers, for Senators and Repre-
sentatives in Congress and for Presiden-
tial electors under the laws Of these eight
states: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kan
sas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota
and Texas. They have the suffrage also
in Michigan, if they made declarations of
intention prior to 1894.
The Federal government treats all un-
naturalized residents of this country as
aliens, whether they have taken out first
papers or not They are aliens in law
and in fact. Many Teuton declarants of
intention are interned. Many others are
lodging registration and Identification.
But such Of them as might be able to get
furloughs from internment camps or
should care to come out of hiding would be
entitled to exercise their rights as electors
next November in nine American states,
just as if they had never acquired the
status of enemy subjects by reason of our
declarations of war against Germany and
Austria-Hungary 1t is grotesque. Yet
this is all of piece with our incredible
prodigality in showering political privi-
leges on unassimilated foreign elements.
Senator Kenyon has introduced an
amendment to the Federal Constitution
requiring all persons who vote for Con-
gtessmen or Presidential electors to be
American citizens. That amendment
ought to pass both houses and be sub
mitted to the states. But the process of
Federal amendment is tedious. Pending
ratification the nine states concerned ought
themselves to repeal the foolish laws by
which they have thrust the ballot into the
hands of men and women whose allegiance
is first of all to foreign masters and on
whose good intentions we have no reason
to count
New-York tribune., 1918-02-20
Judge Lynch at Hog Island

The visit Of the Senate committee Of
inquiry into the reported extravaganza or
graft at Hog Island is scheduled for next
Monday Then let us hope we shall have
more light upon the serious accusations
which have been made.
Meanwhile, it is unfortunate in the last
degree that the public mind, and especially
the minds of workingmen, should have
been poisoned as it has by tales and ru-
mors of gross profiteering, or worse. We
hold no possible brief for the company
under whose direction the work at Hog
Island is being carried out But it is GER
tainly Of value that the public should have
some little appreciation of the magnitude
and difficulties of the project
First, as to the mere question Of size
When it is completed as it will be now
within few weeks the Hog Island plant
viii equal any six shipyards existing in
this country before the war. 1t will be
equal in size, probably, to any four of the
largest shipbuildng plants abroad before
the war. 1t viii have fifty ways, where
ten or dozen were heretofore accounted
large yard.
Next, as to the difficulties The land
was chosen after an exhaustive eXamina-
ton of all available sites between Balti-
more and Boston, There were the usual
considerations of transportation facilities,
nearness to large industrial community,
housing for the workingmen, labor sup
ply, location upon well protected site Civ
ing quick access to the sea. The location was
approved by the Shipping Board, and the
purchase of the land at the price agreed
upon was likewise approved by the board
The land was bought from the original
owners, without Intermediates. The total
cost did not exceed per cent of the esti-
mated outlay.
A considerable part of the land, espe-
cially where the ways are laid down, was
dyedged land--ideal for working in the
warmer part Of the year, terrifically diff
cult when the ground was frozen solid, as
it has been almost from the beginning of
the active work. Where the ways and
channels could have been scooped out with
scoop shoves and the reflling done in the
same way, at a cost Of a few cents a square
yard under ordinary conditions, with the
ground frozen much of it had to be blasted
out with dynamite.
Throw $4,000 or 10000 men along a
waterfront Of two miles in a hurly-burly
Of high speed construction; do this in the
midst Of a coal famine, fueless MONDAYS
and five-day shutdown, with transpor
tation clogged and supplies held up, and
it would be q miracle if enormous waste
did not occur.
What the public wants to know and
will be relieved to know is that, whatever
New-York tribune., 1918-02-20
For Premium Bonds

10 the Editor of The Tribune.
SIR: I he Forthcoming government loan will
be 1uliy subscrlbcd there is no doubt about
1t. The country is both willing and rich II.
mas not however, particularly felt the pinch
of war. and although it has RESPONDED and
VIII continue to respond patroticallv and
loyaiiy to the governments demands for
funds for the prosecution of the war, never
theless 1T wants in addition to the indispen-
sable safety for its Investment in bonds as
high q rate of return as it can rc4 Tho
hlgher that rate of return the more must
'he government pay for the loan, and since
thefe IS no better security in the world to-
DAY than the United States government bond
inc rate or return upon that bond will goy-
ern the price at which every other security
sells. Hence any higher rate to be paid unon
the next loan must adversely affect the price
or existing corporate obligations. held in
chlef by our very conservative savings banks.
the great insurance companies and the in
vesting public at large
The solution of this complex prohlcm com
pretending, first of ALL prompt and full
subscription to the loan, the question of
the rate of interest and corresponding pres
ervatlon of existing values of securities. can
be reached by issuing the next government
loan III the form of premium drawing bonds
There is a universal instinct that reacts
promptly to the offer of prize, and what
ever reluctance, born of prejudice, there NAV
be- let it be recollectcd that wo are passino
through abnormal times, necessitating many
radical departures from the old order Mere
policy must be sacrificed again and again TO
expedency.
If the laws forbid the award of premium
upon bonds to be drawn by lot, and if this
conflicts with what is best for the United
States and its citizens, then let these laws
be repealed. Note that the Sherman law ;s in
state of harmless disuse and that the pros
ecution of the case against the United States
Steel Corporation has been SUSPENDED for
the duration of the war
Early Public Lotteries
The American Congress in 1776 instituted
national lottery, warmly advocated bv
Jefferson and other statesmen; the city Of
Washington set up lottery in 1912 for
public purposes and lotteries were in vogue
among the states until a comparatiyelv Iata
period. Europe is familiar with premium
drawing bonds. The city of Paris has ava;led
itself of this instrument for fifty years past
to raise funds for public works. The Paris
subway, for example, was built by subscrin-
tions to premium drawing bonds. The first
loan Tor this purpose was for 165 900. 900
francs, and bore the rate of only Der cent
but the careful French investor jumped at l.
by reason OF the opportunity offered to par
New-York tribune., 1918-02-20
Thin Veins at Clearfield

some of our readers must have bIinkcd
with astonlshment as their ewes mot an
obscure paragraph in yesterday morning's
paper. 1t was to the effect that the presi-
dent of the Pennsylvania Coal and Coke
Corporation had returned from Washino-
ton, where he had been in conference with
the national fuel administration. and an
nounced that 1t had been decided that
bltumlnous coal operators in the Clear6eld
district of Pennsylvania were to he ner-
mltted to increase their prices for coal at
the mines to $3.05 ton. 1t was ex-
planned that the veins in the ClearGe)d
region are so thin that "the cost of mining
is continually increasing"
Increasing, no doubt, the cost of the
mining in the Cleartield district and else
where has been. But not, we imagine.
with any especial emphasis from the thin
ness of the veins. 1nasmuch as large
mines sometimes require years for devel
opment, it is little doubtful if the thick
ness of the seams has very materially
changed since the 30th Of last June.
Last June, as some few of our interested
readers may recall, the Clearfield oper
ators, together with some four hundred
other of the leading operators of the coun
try, had, through their representatives.
agreed with the government on base
price of So ton-not only agreed to it,
but had pledged their besd efforts to push
prOd,Ict ion fO tba Ia st 1irst at thio prico
New-York tribune., 1918-02-20

the waste, there has been n miracle Of
speed. The contract was not officially
signed until September 13, and already
keels are being laid down, and in many in
stances they are actually waiting for steel
plates. These come from the government,
and with their supply the company has
nothing to do. And tho entire yard will
be practically completed within month
or two, ready to construct ships at full
capacity.
The earliest launchings may be deferred
until fall, but when the work is completed
as laid out each of the ways will be sup
piled with materials for five complete
ships.
There is only to be added that the COM
pany which is directing the work has no
pecuniary interest in the building Of the
skipyard whatever. It's fees do not begin
until the actual construction of the ships,
and these fees are not upon the cost-plus
basis, but are fixed amount per ship,
based upon the time of actual completion.
Moreover, the company has made no con-
tracts, nor can any Of the sub-contractors
make contracts except with the govern
ment's approval, nor can any payments be
made until the vouchers have been prop
erly audited by the representatives of the
Shipping Board.
All these facts we're clearly set forth in
great detail in the testimony of the vice
president of the company before the Sen
ate committee, which examined Mr. Bald
win at great length. The effect of the
accusations was to impeach, without trial,
one of the ablest and strongest engineer
ing organizations in a nation that is cele-
brated for its engineers; and, further, to
associate in the public mind the names of
a number Of men eminent In the financial
community with a suspicion of graft. Fur
ther investigation will disclose whether
there have been irregularities or worse in
the handling Of 10000 worlzingmen. with
payroll running near to 100000 day.
and soon to far overtop this; when COM
pleted the yard will require total of 35,-
O0O men. 1t is something to know that this
tremendous task has gone through in rec
ord time and that if there are no further
delays it will be producing ships at sched-
uled rate.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-20
Confusion

Confusion deepens. Lloyd George now
answers those who have attacked the Su-
preme War Council at Versailles for ex-
ceed1ng its functions and usurping political
power, and says the American representa-
tives with irresistible power and logic"
declared for expanding the Councils
power. But the American representatives
were military only, namely, Bliss and
Pershlng, whereas the thing complained of
IN Great Britain is, or has been, that the
Council in the session ended February 2
passed out of the military area and en-
tered the domain of politics. 1t was an
expression of political opinion for It
to say:
"The Supreme War Council gave the
most careful consideration to the recent
utterances of the German Chancellor and
the Austro-Hungarian Minister of FOREIGN
Affairs, but was unable to find in them
any real approximation to the moderate
conditions laid down by all the Allied
governments"
Only few days later this political YER
dict Of the Supreme War Council, in which
Lloyd George now says the American voice
was Irresistible, was repudiated by presi-
dent Wilson in the address wherein it was
proclaimed that the Austro-H Hungarian
Minister Of Foreign Affairs "seems to see
the fundamental elements of peace with
clear eyes" The next step was that Llovd
George publicly declared that he could not
accept the American Interpretation Of the
Hungarian Foreign Minister'S
words.
II this is the clarity Of open diplomacy.
what must the opacity of secret diplomacy
have been?
New-York tribune., 1918-02-20
Marriage Via Aeroplanc

1t was only few yesterdays ago that
Rudyard Kipling let his fancy run riot
IN "Ihe Night Mail" tale of the future
forecasting With a wealth of technical
phraseology and detail the era of the air
some day to come. We can remember
we'll how fantastic his imaginings seemed
tie not only described a transatlantic
crossing IN Lusitania of the skies but
gave ingenious advertisements in the
manner of automobiles for sale
steady family aeroplanes for curatcs.
slippy runabouts for sports, etc. A good
joke!
We'll, we have yet to see the Atlantic
crossed by any aircraft, and the develon-
ment of the heavier than-air machine has
not been in the direction of great size
as Mr. klpllng guessed. The lighter than
air Zeppelins travelled that road, reacbinp
colossal proportions, only to prove one of
the great failures Of the war. But in its
own field, under stress of military neces-
sltles the aeroplane has DEVELOPED with
magical swiftness If it has not vet
crossed an ocean it has become weapon
of unbelievable dexterity in the skies of
France. 1t is to give Americans a mail
service between Washington and New
y ork. 1t has done even more important
cross Channel dispatch work for ENGLAND
And now an aeroplane bridegroom has
taken his bride to the altar via aeroplane
and later away on sky honeymoon
Almost it seems as if Mr.. Kiplings dreams
of aeroplanes for all-whercby the COM
muter, once forty-five minutes from
Broadway, could swoop from his New
Rochelle lawn to his New York Office in
ten or fifteen minutes might be ma
terializing before our eyes. Fortunately
we are growing used to the wars bv.
products - unbelievable and extraordi-
nary as they are. If the need of develop
ing eyes for armies ends in equipping us
all with wings it will only be one of a
few thousand Impossible changes wrought
by an impossib.: war.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-20
The Freedom of the Seas

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Freedom Of the eeasl What does it
mean? The Kaiser wants it, and President
Wilson has more than spoken in favor
Of it. Neither has given definition of the
phrase
1t may be assumed that Gcrmany's idea
is that all seas to be free from blockade
in time Of war she purchase food and
supplies for the manufacture Of munitions
wherever she pleases and not have her ships
subject to capture by an enemy. In this
demand she is looking forward naturally to
the next war and hoping not to have her
navy bottled up as it has been in the present
war, and furthermore to have all her ports
open.
There is onl ly nation which Germany
fears, and that is England. Free seas under
war conditions would emasculate the British
navy, and it is a good guess that Great
Britain, with her numerous colonies and
coaling stations throughout the world, would
never agree to such arrangement.
What does the United States want Of any
such freedom Of the would satisfy
Germany? A war with Great Britain, even
in the far distant future, is unthinkable. She
will never attack us again, for the very good
and sufficient reason that she cannot af
ford to.
There is no one thing that Germany wants
more, and she wants it only to help her win
when the nations of the world will not be
well prepared as they now to op-
pose her.
Is the United States to play into Germany's
hands by such a sea freedom she wants?
1t would to be the part of wisdom to
oppose anything whatsoever which the Kaiser
NAV DESIRE NJ. T. r.
New York, Feb. 18, 1918
New-York tribune., 1918-02-20
Our Lesson

The Russian menace is pitlfully broken.
shall all begin for the first time to realize
what it was.
It was not the bear that walked like
q man.
1t was not the Frankenstein monster
Germany imagined it to be.
1t was all the time the most naive, wist-
full and confding human thing in the
whole world.
To the end it believed in the German
people. It's attempts to touch their hearts
and souls, even on the battle front, with a
grooming of freedom and fraternity will be
eternally pathetic. And when it had failed
in this, and with gesture Of infinite con-
tempt turned it's back and started home,
refusing either to fight or to sign an i'm
possible treaty Of peace-in that moment it
produced one Of the gorgeous pictures Of
this war, one that will be the despair of
historians.
No German could understand it.
A German does not know what non
resistance means. 1t may be trickery, cow
ardice or hypocrisy, or all three together; !;
he takes the coat also and smites the other
cheek, and then demands for himself in
IDENTITIES
A German does not understand peace by
negotiation. He knows only subjection.
A German does not understand what
other people mean by propaganda. He
thinks in terms of corruption and intrigue
If Germany had only known how, she
might have enormously stimulated among
her enemies the thought Of peace by nego-
tiation. She had only to be generous with
Russia. But she does not comprehend gen
erosity to fallen foe. She safes her lust
upon the helpless.
And yet there is talk in this country of
peace by negotiation. 1t has received
great impetus from our own political prop
aganda in Germany. 1t is officially treated
with increasing tolerance.
Why?
Thank God for right feeling and far
seeing where one would not have thought
to look tirst The executive council of the
American Federation of Labor splendid
ly says:
"Ihe peace parleys between Russia and
Germany have shown the futlity Of dplo-
matte negotiations until Prussian mill
tarists are convinced they cannot super
impose their will on the rest of the world -
Russia, unable to save herself NAV vet
save the world. She is the tragic object
lesson. Any one who wants it may have
that kind of peace with Germany.
1t is always open to negotiation.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-20
Federal Traffic
BIZ THEODORE N. KNAPPEN
u 7ASHINGTON, Feb l9.-lf the win
~ ming of the war pivots on the rail
Wavs of America it is going 10 he

ways OF America 1t is gong TO be
won. You can take that from MIR McAdoo,
as Director General Of the railways Of the
United States. He radates optimism on the
subject of the ability and will of the railways
to overcome all obstacles.
Nor is he content with success in war trans
portation only. He forcsees in the near fut-
urc the railways so responding to their re
sponsibiity that after doing so per cent more
work in 1916 than in 1915, and Is per cent
more in 1917 than in 1916, they viii in 1918
handle all traffic, civil and military, with all
their oldtmo freedom from delays and con-
gcstions. Congestion is word that will soon
be eliminated from the railways vocabulary
Trains will be ready for freight, freight will
move instead of stand, cargoes will be ready
for ships and ships will be ready for cargoes
Order at last displaccs disorder.
At last the military and war production
services Of the government are working hand
in glove with the railways, and this union
has been linked up with transoccanic trans
port, that to-day q coherent and continu-
Gus line OF traffic is open from every war in
dustry IN America right through to the
trenches in front of ST. Mihiel. What was a
despairing dream has become reality. War
goods are now manufactured according to pri-
orlty Of requirement, and shipped in the
same order. When the goods are ready to
move they move, and without aid of those
blue tags and special priority orders that at
one time confoundcd the Eastern railways
with cighty-six cars III every hundred marked
to be moved ahead Of themselves. Rush
shipments of foodstuffs are reaching England
/ " tlo r;o
of the West
The Shipping Board no longer competes
with the army and navy for TRANSFORMATION
and materials. Traffic representatives Of the
railways are installed in the Shipping Board.
the War Department and the Navy Depart
ment. Through these men the transportation
requirements of the government are unified
and classified. No longer is it attempted to
move to-morrow's business to-day with the
result that yesterdays business has to be
moved to-morrow). At last land and sea
transport welded into an efficient whole
Order has been restored in the departmen+s
1t would be wearsome to review all of the
steps and congratulations by which this great
end has been achieved, but at last the scheme
mas been thought out and worked out. and if.
remains only for 1t to clean up the debris of
the old disorder before every physical noss;
bllity of American transport service nv land
and sea will be utilized to the fullest extcnt
The foregoing is expression of what was
gathered from unhurried talk with Mr.. Me-
Adoo the other day. His confidence is con.
taglous. He sends a message of good cheer to
the business and military activities of Amer
lca The railways are coming, business is
coming war efficiency is coming.
"The Yanks are coming"
New-York tribune., 1918-02-20
GUARAN E6

you purchase merchandise advertised Ia IHs
TRIBUNE with absolute safetyfor dissatisfaction results
In any TIE TRIBUNE guarantees to ycur money
back upon request No red tape No qubbllns We make
good promptly II the advertiser does GOT.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-20
The Misunderstood BoLsheuibi
By William B. Thompson

THIS letter is nrnsicay interesting contribution the n
re the Rssom subject by acho recently the
Is Vey nte1estng another Colonel William
na OF Tong Wau Street rdnng practical
0 on ed Cross erand and returned ardent defender
6oAev'h He mow Of their most formidable champions
co1y ne Gs said to the
dols of his to be used purposes propaganda Ger
monH but achether he did actually u1knoan
New-York tribune., 1918-02-20
My,tByR OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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republication all dispatches credited to 1t or not
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spontaneous origin published hcrein
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