davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22
Claus an Enemy Alien?

their hearts are better than the truth
though some moderns with the scientific
prepossession' think that the only truth
for the child is that dogmatsm Of faith
in objective reality called science"
The normal child is eager for dis
covery; he is willing to meet little reali-
ties joyously as they come. He can take
as joke the story of Santa Claus when
it is revealed as unreal" and enter
into the fun of making Santa Claus real
and true for others by becoming the
giver as well as the one who receives
He will fall into the spirit of the grown
ups secret and take part of the RESPONSE
bility of the grown-ups to make it
happy secret for and from those who are
still younger than he. He ceases to be-
lieve in Santa Claus as an external
reality" - and then he becomes Santa
Claus himself.
One small boy comes to mind who ac-
copied the Santa Claus myth long after
it seemed obvious that he must some
how have been initiated into the rea.
truth of the affair SO his mother
asked him pointblank whether he had
ever had any doubts on the subject. He
avoided a direct reply as long as he
could, then finally admitted that he had
known the truth for two years. He had
gone to bed and shut his eyes with the
full knowledge that the grown-ups were
trimming the tree in another room, and
the next morning had fallen in with all
the pretenses that Santa Claus had been
there.
Tears came into his eyes and his lips
trembled. II didn't want you to know
that I knew, mother" he explained, "De-
cause I thought it would make you feel
bad"
But when it was plain that mother
didn't mind there was no happier little
boy in the city than the one who helped
trim the tree and plan surprises for
other folks that night.
He had lost Santa Claus, but he had
become Santa Claus himself.
The only child who feels hurt when
he loses Santa Claus is the spoiled child
who wants fox himself alone, and is I'M
willing to grow SO that he not only gets
at Christmas time, but gives as well.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22
iaSher Buys Everything Needs Just Before lbrs

writer and wrist-watch, but l will
never get them because, when the year
ly chorus begins, Now Winifred, tell
US quite frankly what dc you want for
Christmas?" all my secret resolves
about coming out with the plain truth
vanish into thin air, and I reply, weak
ly: ooh, | don't know-just any little
my word and the noble procession of
calendars and candlesticks and CANT
soles goes on unchecked.
No doubt these personal complaints
will find an echo in the hearts Of all.
Why is it, then, that we lack the cour-
age to put the matter plainly to our
friends? Why do we not forestall the
jabot and camisole raids by taking up
collection for ourselves and buying the
thing we want?
] think it is because of the time-h
ored idea that a Christmas present
should be surprise.
1t comes down, then, to a question of
which kind of present you want-one
which is romantic for moment or one
which is unromantic but will last. Of
course, what one wants is both, but
IN this expensive day it does seem as if
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22

What is to be done? The simplest
thing to do is to forget, if possible, that
he is your father. Get new angle on
him. Say to yourself: "Why, there's
that nice old Mr. Brown who lived in
our house. I'd rather like to give that
man a Christmas present. l wonder
what his tastes are?" And you will be-
gin to study Mr.. Browns tastes You
notice for the first time, although it
must have been going on for years, that
there is something Mr. Brown says
every night, about ten minutes after a
good dinner, when the family have set
tied down for the evening:
Zones tells me there's a very good
show on at the Empire. Very jolly mu-
sic. he says"
"Well, why don't you go, and take
Alice?" replies mother.
Mr.. Brown says he'll have a look at
the paper first and then decide, but by
the time he has looked it is 80 and too
late to do anything but go to bed.
Having watched this drama take place
every night for week, you will, if you
are a clever daughter, have learned two
things: One, that Mr. Brown, your
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22

This doesn't half cover the problems
OF Christmas, because tennis racKe's
and lap dogs and victrolas do. after alb
cost great deal and there are alwS!'
tie in-between people whom one wou'
so love to help make happy at Christmas
It only one had the money. Perhaps wv
solution in these costly times is IN cO'
operation--if all the friends Of one ps''
son really got On the job in time "n1'
wonders could be achieved, with '"
lection of little sums from esch' /"
the way of presents that would rea'
count in everyday life
Eyes, but what?' you will say.
Subscriptions TO magazines, seas0'
tickets to concerts, money to go to u''s
cal comedies with, season tickets 70 S0'.,
riding academy, which entitle one :,
astonishingly reasonable rates to NV. =.
of pleasure riding in the country w. ~.
an instructor or a class; season teSs,.
for society dancing, where one can ~
ly learn to dance and be free l''''
from the gentlemen of ones acqu"''
ance who danced when they were ~
and guess they can make try ~
you bet; subscription to ne"SpAr ...,.
a pair of ice skates, course IN e0".
sational French, typewriter or '''S
scope-that open sesame into faHs' s.l
The list is endless; the trick Is ~ md
the right thing for the right persV" m
then to hope and pray others VIII
same by you.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22

dreaded birch rod for the children, ac1
cording to their various deserts. And
these, with a little speech of scolding or
approval, he drops upon the sheet be-
fore he vanishes again into the night.
Such is the kindly saint who came to
the island of Manhattan with the first
Dutch settlers and still lives among us,
changed only in name and costume
like all the rest of the immigrants.
So he is not an alien enemy But is
he a household enemy? Is he an enemy
to truth in the minds of children,
destroying their faith in their parents
when they learn that what they have
been told is not true?
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22
The Reality of What
We Cannot See

Some years ago little girl wrote to
"The New York Sun" and asked whether
it was true that Santa Claus was not
real. And the late Frank P. Church
answered on the editorial page:
"The most real things in the world
are those that neither children nor men
can see in fact there is nothing
else That is real and abiding"
Before science came, what people
worked out for themselves was not so
much category Of facts in the external
world as knowledge of the eternal
verities-of the inner nature Of man.
Children in this period Of civilization
occupy the same relation toward the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22
GwesadoIin Always
"'Has Everything"

And, last, there is Gwendolin c. is
so rich that there simply isn't thing
to give her that your poor little purse
can afford Yet you've got to give her
something for all the times she enter
tains you, and fer letting you in as a
member of the Ladies' Emergency Aid
for Lost Lithuanians. She is, confess,
the worst problem of all, because she
will not want any Of the things she Ough:
to have. The best thing to do with
Gwendolin is to aid her in becoming a
perfect example of her type; give her a
lap dog or pair of lorgnettes. BOth
these gifts are economical, for they can
be used by her at any age, and the lap
dog will last long enough to serve as a
constant reminder that in your quiet waT
you still exist and are fond of her.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22

"a IL oll%Sdine pTact1calneSS which
Wv has made the Stage Women's
War Relief third in usefulness to
the government in war time this organ
lzatlon is now watching keenly the needs
OF tomorrow and holding firmly together
the departments Of service for which
there is still need.
For instance, the Service House which
will be kept open, glowing with welcome
and home atmosphere, as long as there
are enough uniformed men to ask for it;
the furnishing Of free and wholesome
entertainment as long as a soldier or
sailor wants and needs the soace and
sweetness which the world of make
believe can give him; the free tickets to
shows" which the Stage Women's War
Relief has been dispensing to nurses and
men in uniform, and the two SUNDAY
night performances of current New York
attractions, given under their auspices.
with the cooperation of managers. plav-
eSs, musicians, stage hands and cleaning
women, all giving their services, will con-
tinue as long as there is need.
Now, more than ever, our army and
navy must be cheered and told how worth
while their sacrifice has been. Our hos
pitfalls will be filled with our own
wounded, and this work of the theatre
must go on throughout the country, Civ
ing its especial gift as long as a sick
soldier lies waiting for it.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22

Will light a flame which will shine into
generations to come
In the Stage Women's War Relief
workroom thousands of baby clothes have
oeeh made out of every available scrap
OF material, the tails of shirts and stock
lng-tops playing a conspicuous part So
much love and pity have blossomed in
this baby corner of the workroom that
vast plan has crystallized to aid Allied
war orphans.
play has been written by two we'll
known WRITER'S Harriet Ford and Harvev
OHlgglns, called when a Teller Needs
Frlend'-the title which Briggs. The
tribune cartoonist, has made a house.
mold phrase. This comedy-melodrama
especially suited to amateurs, has been
donated to the Stage Women's War Re-
let by the authors, and will be distrib-
uCeo gratis to any group of amateurs in
America who agree to give the pro-
ceeds to this fund for aiding war Or
phans
The usefulness of this bodv Of women
VIII continue perhaps longest in the
soldiers welfare work-the care of the
man OF the theatre who has fought the
actor, scene shifter, or the man from anv
place IN the theatre who needs help for
himself or his family. This help is so
1afreachlng and many-sided that if the
women of the stage had never done any,
thing else it would give them an excnso
FOR existence
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22

NHRISTMAS, we all know, is the
4 celebration of the birth of Christ:
but there is no reason to suppose
that Christ was born on the 25th of
December. The Gospels give no date for
his birth. and therefore no anniversary
was observed in the early years of
Christianity. Later, in Egypt, the belief
started and spread that the date was
january 8, and. in the fourth century
services of commemoraton at this time
We're universal in the East.
1t was never accepted as the true date
by the Western Church, where in the
same century December rs was fixed
upon, with no more real cause for be-
lleving it the correct date than there was
reason to suppose January was cor
rect.
"The reason says a Syrian writer,
Christian himself, "why the fathers
transferred the celebration from the 9Th
of January to the 25th of December was
this: 1t was a custom of the heather
to celebrate on the same date the birth
day of the sun, at which they kindled
lights in token of festivity. In these
solemnities and festivals the Christians
also took part. Accordingly, when the
doctors of the Church perceived that the
Christians had leaning to this festival.
they took counsel and resolved that the
true nativity should be solemnized on that
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22

ale the growth and progress Of the
race.
If they have no grown-up folk Of
whom to ask questions they invent re-
plies to their questions themselves, as
did the race when it was young; and
the replies they invent are a crude
mythology, a weaving of legends such
as were woven by the human race when
it's mind was as the mind Of a child
land the world so new and ALL" as Kip
ling says.
20 fairy tales are as suited to the
mind of child as diet of milk is
suited to it's digestion. A child of five
or seven years could not digest the
"truth" as adults see it. 1t must receive
it's ideas about life in the form Of simple,
concrete symbols. Its mind, ignorant
and inexperienced in reality, works
only with the methods which it has
inherited. And these methods deal with
faith, fairies, nature, religion and
heroes
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22

thirty or forty war plays that have been
raging along the Gay White Way and
that they would welcome something
cheerful, by way of celebrating peace.
1t seems this is not so. The theatrical
manager has discovered that what the
public wants is that he, the manager.
should not have been put to the trouble
OF producing all those war plays for
nothing; he knows, without asking us,
that If he put it to us fatty and frankly
whether we would have him lose on his
box receipts simply in order to give us
plays we like instead of plays we don't
we would reply, with one voice: "On
with the gloom-stuff, Grady; we are
with you"
The people you give Christmas pres
ents to are divided into five classes:
l. The ones you don't wish to begin it
with.
2. The ones you are perfectly certain
didn't send you single thing last year.
g. Those who will get the usual thing.
"a. Those who get odds and ends.
B. Those to whom you have simply got
to give something "'really NICE" al
though heaven knows you can't afford it.
The Case of Emma
Something Useful
This last division divides in its turn
into four hideous problems which have
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22
What's the Matter
With Father?

Then there is father The problem
about father is that the approach of the
Christmas season does not actively sue-
gest presents to him, that being an in
SEPARATION which seizes him on Christmas
Eve, after all the stores are closed, bus
1t does remind him that there are things
that can be bought to render the course
Of life smoother.
He, therefore, without saying any
thing to the family, wanders off one day
and buys for himself a new razor and
pair of tan gloves and bedroom slippers
and new shaving mug, thus frustrat
ing every single plan you had for his
Christmas. And when your horror
struck gaze lights upon this array in the
bathroom next morning and you ask him
what on earth he meant by it, he an
sWers simply that he needed the things.
And Christmas only three days off
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22
Is Santa

day, and the festival Of the Epiphany
on the 9th of January. Accordingly,
along with this custom, the practice has
prevailed of kindling fires until the 9Th"
1t was because of this kinship of
Christmas to the heather festival that
Augustine Piled with his followers to
celebrate the day not because of the
return of the sun but for the sake of
Him who made the sun.
AS the Christmas legend came down
the ages it gathered to itself the myths
of all other faiths; and what more
natural and right than that the religion
of the brotherhood of man should con-
tain something of every ideal and every
form of worship Of man, since the hu-
man race began?
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22
What Shall We Give Them for Chr

nss' 30 your "S b bs,s friend '9s @' ss1.
Now, as a matter of fact, you know
perfectly we'll what you want for Christ
mas, and when you say, year after year:
"Oh, ] don't know-iust get me some
little thing what you really mean is
that you want years subscription to
the opera and a tan aeropane coat to
wear to tea parties, but, as your friends
salary is only $40 week, inclusive of
carfare, what is the use of putting your
secret longngs into words?
ooh, Don't Know
just Amy Little Thing
The great desire Of my life for the
last ten years has been to own a type
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22
When the Sun Turns Back
To Replenish the Earth

There were the Roman Saturnalia,
celebrating the return of the sun in mid
December--a time for the exchange of
gifts, the lighting of tapers, the extend
ing Of privilege to the enslaved and
charity to the unfortunate. There was
the fir tree, symbol in ancient Teutonic
countries of the celestial sun tree with
its spreading branches to represent rays,
its tapers for the flash of lightning in
the sky, its apples, nuts and brilliant
balls representing the moon and stars,
and miniature animals hung on the
branches in token of the ancient custom
of sacrifice to the gods. And last, but
somehow most conspicuous now among
all the traditions, the legend of Saint
Nicholas, or Santa Claus, straight from
Holland
For Santa Claus is not an enemy
alien. The eternal friend of childhood
was not conceived in the country that
has wantonly shed their blood. His day,
December s. has been celebrated for
centuries in Holland as a time for
sugarplums and candles and gifts
Toward dusk, the story goes, white
sheet is spread inside the door, and the
family, attired in their best and bravest
await the saint. Presently he arrives.
clad in embroidered robes, with gems.
jeweled gloves and golden mitre-and
in his arms either gifts or sweets or the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22

father, wants to go to musical comedies
at night because he likes the gay music;
but, two that he doesn't go because he
is so tired he can't.
Then, if you are still cleverer, you will
see that the thing for father is VIC
trola, by means of which he can listen
to our modern classics and sit still at
the same time. This solves him as a
Christmas problem for years to come,
for after the victrola follows in natural
sequence the victrola stand, and after
that records, and then stand to hold
the records, and then a card catalogue
OF the records to place on the stand.
This covers five Christmases. which is
tar enough ahead for any one. And it
gives father for all that time free
and unhampered choice in the matter Of
T9ZnrC pocl-4ioc oto
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22

A child left to himself will inv...
his own myth-his own explanation :.
what he cannot understand. But a.
traditional one, the one selected bv =. =.
race and handed down for generatio,.
is the richest in beauty and in feel;a.
And that is why we should tell + !.
the child instead Of forcing him to :,
vent his nnnn -
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22
The Stage Women Still On the Job

10 the thousands of orphans left in
the wake Of the war, the children who
are the gateway of the future, the stage
women will devote earnest effort; for
what is done for them in this dark hour
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22
By WINIFRED DUNCAN WARD

con views, and although you left after
the first ten minutes, it gave you fine
idea for a Christmas present for Emma,
and you sent her that pocket edition OF
the Encyclopedia Britannica.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22
"And the World So
New and All"

"'The child" says Doctor Henderson
Brooke Deadly, who has made a speciality
Of psychology, "has but one problem
the relation of itself to the little world
about it. And for the worries of this
little world it either invents or accepts
the fairy tale solutions which the
adults of the larger world know down in
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22

and think out with MIN a way. to house
the caterpillars?
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22

it were time we all took a stand and got
the things we really want to the exclu-
sion Of those we don't
There is a great hue and cry all over
this country about giving people what
they want it is sort of national slo-
gan. It was long ago solved in theatre
cal, political and artistic circles, so it
ought to be possible to solve in regard
to the simple needs Of our friends and
ourselves.
"Give Them What They Want
Like the B. r. I.
The theatrical managers are especial
geniuses at knowing what the public
wants. One would have thought, for
instance now that the war is over that
the public might no longer want the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22
BY MILDRED MORRIS

w nth thesame practicalness which
w has made the Stage Women's
War Relief third in usefulness to
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22
Buying for the
obstructive Age"

The third on the list is Jimmie. JIM
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22
The Case of Emma
"Something Useful"

This last division divides in its turn
into four hideous problems which have
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-22

Vent ms own
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-04-16
AMERICAN LABOR
DELEGATES ARE
HONOR GUESTS
CBy Associated Press.l

London, April 16.-The declaration
of the American Federation of Labor
that 1t will not meet enemy repres-
entatives during the war which
James Wilson, chairman Of the visit
ing American labor delegation, ex-
pressed at a luncheon yesterday, is
welcomed by the press. The Daily
Mail says:
THE luncheon at which Mr.. Barnes
entertained the American labor dele
cation was intended to express the
peculiar pleasure 1t gives the British
people to welcome at a time like this
their kinsmen from the United
States, Americas entrance into the
war affected us as has no other event
since the outbreak"
From the Americans as Mr..
Barnes said, we have nothing to hide.
Let them examine and inquire into
everything remembering only that
we have been fighting all but four
years and that, as Ambassador Page
warned, II is a British, Just as much
as an American, habit to take what
J ever we do we'll for granted and say
nothing about il while we discuss
our plumbers with a frankness which
James Wilson stirred the audience
to enthusiasm when he declared that
the American Federation ofeLab0rI
by unanimous vote had agreed mott
TO meet any representatives from an
enemy country so long as the war |
lasted. That is the spirit Of America !
and the more widely IT is understood |
the better for us and the allied
cause.
James Wilson, speaking yester-
day on behalf of American labor,
said that his countryn.en would do
their utmost for the allied cause. For
America. the only way out Of this
war Is through it We do not doubt
that at the present hour the Ameri-
can people will understand what is
the immediate application Of that
general maxim.
There is no point at which the
military calculations Of the enemy
can be 90 fatally thrown out as at
this point Of the ability Of the Uni
ted States to deploy its man power in
strength on the European battle
field for the conflict which must fill
the next few months"