davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15
Long Step Toward
Solving Ship Problem

The requisitioning of this Dutch ship
ping is the biggest single step possible
toward the relief Of the shipping situa-
ton, so far as it affects the Allies.
The Dutch tonnage 900 tons in
American ports and 100000 in Allied
ports-is the largest block of neutral
tonnage available for Allied uses. There
is some Spanish tonnage, which will
become available shortly under the re-
Gently signed agreement with Spain
The Norwegian tonnage is already at
the service of the Allies. A few Swed-
ish and Danish ships may come intx
use, but all of these supplies of ship
ping are small compared with thai
which is about to be requisitioned
Requisitioning ships in war is moth.
ing new in international law. What ia
known as the lex angaria covers the
case, and it provides that belligerent
can seize neutral ships in it's ports pro-
vided compensation is paid. The Ger
man states exercised this right in the
Franco -Prussian War of 1870.
The exercise of this right of seizure
has been forced by the terrorism which
Germany practised against Holland.
To relieve Hollands necessities this
country and Great Britain proposed an
agreement, under which food should
be shipped to Holland in vessels in
American ports, if ships were sent at
the same time from Holland to replace
those allowed to leave our jurisdic-
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15

sian people through the congress had
reached Moscow, but that it had was
taken for granted Word that the
Soviets actually had convened also was
lacking.
Trotzky Is for War
Failure of the Soviets to ondeavor to
muster the strength Of Russia against
Germany probably will bring 20 an i'm
mediate conclusion the negotiations
concerning japanese intervention.
Russia's continuance in the war
against the Central Empires is un-
avoidabie, said Leon Trotzky former
Commissioner OF Foreign Affairs of the
Bolshcvik government and at present
head Of new revolutionary committee
in Petrograd. Ambassador Francis ca
bicd to the State Department to-day.
The dispatch was filed at Vologda by
the Ambassador, and was the second
this week to be transmitted within
twenty-four hours. Mr.. Francis did
not state to whom Trotzky had ex-
pressed his views, but it was assumed
at the department that it was either to
Jnc L HlIeu SLuleS military llaCne, VINO
is believed to be in Petrograd, or to an
American Red Cross official in Russia.
Watches Siberian Moves
Trotzky also was reported to have
been very curious as to what was being
done in Siberia, and appeared to be
quite sensitive about the report that
the Allies contemplated entering ST.
beria
Trotzky also talked about the possi-
bi1ty m n Of Russia organ;alng g;, new army
continue to fight against the Germans.
1t is believed at the State Depart
ment that the conversation with Trotz-
ky took place on March 10 or IL.
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15

Congress now would know first hand
about current developments, instead of
getting information months late
through the examination of witnesses,
and could make their criticisms at a
time when they would count.
Joint Committee Not Needed
Movements for the creation of a
joint Congressional committee on the
pressed by President Wilson's unalter-
able opposition to interference with the
powers and duties intrusted to the
Executive by the Constitution. Through
the conferences now inaugurated, how
ever it is suggested that the regular
committees, acting in full, harmony
with the executive officials, will be able
to accomplish all and probably more
toward keeping Congress in touch with
what is going on than would have been
possible under the special committee
plan.
Senator Hitchcock, of Nebraska, VIII,
has led in much Of the Senate criticism
OF the War Department, was ranking
Democratic member present to-day in
the absence Of Senator Chamberlain, of
Oregon, the chairman.
"The session to-day was very salts
factory" Senator Hitchcock said. "The
department has reduced everything to
diagrams showing the present status in
each branch and progress being made" ;"
Senator Hitchcock added that all
questions asked by the Senator's had
been answered fully by the men who
are in direct charge of the work.
frankly disclosing every element Of the
war work in which the department was
behind schedule and the steps being
taken to remedy the difficulty.
In some respects. the Senator said.
notably in the aviation programme,
there had been great delay and the
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15
akes
Congress Into
His Confidence
Senate and House Military
Committees Meet With
War Council

WASHINGTON. March 14.-The Ad
ministration formally embarked today
on policy of taking Congress COM
pletely into its confidence as to the
progress of war preparations and de-
Velopments on the fighting front in
Europe. At the invitation of Acting
Secretary of War Benedict Crowell.
members of the Senate Military Com
mlttee were In session at the War De-
partment for nearly two hours with
the full membership of the War Coun-
Gil. and, beginning next week, will meet
with that body every Saturday morn
ing. The committee learned to-dav
that the aviation programme is much
behind schedule.
Members Of the House committee q
will meet with the Council tomorrow.
and similar arrangement for the next
weekly meeting will be made with that
committee. Probably large room will
be obtained later, SO that the commit
tees of both houses may be received in
joint session.
Thus, the War Department meets the
insistent demand of Congress for q
greater share in the conduct of the
war, and removes the real cause which
led the Senate committees PROLONGED
investigation of the army. with it's at
tendant bitter criticism. 1t was
pointed out to-day that members of
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15
Will Announce Siberian
Plans When Soviets
Are Heard From
Trotzky Declares
War Will Go On
Talks of New Army Under
''Iron Discipline" Fran
els Gables

WASHINGTON, March 14.-Japan's
avowal of her intention to intervene in
Siberia and the announcement Of the
courses to be taken by the United
States and other governments aligned
against the Central Powers are expect
ed to follow closely upon the adjourn
ment of the Russian Congress of So
viets called to meet to-day at Moscow.
Official Washington and diplomats
here still retain faint hope that the
warning factions of Russia may vet re-
ject the German peace terms signed at
BrestL tLitovsk, but almost all informa-
tion that has reached here indicates
that the fighting spirit of the disorgan-
lied people is too wounded to resist
The State Department tonight was
still without official knowledge that the
Presidents message Of sympathy and
promise of aid addressed to the Rus
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15

City yesterday for advice. lie received
the same advice there
If the Governor follows the prompt
ings of those close TO him, among
whom is one prominent dry leader, he
VIII not send in the message, which is
already written and in legal form. This
message the Governor dictated early
yesterday morning before starting for
New York City.
The drys have practically given up
hope that the Governor will send in a
message. The reason behind the Gov
ernor'S lndecision is due to the belief
expressed by many of his advisers that
he would lay himself open to the
charge of interfering with the legis-
lativc branch of the state government
Even should the Governor send in hts
message" said ore OF the dry leaders
who conferred with Mr. Whitman to-
day, ''it would noc affect the situation
any. 1t could not materially change
.n- Assembly lineup and regret to
say that our strength to-day in the
Senate is not as strong as it was last
night and it was weaker then than at
any time in Il week.
Yesterday the drys had twenty three
votes in the Senate, three short of the
total required to pass bill Thoy
have lost one. While the leaders Of
the vets are sitting tight, some of
their followers, especially those from
the rural districts, arc thinking hard
Of what may bcfall them when the
combined prohibition and woman vote
is polled against them next fall, as the
drys predict will happen.
But to-day they regalcd themselves
by pitching into the Anti Saloon
League, cheering the charge that Alb
ncr II. Brown, one of the counsel for
the league, owned II row Of houses in
Watertown, the ground floors of which
we're occupied by four saloons, and the
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15
Message Ready, but Gov
ernor Is Advised Not to
Interfere
Vets in Senate
Gain Strength
Assembly Session Produces
Bitter Attacks on League
and Leader
lStaf Correspondencel

ALBANY, March 14-Governor Whit
man tonight declared that if he were
IN the Legislature he would vote for
the Hill-McNab resolution ratifying the
Federal bone dry amendment.
This was in response to a question
as to whether he would send in a mes
sage to the Legislature urging ratfica-
ton of the amendment and warning
that if any referendum measure was
passed he would veto it. "a vote for
ratification is the only square way of
meeting the ISSUE" said the Governor.
The Governor is not decided wheth-
er he will send in a message or not,
If he does, it will not be before Mon
day. Practically all of his advisers
have urged him not to send one. He
was in doubt, and went to New York
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15
Allies to Seize Million
Tons of Dutch Shipping;
Kaiser STARRING Neutrazs
Wilson Is Unmoved
By lth Hour Plea
Of Dutch Minister
by The Associated Pressl

WASHINGTON, March 14.-For-
NAL notice of the intention to requi-
sition Dutch shipping has been pre-
sented to The Hague by the American
and British diplomatic representa-
tlves. AS result, to-day the Meth
erlands Minister, August Phillips,
acting under instructions of his gov
ernment, made a final and personal
appeal to President Wilson to at
least modify the decision.
The Associated Press is enabled to
state that the President saw no rea-
son for altering the decision, and
that unless the ships are turned over
by next Monday a Presidential proc
lamation will be issued taking over
the ships in American ports, of which
there are about eighty. Many more,
however, are in British or other AL
lied ports on the seven seas.
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15
Landslide Buries
P. r. r. Express

HARRISBURG, Pa, March 15. -
Pennsylvania Railroad train No. 100,
the Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Chi
cago Express, wcstbound from Philadel-
phia, was wrecked east Of Elizabeth
town, near here, early to-day. 1t is re-
ported to have buried under Il landslide.
A relief train with nurses and physi-
clans will start from Harrisburg for
the scene az soon as it can be made up.
According to reports at division
headquarters, many persons were IN
jured and probably several killed.
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15
Will Put Germans
In Air Raid Zones

LONDON, March 14.-German pris-
oners of war are to be distributed over
areas which the enemy's aircraft are
subjecting to attack in their raids, ac-
cording to the Evening News" TODAY.
"This," says the newspaper, ~"is be-
ing done because the Allied govern
ments have learned that prisoners OF
their nationalities in German hands
already have been so placed in all
towns which the German government
considers likely to be attacked"
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15
Ships May Be: Used
On the Safer Routes

How important this contribution of
Dutch shipping is to the cause Of the
Allies may 5e seen from little sum in
arithmetic. Two tons per man Secretary
Baker estimated as the shipping needed
by our army in France. If he is right
100000 tors would maintain an army
of half Uillion men on the West
front. This overstates the case, for a
considerable part Of this shipping will
be required for carrying food to neu
trails. notably to Switzerland, which is
in dire straits, not having shipping of
her own. Some of it will be used to
bring grain from Argentina to this
country. And probably some of it will
be allowed to Holland for use in her
colonial trade, which this country and
Great Britain have agreed to protect.
In general, Holland will be allowed the
tonnage which she herself estimated
she needed in the London negotiations
early in the war.
But after all deductions there still
will remain a aBge tonnage available
for shipping supplies abroad, either
men. Probably the Dutch tonnage will
be used as far as possible on safe
routes, such as in the Argentine trade,
substituting for other vessels now thus
employed, or adding to the scant num-
Der available, but the promise to re-
PLACE after the war all vessels lost
shows that use in the danger zone is
contemplated.
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15
Bolo Pacha's Appeal
For Life Is Rejected

PARIS, Tuesday, March 12.-The
snneal Of Bolo Pacha from the SEN
tence Of death imposed by court mar
,;1 for treason was rejected to-day
by the Court Of Revision, which con-
frmcd the Original judgment .u
The same action was taken ny Inc
court in the case OF Darius iorchcre;
who was tried with bolo facna on"
mn ,yas sentenced 10 three years impr's-
onment.
.1s4.ona nxNclfa-lz de9reeH that are
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15
u. S. and Britain Give
Holland Until Monday
to Agree
10 Pay Owners;
Replace Losses
Bulk of Vessels Here; Food
Cargoes To Be
Released
By C. w. Gilbert

WASHINGTON. March 4rh.
united States and Great Britain bav.
aec'oed to requisition all the Dutch
shipping in American and Allied norris
next Monday, if in the meanwhile uoI.
iand IS not able to reach a definite
agreement with regard to it's use
lhe date originally set for this nc
lion was last Monday, but the t;me
gwen to Holland was extended. In the
nature OF the case Holland, lying as
she does in peril of German renr;s.,s
IN case she consents to anything which
VIII De OF advantage to the Allies. can
not reach an agreement The shins
Will have to be seized.
lhis will put 100000 tons that
have been lying idle since our en-
trance into the war at our service
And it will give Dutch shipowners
return upon their investment. for thew
will be literally paid for the use Of
their ships and guaranteed against
their loss. And it will bring Holland a
generous supply of foodstuffs. which
the United States will release to her
and which she will get, unless Ger
many for revenge sinks Dutch ships
carrying food to the Dutch.
Holland Victim of
German Terrorism
The question of Dutch shipping,
which has been the biggest neutral
issue Of this kind, has been negotiated
for almost year. The negotiations
have ended in the only way they could
end. Holland, even though her ship
owners wanted to see their vessels en-
ployed, even though the country des-
perately needed food, which she was
prevented from getting by our unwil-
lingness to let her ships leave our
ports and Germany's threats against
her ships if she sent those in her ports
after food. could not do anything but
protest against the taking of her ships
The terrorism of Germany over the
neutral nations on her borders pre-
vented that. SO it has been evident
from the outset that in the end the
Dutch ships would have to be seized.
Why the seizure was delayed for
months is one of the mysteries of the
war. Diplomatic reasons are said to
explain the hesitancy of this country
and Great Britain to act
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15

vgNaH pENClLH--t7 degrees I'm. Mr.
ldesi for your every purpose. ----Advts
New-York tribune., 1918-03-15

I. asetlty hit ot Ameyicau tyoops
~ IN pags a.,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-11-03


ceived the cigars you sent me. I
Was stuck for smoke for the past two
weeks, and did the best could between a
pipe and rolling Bull Durham cigarettes,
but didn't get much enjoyment out Of
them. Yesterday one Of our officers Ga
very fine fellow went out and came back
with box Of fifty cigars and asked me if
] wanted them. He knows am heavy
cigar smoker, and he brought them back
for rae. Well, you can imagine how CRATE
gul was to him. First cigars in two
weeks, and 1t sure does make me feel diff
fercnt.
"Of course, we heard Of Quentin Roose-
yelts death, and We were all sorry to hear
II, too. The spirit displayed by his father
certainly 10 wonderful, and only goes to
shov that we a8s not Aghting this war for
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-11-03

Sponge clippings blackng penwpers

but the crudest use. Pound the negresses
ever SO well, there are bound to be tiny
bits Of coral and sand and grits of seaweed
left in the sponge reaching New York, Lon
don or Paris.
New York, which takes & great many
sponges, not alone from Nassau, but from
Florida and Cuba and other Caribbean
sponge grounds (and, before the war, from
the Mediterranean and Greece, is we'll sup
piled with both large dealers and fine
bleaching plants.
Preparing the natural sponge for market
consists in giving it series of baths. FRS,
strong solution of oil OF vitrol takes out
the dirt and sand; then the sponge is
plunged into permanganate of potash and
hyposui phate of soda TO bleach it IA pure
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-11-03
Country Life in Occupied
Belgium

THE following extract from a letter
4 received from Wallonia is printed
III ''The Belgian Bulletin:
"a farmer was pioughing his field in
front of his house. A green devil Ger
man policeman) came along and demanded
his Identification card; first conviction, for
not carrying it with him. The farmer
crossed the road to go to his house to get
it; conviction number two, for having
abandoned his horse. The green devil fol-
lowed the farmer. The housewife was
cooking new potatoes, unauthorized before
September 1e; conviction number three;
the chickens in the yard were pecking
rye, serious offence; conviction number
four.
"And all that in less than FIVE minutes"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-11-03
Assorted sponges being CONS
pressed into bales in the heavy
handmade press

in some instances by Chinese laborers i'm
ported for the purpose, naturally receive
the trades greatest attention. Balancing
your own bath sponge in hand, you may
judge the great number of sponges con-
tanned in single bale weighing from eighty
to hundred, or hundred and ten pounds,
Is some of these bales do. The lighter in
weight the bale the finer the quality of tho
sponge contained therein, as a rule and so
the higher the price Hence q bale Weigh
ing eighty pounds or even less may be
worth at the present time from $3.50 to
$500, whereas one weighing one hundred
pounds may not be worth more than $25
or $50
All the sponges shipped from Nassau
come first to New York, even when destined
for London or Paris. 1t is here along our
New York waterfront that o. and up"
sponges arc having found for them, ~
opportunity offers, space in the hold Of
outgoing tramps or square-rjggers at a
price as high as $40 per bale for freight
We have not yet accounted for the many
chemical processes which raw sponges mus
undergo before they may be dispensed TO
troops and hospitals or given out for any
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-11-03
Hooking sponges in the Bahamas The so clear
and shallow that diving for sponges is unnecessary

out every bit Of coral that may have found
a place in one of the many canals" of
the sponge
When the sponges are dried, clipped,
pounded and sorted they are carried in
great handmade, two-handled baskets the
size of half -puncheon over to the old-fash-
Toned wooden press, which bears q striking
resemblance to the guillotine Here they
are compressed into oblong bales and after
ward sewed up in sacking, on which the
bales destination, London, Paris or New
York, has been previously stamped. Before
following the bale its journey to the
hospitals, the garage or the bathroom mar
Sets of the world it will be Of interest to
see what is done with sponge clippings, for
no part of the sponge is lost. Every tiny
scrap of this most, curious of all animal
products is turned 70 some USE
Those pieces that are clipped from wool
or silk sponges are baled separately and
sold for purposes calling for Small pieces"
of sponge-you find them at retail in drug
brushes; the desk finds them useful as
penwipers; photographers, etc, cannot do
without small sponge.
Still other coarser kinds are balcd for
use as "flllers" in making asbestos, for
sponge will not burn The very coarsest Of
all sponge clippings are put to a peculiar
use right in the Bahama Islands. Max
ing use Of the property Of q sponge %
absorb moisture, the Baharnans cart the
unstable clippings off TO their fruit groves
and dump them around the roots of cocoa
nut palms, etc, so that in the ,driest sum-
mer weather the sponge stands ready to
supply water to the tree.
But the large bales of first-cass whole
sponges, with d. "P" or IN W marked
on the burlup into which they we're sewed
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-11-03

white. rinse in sa-soda gives that famil-
lar light yellow shade.
The sponge is then sent with it's CON-
panions to the hot-air drying room, and in
day two is ready for packing for re-
shipment 20 other American cities All
over the country the automobile and car
riagc trade finds good spongcs an absolute
necessity. II fact, there is hardly an Amer
lean industry in which sponge is not used
To fill the increased demand, experiments
in the artificial planting and growing of
sponges from animal cuttings made under
water and attached to concrete disks are
being carried out III both the Bahamas and
Florida.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-11-03
ICECREAM AND MILK

1t is in such iliputian streets that the
main spell of Toxic is found. The streets
OF the Bagdad Of Scheherezade offered no
more nocturnal adventures.
Going about his rounds footing upon a
shrill whistle, blind masseur crashed
into me as he turned corner "Baka"
FooD, he snarled, and his curses gave me
that creepy feeling that the sight Of i'm.
pudence in cripple sometimes accuses.
The street resounded with the strumming
OF samisen, the booming Of tsuzumi (drums
shaped like hour glassea) and the ribald
caterwauling of honorable guests we'll
along in INVESTIGATION. Before nearly
every house stood one or two limousines,
the drivers waiting patiently till the
wealthy and distinguished owners Of the
cars who were making the night hideous
with their yowling from behind the shoji
should have had their i'll of dissipation.
Exactly where I wandered that night
never learned. A japanese city is like a
maze, and small are the houses and the
pathways leading to them that you can live
within stones throw Of some charming
little cluster of dwellings, for weeks with
out realizing that there is anything behind
the big go-down (storehouse) and the tall
trees which overshadow them. wan
dered through several complete neighbor-
hoods, each with its barber, bath, furnit-
ure shop, butcher. greengrocer. undertaken
and candlestick maker. Toxic has certain
districts famous for certain things, as
Kanda, for books; Asakusa, for eel and
prawn restaurants: the Yoshiwara. FOR
courtesans; yet the CITY is thousand little
communities each sufficient unto itself in
regard to these and other necessities or
Injuries. One who sets out to walk to
any given point in Toxic at night is con-
stantly tempted to deviate as he passes a
hundred scented little alleys with a bril-
liantly lighted geisha house or restaurant
shining at the further end or q great
golden lantern blocking the path like q
sullen moon. And one can 20 anywhere
with more safety than be found in any
other great city in the world. was think
ing of this as I was turning into one Of
these alleys when voice said behind me:
Man so down street
swung around quickly, with shivery
feeling of being followed. 1t was only a
Japanese schoolboy in his black vsorcd
cap, grinning with pride at being able to
demonstrate TO his companion that the
compulsory English in the schools had not
all been wasted on him. Perhaps he could
have given d lesson to advantage to the
tailor across the street who advertised:
CHARMING AND ECONOMICAL TAILOR
or to the hardware dealer further on whose
signboard announced:
HARDWARE DEAR
BEST STEALING
KNIFE
Gregory Maso, in The Metropolitan.