davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06
Birth Certificates and Next Thurs.
days Registration.

The letter which follows expresses
what may be somewhat general
Misrepresentation:
20 THE EDITOR OF The SuN-Sir: Am
I correct in my understanding that all
those between the ages Of Is and IS
who register on September ~ have to
furnish birth certificates when regis
teringr A READER.
"NEw YORK, September g."
Nothing in the man power law calls
for the presentation of a birth certifi-
cate by the registrant when he goes
to his local board next Thursday or
at any other time.
No intimatiOn has come from WASH
ington that the Provost Marshal Gen
eral will include the submission of
birth certificates In the regulations for
the new draft.
1t has been announced, however, at
the Office of the Director of the Draft
for this city, that in some cases the
possession of q certificate of birth will
be advisable; cases where the age of
the man might otherwise be in doubt.
If man Of 40 looks younger than he
Is, or n boy of II appears to be of
service age, they might find a birth
certificate useful in the event of
Stacker raids made after the coming
registration. There is also the case
of man who is, say. a., but who ap-
pears to he ten years older and who
may be obliged to convince his local
board that he comes under the law.
A draft board might be inclined to
ask to see the birth certificate of n
man who claimed to be more than 3G,
but appeared to be younger. 1t has
been the impression, although there is
no distinction in the law between
men of 35 and men Of As, that the
registrants between 81 and 80 would
be called and sifted before the older
men were taken up. 1t is conceivable
that man in the early thirties would
stretch his age to take advantage of
whatever benefit there might be In
more mature years.
Many registrants will take the pre-
caution to bring birth certificates to
the place Of registry, but, as we have
said, such action is not mandatory.
Where the draft board has reason to
doubt the reglstrant's word 1t will
probably call upon him for proof Of
his age. 1t may be difficult for most
men In the forties to produce official
certificates of their arrival in this
world, for except in the New England
and few other States birth regis
tration was neglected until the 'SOs
or later. There is usually, however,
a parent or some other relative whose
affidavit will be accepted as conclu-
sive by the draft board.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06

the Edffomdl Association OF LUe OhoefhV'rS
of only q few years ago. International
Investments will be common and q
broader sympathy with foreign affairs
will be manifest as the result OF mil
lions of Americans serving In Europe.
For some time after the war civilian
trade is likely to remain good because
of scarcity during the war. Working
men and women have been earning
good wages and when they find that
civilian requirements and even desires
can be met they are tempted to buy
freely during the period Immediately
following the negotiation of peace.
Merchants supply themselves with
stocks of goods to meet the demand,
and manufacturers are only too will
ing to keep their mills and factories
busy. A revulsion Is likely. almost
certain to follow; a readjustment OF
prices Of commodities must take place:
workers have to And new fields; wages
begin to fall; and with this change
in the tide bankers and manufacturers
become more conservative in their
dealings and will not extend credit rs
freely as before.
In such times the weak go to the
wall.
Those who foresee the probable
trend OF events are careful In their
borrowings, also in their outstanding
accounts. Such people come through
a crisis with nothing worse than few
weeks of anxiety; but many show
their lack of preparedness and suffer
accordingly. Widespread knowledge
Of the need of reimbursement has the
effect OF reducing the danger--bence
II is well to ventilate this question on
all possible occasions. REIMBURSEMENT
is inevitable crisis in the process
probable--but panic can be averted
by adequate education.
All this is elemental to the econ
omist. 1t should be present in the
minds of insurance executives while
conditions are good rs at present. a
ship that is sailing free before stiff
gale cannot change its course suddenly
without danger. TIE sails have to be
trimmed and the helm put over care
fully. A skilful captain and we'll
trained crew can always handle the
situation; ignorance is the chief dam
ger.
Most life insurance companies are in
a very strong position to meet such re-
adjustments. The system Of amortiza-
ton already mentioned is an impor-
tant safeguard. Investments are di-
versified and Of such type that sud-
den fluctuations do not AFFECT all of
them at once. Most OF the companies
carry a reasonable amount Of free sur
plus; many could with advantage
carry little more. especially In view
of the deferred dividend distribution
periods still to be met Lastly. the
purchases Of Government securities
hiberty bonds) being SO freely made
will be Of great help in the time OF
adjustment. We may be making these
purchases as a patriotic duty: but
virtue brings its reward, and the en-
HANGED value in event OF peace will
add further to the stability OF life COM
panies during the process of readjust-
ment.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06
A Parallel.

n t~uSiei.
Trained animals; a marvellous show II
The tigers and the leopards--household
pets;
The king OF beasts q thought It pitlfuD-
A tinsel crown he wore, quite to one side;
So. Characterized around the sawdust field.
poor old Lear his kingdom long forgot!
Each beast. ohedient. kept his pedestal,
TIL summoned by the master to perform;
The master, remember. bore a Teuton
name.
Yet. not quite all the beasts were at his
bid:
One wandered at his wil--the Polar Bear!
White, beautiful. he sb uffed here or there,
Free, free. yet none the happier for that
Tor SO I thought. He swung his silken
head.
Or laid It softly 'gainst the pedsstals
Where crouched or stood the others tdo-
Gle beasts.
And out his pink and painting tongue he
thrust.
Not liking. well the overheated air.
Indocile he7 The audience never knew;
Yet not that shows least favorite was
The Bear.
A reminiscence-and-fo reshsdowing!
would not strain analogy too far,
Between that trivial and a greater stage.
Yet here It holds: The lockers on-ob-
serve!
Are tender toward this untaught hapless
one
This beautiful. intractable, mild Bear!
And studious. too, to rouse him from his
dream
or Peace where Peace is not. nor yet
can be.
Peace7--'tis ensanguined by his fsudal foe,
who wastes his wide estate, his wealth
devours!
oh. who shall rescue. who shall teach,
The Bear7
EDITH n THOMAS,
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06
The Mark Of Origin.

10 THE EDITOR OF THE suN-Sir- With
reference to the paragraph in THE SUN
or August 81 in connection with the pro-
posal made by the Allied Industries
Corporation that goods from other coun.
tries should be marked with the Mace
OF their origin. permit me 10 saw THAT
.he scheme suggested has bean IN G,
istence for many years. That goods ara
marked Made In Germany" 'Made IN
France" Made In Belgium" Sc. is
a result OF legislation passed in Great
Britain MANY years ago. insisting that
all goods imported into Great Britain
should have each article marked with
the name Of the country of origin
NEW York, September 8, n
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06

FNvW "" oeecse veStsFe"s ~ Nfe"'v NV "
The funds OF life companies are af-
fected in more directions than that OF
Increased mortality. or even greater
importance is the depreciation OF Sc
curities held before the war. Life
companies hold a considerable proper
ton Of the accumulated wealth of the
people in the reserve values of poll
cies, and the Investments representing
such accommodations showed an imme-
diare and large shrinkage on the out
break of the war In 1914. The force
of this influence had already been felt
when we declared war last year and
the formal junction of this country
with other allied nations had only a
secondary effect. One might hope that
the principal danger Is already past
Extreme fiuctuation has been mimi
mized by the system in general use
in this country whereby bonds OF
sound institutions, well secured and
not in default in payment Of principal
or interest, are carried at their amor
tized value-that is. at the original
market or purchase price increased
sum which will bring the bonds to
their maturity value when they fall
due. Also the Insurance Commits
sioners have recommended average
values OF securities over a considera-
BILE period instead Of strict market
values as OF any particular date.
These have acted as shock absorbers,
reducing the apparent shrfnkage in
securities which did not have to be
realized.
The effect Of depreciation of securi-
ties is partly Offset by the higher in
terest earnings being secured on new
Investments. Nearly all of our life
companies are growing: their funds
are increasing. and they are making
new investments from month to
month. These new Investments, to-
gether with the reinvestment OF ma
turing funds, can be made at the de-
preciated prices and higher interest
rates now available. Most companies.
however, consider 1t n duty to place all
available funds in Liberty loans, al
though the interest rate is less than
the average rate earned on invested
funds. Apart from this consideration,
~ ioifoWS tHdl Tue war, WHeH
monetary affairs resume their normal
balance, the enhanced value of invest
ments made during times of uncer-
tainty will offset-perhaps more than
offset-the depreciation or the losses
on those investments which were made
prior to the war.
We must not forget also that most
great wars have been followed by
period OF depression, even by a
panic" The word is rather unfortu-
nate because the condition is foreseen
by most careful thinkers. We must
have and cannot escape from a period
Of reimbursement. The war activities
slow down or stop. and the energies Of
the people must be diverted into other
channels. This European war will in
ftuence the future Of the United States
far more than is yet generally be-
lieved. The possibilities of foreign
trade are beyond the widest dreams
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06
"AKELDAMA."
The Thoughts That Followed Its
Coming In a Sleep.

To the EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: Last
Sunday morning l awoke with a re-
membrance that three times during my
sleep the word "Akeldama" had been
impressed upon my sleeping conscious
ness.
i could not place the word, but Il
seemed to me to be out of the Scriptures,
so l searched; found the story of Judas
and his betrayal Of his Lord and his
use of the price OF betrayal to acquire
Akeldama, "the field Of blood" (Acts l..
49,
Then the thought came to me of the
field of blood over there" and the de-
sire OF some to purchase II with the
price or betrayal Of our Christian ideals.
betrayal to Kultur OF all the teachings
Of our Lord. accepting Kultur's maxims
that might makes right. that nations are
above and superior to the moral Law,
that humanity and pity are weaknesses
and that murder. rape and robbery are
Justihable means of acquiring worldly
prosperity.
we must not barter for the field of
blood, we must not yield one lot to that
revival OF paganism styled Kultur. The
Judgment was they that take the sword
shall perish with the sword" (Matt. XVI.
o|)' kuitur drew Its pagan sword and
must perish by the sword. Pacifists ara
,he Judases OF the present time SUPER
ncial readers Of the Scriptures, they do
not know or care to know its message
Our Lord taught and tried love and
taith to win a sinful world. He was
oenied and rejected. and at the end OF
his physical presence with us He left
the word at the Last Supper that as
rove ana Faith had been rejected His dis
ciples must add other ways until Gods
Kingdom comes and His will is done ON
earth as In heaven.
AS searched for "Akeldama's I read
this:
And He said unto them. vh.n ,.r,
you forth without purse and wallet and
shoes lacked ye anything7 And they
SAID nothing. And He said unto them.
out now he that hath purse let him
take H. and likewise a wallet: ana he that
hath none. let him sell his cloak and buy
sword. t.uke xii, IS, s6)
Here is the sum of His command Wa
are not to take the sword to accompI,sb
our purposes, aggressively, but we ara
TO acquire, keep and use the sword for
protection and defence,
The protection and defence NJ ~.
world requires that the atrocIous bar~
oarities and biasphemies OF pagan KuI-
tur shall be destroyed by DESTROYING tina
power OF repetition. W.
Boston, Mass. September s.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06
Ia n Notable Reform Adjourned?

Senator SMITH of Michigan, who
has Ia truth buried politics In re-
spect to his own future, becomes en-
gagihgly Outspoken with regard to a
Iarga essential industry affecting the
future political activities Of some
others. The Senator said in re-
cent Senate debate:
81 think the civil service law Is a
fraud and a sham; that there Is more
fayoritism under 1t than ever existed
under the spolls system; that promo
lions are absolutely Inhibited unleAs you
cultivate the good will Of the immedi-
IN chief of the clerk who is to be
benefited. j think 1t is fraud and a
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06

an express train or a local. Only
after a period Of distressing confu-
sion were signs at all adequate put
up In the mazes Of Grand Central
and Times Square stations. Every
subway traveller will supply, from
his own sad memories, other illus
trations Of the subway companies
lost opportunity to prevent their
patrons from becoming lost.
The lack Of proper signboards is not
confined to the region below the sur
face. The subway bosses have left
too much to the publlc's knowledge,
memory and Imagination. Take, for
example, the head of the subway
stairs at the corner Of Broadway and
Park place. There Ia a sign an
nouncing that the stairs lead to a
subway running up town. Is the
stranger In New YORK, or the Har-
lemite or Brooklynite who rarely
comes to lower Manhattan, supposed
to know that these stairs, q few steps
from Broadway, do not lead to the
Broadway subway How much would
II cost to put up sign indicating
the route Of the railroad to which
the stairs lead, adding the informa-
tion that a block further north the
traveller will find the station Of the
Broadway subway Is No. 2 pine so
dear and paint 30 scarce that the
subway companies can risk the tears
Of women and the growls of men?
or course It cannot be assumed that
the marlborough Company, which
conducts the subway to which lead
the stairs at Broadway and Park
place. would wish to lure the stran-
gers nickel into Its Golfers under
false pretencea The Brooklyn Rapid
Transit Company has large and
fairly lucid signs at the City Hall
entrances to its Broadway line, but
they could be even more comprehen-
sive than they are.
1t is such n simple matter. We
can easily imagine HARouy-AL-RA-
scHID discovering the deficiency and
setting out with the swiftest sign
painters in the caliphate to remedy
1t. 80 write" he would say, that
even the feeblest minded boob from
khorassan will be able to know what
train he is taking and where 1t is
taking him to-" But, Of course, he
was direct old despot, who had
neither card index systems nor eff
cheney engineers.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06

The almost universal dlsuse of au-
tomobiles last Sunday was wonderful
evidence Of the unanimity with which
the American people are supporting
the war. The quiet acquiescence in
the selectlve draft has seemed mar
veilous to those who remember the
public attitude toward CONSUMPTION
In the civil war. Slackers have> been
comparatively few, and whenever 1t
becomes necessary to gather them In,
this should be done In manner dis
turbing the ordinary activities of the
community rs little rs possible, avoid
Ing unnecessary annoyance to the
Innocent. and guarding against the
creation Of the impression that there
Is a widespread opposition to the
selective draft.
Every act Of unnecessary severity
has a tendency to lessen that buoy
ancy Of spirit which It Is so desirable
to preserve In the young men who are
soon to be called to the colors. The
real strikers Of course deserve slight
consideration: but they probably
number less than one-tenth of the
dilatory registrants. As to the
others, the attitude of the officers
should be regretfuf rather than UNI
mercifui; never forgetting that the
main purpose in view Is to obtain
good soldiers who shall serve their
country willingly and cheerfully on
the road to Berlin.
We are not now finding fault with
anybody; We are merely lifting up
finger Of warning. No doubt every
one concerned in gathering in the
slackers Is actuated by the best mo-
tives In the world. You cannot in
vest subordinate officers with great
power, however, without mourning
liability to its abuse; and We want
the authorities ut Washington to re-
member that in enforcing the selec-
tive draft no element of harshness
or severity should be sanctioned or
tolerated. either In form or in sub
stance. unless 1t is absolutely essen
tial to the accomplishment Of the de-
sired end. Most Americans have a
fine sense Of justice; and they will
not cherish indignation at severity,
even when exercised toward them
selves. IL they can perceive that 1t
is just. The infliction Of undue hard.
ship, however, Is rarely endured with
good will; and 1t does not tend to
create good soldiers.
1t may be very funny, for example,
to the crowd of bystanders on the
sidewalk to see a gentleman forty
years of age arrested and sent away
In an automobile because young
man in khaki armed with n rifle and
bayOnet refuses to believe that he
is over thirty-One; but the unhappy
victim looks Mt the whole proceeding
in very different light. Some gen.
tier method could surely be devised
for dealing with such cases.
II the community must be "combed
out" for slackers, let it be done with
as little assertion Of force as posi-
BILE and with as kind consideration
as possible for those who are I'M
dOubtedly innocent of intentional
wrongdoing.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06
ALIENS MUST REGISTER.
They May Not Serve, But They Must
Appear Next Thursday,

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN--Sir: So
clear was your reply to 'E. II. NJ" as
to the age limits for the coming draft
registry that you will perhaps kindly do
as much in regard TO another equally
important clause Of the act. As read
the law all male persons. citizens or
non-citizens In the United States, not
registered last year. who are between
Is and IS. inclusive, must register, save
persons In the active military service.
Will you please tell me. does this OBJ
legation to register include subjects of
Governments at war with America?
w. c. M.
NEW YORK, September 6.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06

sham. and behind II there turks more
practical politics for the party in power
than has ever been exercised under the
spoils system"
A fortnight expression of opin-
Ion! The Senator added this, which
could be better understood. perhaps,
II II were made more specific:
THE matter OF preference ought not
to depend upon good looks or accom-
modstins manners."
"Or location" graphically com.
mented Senator SMoor.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06

the Germans took over the oil wells
and attempted to force the transac-
tion Of the Rumanian business through
Berlin by means Of tributary banks.
The fact Is that Rumnnia is finding
the true nature Of the treaty which
she was forced to sign. The prom
ised advantageous terms which she
was to receive for releasing German
forces for the western front have
never been realized. Instead Ger
many has subjected her to no less
brutal treatment than she has other
occupied lands.
Germany has deliberately under
taken to accomplish the ruin Of Ru-
mania. BY giving the ,Dobrudja to
Bulgaria, compelling the opening Of
the Danube to German and Austrian
wnrships, and exacting the frontier
regions Of Transylvsnia for Austria
Hungary she has deprived Rumania
Of all Of her natural means Of de-
fence. In taking possession Of Con-
stanxa. on the Black Sea, Rumania's
only port. by forcing severe trade
exactions. and by occupying Ruma-
nian oil lands and forest reserves In
the north, Germany has taken from
Rumania her national resources and
completely destroyed her commerce
and industries.
Apart from these brutal violations
Of the rights Of the Rumanians, Ger
many has taken advantage Of the
treaty and her occupation of the coun-
try to scheme for the throne and to
bring the nation into disrepute. She
has been engaged In a propaganda to
prove the inefiiciency and corruption
Of the Government officials and Of
the nations Parliament. She has
attempted to show that FERDINAND
Is mentally and morally unfit to rule
and she has openly renewed her in
sidious attack on the character of
the Queen, former English Prin-
cess. The whole purpose of this is
to depose the present ruling house
which has refused to take orders
from Berlin, and to replace it with
n German princeling who would ac-
cept the humiliating role of being n
creature Of Berlin and who would
permit the pillaging Of Rumania by
the Germans.
These are the conditions of injus-
tice and brutality which the Ru-
manians have discovered were con-
tanned in the peace which Germany
gave them. The result has been, de-
clares TAKE JoNEsCU, a former Ru-
manlan Premier. on arriving Mt Paris,
that 1.-THE Rumanian people remain
true to the ideals for which they en-
tered the war, and increasingly nour-
ish a hatred for Germany that will
be a rallying force for generations"
He says, too. there is no longer any
Germanophillsm In Rumania, that
the Germans themselves have brought
that to an end. The hope Of the ma
ton and of the people, he says, is in
Allied victory. Rumanias manifes-
tation Of this Is seen in the present
revolt Of the peasants and in the
sullen opposition OF the whole people
to the German lordship.
In the six months which has
elapsed since this peace was made.
declared at the time the terms were
signed to be IA model of the peace
to be imposed on all our foes" the
world has had an opportunity to
see the peace which Germany would
impose upon an enemy whom she
could crush.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06
"Yip-Yip-Roy."

FROM the Medictae Lodge RspsbItoos.
rip-Yip- Boy was not q Chink
As his name might lead you to think
Ftghtin' was his greatest Joy
This howlin' shootin Yankee boy
He'd leave his trench with a "ylp-yip' yell
And chase ten Germans plum to hell;
He used to be mammals joy'
Now he lights and he yells and he shouts
"Oh. boyi
Oh. 10y!
Where do we 70 from herst.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06

The Post Office Department de-
serves high commentator for the or
ganization of the Cloudland Mail, an
achievement the continuing success of
which was marked yesterday by the
first flight to Chicago. Yet the same
Department has not yet explained the
reason why 1t sometimes takes a day
and half for letter posted at Grand
Central to reach Wall street.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06

To-day We remember the birthday of
LAFAYETTE Each one of the 1.60O. 900
American soldier boys in France is
helping to pay the debt incurred when
LAFAYETTE. a boy of 10, landed at
Georgetown. S. c.. in the spring of IT
To reinforce the thirteen struggling
Colonies in their war to liberate them
selves from the domination OF the
Teuton monarch GEORGE III.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06

pamoc!es saw the sword suspended by
q hair.
And to think It can be cut for a mere
forty cents" he cried.i
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06

dents?
Bocker-Yes. old Mother Earth.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06
Strategy.

sIeila-1 see nrsmen are 20 be eI.
emptsd.
Relia--I should think they would b
very useful In putting out the enemys nrs.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06

The goosestep has proved itself
capable OF fast marching.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-06
CRAWFORD, n. J.. September s.

The Public Service Commission re-
Gently announced that 1t would remedy
the confusion at the Times Square
station OF which the correspondent
complains.