davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
The Luxurious West

The lower house Of the Missouri Lepis-
lature evidently does not hold with the
old school which taught that mortifca
ton Of the flesh tended to exalt the
spirit. loud protest has gone up be-
cause the chairs of the various commit
tee rooms in the new state Capitol are, as
described by Waiter f. Bailey, Speaker
pro tenn, hard bottomed and STRAIGHT
backed. The members insist they can
not properly cons der the needs of the
commonwealth unless their bodies recline
upon the upholstered variety of chair.
the kind, in fact, familiar to the gaze
Of any visitor in legislative committee
rooms and sequestered corners of clubs
and hotel Hobbies great, leather cush-
toned affairs in which one leclincs as on
hoWery beds Of ease. The Missouri So
Ions, perched on their slightly height
overlooking the turbulent big Muddy"
seem to have forgotten those lines of
Pope which say:
"Stretch'd on the rack Of too casv chair
And heard thy everlasting yawn confess
The Pains and Penalties of Idleness."
1T may be somewhat Of a shock, of
course, to the voters of state so long
devoted to the principles of Jeffersonian
simplicity to learn that the enervatng
Injuries Of the softer East have pene-
tratcd to regions where few genera
lions ago the adze hewn bench held the
forms of those who congregated to listen
to the eloquence Of the great Benton
The legislators accused the Capitol build
ing commission Of careessness in not
being more thoughtful Of the comfort of
the members Of the house. 1t would be
fence. Possibly it thought chairs "hard
bottomcd and straight backed" might be
an incentive to the rapid transaction Of
business
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Your lending editorial to-day, The
Great Dry Mystery is itself mystery. The
mystery is why it is any mystery to The
Tribune that legislatures all over the coun-
try are voting in favor of the consttu-
tional amendment which viii make America
dry
This should be no mystery TO Tie Trib-
une, which has been carrying in news col
umns and on editorial page detailed &C
counts Of the way the brewing element of
this country has tried in un-American WAYS
and with antiAmerican propaganda, to
corrupt the country, even going so far as
to purchase daily papers to be their mouth
piece. Let me suggest a few things for you
TO think about-for you, at least, among
New York dailes. occasionally reflect the
sentiments and feelings Of the nation at
large, as contrasted with the sentiments of
New York City alone. For you are az we'll
any one that New York is too
largely populated by people Of foreign birth
for its popular opinions and sentiments to
be considered typical Of the rest of this
great country. But here are two or three
things for you and your readers, if YOU
care to publish my letter, to think about:
/. Should the matter Of prohibition be
left entirely 10 the votes of the men and
women who are native born, Of native nar
ents there can be question Of the re-
suit. Let me add, know it is not so left,
but | am stating theory to throw light on
facts. For while there are doubtless some
native Americans who would be "wet."
am sure they are proportionately few in
numbers.
q Outside those centres Of population
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19

whore great foreign born groups are found,
most of our lawmakers are native horn, of
native parents-that is to say, real and true
Americans who desire the American spirit
ard American ideals to rule They feel-and
| believe you will say rightly-that they not
only should represent the people who
elected them, but that they should not, in
doing, misrepresent the best elements
Of the communities from which they have
come.
g. The war has been a wonderful cure for
blindness in more ways than one, and one
of those ways has been in the revelation
to the thousands Of thoughtful and sincere
Americans that there is more than a casual
connection between the great brewing in
tercsts and foreign propaganda. The Trib-
une has done its noble share in showing
this TO Americans.
4. America as whole is American 1t
is extremely difficult for the New Yorker, in
the deep canyons Of his busy streets, to
visualize this mighty country and to appre-
cate the fact that the country as a whole
could, really and truly, worry along some
way even il there We're no New York. Yet
there are millions Of people who feel Just
that way about it. They do not want to
get along without New York; they are
proud Of the greatest city, and all that. But
they know that New York is not the ma
ton. | am not berating New York; | am
only stating a fact. have been all over
this country, time and again. and I know
what people think and say
Then, in view of these things. what be-
comes Of the mystery? 1t is simply this:
The American people as a whole, through
their legislatures, are determined to en-
force new application of the Monroe Doc
trine, America for Americans and for
those who are being made and to be made
Americans.
REV. ROBERT HUGH MORRIS.
Stamford, Conn, Jan. lG. 1919.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
Our Men IN Italy
the Editor Of The Tribune


Sir To those of us who happen to have
friends relatives in military service in
Italy it would almost seem that there is
conspiracy Of silence" concerning the ac-
Invites of these Naturally, and justly,
there is and has been vast deal to be
read about What we did in France, and it
would appear that there is not a square
mile Of that harassed country that has es-
capped being pictured or described But
while we have had American troops and
aviators in Italy for nearly year now, it
is the rarest thing TO find any mention of
them in our newspapers, with, perhaps, the
solitary exception of that brilliant aviation
officer NOW retired) Major 'Fiorello H.
La Guardia.
Perhaps some one explain this seem
ingly studied neglect of our boys in Italy
II they are not important enough TO men
ton it may be that they are of no vital
use there. If they are of no use there
are many parents here Tho would be mighty
glad TO have them sent home
WILSON A BURROWS
Yonkers, ~ Y, Jan. Is, 1918
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19

lace the problem of reorganization. He
doesn't want to commit himself to con-
scrlption or universal training His only
idea has been to demobilize the trained
army we have-the regular units except
ed-and to create stop-gap volunteer
force of 100000 men. This would be
very largely new army, since after the
peace treaty is signed the old regular
army will be rapidly depleted by the ex-
plration Of enlistments But even the
stop-gap, 500, 000-volunteer army plan
has now been abandoned in favor of a
proviso continuing the organization of the
regular army for a year from July |
next, leaving it's strength to be fixed bv
executive order
Many valuable officers who might have
gone into the new army are now being
mustered out. They may not want to
return couple of years from now. And
popular interest in the military service
will inevitably be chilled by reversion,
even temporarily, to the old type of vol
unteer army.
We ought never to have again the sort
OF army we had under the Hay act of
1916. 1t is pity that the foundations
of new military system were not laid
while the horrible example of the failure
of the cid system was still fresh in the
public mind
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19

in order that mystified American public
may get some light on this amazing and
most undemocratic proceeding:
/. Is it fact that political and propa-
ganda fund of not less than $4,000, 900
has been used to bring about the passage
through both houses Of Congress, of the
Joint resolution submitting the so-called
prohibition amendment and to secure its
speedy and unrehectng adoption by the
necessary number of state legislatures?
2. Is it fact that systematic use has
been made of threats, terrorism and even
blackmnil to secure funds in Congress and
in the several state legislatures for this
amendment?
3. Is it fact that this great fund has
been raised in secrecy and expended with
out public accounting in order to avoid the
unpleasant effects of publicity and formal
inquiry?
Why should not The Tribune turn on
the light? O. W BARNES
New York. Jan Is. 1919
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
70 the Editor of The Tribune.

70 the Editor of The TRIBUNE
CIR: In your leading editorial of Janu-
~ airy 16, "The Great Dry Mystery" you
say "rhe whole swift and hurried process
defes analysis or explanations"
Next in Importance to licking the Hun,
and discrediting Hearst, comes the de-
struction Of the liquor traffic and why this
great event should prove such mystery"
to The Tribune is probably because The
Tribune had no voice or part in bringing
it about
In order to get true explanation Of
why members of the various state legis-
latures "fall over one another in their
haste to ratify" The Tribune might get a
glimpse of light by communicating with ex-
Senators Brown, Emerson and Weeks, who
opposed ratification last year. and who
were replaced in the Senate this year by
mon who were elected pledged to ratify.
The three eXSenators mentioned are labor
ing under no decisions as to why they
were retired to private life, and their ex-
plantations, providing they can be obtained,
might help The Tribune out of the fog
Ex-Congressman Fairchid, whose record in
Congress on prohibition measures was de-
cidedly off color, can also tell The Trib-
une, # he will, why he obliged to
give way to Hill, one Of the trainers of the
Hill-Wheeler bill, giving local option to
cities. Congressman Hill was elected By
the largest majority ever given a Con-
gressional candidate in this district
You say Estate legislatures have not
been famous for thus anticipating the
popular will" A few object lessons like
those just mentioned carry persuasive
force IN their meaning that is correctly
Interpreted by legislators, even if to some
of our great papers they may remain
Of great papers it may remain "great
mystery" RAY BEARDSLEY.
Binghamton, n. Y, Jan. 16 1919.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
Our Disappearing Army

'"e United States has today real
my It. didn't have one until about
.S1f ago. It viii cease to have one az
~" az peace treaty is signed
- u unfortunate that the War De-
@N''nent did not plan ahead for peace
~ amy The principle Of conscrptivc ser
~. - INDICATED itgef 30 splcndidly in our
~ experience that it. would have been
' F." recognize it's pcrmancncy in
r 20 reorganization law. The value Of
,".sfsal training was also ovcrwhelm-
s'1 oefnopetrated. It ought IN have
=, ~" made by this time the basis Of our
.'sp5e military policy.
secretary Baker has been reluctant TO
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
Writing Of a Billion on Ships


A vital question of public policy is in
Volved in the proposition of Chairman
Hurley Of the Shipping Board to write
OIL billion dollars on the cost of ships
now under construction by the United
States government, rather than to at
tempt to lower wages. The situation ap-
pears to be this:
he new tonnage contracted for by
the Shipping Board will cost on the pres
ent basis something like 5000 a ton.
This is roughly about three times the
market price for similar tonnage in the
two or three years just preceding the
war. At the present time it is stated
that such tonnage can be contracted for
IN England for about $40 ton. 1t
was stated by the British Ministry of
Shipping at recent Interpolation of
Parliament that this price was partly due
to the fact that ship steel is supplied to
English builders at such a price as to
amount to a virtual bonus of about $40
a ton.
Although shipbuilding wages in Eng
land have also risen heavily, they have
reached nothing like the unheardof
levels now prevailing in the United
States. At Hog Island, for example,
time labor runs as high as 90 cents an
hour, which means nearly IS for an crdi-
nary eight-hour day, with no extra time
charges. Practically speaking, the gov
eminent faces one Of two alternatives:
1t must either reduce these wages very
sharply or else it must scale the cost bv
writing off large part of it, 1t is un-
derstood that Chairman Hurlev's propo-
sition would amount to reduction of
about 500 a ton on ten million tons Of
ships. Only small part of this ton
mage is as yet completed.
1t is highly probable that under pres
ent conditions the rates for ship steel in
the United States could be considerably
scaled down, though this would again
depend in part upon the wages prevail
ing in the steel trade. These have risen
nearly 100 per cent over 1914.
The Importance of this scaling is not
generally understood. A large part Of
q Cdi ~ VESSEL ) COSl OIL operation QC-
ponds upon it's first, or building, cost. On
this depend charges for depreciation, in
terest and insurance. which make up
much the larger part Of the total Wages
on the freight boats are relatively
small item. The government could not
sell its ships on the present cost basis
But it is understood that Norwegian and
other shipping interests are in the Amer
lean market ready to contract or pur-
chase freely if favorable price basis
can be reached.
The question is whether the govern
ment shall pay the present level Of ship
building wages and then let the tax
payers foot 40 per cent or more Of the
cost, or whether it shall take the bull by
the horns and squarely meet an impos-
sible economic situation. This is prob
lem which a Republican Congress will
have to meet.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
The Soldier Memorial

Fears that the temporary arch now
being erected at Madison Square viii be
made permanent without proper consd-
GRAFTON of it's merits and fitness still
persist. Mr. Thomas Hastings, who has
charge Of the general design, has ex-
pressed his own new clearly and it is
entirely sound. Only after the present
structure Of plaster has been built aud
observed and duly passed upon by the
city and by the various artistic authori-
ties does he suggest that the question of
a permanent memorial be taken up.
That does not appear to be the view of
all those interested in the arch, however.
Therefore, the action of the city's
chapter Of the American Institute Of
A rchitects calling for general competi-
ton Of ideas and plans is timely and
welcome The proposal is comprehensive
and broad minded. A preliminary compc-
tition Of ideas and suggestions is asked.
For this any layman could enter, the
jdca being that the memorial to our SCI
ders and sailors ought TO take any form
that may be deemed most appropriate
We should not start out with the idea
that il must necessarily be monumental
or architectural much less that it must
be an arch or any particular type Of
structure. Let us say, to illustrate, that
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
A Week of Verse
The Return

CFrorn The Ccntury>
GOLDEN through the golden morning.
~ Who is this that comes.
With the pride of banners lifted,
With the roll of drums?
With the self-same triumph shining
In the ardent glance,
That divine, bright fate defiance
That you bore to France
You! But DER your grave in Flanders
Blow Che winter gales;
Still for sorrow of your going
All lifes laughter fails.
Borne on flutes of dawn the answer:
"O'er the foam's white track.
Gods work done. so to our homeland
Comes her hosting back
Come the dead men with the live men
From the marshes far
From the mounds in no-man's valley,
Lit by cross nor star.
Come to blend with hers the essence
Of their strength and pride.
All the radiance of the dreaming
For whose truth they died.
SO the dead men with the live men
Pass an hosting fair,
And the stone is rolled forever
From the souls despair.
ELEANOR ROGERS cox.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19

it might seem best to make our memorial
park or driveway or scholarships
Ihls preliminary competition would
give ample opportunity to produce all
the ideas available and submit them TO
public discussion for criticism.
1t is the plan of the architects that de-
csion among these ideas or suggestions
shall be made by jury of representa-
tive citizens chosen by such bodies as
the Chamber Of Commerce, the Mer-
chants Association, the Fine Arts AS
ISOLATION and so or. Prizes are sug-
gested in order to stimulate competition.
Afterward there would be a technical
competition to select design, if the
idea chosen was a matter of design.
We hope that this project will be car
rled through. Already it is plain that
however beautiful the arch at Madison
Square may be in itself and however
fitting it is as a temporary greeting and
symbol Of victory grave questions as to
It's location will arise. Neither symmetry
nor space are then to aid. Moreover. it
IS essential that a more searching re-
view of the whole question should be
made before final action is taken. Both
to prevent artistic damage to the CITY
and to insure memorial accurately ex-
pressing the city's emotion toward our
heroes, competition of the sort de-
scribed should be held
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
riurnph
From The Sonnet

From The Sonnet
uEART's measure gave l. Is It all
Il IL forgot?
Winds cannot blow or beat it into dust.
Or waters cover it. or moth and rust
Corrupt it into aught that 1t was not.
For what Is more remembered than the
spring,
The scarlet tulips running througa the
grass
By wet wall, and gone with but Alas.
q know not how know this old, old thing
How now. poor one. that loved me for
space?
Mine is the triumph of the tulip flower.
Ny ruined April wil not let you by:
To east my laughter and to west my face
Housed with you ever, down some poig-
nant hour
There drifts the scrap of music that
was |.
LIZETTE WOODWORK REESE.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
Humanity
rom The Pd0or

From The Pd0or)
4 infinitely good-natured Ncwfound-
a land puppy,
Perpetually stepping with clumsy feet
On the edges Of academic saucers
And upsetting the milk over neat car
puppy continually circling after its DUN
tail
And swapping at sunlight
Basking in hot street
And getting its paws run over
BY elemental motor-trucks
A poor devil of a puppy.
Starving, half-inteligent
But with great hungry eyes
ROYAL SNOW.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
Plus I ard
From The Yale Rerieu)


A ND later on, those who are left will say
- Little about it; they viii not care to
tell
Much of those years content to buy and
sell,
To practise law, relve in the old way
The old quiet humdrum round. One viii
be gray,
A trifle bent, tri1e frail. and well,
If some one asks him where his comrades
fell
In France, he may grow garrulous
He may
Or may he not. It all depends If he
Is sitting at dusk by a slow-embered fire
And his pet grandchild questions him, why
then
He may begin to hear the guns again.
His hands may tumble toward the treach-
erous wire
That
Sonny he'll sigh, Eat Chateau Thierry."
LEE WILSON DODD.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
Graves in France

(From The Yale Reve,c)
vTNHEIR fates shall be a song, d school
Il boys wonder,
For many a day
0, the red treasure We have buried yonder,
SO far away.
0, the POOR, painting love that must 60
weeping
Through bloody foam,
To find She soldier in his glory sleeping.
So far from home,
France. have loved thee, But beyond
all measure
Our love shall be
Since in thy bosom we have mid our treasure
Of agony.
KARLE WILSON BAKER.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19

NOU laugh
And ride life if it were bronco.
AS it rears and tries to kill you
You only cling tighter
And laugh
Other men life may have thrown and
tramped,
But you will break it TO your will
And make 1t carry you wherever you wish
to go.
MARY CAROLYN DAVIES.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19

TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: great many intelligent and patri
otto Americans are in entire agreement
with the statement made in to-day's Trib-
unc in an editorial entitled "The Great
Dry Mystery which is follows:
"Thc whole swift and hurried process
defcs analysis or explanation. 1t stands,
for the present at any rate, ono of the
wonders of our political history"
Might it not be worth while for The
Tribune to give publicity to the following
inquiries, and to press for answers to them,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: 1t occurs to one citizen of this Re
public a curiously anti-Ally coincidence
that the German Theatre should announce
rcopcning to take place in few weeks
on the same day that the United States
should Commit thceatrocity" of taking the
lives ("for you do take their lives when you
take the means whereby they live') of the
starving people of France and Italy by
passing the "dry" law, thus cutting off the
greatest export industry of the above named
Allied countries. S. G.. G.. FAIRBANKS.
Larchmont, n Y, Jan. Is, 1919.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune
SIR What is the cause for this wild cry
for prohibition? Is it the fear on the part
Of the politicians Of losing the womens
vote? In that case there is no need for ex-
element. because among all the women
know rersonally-and l know quite num-
Der in different parts of the country, dry
and otherwise there only one or two
who favor prohibition. Won't the res
taurants boost their prices for food to such
an extent that we Will all be compelled to
eat at home?
The majority of people drink and very
few to excess Look what happened to Rus
siat What drcary country we will havei
Is there no hope? ANNA S. HARDING.
Brooklyn, Jan. IS, 1919.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
A Plea for the Pianist

ffrom The Columbus Evening Dispatch
With Paderewski at the head of its gov
eminent, Poland should put up that West
ern mining camp theatre sign: Don't shoot
the pianist; he is doing the best he can ~
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
o the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir; Your editorial Of yesterday, The
Great Dry Mystery" is quite easy of solu
ton; An economic boycott financed by Ger
man interests against Great Britain and
France, especially the latter, as her reve
nue. from this country is quite considerable
from her brandy and wine industries
New York Jan. 49, 1919 n H.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
Aims. for the Love Of Affair"

'F'om The 81. Paul Pioneer Prcss>
Next after war charities we NAV be
asked to contribute TO fund for the re-
lief of the $4,000 -a-year Cabinet officers.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
Vulgar Display of Wealth

(From The Sor Lake Herald
The price of eggs has dropped NotNith-
standing this fact. man viii still carr, =,
bit Of the yolk on his vest With some i s.
gree of pride
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19

The camounagc units soon to discm-
bark here may expect an enthusiastic
welcome from the lIylan- Hearst com
mittcc.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19

IRON The omn
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
"7he Great DryMystery'

Communications p4bls coming of prohibition