davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11

circumscribed with the rigid rules
and regulations of a bureau. Some
men were born to be bureaucratic
but not the big business type of
man. / don't mean to imply that
there has been any political pressure
on me. Far from it. There have.
of course, been recommendations of
men for places, but any such have
only been introductions to possible
chances to make good.
at is absolutely essential, for a
bureau Of this size to make reason
ably good, that its director should
have an entirely free hand in it's or
ganization and administration, and
he should be responsible to the
power above him for every single
act Of the personnel of the bureau.
Under the most favorable conditions
it is not, in my opinion, possible to
reach in such bureau as high an
Ideal Of business efficiency as obtains
In the best organized business insti-
tutions of this country. We can
hope, however, / and those who are
working with me in the organizing
of this bureau, that by the end of
this year it will be functioning prop
erly in its various divisions and SUBJ
divisions and that it's work can be
carried on in the future by men who
are willing to hold permanently gov
eminent positions.
"Why, just think of it! In about
twenty months this bureau insured
more than 100000 men for an
average of $4,000 of insurance
each. 1t carries $50, OoO,ooo,o0 of
insurance-all the old line, includ-
ing industrial; insurance companies
of America carry only $27, 100000
000,< and the fraternal companies
only $9,500,O00,0OO. 1t employs
10000 persons. Most of them had
to be trained for their work while
they were in the midst of the most
chaotic job that men and women
ever tackled. Not only did the
bureau have the Alps, 900 applica-
lions and all the attendant docu.
ments and records to handle, but
it seemed as if everybody in America
took to writing letters to it. Let
ters have stormed in on the bureau
at the rate Of 100000 month and
IN every language known to the
tongue of man. Almost everybody
seemed to have a kick and many
undoubtedly had right to kick.
1t couldn't be helped. Out of moth
ing there was being built up bureau
that has to deal with millions of
people-and that, too, in matters
of intimate and personal concern,
things that get close to the hearts
of the people-sickness, wounds.
daily bread, sorrow and death. A
clerical error on this end became
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11

OF the great Berlin rebellions; ane
even his worst enemies had to admit
that he did thorough job of it.
In fact, the principal charge
against him was that he did toe
thorough job of it. His famous
order, issued to the government
troops, ito shoot on sight ANYBODY
caught armed in the Streets" reused
storm all over Germany which the
Ebert government found quite diff
cult to allay. He was denounced as
a bloody despot. The "Freiheit." or
gan of the Independent Socialists
went it one better and called him
Ludendorff. But he Cleaned UPPER
lin, and this constituted no little
JOB IN the eyes of many. His re-
tallatlons for the celebrated Lichten-
berg massacre We'd with the best
achievements Of the German army in
Belgium. 1t appeared later that the
celebrated Lichtenberg massacre.
where the Spartacists were alleged to
have cut down sixty-odd defenceless
government officials, did not cake
place at all. But then it might have
taken place and the Spartacists. any,
way, were bad people whom at lust
served right; so everybody was
happy, except, perhaps, the Sparta
cists. And Noske earned the en;-
tibet "the strong man of the Ebert
government"
AT the meeting of the National
Assembly on February Is last
Noske, then newly appointed Minis
ter OF Defence in the Cabinet named
by the newly elected President of
the republic, Ebert, made a speech
it was not the speech of a great
man; tar from it. 1t was not the
speech OF man whose picture a
herman Democrat, a Liberal intel
iectual, would care to have on his
wall next to those Of, say, Schiller
and Beethoven. But it was decided
~ the speech of a clever and able
man, OF one who knows what he
wants and is not very particular as
TO his ways of getting it. The
speech was ardently applauded by
the Scheidemann Socialists and the
bourgeois parties, an applause that
drowned the scornful cries of the
Independents.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11

story that came scarcely a fortnight
ago IN a flood of laughing sunshine
at Camp Mills. Units of the heroic
nth were detraining and each was
being greeted by phalanx of rela-
tives.
"A company of infantry was NOV
ing solldly, in squad formation. down
Clinton Road. Although guns were
slung at careless angles, the lines
were straight and quick stepping.
1t was surprising therefore that a
soldier, with eighteen months SER
vice, one year overseas, should
calmly walk from the middle of a
squad toward the side of the road.
"A young lady was standing there.
Her clothes were of the latest Pa
rlslan models which Grand and Di-
vision streets have given the CITY.
Her shoes were of bronze hue. She
1iau evidently been standing in the
same waiting position for hours, for
her face was flushed and the sun
had marked her with noticeable
burn.
The doughboy made the last few
strides on unsteady legs. He stop
ped only when squarely in front of
her, his face on a level with hers.
The curbing on which she stood
equalized their height. Her mouth
opened to scream, but closed to
kiss. The powerful douehboy was
almost swaying, when two thin, fer
vent arms Threatened his breath
ing.
They kissed--ending this story.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11
Inc Chronicle of Two Kisses

at laborer's trot through the
muddy sea to their jobs.
She stood irresolute and unno.
ticed, a slim target for the furious1v
playing elements. But her love was
the kind which finds a wav and she
lnstinctively turned from the gloom
lest bit of Long Island. Her troubled
eyes swept to the right. A curling
stretch of track led off from the
man line and was lost in the mist
The dim outlines of oblong. I'M
painted buildings family rewarded
her straining scrutiny.
The storm seemed determined In
make day Of it, and her progress
along the tracks was slow. Strands
of her hair fled from her couture
and explored her face.
She pushed steadily onward
Around her neck hung sometime
that resembled wet rope. 1t had
been fluffy white neckpiece.
Suddenly the tracks veered sharp
ly to the left and she looked eager
Iy, hopefully ahead. Four hundred
yards up the line loomed a masto-
don mogul engine, black and steam
ing. Behind the engine twelve cars
bordered on the uncompleted plat
form. She fell as she crossed a
switch, but only to her knees. Soon
she was abreast of the steaming
engine, and all it's mugginess. The
engineer scratched his head. He had
seen many unusual and admirable
sights in taking troop trains to
transports, but this--my, what a
girl!
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11

make their payments PROMPTLY AMI
properly" ''u
Won't this government ,nsrx
ance of 100000 men in the nr;n.
OF life and for SO large an amoun.
as an average of $4,000 be b.rs
en- the regular insurance COW
panies?" / asked.
mo. AS a matter of fact a,
insurance companies are do;na s
better business right now than a.
before. This is partly due to H.
influenza epidemic which, with it,
tremendous number of suaa.s
deaths, served to remind peon,e -
the uncertainty of life, partly dna
to the war and partly due to tbs
salutary effect of government n
dorsement of the principle of in.
surance. People concluded that -
insurance was good for soldiers i
was good for civilians also. and lin
gerlng doubts and misgivings abou.
the whole insurance idea were swept
away.
The fact is that the insurance
companies are cooperating grandlv
They realize that we are giving tbe;r
business the best advertisement =
ever had. Besides, most of the b;o
Eastern companies are writing 81,
the new business the law allows aru
way. This bureau has done more u
less than two years to make an IN
surance policy as much matter of
course as suit of clothes than al,
the propaganda Of all the companies
could have done in half century
we damned insurance onto 1000.
ooO men in the prime of life. most
OF whom knew as much about in.
surance when they took it as cow
does about the metabolism of m;lk
and cared less. They learned bv
object lessons what it means. They
saw their comrades die all abont
them and leave estates for their
widows and mothers In return for
few dollars of pay automatically
deducted. They go home and preach
insurance. Their comrades and ac-
qualntances will take the cue from
them and invest in comuanv
policy.
Besides, as they get along in
life most Of them will want to take
some more of a good thing-and al
they can't get any more of it from
the government they will apply to
insurance companies for it. Some
of the insurance agents will find
their field among the first insurers
restricted for awhile, but even they
will enjoy the compensation of cas-
Ter and better business a little later.
The average old line insurance
policy has been only $4,000, but the
general boom for insurance that is
being created is resulting in
marked increase in this AVERAGE.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11
AS to Regular
Insurance

This absence Of the agent, with
out whom Insurance would not exist
In America, is one of the factors in
considering the probabilities of the
soldiers converting their temporary
war term insurance into the various
forms of permanent insurance the
government offers them. The de-
gree to which this conversion
privilege will be availed of depends
largely on the service we can per-
form in informing the men of their
rights and their special opportuni-
ties. We need everybody's help in
this. No soldier can afford to fore
go this great opportunity. You see,
because the nation thinks it only
fair to give administration without
charging for it, the boys will get
their permanent insurance at about
one-hfth less than they could get
1t from any old line company-be-
SIDES, many of them could not now
pass the physical examinations that
the companies require. Ours is the
biggest job of group insurance ever
undertaken and we take the whole
army as it is, sick or we'll. We are
planning to use the postoffices as q
means of keeping in touch with our
insured men and they will be author
lied to accept premium payments
SO that it will be easy for the most
unlearned in business matters to
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11

tragedy at the other end Of the
line.
1.-THE bureau has over 10000, 900
individual records in three miles Of
cabinets ~ feet high and it keeps
1000 typewriters in constant SER
vice. Its $4,000 employees have
been scattered over sixteen insult
able buildings, but we will soon
have them all together in this build
ing. Since we started it we have
paid out about 100000 individ-
ual checks amounting to $497,000,-
600, though more than $3.50, 900, 900
of this was deducted from soldiers
pay to go with the allowance they
thereby secured for their families.
I'm getting the soldiers and
sailors insured, in the matter of
allowances, etc, the bureau was
mixed up with the war and navy
departments and other government
agencies. The war was going on
all the time, too, and our insured
men and their benefciaries were
changing their addresses and NOV
ing all over the map. The bureau
had no trained agents or solicitors
to handle all preliminary details in
an orderly manner and put all
papers up to it just so-as an in
surance company agent does.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11
By Theodore M. knappen

TIME soldiers of the late wal
made good collective bet
with Uncle Sam. Through
their War Risk Insurance policies
they bet 5000, 100000 with him that
they would Ego west" during their
term of service. The cold man" bet
S7o0,000,000 against their $780,
100000 that they would live
through the war. The greater part
of them did, but the hundred thou
sand who won, through death, leave
their heirs about $9O0,000,00O of
insurance, of which S7O0,0O0,OO0 will
come out of the treasury and from
the taxpayers of grateful country.
The soldiers as a whole risked
S200,000,000 and got back their
ante and $700,000,000 besides for
the families of their "buddies' who
passed over. The survivors, who
by the same token did not win in
dividually, can keep right on bet
ting with Uncle Sam on their
chances of life as long as they live
or for various fixed periods.
AS from now on premiums will
meet death losses outside of the
administrative expenses which Uncle
Sam has agreed to contribute free
of charge, it may be stated roughly
that soldiers War Risk Insurance
has cost the government in actual
net insurance liability not less than
$700,000,000. The benefciaries,
however, actually will get about
S1,250,000,000, which will be the
ultimate committed value of the
S900,000,000 of policies. This is to
say, that as the insurance money is
to be paid to the benefciaries in
monthly instruments extending over
twenty years, instead of in lump
sum, they get the interest accumula
tons of the unpaid balances. On
$4,000 policy this amounts to
$4,000 and brings the monthly pay
ment up to $3.50, instead of
s41.66, which it would be if merely
the face value of the policy were
distributed over 240 months. So
Cor the next twenty years the gov
eminent will have to appropriate
about $62,00O,O00 year to pay
war insurance obligations, though
the net outgo will be about $780,
100000, as the insurance premium
funds will yield the other S12,-
100000.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11

that there is a great deal to be said
for getting thinos done"- then
measured by that standard, Noske is
"real fellow"
After the revolution last Novem-
Der he was appointed Governor of
kiel; and, as it is remembered, Kiel,
with the warships in the harbor hy-
ing the red flag, was then the danger
centre of the cyclone that swept the
Hohenzollerns from their pinnacle of
power. Noske, by means fair or foul,
restored order at Kiel. Later, as
Peoples Commissary for Military
Affairs, he did the same in Bremen,
where Spartacist terror had ruled
for. weeks. But his most notable
achievement was putting down one
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11

's 81. !: ' s': !. q: best J: !: s: ::';
member of the present
German government; best
hated, that is, in Germany. In AL
lied countries Scheidemann still
stands forth as the arch-hypocrite,
the symbol Of that political resig-
nation of the German Social-Demo-
cratic party" which, according to
the late Rosa Luxembourg, took place
on August 2, 1914. But for the
German masses Noske personifes
that junker militaristic reaction
which to-day poses in the garb of
Social Democracy and republicanism.
Still, it is probably an exaggera-
ton to say for the German masses.
It. would be more accurate to clas-
sify opinion according to the color
of the German national flag which
is ,your particular color, if you have
the misfortune Of being a German.
1t. works like this: If you are
(which God forbid!) a Red, Spar
tacis., Communist, Bolshevik or
even a mere Independent Socialist,
follower of Haase, then, indeed,
you hate Noske as the devil incar-
nate, dark assassin, mass MUIR
derer and things TO that effect.
Then your opinion of him can be
summed up in the exclamation, "To
hell with Nosker'
On the othe hand, if your favo-
rite color is whitehall is, If vol,
happen to be Democrat, Lib
eral, a Republican, supporter of
Ebert--then Noske is your chief
nope in these days, when hope is
about the scarcest OF all commodi-
ties between the Rhine and the Wis.
Lula. Then you cali Noske the
strong man." the man who Saved
the republic" the backbone Of
EDert>s government, the German
Gambetta, If you please. Then YOU
VII adopt for your slogan the mod
ern German equivalent of eTet
George do it" and will clamor en-.
Enthusiastically LET Noske do tn
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11
By Bertram Rein;tz

I WAS time when transports
were melting away With New
IL York's Own to become part of
the nighttime shadows drapinp
the dismal sea. Departures were
learned of three weeks after thew
happened, when a postcard told that
there were 5000 miles between the
lovers and kiss. The parting touch
OF the lips became at once elusive
and the sole happiness of the world.
She came on the first train of
April 26 that hatwheeled into the
old Upton station. Discounting the
colored washerwoman, she was the
sole feminine representative on the
stuffy train. The sleepy-eyed con-
ductor had drowsily permitted smok-
ing on each Of the antique cars,
and she had breathed an atmos-
phere Of assorted cheap cigars and
juice clogged pipes for three hours.
Her travelling companions were Of
the blue jumpered, corduroy trow-
sered host that had converted an
expanse of scrub oak wilderness
into a soldier mandatory.
The Upton mud is traditional and
deep. 1t is oozy on clear days and
bottomless in the rain. Her high
heeled boots, Of the latest Paris
last from Grand Street, cut into
the mire like knife into water.
The sheets of rain whipped about
the alighting passengers. The work
men merely grunted, swore, put up
their coat collars and numbered off
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11

Bourbons, had created the victori-
Gus armies of the French Revo]u-
zion. But for Noske, per-
haps, these journalists would not
believe IN the German revolution
at ALL"
Well, to call Noske a second Car
not may be mild exaggeration
lie Steele" a Paris newspaper, ex-
pressed, last March, an opinion less
complimentary: "Of course, the
Boches could get their house in
order if they only had a Napoleon
But instead they have Minister
OF War, Socialist, fellow by the
name Of Noske, or something to
that effect. He won't have any,
thing to do with the Internationale
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11

for interviewing purposes Just now
IS Noske. Noske's person
is the symbol, for them, of the
reality of the German revolution.
One is almost tempted to say to
the foreign correspondents, 'Noske
guarantees the revolution. The
fact that a man in civilian clothes
can be the commander in chief of
the German army and, moreover.
that he seems to be equal to his
task, appears to everybody who has
known Germany for any length of
time as something novel, unheard
of, distinctly revolutionary. A
foreign journalist likened him the
other day to Carnot, who, out of
the ruins Of the royal armies of the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11

and declared just the other day that
he is first of all a German and onlv
IN the second place a Social Demo-
GRAFT"
That's just it. That explains
why the Reds curse Noske as a
monster and the Whites call him
our Noske" and trust him in his
JOB, which, under the present cir
cumstances, is rather ticklish one.
to say the least.
1t cannot be denied that if "get-
ting things done" is a desirable
standard in itself-and even the most
pervert believer in "absolute right"
the most supercilious weigher of the
morality of acts and theories, would
admit, in a shipwreck, for instance
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11
N0ske's Birth
And Record

But il you--still assuming, mere
ly for arguments sake and without
the slightest intention to offend, that
YOU are German--if you are d
Black, u royalist, a pa,-German, q
Junker, an imperialist, ten you will
ke rat n dianoNe Of Eoskn with n
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11
Something New
Under the Sun

This insurance, mind you, is a
new feature of this war. Compen-
sation is merely the modern substi-
tute for pensions, but war insur-
ance is real innovation. The
War Risk Insurance act provided
for compensation for death and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11
N0ske as
An Orator

he started out denouncing Haase,
tne independent leader, for calling
the war war of conquest" waged
ny the German imperlalists. Herr
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11
Poor
Government PAY

I'm the long run the government
Will not pay enough or guarantee a
future that will be attractive to a
big business man. No head of a
division could be sure of his place
from one administration to another;
besides, what life for an active
business mana life tied down and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11

AS the compensation features of
the law now stand, the total pay
ments are not likely to be large, as
large is counted in these billion
dollar days, for death or disability
must have occurred in line of duty
and not as a result of deceased s
wilful misconduct, and no claim is
recognized unless made within
five years from discharge from
service. But already it is conceded
that the compensation rates are
too low as compared with pensions
for previous wars, and the next
Congress will be asked to in
crease and grade them more equi-
tably than at present for varying
degrees of disability. Then, doubt
less, as the years go by Congress will
allow compensation for claims filed
after five years on almost any later
developing disability that can be
traced in any way to the soldiers
service, and, finally, allow compen-
sation to all surviving soldiers of the
great war.
However, if Congress should con-
clude that in paying liberal compen-
sations for deaths and for disabili-
ties reported within five years, and
in providing cheap insurance for
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11
he Army's Winning Bet on Death-Insurance

disability in any event; the insur-
ance feature of the act was addi-
tional and was made optional with
the individual soldier or sailor.
So, because the soldiers died SO
fast that premiums based on ordi-
nary mortality tables had no value,
this war will cost the United States
at least $700,000,0OO more than it
would have cost had nobody con-
ceived the idea of insuring soldiers
en- Understanding that never was
dreamed of before, as no insurance
company could think for moment
of undertaking to insure men who
had pledged themselves to go out
on the battlefield and be shot at,
and no government before ours in
this war cared to add such a risk
to pensions and other regular war
charges.
What the compensation payments
will total there is no possibility of
calculating closely, but they are GO
ing out now at the rate of more
than 100000 a month on $4,000
claims, Of which $1,000 are for dis
ability in service and 10000 for
death claims. Should Congress event.
ually be as generous with compen-
sations as it was with pensions in
the past, the total Of compensation
payments and insurance deficit
might go to S1o,0oo,0oo, 900 in the
next fifty years.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-05-11

every soldier, it has done enough,
the biggest war will be the cheapest
on the side of pensions or their
equivalent. AS against the $780,
100000 of initial insurance, death
claims in excess Of premiums and,
say, an average of $4,000, 900
year for twenty years in compen-
sation - S400,000,000 altogether
$210,0O0,00O in allowances to SOL
diers' dependents during the war and
another 100000 (partly borne by
the Public Health Service), for hos
pital treatment, medical and sur
gical attendance, appliances, re-
Mobilization, etc.-a total of ST.
345, 100000; the Civil War pensions
have already amounted to S.
O87,0OO,000. All other pensions total
$308, 100000; the Revolutionary War
pensions being $7O,0OO,0OO; the War
of 1872, $46,000,O00; Indian wars,
$15,000,O00; Mexican War, $751;
100000; Spanish and Philippines,
SCI, 100000; regular establishments,
$46,000,000, and miscellaneous, $16,-
100000.