davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1919-05-11
Another Cyclops Hoax?

The Navy Department has been
notified Of the finding In Long Island
Sound of a bottle containing what
purports to be an unsigned message
from the naval collier Cyclops, which
sailed from Barbados March 4. 1918,
and has never been heard from since.
This Is the second missive Of this
kind that has turned up. The first
was a message in a bottle picked up
near the Baltimore quarantine sta
ton, August 8. 1918. which read,
Captured by German submarine, off
the coast of Virginia. Our ship Cy-
clops, JOHN RAMON Tor RuMMoNl,
Chicago"
No person named RAMMoN or Rum
MON was among those on the Cyclops,
and since the armistice the Germans
have denied any knowledge Of the
fate Of the Cyclops. The present
message is said to give notice that
the ship was sinking in a position
which makes the naval authorities
regard 1t as a hoax. If It is, the
perpetrator has a perverted sense of
humor, unless he Is actuated by a
malicious motive. as, for example. a
German sympathizer might have been
in the war. 1t is obvious that II the
Cyclops took sufficient time in sinking
to allow the preparation Of this note,
wreckage from the vessel should have
been found before this.
The sun., 1919-05-11
The State Department Regulates
the BOlshevik PTetendeFs.

The surprising thing about the Sta tie
Departments recent reputation Of the
Martens Bolshevlst embassy" Is that
It did not come before now. MARrENs
and his outfit, pretending to speak for
Russia as representatives of the Rus
sian Socialist Federal Soviet Repub-
lie. have been active in New York
for many weeks and they probably
fooled considerable number Of Amer
leans into thinking that they had been,
or were about to be, recognized by
Washington.
Manifestly, II the United States
Government was to recognize the Boil.
shevik crew as the government OF
Russia, then We would be at war with
Russia. Our soldiers in the Thurman
peninsula are shooting. and being shot
by, the Bolshevists. Only a week ago
The sun., 1919-05-11
END Of Price Fixing.

Secretary REDTTELp's price fixing
Industrial Board did not explode; It
Just oozed away. Now that It Is gone
with no mourners-not even among
the steel producers themselves, who
have abundantly learned, as THE SUN
has told them from the first, that you
cannot sell goods merely by having
the Government daub a "fair price"
mark on them-the steel business
should become active. 1t will surely
become active, In truth, as soon as
the market RECEIVERS from the paralysis
forced upon It by the Governments
foolish and futile attempt to Ak prices
In normal peace times as It had fixed
prices In abnormal war times.
Other business in the general field
Of industry will follow on the heels Of
steel, for when that great basic COM
modify Is moving freely and natu-
rally under the economic law Of sup
ply and demand everything else
moves with It. The country never
goes to the poorhouse when steel is
doing business.
1t Is not unlikely, moreover, that
the steel producers will learn that an
open market stimulating business can
send prices up. as THE Sun has also
told them, where a market trammelled
by the restrictions Of fixed prices
could not.
Nobody knows what the price course
Of steel will be in the next few weeks
or monthA Steel may 60 down; It
may 60 up; 1t may 60 both down and
up. But, whatever It does. 1t will be
responding to the natural laws. If 1t
goes down too low It will excite so
eager a demand to buy that it viii
rebound. If 1t goes up too high 1t
will tend to stimulate production and
1t will tend at the same time to check
consumption that is not imperative.
so that the commodity will be kept
within bounds. In either event, the
manufacturer can produce with rea-
sonable assurance Of knowing what
his selling market is going to be like
the consumer can buy with reasonable
assurance that nobody else Is going
to get much the better Of him.
With the great basic commodity Of
steel at last back on straight track,
with copper there several weeks
earlier, with coal sure to follow. the
industrial future of this country looks
clearer and brighter this morning
than it has looked at any previous
hour since the signing of the armls-
tice six months ago to-day.
The sun., 1919-05-11
TESTS OF EFFICIENCY.
Value Of Aptitude In Business as Com
pared with Efficiency.

To THE Eprroa OF TIE suN--str: II
Bile quaiity7 Tho latter In by all means !;
yet when business firms advertise for
help az general rule they require ex-
pcrienca
This II Q sad mistake. Aptitude 10
Of more account In the world OF busi-
ness az elsewhere. A bookkeeper has
experience. but that does not neccssar-
lily mako him q good ope: there are
many poor bookkeepers who have expe-
rienee.
know an accountant VINO confssses
he 10 q rank bookkeeper. I know a
boolckeeper who IL N. a. a. an account
ant. know a splendid musician who
cannot teach music, and fine piano
teacher who cannot play entertainlngiy,
and 20 on.
recommended q man who had de-
sirable qualifications but no experience.
At first he failed to get the Job, but
when I explained the matter to the man
higher up the opportunity was given TO
him to show his aptitude and he made
good'' TO the entire Satisfaction Of the
firm. and that mal will soon be . menu
ber Of the arm. The arm was glad It
waived the experiences clause.
And there are many. many people
similarly possessed Of aptitude, but who
cannot set the chance to show eheir
ability simply because firms are OBJ
sessed with the idea that experience 10
necessary. Experienced men are not
always the ones with executive ability
ttey often set into rut It 10 the
man with aptitude that counts and II
one has that quality he can quite read
lily get experienoe. but he must have
the chance to show II, and II he doesn't
got the opportunity then business
houses are the losers.
Good material 10 wasted and the
wastass in the labor neld IL enormous.
But the time II coming when aptitude
win be the cry. and the worn out term
experience will be relocated to the back
ground. to the business morsue.
GEORGE e. BRATsoM.
BANGOR, Me-, May o.
The sun., 1919-05-11
EVENTS TODAY.

g. n Hnts, OF a,,t the America Lodge. U. O. p,
noon. iiaii' after
New York Consumptive Relief 4earua
Hotel McAlpin, 1880 p. NJ
Mothers day of the Jewish wcifart
board. SO Park avenue. p. NJ
Discussion of the Bahai movement Al
81: Mark Sin the Bouwerie p NJ
Reception in honor of Father HoevI
chaplain OF the lo7th Infantry. Hotel Conl
modore P. NJ. ,
Lecture on labor and the New wor &
,U, r BY william English wallins, PUB
nc school 81, Glenmore and Stone ave.
nues Brooklyn, p. NJ
Lecture on Some Aspects OF Russ!ad
Literature" by D.. N. j. AlEin. wasj
p. NJ '"'
Song recital by Hazel Moore. Educat
tional Alliance. Sis p. NJ
Lecture on Development Of Decorative
,ronwork In America" by Samuel Yelln
metropolitan Museum of Art, P NJ
DEBATE on an amnesty for political pri.I
oners In America. Ferrer school, Pvthisd
nan. 1871 Madison avenue, s:l5 P. NJ
Lecture on THE Facts OF the Faith ~
Cyrus rownrend Brady. West Side y NJ
c. A, p. M.
The sun., 1919-05-11
Little Theatres.

Should not the little theatre in its
best estate represent rather a frame
Of mind than architectural proper
lions? Is not the little theatre sym
bolical In that 1t is no more than the
outward and visible sign of some
mental state?
In this country little theatres were
meant to occupy toward the regular
playhouses a position similar to that
in which in the eos the free stages Of
Europe stood toward the subsidized
and commercial theatres. There Is
now scarcely city Of any impor-
lance without Its little playhouse. In
them are acted dramas Of the Eng
lish and the Russian writer's and at
times plays that are racy Of the soil.
Lady GREGORY, who recommended for
the encouragement of q national art
In the United States a theatre in
every State which should present
dramas founded on its life. would be
satisfied by some Of the experiments
in Wisconsin and Minnesota. But
the apex Of her artistic structure Is
still missing. She urged the founding
of a national theatre In New York
which should annually act the best Of
these dramas.
Less local has been the aim of the
little playhouses, half amateur, now
scattered from one end of the coun-
try to the other. In the interpreta-
ton of DUNsANY, GALswoRTHY, CHE
KoFF, DRESSER or whoever happened
to appeal to the directors the talents
Of local painters and actors have Of
course been utilized. But there has
been in the majority Of cnses little
or no accent on the national phase Of
the productions. Some have devel-
oped more or less ambitious schemes
of mise-en-scene that have carried
their fame abroad. Original plays in
one act have borne proof of the in
ventiveness Of local authors. Some
of the theatres have been a means Of
social diversion, while others have
been oil art for art. Everywhere,
however, these institutions have tes-
tilted to a lively interest in the ac-
tivities Of the theatre.
But the little theatres Of New York
have known during recent years no
such prosperity as those of other
cities. Our own are frankly COM
mercial. They pretend to no limita-
lions Of repertoire not determined by
the sultableness of the play to a
small frame. Yet even with this latl-
tude they have not shown signs Of
prosperity. WINTHROP AMEs's beau
tiful little playhouse has been closed
for two years. 1t should always
be kept open, II merely to prove
what taste and skilful architecture
can accomplish. One other little the
atre that has known seasons of great
prosperity is open now only intermlt-
tently. A third Is fortunate In this
season having achieved a record of
constant employment. Two others
lying far from the theatre district
The sun., 1919-05-11
A PERPLExED AMERICAN.
Questions Raised by Victory Loan Ap
peals and Mr.. Wilson's Acts.

To THE EDITION or THE sJN--Str: Why
does not the small investor buy Victory
notea7 II you can answer the following
questions perhaps It might clarity the
atmosphere
am all mixed upi For three years
have been going to England. carrying
food. cigarettes. chewing sum. shells
TINT. and now md we are sending
food to Germany. Where are we att
Is every cent Of this loan to be spent
in bringing home our troops? How
much Of 1t goes to paying Woodrow
Wilson's expenses7 How much Ia spen,
for Mr.. Houses expensesf A biography
Of House 10 desired.
Above all, how much Of Il would &c
to sending food to Bolsheviki and SO.
vietsf
Have We lost faith in the present
Administration? We have. why should
our Premier (Secretary Of State) not
have been competent to deal with the
Premiers Of England. France. Italyf ID
he mentally Deficient If 50. who So
lected him7
The President Of the United States
has q proper place. and sincerely hope
tiaoS Wueh A0 h0tusbss Shu iAu ShoeAA ~
called back, no will be put and kept
In his place.
An amendment to our Constitution IA
In order which would require that the
President of the United States should
not leave the United States without the
consent and approval Of the United
States Senate.
Is Italy a better friend Of ours be.
cause OF Wilson's trip7
Is France a better friend Of ours be-
cause OF Wilson's trip7
Is England a better friend OF ouri
because OF Wilson's trip?
Is the American at home and abroad
better friend Of Wilson's because OF
his trip7
think not.
Will you assure me that every cent
I spend in tho Fifth Loan will be utilised
ito bring the troops back?
Please do not answer by return mail.
for heaven only knows when 1t Nigh,
reach fne. but I do receive THE Sun
every morning.
have been an American citizen for
fifty-six years. but please tell me how
I may become a citizen OF the French
republic They seem to have the proper
idea Of Justice and right
DR.. WILLIAM MOORE
NEW YORK. May 10.
The sun., 1919-05-11

have been open from time to time to
their particular public.
Yet 1t Is not difficult to see that
the metropolis is less congenlal to the
prosperity Of the little theatre than
smaller towns are. Those which
really represent a state of mind here
do continue to interest their small
clientele. But there has been ample
evidence that the theatregoing public
generally does not enjoy the little the
atre. Perhaps the theatre must be
democratic. Exclusiveness in art or
attendance is resented. Every fellow
insists on his right to 60 to a show
in his own way. Whatever the rea-
son may be, little theatres prosper
outside New York more than they do
here.
The sun., 1919-05-11

Until the millennium comes West
Point will be as important to this coun-
try as ever. and THE SUN. which more
than once during the war thanked
providence for the Military Academy,
and Annapolis too, to glad to see
that the new Superintendent at West
Point Is a man who brings to the
cadets the wisdom won On battlefields
and who is young enough to be enthu-
siastic and old enough to be careful.
All luck to Brigadier- General DOUGLAS
MACARTHUR, the good soldier son of
a good soldier father.
The sun., 1919-05-11

she sat on . erss in the glosminE.
And Gang TO the soldier below,
The birds 70 the forest were homing,
And the clouds held q warm aftergiow.
The Rhine flowed majestic, eternal,
To the arms Of the sea In its hight.
Ana vine clad the hills In their vernal
Green dress were all hushed for the
night.
20 finger, ana leave not forever,
rair youth. with the clear. steady syesi
30 long have sat by the river
And waited thy coming with sighs.
Come rest in my arms and remember
Nsusht. nhught but our moments OF
biissi
Ana the SHOWS ana the ice OF December
WIN dissolve In the IRE OF our kiss."
He harked TO the Lorsiets wooing.
But smiisd, quite unmoved by her plea
Say, what do you think you are doing"
He said. 'spoutins German to me7
don't like your looks or your manner.
while as for the Rhine, Il lacks style.
And the girls Of the star spsngied Banner
Have got your kind skinned BY . mile"
WILLIAM WALLACE wHrrnLoox-
The sun., 1919-05-11

pant Peterkin. Well, says DR.
FISCHER, the advisable thing 10 this
Do not rely entirely on the Mendelian
theory Of inherited vigor:
"A too happy satisfaction in hav-
ing been born biolosicaliy rich breeds
complacency; Of complaosney. self
satisfaction; and of seif-satisfaction,
ruin. Conversely. q decision that he
is nothing. the determination that he
will strive and strive nightly and
then bcget children, may mean in the
new generation the start OF the super
man."
That word "superman" unpleas'
antly recalls the Guest Of Amerongen,
who was born when his father was
Is and who begat the erstwhile Grown
Prince at the age of %. Are moi
these exiles additional proofs Of DR.
F1scHER's contention?
The sun., 1919-05-11

Going into a wider field, DR..
FISCHER took a list OF 671 eminent
men and found that the average time
between the birth Of the father and
the birth of the son was 40.7 years,
instead Of the New England 33. He
takes it that a child born of father
who is 25 years old has one-flfth the
chance of greatness that is enjoyed
by a child whose father passed around
the cigars at the age Of 35 or 40. AS
the father is older. so much better
are the sons chances to shine In the
world. NIcoMACHUs, himself an old
mans son, begat ARISTOTLE when he
was SO. CoNFUcIUs Was born when
his father was II. The Chinese sage's
only son was born when CoNFUCIUs
was 10; and you never hear OF Con-
FUcIUs Junior. BENJAMIN FRANK
Inns father was 81, his mother 50,
when he was born. He was the
youngest son Of a youngest son for
Ave generations back. His own son,
born when Americas most versatile
citizen was %, never amounted to
q great deal.
DR.. FISCHER remarks that the GUS
tomary objection to such illustra tons
Is that they are all selected; that in
dustrious opponents of the theory
might dig up evidence wholly cou.
trary. He dares 'em to find 1t. '"rhe
histories of great men are open Ia
every one" Also. there are Mr.. RED.
FIELDS prizes waiting to be taken.
What's the answer says the Zip
The sun., 1919-05-11
Over tho Top.

The Victory Loan is subscribed and
oversubscribed. It could not have
failed to be when II was, as THE
SUN declared on the day the terms Of
the loan were announced, 20 good, so
miraculously good, an investment
Paying such high interest. with such
security behind It, the Victory note
could not fail to appeal to the man of
large fortune. to the man Of moderate
fortune. to the corporation, to the in
surance company-even to the banks.
AL Of them before the war had been
glad to buy ordinary securities paying
a lower interest. All Of them at a
later time will be glad to- buy such
ordinary securities again. There never
was a chance that such investors
would not be glad 10 seize an invest
ment opportunity the like Of which
no man has even eeen since the civil
war more than half a century ago and
the like of which no man Of living
generations can well expect to see
again.
But there Is no doubt that the gen.
eral public refused to take advantage
Of this Incompatible opportunity. The
new Victory Loan lists will contain
millions fewer names Of little inves-
tors than were on the Lists Of the
Third and Fourth Liberty Loans.
This Is too bad-for the country, for
the public.
It is a pity that q single note
should be in a single bank except as
collateral under the loan Of an indi-
vidual subscriber. 1t Is a pity that
corporations should have had to take
what was the Investment Of life
time for the rank and file Of the
American people who would not take
1t. 1t is a pity that when the Ameri-
can people bought Liberty bonds and
bought them to the limit as a patri-
otto duty, as q message to our fighting
men across the seas, as their part Of
winning the war, they did not buy
these Victory notes as. having done
80 much before for the sake Of the
Government, they should have bought
them this time for their own sakes.
But they did not.
The one cause Of general rejoicing
about these Victory notes, therefore,
Is that they are taken. and taken
abundantly, as some relief to a strain
ing national Treasury.
The sun., 1919-05-11
Tho Quaker Bonnet.

From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
have heard that there 10 as much
technique In the making of the bonnet Of
the oldsn pattern for the Friends as there
is in the Japanese art OF drinking tea
In Ohio there IL q section that wears the
Quaker Earb with the bonnet; there Is
another in Iowa that attn keeps TO the
Characteristic costume: in New York on
both sides OF Lake CAyuEa are Friends
who follow the simple. historic fashion I:
and :n Fairhope. Ala, a single tax settle
msnt very largely settled by Friends. are
others Much importance is attached to
what Is called the expression" OF the
bonnet. In tho very simplicity there Is
quite as much room for this manifestation
Of . particular taste as in the more elab-
crate millinery of the worlds people"
Even to half a hair things must DO right.
Tho finished product comes in for a close
critical scrutiny at every possible angle
The true Friend abhors display and self
advertisement, and, therefore, she does not
care to have II known when fresh bon
net Is bought. That Il why each must be
the same as tho one that preceded IT.
The sun., 1919-05-11
Practical Bolshevtsm.
Prom LeSIis's.

10 your city dwelling eharminsf
Hand IL over!
Have you got q place for farminEf
Hand II over!
Is your auto Just the CHEEKY
Thing you need TO chase the dreAry
Thoughts away when you are weary
Hand II overl
Are there clubs for rest and pleasure!
Hand them over!
Arc there banks for peoples treasurer
Hand them over!
Are there men throughout the nation
Who deserve our admiration,
Firm. In high determinations
Hand them over.
Is your money we'll investedf
Hand II over!
Is your business tried and testedr
Hand II Overt
Are tho telephones and traction
Giving perfect satisfa elton,
Are the railroads all In action?
Hand them over!
IL your wife n matron stately
who doth rule your homo soda tely,
Do you love your daughter greatly;
Hand them over!
WILLIAM WALLACE wHrreLscK.
The sun., 1919-05-11
POEMS WORTH READING.


Heterogeneous ID DFos".
I found me at home, with the one loved
most,
And looked in the eyes that were heaven
to me.
But they held me aioof. a. the light OF
stars,
And-was IL the eyes or the lips that
spake-
words-or only the shadow OF wordsf
But I understood, in the depths OF my
SOUL
And the challenge pierced me through and
through:
why have you stayed 20 long awsy7"
And / could not teii-for aid not knewf
But stood at loss. condemned and mute;
And there, In the silence, my heart rose
up,
And the room where We were with ts
throbbings shook!
And The food Of my tears swept dGht
ewNy-
Even the light Of the stars OF those, eyes
And my soul kept repeating. repeating the
words:
why had stayed 90 long aweyf
Why had stayed so long awayf
Oh, my Beloved. I could not tell
For We cannot tsll--and We do not know.
In the midst OF . dream. that the dead
EpfrH NJ. THOMAS.
The sun., 1919-05-11
Good News From the National
Ranls.

When the statute governing the ma.
tional banks was amended BY the cur
rency act Of March IA, 1900, to allow
the establishment Of institutions with
small capitalization, many fnanciers
honestly believed q dangerous innova-
ton had been made. They feared a
crop Of unsound, badly managed,
mushroom banking institutions would
arise, demoralize business and bring
discredit on the whole system.
These fears have proved groundless.
The Comptroller Of the Currency,
JOHN SKELETON WILLIAMS, has issued
circular letter directing attention
to the increasing number and expand
ing capital of the national banks and
to the excellent record these institu-
tons made for solvency and service
In the sixteen months which ended
with March. There are now In bust
ness more national banks than ever
before, with larger capital and sur
plus and greater resources, and the
number Of applications for charters
goes higher every month.
In the period to which Comptroller
WILLIAMS refers tho country under
went item months of the stress and
trial of war and six months Of the
dislocation and strain OF reconstruc-
ton" In those months there were only
two failures Of national banks In
the four months Of 1910 which ended
April / 131 applications for charters
for new national banks were made
and 113 applications for permission
to increase the capital Of existing ma
tional banks. There were in these
months more than seven times "a
many applications for new charters
for national banks and approved ap
plications for increases in capital az
there were voluntary liquidations moi
counting consultations with othel
national banks.
Comptroller WILLIAMS Is natu
rally proud Of this record. and II
should strengthen the confidence OF
everybody in the solidity and sanity
Of the national banking system Of the
country. 1t has proved itself capable
Of adapting itself to unprecedented
conditions, and will continue to adap,
Itself to new needs as they arise.
The sun., 1919-05-11

Soon begins the annual commence
ment season. but the aspect Of the
most significant period of academic
life this year becomes more national
than collegiate. The record American
universities and university men have
made in the war can well be a source
Of pride to the nation. In not only
the superficial characteristics Of COL
lego life has war worked remarkable
changes. but II has intensified the
spirit college life fosters to greater de-
votion and sacrifice, which will power
fully influence this years commence
ment exercises.
The sun., 1919-05-11
Liberty, 1919.

tAs suggested BY Joseph Pennell's stching.)
Gigantic daughter Of . nations pride,
Lifting her regal brows 10 the dim East
The far nung shadow Of her nsis placed
ssrsnsiy still above the hurrying tide
Beneath her soaring majesty there bids
Peace. and the mighty harmoniss Of trade.
Where alien argosies their sails have
stayed
The vision Of cosmopolis beside.
Once shostiy caravans. whose dim presage
stirred the vague shadow OF q hope out
worn,
Now. In one long, uneeasing pilgrimage.
Growing the dream OF millions yet I'M
born,
Forever. on Q see OF peace they fare.
And from her nrm based citadel on high,
symbol OF pride. and power. and majesty.
The mighty Goddess nfts her torch in air.
HAMILTON CxAforn.