davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13
TRADE BRIEFS.

The production of mineral oil in Japan
for 1918 was II, 00T. 0S3 gallons. about 20
per cent less than in 1917.
There Ii market for baseball goods,
and in fact for all sporting goods. notably
tennis paraphernalia, in western Canada
A railway from Alden. the principal port
in Arabia, to Lehej, the capital OF the
Abdali tribe in southwestern Arabia, has
recently been opened.
The japanese Government has recently
announced that the Government railways
will reduce rates 80 per cent. on cereal
substitutes and transport rice free.
There should be a large market for IN
edible animal fats in Italy, and particu-
larly in the Venice district. where large
candle and soap factories are situated.
A Swiss mercantile exchange centre Is
being formed to facilitate commerce with
east European countries. and particularly
TO obviate the difficulties arising from
scarcity of money and lack OF transporta-
ton facilities In those countries.
good trade in refined edible corn oil
can be developed In New Zealand II the
proper advertising methods are employed,
including the sending Of printed matter to
the various dealers setting forth the new
and varied uses OF corn OIL
II american manufacturers wish to ex-
tend their business In the markets OF China
they must be prepared to compete with
other countries not only In prices but in
pleasing and novel patterns. for the Chi
nese men are very particular. and the
women use few foreign goods unless they
are tempted by attractive samplsA
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13
coYENANTERs. rwo KINDs.
Mr.. wilson Is Reminded Of What the
Scotsmen Stood For.

To THE EDITOR OF THE suN--sir: In
the report of President Wilson's Kansas
City address he is quoted as follows:
From the bottom OF my feet to the
top of my head I've got fighting
spirit. My ancestors were troublesome
sootchmen. someopf them were Cow
enanters. Here 10 the covenant OF the
League OF Nations. I am covenanter.
A comparison of the English Govern
ments of the seventeenth century with
the Government of the England of to-
day would be unfair. A comparison OF
tho Solemn League and Covenant Of the
Scots of that time with the covenant
OF the League of Nations is odious. The
Covenant of the Scots was OF religion
rather than political. The Covenanters
claimed the right, regardless of the King
Of England and his Ministers, to wor-
ship God in their own way. 1t is
granted that there were extreme men
among them, but they stood for a prin-
cipie that has long been established
throughout the British dominions. The
covenant of the League Of Nations is
understood by many OF US to propose
not that we shall continue to govern
ourselves in our own way but that for
eign Powers, at least one of them
despotism, shall have q hand in the
direction Of our political policies.
In comparison of the two cove
nants it is plain that the President has
broken with the traditions of his ances-
tors, of which he boasts, and is now on
the wrong side. Mr.. Macaulay In his
admirable history wrote: "Charles L.
ba6 tried to force his own religion (Epis-
ccpal) by his regal power on the Scots
at q moment when both his religion and
his regal power were unpopular In Eng
land, and he had not only failed. but
had raised troubles which had ultimately
cost him his crown and his head"
Many of the best men OF this Re-
public are the descendants Of men who
sought a haven in the wilderness rather
than endure the political and religious
persecution of Charles I. and his sons
and successors of the House Of Stuart.
NEW YORK, September IL. A B. F.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13
COUNCILS WASTED
n MILLION MARKS
Legal Expenses of Revolution
lists Only IS Million.

BERLIN, Sept. II (delayed) Matthias
Erzberger. Minister OF Finance, to-day
made public a report on the expendi-
lures of the Workmens and Soldiers
Councils from the time OF the revolution
10 March 81 of this year. 1t is shown
that the councils spent $4,000, 900 marks
u which the garrison councils spent S.
100000 marks and the Held councils
t.000,0 900 marks.
The report shows that $1,000, 900
raTks were spent for the pay of the
Scuncils The navy got 2,172, 900 marks,
II which 100000 marks were spent
iUstihably. Herr Erzberger says that
was not the navy's total. however, and
estimates 1t at 100000 marks The
post councils spent only 100000 marks.
Many cases where the councils forci-
bly, extorted huge sums of money from
banks are cited.
Only 1S,o00,0 900 marks, says the Finance
Minister, were spent legally and the
other 74,000,Oo0 marks were squandered.
An effort is being made to recover the
74.O00,O00 marks, but 1t is doubtful II 1t
can DO done. The empire suffered
greatly he adds, and was mulcted of
sims for which 1t is difficult to account,
u say nothing Of recovering.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13
What Disintegrating the Transport
tatiOn System Means.

What disintegration Of the city
transportation system means the peo-
pie of Manhattan will soon learn. The
green car lines ere already falling
apart because Of lack Of money to
meet expenses.
1t means the abandonment of lines
which cannot earn operating expenses,
fixed charges and a fair profit for
their owners, though these lines serve
the needs Of hundreds of thousands
of men and women.
1t means the operation as Individual
properties Of lines now constituting
units of the general system.
1t means the expenditure Of ten
cents when passenger must use two
lines TO reach his destination, fifteen
cents when he must use three lines,
and so on-a nickel for every line on
which the passenger rides.
1t means confusion, congestion and
increased danger in the streets, daily
inconvenience to scores Of thousands
Of men and women workers, and new
difficulties for everybody in getting
about town.
1T means lost sales for merchants,
decreased patronage for hotels, res
taurants, theatres and other places Of
public resort.
1t means wrecking the great, COM
prehensive, boldly designed passenger
carrying systems which came into be-
ing to serve the necessities of the big
gest city on earth, which wants and
should have the best transportation
organization on earth.
And this smashup. out of which
will come a situation requiring the
payment of ten cents, and fifteen
cents, and more, for ride from one
end of New York to the other, Is due
to the blindness, the wilful obstinacy,
of those who refuse to let New York
ers do what they would do without
complaint; that is, treat the transpor-
tatlon system fairly, pay it ade-
Quately for Its services, and give it a
chance to render at an equitable price
the service New York must have for
the comfort, the health and the pros
perity of its people.
How long will the sound thinking
people of New York tolerate the atti-
tude of public officials who seek to
destroy the life Of the city transpor-
tation corporations?
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13
A TORTOISE PROTECTOR.
He Dates Them and They Visit Him
Fifty Years After.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir. I
note a communication from one James
DabtJ of New Jersey in THE Sum of the
Cd inst. under the heading of Turtles
Protected" In which an attempt Is made
to dabble in our New York conservation
law. The better form OF expression is to
differentiate the terrestrial as tortoise
and the aquatic as turtle.
The tortoises were never disturbed un-
I'll recent years, as they were harmless,
and 30 wandered at will unmolested,
feeding on wild berries within their
reach or those, like the mulberry, which
fall to the ground, besides fungi and
perhaps insects. Their sense of smell
must be extremely acute to enable them
to locate their food. Forest fires often
destroy numbers of them. 1t was the
custom everywhere to mark the under
side with the initials of the finder, to-
gether with the date or his age, and thus
the fact of their remarkable longevity
became known. AS they attach them
selves to some particular locality and
seldom or never abandon It certain
sentiment Of consideration and friend
ship was felt toward them by every one'
which almost amounted to veneration
when they bore the initials of some
departed relative.
Some years ago gangs OF italian
laborers, forest spoliators, destroyers of
every species OF bird and general rava-
gers of everything that grows or creeps
or flies in the fields or forests, were tern
porarily located in Suffolk county, Long
Island, and straightway started to live
off the country and began to collect all
the tortoises, with or without records.
and eat or ship them to the city for
soup. This was going little too Tar
and had to be checked. otherwise they
would all have been exterminated.
A law was promptly introduced by
one of the county Assemblymen and duly
passed by the Legislature protecting
them. Shortly afterward / noticed IN
the show window of bird and animal
store in Brooklyn nearly a bushel OF
hem piled on top of each other ana
diving of thirst, heat and starvation.
Tits was too much and promptly noti-
fed a game protector and we seized the
entire outfit and shipped them to my
fol est home near Camp Upton, where
many of them still roam unmolested.
They had undoubtedly been collected
by some Of these foreign miscreants ana
sold for q trihing consideration. The
proprietor of the store was substan-
TALLY fined.
This summer 1 discovered under one
OF my mulberry trees an exceedingly
old fellow and was surprised to find my
initials on the under side with the date
1906. It rarely occurs that tortoise
and the man who marked him meet after
30 long an interval. The tortoise was
at least ten years old when marked and
showed no evidences Of extreme age
except the paling OF the yellow patches
on the carapace, and several times while
momentarily unobserved almost sue
Gee ed in making It's escape. am
equally as active, thank you
ARCHIBALD c. WEEKS,
Librarian Brooklyn chronological
Society.
BROOKLYN, September IL.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13
EUROPE LIFTS TOURIST BAN.
Swiss Join Allies and NeutraIs in
Facilitating Travel.
sDectal Despaleh % Tnn 81

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2.-Switzerland
has been added to the list of European
countries to which Americans in search
OF travel and advertisement may go
The State Department announced to-day
that the Swiss Legation had assured the
United States the Swiss Government de-
sires to facilitate as far as possible the
resumption of tourist travel.
Passports TO Switzerland will be issued
beginning Sept, Is, when France. Bel
GUM, Spain, Portugal Italy and Forth
ern Africa, except Egypt VIII be opened
to American pleasure seekers.
The State Department again warned
tourists that passage to and from Europe
Is difficult to obtain, and urged that as
surance be obtained OF accommodations
both wayG
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13
TAX ASSESSMENTS
TO HIT PROFTTEERS
Rent Pirates Help Swell Total,
but Figures Are Kept
Secret.
INCREASE Is ASSURED
Hotel and Cafe Owners to
Plead Dry Law Cut Their
Value.

City employees were taking a lively
interest yesterday in the statement OF
Mayor Hylan, as reported, that their
salaries would be raised because the tax
assessments had been raised and the
city would get more money.
Much reticence was shown, however
by city officials in a position to know
something about 1t as to just how much
values would be raised this year. Al
the Tax Department the only informa-
ton obtained was that the men in the
field had not yet completed all their re-
ports and it would not be known until
their assessments had been totalled just
how much increased revenue the city
could look forward to. ~
Under the law the assessment books
must be ready to be opened to the public
October 1 and not until that date will
any official statement be made as to just
what has been done, 1t was said.
1t has been understood in a general
way that the Tax Department has had
instructions from the Mayor to pay par
ticular attention to the properties of So
called rent-profiteers and to increase the
tax valuation jim proportion to the rental
value Of the property. This source in
ITSELF however, will not be likely to in
crease the total real estate assessments
enough to met general salary increase
for city employees.
There has been much activity In the
real estate market this year and 1t is
believed that the Tax Commissioners,
following out their custom, will take ac-
count Of any increased valuation shown
in the latest transfers.
The owners OF large hotel properties,
which in past years have usually been
increased when there has been any gen.
eral raising of assessments, this year
will plead that their value has been in
jured by prohibition. This same plea
has been used by the owners of many
properties rented for cafes and saloons.
This year there was a total increase
In assessments over 1918 OF $199, 6S1, s07.
This was made up of an increase in
ordinary real estate assessments of
$103,093.1S6, which was offset by de-
creases in the real estate Of corporations
and special franchise assessments, which
brought the net real estate increase
down to $SS,6S3,902 and of an increase
in personal property of s110,997,9O5.
The total real estate assessments this
year were $S.42S,322.753 and the total
personal assessments s362,412,7S0.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13

title Of Lieutenant-G General shall
thereafter be abolished" This was
intended as further honor for
GEORGE WASHINGTON, but, as a COM
mittee of Congress which Investigated
the subject years afterward reported,
WASHINGTON died in office under his
Lieutenant Generals commission, the
proposed new appointment not being
conferred upon him."
The Office which Congress created
for GRANT in 1896 was General of
the Army" and this was. the rank
later held by SHERMAN and SHERr-
DAN; so Il is manifest that the Office
revived for PERsHING Is not that
which the civil war heroes gained,
but that which was designed for
WASHINGTON, who died before Presi-
dent ADAMS had time, or saw fit, to
execute the commission. When Pres
dent WILSON, on July 1S, recon-
mended to Congress that the perma-
nent rank of General be given to both
PERsHING and MARCH, he said: 1T
take 1t for granted that 1 am only
anticipating your own thoughts In
proposing these honors." 1t is evil
dent that the President took too much
for granted by half, for Congress not
only declined to make MARCH a perma-
nent General, but in the case of PER
sHfNG conferred upon that hero a
rank technically equalled in this coun-
try only by that which Congress in
tended for WASHINGTON.
If, as Mr.. KAHN declares, the Presi-
dents commission makes PERsHINo
"a General of the Regular Army for
life," that irregular piece of paper
should be forthwith recalled and
commission issued to the commander
of the A. e. f. as General of the
Armies. 1t is important that the
President should use exactly the
power which was put at his disposal
by Congress.
Returning to our correspondents
curiosity as to the parity of DEwEY's
rank and PERsHING's, we assume that
they are equal. In England an Ad-
miral of the Fleet takes rank with a
Field Marshal and surely General of
the Armies Of the United States would
rank with Field Marshal and there
fore with an Admiral of the Fleet and
the Admiral of the Navy. Finally.
PEBsHINo takes official precedence
over both SIMS and BENSON.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13
POLICE WHISTLES.
1t Is Not Surprising the Patrolmen
Ignore Their Shrin Call.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sr: Late
yesterday afternoon a man was struck by
All automobile at Eightieth street and
Broadway. He was knocked unconscious
and was picked up and carried to the
sidewalk by passersby. Without ques-
ton he was badly hurt. A cry went up
from the collected crowd for police
man and ambulance. but no officer was
in sight happened to be passing at
the time and blew a police whistle for
an officer Two minutes before I had
passed a policeman less than a block
away, and II he heard my whistle he
paid no attention to II. Finally another
officer came up, attracted probably by
the fast collecting crowd However,
minutes passed before he came.
The police are not altogether to blame
for disregarding the shrill call of police
whistle. Every other small boy in that
neighborhood is given one to play with
and they toot them about the streets all
day long. If a policeman on post were
to try to answer every call indicated by
the blowing Of a police whistle he would
spend a large part Of his time on wild
goose chases, only to discover grin
ming youngster with a whistle in his hand.
Most OF the children do not understand
what the call of the whistle given them
for a plaything should mean. but their
parents or whoever fails to look after
them do know or should.
II few parents or guardians of chill
dren who give their charges police
Whistles 70 snnuse themselves with were
arrested and fned an unnecessary evil
which interferes with the calling Of the
police when they are badly needed would
be done away with in short order.
NEW York, September IL. 7. P.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13
A Question of Interest to PIenipo-
Tertiary House.

1t may be remembered that when
President WILSON was amiably and
profusely and 1--WE hope) truthfully
answering the questions of the Sena.
tors invited to the White House the
subjoined colloquy occurred regard
ing that distinguished statesman's
knowledge of the existence of secret
treaties Of the sort which he de
nounces as infamous: \. s.
Senator JoHNsoN-when our Gov
eminent, through you, Mr.. President,
in January, 1918. made the Fourteen
Points as the basis Of peace, were
those points made with the knowt
edge of the existence of the secret
agreements?
1.-THE President-No oh. nor
In the Nation of this week Mr.. LIN.
COLIN CoLcoRD, staff correspondent
Of the. Philadelphia Public Ledger
who enjoyed opportunities of intimate
converse with Colonel EDWARD NJ
HOUSE at the time when he was first
ir President WILSON'S confidence
writes as follows:
Our journalistic group was in
constant communication with Colonel
HOUSE; every item Of news regards
ing the secret treaties was at the
disposal of the Administration.
can recall dozens of conversations
with Colonel HOUSE about the secret
treaties, going back as far as the
summer of 1917"
If Colonel HOUSE, as the advance
agent of world reorganization, knew
all about the secret treaties in the
summer of 1917. how did 1t happen
that President WILSON knew nothing
of them as late as January, 1918
when he formulated his Fourteen
Points? Was the Colonel faithless tC
his high mission or was the Presi
dent, when questioned by Senator
JOHNSON, simply, well, let US say, ex
tremely forgetful?
Mr.. CoLCoRD's own conclusion Is
negative rather than positive, inter,
rogative rather than satisfying
what shall we think" he asks, "oi
this amazing charlatan?" The person
he describes as an amazing charlata1
is not Colonel HOUSE.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13

cause every human being capable of
handling money to save what could be
saved from his income. Self-preserva-
ton alone ought to make everybody
practise economy intelllgently; but 1t
does not.
A great deal Of money is being
saved In America. 1t is going into life
insurance, into savings banks, into
Government securities. The amount
thus wisely invested is actually enor-
nous. But that amount Is small In
comparison with what might be saved
IL every citizen were as wise and fore
handed as some OF them are. Side
by side with exemplary husbandry
by some there Is shocking extrava-
gance on the part of many. 1t Is SO
disquieting that great merchants are
appealing to their patrons to check 1t ;
bankers plead for curtailment of ex-
penditures for Injuries; Government
officers find it within their province
to urge care in spending. 1t is worse
than a display Of individual improvi-
dence. 1t Is a national menace.
Despite the high cost of living, de-
spite the dollar cut in two in pur-
chasing power, despite the serious
situation Of industry, labor and COM
merce, wilful waste goes on in appal-
ling volume, and wilful waste inevi-
tably will bring woful want in this
year Of grace just as it has ever since
the first wise man began to lay up
something against the rainy season.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13
CHARGES BURLESON
FLOUTED PRESIDENT
Violated Wilson's Order on
Newark Postmastership, I
Says Lehlbach.
Specfal Despdtch 70 THn srH.

WASHINGTON, Sept. IL. - The retrset
OF Postmaster-General Burleson to ap
point o permanent postmaster at New
ark. N. J.. because the candidate with
the highest Civil Servica Commission rat
ing Is a prominent Republican is In d.
rect violation of the Presidents order
making mandatory that the man with
the highest grade receive the office, Rep
resentative Lehlbach IN. J.) declared
to-day in statement. He contended
that Mr.. Burleson made a futile effort
to have the ratings changed.
Mr.. Lehlbach's statement was IN re-
ply to assertions Of Mr.. Burleson that
the Representative in his denunciation OF
the Postmaster-Generars acts before me
House yesterday had misrepresented the
situation. Mr.. Burleson alleged that
Frank ]. Book, Republican, with the
highest rating. was considered disquali',
fed by the Post Office Department and
that therefore the Democratic temporary
appointee had been continued in ofiH'
eighteen months.
ut has come to my attention" MT
Lehlbach said. that the Postmaster
General complains because in e1pos.As
his efforts to influence and controI inc
Civil Service Commission in rating me
eligibles for the Newark postmasterSHIH
1 did not becloud the issue with an *
traneous matter which he endeavofed 70
lug into the case, in his letter TO me-
dated August 2S, 1919, dealing VIII 'N'
Newark postmastership.
From the Postmaster-Ge oN"
statement of the case Mr. Book. re-
publican follower, was charged by mo
Democratic Post Once Adminisuaueu
with undue political activity lie Nss
lied under the practice In such case
by the Civil Service Commission anu
eXoneraked. The POST C''''o
was compelled to acqN,"',e
in his acquttal and Mr.. Book conp!e.et
his term of office. The incident was ''"'
definitely closed and cannot in the pres
en-" controversy be revived
when the Postmaster-GeneTal au'''N
that this matter has been taken UP VI
the First Assistant Postmaster-HeNe'e'
in personal discussions with the comm
sion, but they have adhered 70 ''."
original ratings he refers "a HIS con-,
ter.tiou that Charles A. Entemann should
receive a higher business rating t.'u.
Frank j. Book because EntemanH az
Z post Office inspector and Book n '''J
at Newark.
The Postmaster-Gener Cndea'o CO. % Z,
influence. control and coerce me W.
Service Commission insthe matter o' no
respective business ratings OF these wv
The acqulttal OF Fran" ..
Rock OF undue political activity ye~n
ago had nothing whatever 10 do wsin 'Aa
CASA
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-13
UNIONIZED POLICE.
The Presidents Interference With
the Washington Force.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: The
situation in Boston shows what may be
expected II the police forces Of the vari-
ous cities in this country become affli-
sted with any class of citizens.
Does 1t not then seem to you that the
telegram sent by Mr.. Tumulty to Hon.
Louis Brownlow, Commissioner OF the
District of Columbia, in which he states
that the President suggests the great
ACCESSIBILITY Of postponing the issue
created by the recent: unionizlng Of the
lolice force a Washington. D. c.. has
a very sinister appearance?
AS I understand 1t, the police force
CT the city of Washington is not under
the authority OF the President, and IL it
were would it not be best for the in
terests of the American people that the
President should not allow the inference
to be drawn that he would even COM
promise on the question Of police unioni-
ration? w. Il. h1ssELBURGH, Jr.
NEW YORK, September IL.