davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Nenana daily news., 1919-01-28
QUAKE DAMAGE AT PORTO RICO
 |S EXPLAINED

SAN JUAN, Porto Rico.-Loss
 of 200 lives and $5.OOO,OOO dam
 age to property as the result of the
 earthquake shocks here in October
 and November, was due chiefly to the poor construction of buildings
 along the west coast of the island,
 in the opinion of Henry Fielding ,, Reid and Stephen Taber, members of the Seismological commission,
 sent by the federal government at the request of Governor Wager to investigate and report on the dis
 asters.
 Shocks of a similar nature have
 occurred in the past in Porto Rico
 and may occur again, in the opinion of these experts, but the possible
 loss that may be caused can be
 greatly reduced by the erection of shock-resistng structures, their
 report states.
 The members of the commission
 are noted geologists. Dr. Reid is
 from John Hopkins University, Bal
 timore; while Dr, Taber is from the University of South Carolina, at Columbia, s. c.
 The shocks which occurred here, the two geologists report, were less in intensity than that which oc-
 cured in California in 1906 or the Charleston earthquake in 1886. In
 their report to Governor Yager the geoiogists say in part:
 "We believe the earthquakes were due to fractures of the rock in the northern part of Mona Pass age not far from the northwestern part of the island of Porto Rico,
 and that the fracture which caused ! the shock of October II (the first of the series) was accompanied by
 a small vertical displacement of Il very limited area of the sea bottom, causing the sea wave which rose along the shores soon after the shock. Displacements of this kind are not uncommon, and portend no great disaster to Porto Rico. "The damage done by the shocks was greatest in the western part of the island and diminished pro- gressively. though not uniformly. toward the east. On soft alluvial
 soils it was greater than on more solid formations in the same neigh
The Nenana daily news., 1919-01-28

borhood.
 'The character of the construc- tion of the buildings was respons- ible for the great destruction wrought. We'll made reinforced concrete buildings suffered no serious injury even in the regions where the shock was strongest. Wooden buildings and the small native huts, by welding to the shock. were not damaged"
 Suggesting types of buildings capable of resisting the shocks, the geologists say: Steel frame struc- lures and reinforced concrete build ings are the strongest; the best cement should always be used. Brick houses, where the best ce- ment is used, are fairly strong. Wooden houses are entirely safe.
 "All strong earthquakes are fol- lowed by after shocks, which grad
The Nenana daily news., 1919-01-28
HUN JUGGLERS
 CAUSED BREAK
 IN OWN RANKS

SOFIA, Bulgaria. of the
 principal causes which contributed
 towards the rupture of Bulgaria
 with Germany, was the treatment by the latter of the Dobrudja ques- tion, which robbed Bulgaria of the
 prospect of attaining her national aspirations, and the tendency of
 Germany to favor Turkeys claim to the restoration of the strip of territory in Thrace, which the Turks
 under German pressure, had ceded to Bulgaria in September, 1915, as
 the price of Bulgaria's cooperation in the war
 When German diplomacy, early in September of last year, realized that Bulgaria was bent on with
 drawing from the war, a serious at
 tempt was made to conciliate the
 Bulgarian government by the aband-
 onment of the condominium es- tablished in the northern Dobrudja
 and protocol to this effect was
 signed in Berlin between the Cen
 tral allies. It was then hoped that
 this concession would induce Bull
 garia to continue the war, but it
 proved to be without success.
 The feeling produced both in
 Berlin and Vienna by this develop ment can be readily imagined The
 former Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister Baron Burian, in a con versation with M. Focheff, the Bull garan minister in Vienna, was
 moved to wrathful indignation and
 described M. Malinoff, the Bulgar-
 ian premier as traitor.
 There is much irritation in Bull garia over the Dobrudja question.
 The Bulgarian government, which, in it's several conversations with
 the German-Austrian ministers at Sofia, decared itself content to re- serve the question of the Dobrudja settlement by the peace congress, maintains the same attitude today. The government hopes that the fact that Bulgaria was the first state to withdraw from the war, and thus hasten the conclusion of a
 general peace, will not be over looked.
 1 The scarcity of foodstutfs in Bull garia constitutes serious problem Flor the government, and if supplies I'are not soon forthcoming, there is great danger of a famine. One fcause of this dearth of supplies was
 the wholesale and systematic drain ting of the country's resources by
 the Germans who, instead of rein
 forcing the Macedonian front, gar
 risoned the interior of Bulgaria
 with the sole object of collecting
 the produce of the country for des-
 patch to Germany. When the pres- ] ent government put an end to this :. exportation, the Germans resortetl to the ruse of posting parcels thru their own field post, and thus prac- tically every German soldier be- came an exporter. The Bulgarians
 government was powerlcss to pre- vent the practice.
The Nenana daily news., 1919-01-28

ually die out in strength and num- Der. The aftershocks here have grown infrequent and very light. There is certainly no special reason for expecting another strong shock Tn the near future"
The Nenana daily news., 1919-01-28

COAL. SfOVES
 Only a few left. Anderson Bros. Nerland's.
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04
Say "Amercanis1n But What Do We Mean by It

deprecate appeals to national feeling.
The movement toward patriotism
was subsequently reinforced by the
multiplication Of anarchistic' elements
in our population and by an increas-
ingly bold anarchistic propaganda.
The war has clarified much thinking,
and the patriotism that was only
latent, not extinguished, will not for
some time again be openly called in
question by any considerable number
of responsible Americans Most of us
now expect and we shall continue to
expect the American to be unequivo-
cally patriotic Whether he was burn
here or brought here or came here Of
his own volition, we expect him to
understand that all citizens of the
United States are sharers in common
opportunities, common perils and COM
mon destinies, and that we look upon
the man who is willing to take his
share Of our good luck without as
suming his share of our common re-
sponsibility or doing his part of our
common work as human object that
it is impossible to respect, and who
may as we'll expect scant considera-
ton
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04

play. Tie door at the right is thro,on
aUide open; first enter t1Uo men gdrbed
from head to foot IN red 1vool--in
1Ooollen surplices, girdles, shoes and caps
--a0ith electric torches IN their hands;
behind them, four men IN purple red
'gA-l. bearing upon board similarly
coDered, holy scroll aoith aOhite q0oollen
covcr; behind, tluo other men IN rcd
scool, acith electric torches in their hands.
A last, the Uool merchant himself comes
IN, dressed IN White Wool and ivea1-ing
a achite girdle that sparkles NTH dia-
monds. The procession crosses the green
path to the holy ark. The organ plays q
medley of synagogue, church and Chas-
sidic music. The merchant at first moUes
Nth sloaO dance gestures and soon gives
himself up to the dance of devotional
ECSTASY. The audience is ast0uNded
looking on auith mouths agope and auith
a suppressed, "Oh" NoD they look at
one another tUith signs Of stupefaction
and soon must struggle to restrain their
laughter. Here and there may be heard
tho explosion of aW-con tanned merrincnt.
The men bearing the holy scroll mount
the steps of the altar aud remain stand
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04
Know What
We Want

1t is safe then to say that large
majority of US at the present moment
demand an Americanism that pro-
duccs Americans whose patriotism,
good citizenship, neighborliness, de-
cency, self-reliancc and efficiency are
outstanding.
And this agreement upon the sub
stantal essentials Of good American
ism is supplemented, fortunately, by
measure of agreement upon the ex-
pedicnt ways Of selecting and foster
ing them. We share certain common
sense notions as to how Americans ex-
hibiting desirable qualities have been
hitherto and can now and always be
reared. We know something, that is,
about the Amcrcansm that We want
on the side Of ita methods as we'll as
on the side Of it's aims.
We have tried various experiments
in patriotism and VIC have arrived at
minimum requirements which are ire
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04

| now am?
WIFE-Who, then, should have made
you what you now are?
MERCHANT-Is that an answer?
SON-You alone made yourself what
you are to-day. You're a self made man.
MERCHANT-I never expected yo,t
to be able to recognize true divinity.
MOTHERHOOD. God has made you
what you are to-day.
MERCHANT (sarcasticaUy) - God!
Which God? I'm now fifty years Old
Where was that God of WHOM you prate
and whom you always have in mind,
where was he up to ten years ago? How
much did I not suffer up to ten years
ago? What didn't l go through? / was
born in poverty, of parents who insisted
upon making rabbi Of me.
MOTHER Would to God you had
really become one.
MERCHANT-But I didn't. I wan
dered from one religious academy to the
other, ate at strangers tables and
worked myself up to be teacher Of
Hebrew. Then l left home and came to
America, worked in a shop as q "green-
horn," became contractor in boys
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04

that all men are created equal in all
things. The dogma of the Declaration
of independence has doubtless served
useful purpose when wisely used in
awakening and strengthening the emo
tons of political democracy, but also
it has done much mischief when mis-
used. BY demagogues and their men
tally 1ndolent followers it has been
perverted into the shibboleth that all
men are created equal, not only in po-
litical rights, but also in political ca
pacity, which is not true. Thomas
Paines phrasing is accurate, and
should have been used in the decla-
ration: "Men are born and always con-
tinue free and equal in respect of
their rights" The perversion of the
doctrine with which we are familiar
has worked out practically in political
antagonism to men exceptionally quail
flied by character, talents and educa-
tion for public service, and to the
benefit of ignorant and vicious office
seekers who have played upon the al
legged democracy Of rotation in Office,
and the distribution of spoils to par
tisan victors. This sort of thing is
not Americanism, and should be
fought uncompromisingly by all
Americans who believe in character
and political ability. Instead of Il
perverse dogma Of capacity equality
we need to stress the Importance of
equality of obligation, Of duty and Of
service
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04

benches; he moves his lips as if deliver-
ing speech. Enter the organist The
merchant turns to him. 1t gets better
with each rehearsal. If l only had more
time I'd work it out still better. But
what's the difference? The first time
they'll laugh, anyway, no matter how
we'll I do it. Later, they'll all dance
with me. | said, "To- day" Then, to-day
it shall be. To-day l reveal myself; to-
day I declare myself. Go now to the
organ and hold yourself in readiness.
Your music certainly will be success.
/ only hope that my dance will meet
with the same favor Go now and send
the butler in to me.
ORGANIST-( (Bowing) The best of
luck to you. (Erit through the door at
the right.)
MERCHANT - (Agaim assumes his
serious, stiff attitude and begins to msove
his hps.)
THE BUTLER - (Enters from tho
door at the right.)
MERCHANT - (Descends from tho
affair." We are to begin at once. I am
going to dress. Let the guests enter,
(Exit through the right hand door,
BUTLER-(Opens the left hand door
and announces): You are invited to
enter. There enter at first severol
ashers, followed by the guests. AU are
dressed an fine array, at their head the
aoool merchants avife, his mother, his
SON and daughter. After oil the guests
haze come IN the butler closes the door,
crossing to the right door and standing
guard ouer IL. The ushers shoao the
guests to their seats and take their
places upon either side, foraoard. The
a0ife, the mother, the son and the dauqh-
ter are seated at the left, IN the front
ron. All gaze around in beavilderment.)
VOICES S-A synagogue! A temple!
A holy ark! An organ! And every
thing covered with wool!
A GUEST - behind the 1Uool mer-
chants aoife.) What can all this mean :?
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04

out for himself, to earn his way, and
be diligent, to bring up his children to
look out for themselves and to earn
their way. Also we expected him to
have initiative. I suppose that more
Americans would have agreed upon
this sturdy trait of Americanism than
upon any other one, not excepting pa
triotism, for we had among US, un.
happily, both pacifists and internation-
alists.
The insistence upon Individual ade-
quacy and efficiency had been strength
ening, but not to the entire neglect Of
other requirements. The rapid growth
Of our towns and cities had forced
upon our attention the difficulties and
the shortcomings Of municipal admin
istration, and the necessity Of foster
ing a collective civic responsibility.
We had, therefore, begun to expect the
good American to be an alert citizen,
Interested in HIS village, town or city,
believing in it and ever ready to help
maintain a lawful and efficient admin
istration.
Between the qualifications of the
American as seif-supporting indi-
vidual and his qualifications as a citi-
zen there were further qualifications
always demanded in our local communi-
lies from the earliest days. 1t was in
sisted that the American should be a
decent man, living sobcrly, respecting
the common moralitics and observing
the elementary courtesies Of civiliza .
tion. He was expected to be good
rneighbor, not mcddlesome, but friend.
ly, helpful and ready to cooperate on
occasion.
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04

people whom we call primitive and wild
knew this. They were nearer to nature
and, therefore, knew it. The gods re-
vealed themselves to these primitive
folk. Jewish mysticism, too had
glimpse of this. But it was too greatly
influenced by the belief in a single Jew
ish God, hence did not attain to the real
truth
MOTHER-Woe is me. What words
are these?
MERCHANT-I was brought up to
believe that everything has its protector
in heaven. The truth is, however, that
everything has its own god. I have
served many god in my time and none
of them desired or was able to help
me. Not the god of religious study
and not the god of teaching; neither
the god of boys trousers nor the god
of petticoats. But when I turned to the
wool god, he helped me at once. In ten
years he made me a multi millionaire.
(RaisiNg his voice and acith remark
able expression IN has eyes.) He took
me under his protection. He carried me as
on wings, higher and higher, higher and
even higher
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04

supplement English, but no other will
be permitted to substitute for it..
In citizenship, as in patriotism, we
have tried experiments and we know
that there is only one way to make
good citizen. He must be interested in
the everyday life and in the good name
of his local community. 1t is a thing
to be thankful for that we have awak-
ened to the Importance of community
spirit and community welfare, but we
need to go further in effort than we
have yet gone even under the enthusi-
asm of war. Boosting is a good thing,
but it isn't the only thing. Going over
the top in raising funds is good thing,
but a number of other good things also
are necessary. Community spirit must
manifest itself as we'll in responsibility
for maintaining decent and wholesome
conditions. If we expect to have good
citizenship, the American slum must
so. 1t must manifest itself in help
fulness. We can't let returning SOL
diers or incoming aliens wander about
looking for jobs, unobserved, unen-
couraged, unassisted, and sinking into
disorderly habits. 1t must manifest
itself in serious educational effort
Our schools are better than they were:
they must be made immensely better
than they are. Community spirit must
manifest itself also and, perhaps, above
all, in much more serious attention
than has been given hitherto to es-
thetic and intellectual matters
To make Americans self-reliant, de-
cent and neighborly we have relied
hitherto on the home, the church and
the school. To-day large part OF the
American population is wholly unstim-
ulated and wholly undisc iplined by
home influences, and unreachsj by the
Church. Apparently one OF the i'm
perative duties of the school is either
to rebuild the home, if it can, or to take
over its moral as it long since took
over its intellectual functions.
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04

ing IN the centre; t,co Of the torch bear
ers stand at either side of the stage.
The merchant noaU assumes his stiff
posture and Advances slolcly up the
steps. The organ stops playing; the
merchant faces the audience with an
o"stere, rigid mien; many of the guests
are holding their palms across their
mouths; the aoife, the mother, the
daughter and the SON sit in dum-
founded perplerity)
MERCHANT-Ladies and gentlemen
l have assembled you to behold new
religion, which l myself have estab-
lished to worship the God that made
me-who made me what l now am.
SON I'm aOhisper) )-Comedy.
MERCHANT-(C Closes has eyes, as If
from the pain of the insult, and then
opens them, assuming stern counte-
ncnce.) Who has made me what I now
am? Answer: Who has made me what
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04

trousers, then changed over to petticoats
and a: last began to deal in wool. Then
who made me what l am to-day?
(Silence.)
DAUGHTER (difidently THE wool?
MERCHANT - (Thunders forth, in
erdttation.) The wool! Stands motion
less, his eyes CLASSY; soon closes them
and lolcers his head as if IN prayer.
Then he opens his eyes and vieacs his
audience with high-spi,ited content
msnt; he speaks IN soft toned ave.
The wool! The wool-God! "A gasp of
horror rises from his hearers. The aoife,
the mother, the daughter and fe,c
other aoomen bring their hands to their
faces. The men look at each other)
Why do you all sit there so frightened :?
You imagine that I'm wandering in my
speech. You haven't yet understood me-
| knew that you would not understand
me. I'll explain myself. Know, then,
that everything has its own god. The
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04

MOTHER - That's right! Ridicule
your father!
WIFE-(Arises, and is about to an
proach the butler)
AN USHER-(bars her qvou) kindly
be seated. No moving about.
WIFE-But am
USHER know. Nevertheless, you
will be so kind as to remain seated.
W1FE-Where Is your master?
USHER--I do not know.
WlFE-Is he soon coming in?
USHER-I do not know. (He force.
her back to her seat)
WlFE-(angrily) "Do not know! Do
not know" Takes her seot.) Very soon
we'll all know. So you may as we'll tell
us now!
USHER-Do not know
SON-1'll take you by the collar and
give you such shaking out.
(Suddenly the organ commences to
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04
Patriotic
Growth

The war has not in any wise or in
any degree set aside these basic fac
tors Of Americanism. II has added the
immediate and overshadowing require
ment Of patriotism.
The Spanish War stimulated Ameri-
can patriotism. 1t also provoked re-
actions against it, inasmuch as our
behavior was not approved by every
body, and It offered opportunity to
such ns were npprehcnsive that we
were about TO become imperialistic to
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04

surprise to me. TO think that he's
built a synagogue of his own in his
very house-holy ark, sacred scrolls and
all. And here was l, thinking what
pity it had been to spend SO much effort,
from his earliest days, to make pious
Jew of him.
GUEST-But look, an organ; a re-
formed synagogue. hs'
MOTHFR-That makes no difference.
Now l know that there will be son
to pray for my soul.
SON-Only let him not ask me to go
to the synagogue.
MOTHER - Will it be such a long
journey? The synagogue has come to
you.
DAUGHTER-Now, mother, you nay
expect US to have kosher meals once
again.
GUEST-Where is he now?
WIFE, don't know any better than
you. He must be behind the door where
the butler is standing guard. He is
surely not through yet with his dress
ing.
SON-He'll enter in a prayer shawl,
most likely.
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04
"MuSf Be
Tolerant"

The American patriot, we need not
argue, must be tolerant. Americans
are of many origins. Americans have
welcomed every nationality and creed,
and they will continue to welcome; +;
but this means among other things
that those who are welcomed must be
tolerant and show decent regard for
the opinions and the institutions of
those who welcome them.
And, finally, the American patriot
must speak the English language.
That language we are going to have
taught in every public school OF the
United States. Other languages may
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04
Bad
IdeaIisn7

We have had in Lmerics rather too
much idealism Of various kinds that
should go into the discard with unde-
sirable citizens. We have had
great deal of impracticable idealism,
crazy schemes in religion, in finance,
and in politics. We have had in our
political life and elsewhere a voluble
and voluminous rhetorical idealism,
and in our religious, educational and
philanthropic life we have had, say
it with profound regret, humliating
instances of commercialized idealism,
or uplifting for hire. For the rest, our
idealism has been almost wholly
moral idealism, too often richer in
zeal than in wisdom. What we have
not had too much of and what we now
above all things need is that intel
lectual or intellectualized idealism
without which no people, however
energetic, however resourceful, can
attain true distinction as creators of
civilization.
Intellectual idealism is identical with
that spirituality of mind. spirituality in
the French rather than the English
meaning Of the word, which is not
supernatural nor mystical but psyche
logically concrete. 1t is certain
sensitiveness to the finer values of life.
These include intellectual sincerity. a
fearless outlook upon truth, intellectual
clarity, and taste. which think is be-
described as distaste for vulgarity,
distortion, exaggeration, and brag.
New-York tribune., 1919-05-04

ducible. The American patriot may
admire as many other nations and
governments as he likes and he may
believe that a millennium is on the
way, wherein the lambs Of gentleness
shall lie unharmed outside the jaws
things as they may, he must yield an
undivided loyalty to the one govern
ment under which he lives, and that is
the government of the United States
of America.
The American must be law abiding
If in his inward parts he responds tc
the philosophy Of anarchsm he must
nevertheless observe the rule of the
road when he goes on the street He
must understand that American liberty
is lawful liberty; and that in
America we amend law not by violence
but by due process of law. The
American, therefore, may not say with
out qualification, as the more radical
among US have been asserting, that
"self-g government at it's worst is better
than autocratic government at its
best" Self-govcrnmcnt is an oppor
tunity without which individual self
control and public responsibility can
not arise, much less develop; but unless
they do arise and develop, self-govern-
mcnt, so far from being better than
autocracy at it's best is quite as bad as
autocracy at its worst. When self
government degencrates into violence
or any other sort of lawlessncss it is
as despicable, outrageous and destruc-
tive as any other tyranny. Murder by
lynching mob is no better than
murder by the secretly instructed
agent of a czar. Looting, burning and
manning by bands of Reds, calling
themselves the people, is not ethically
preferable to like acts perpetrated in
the name Of divine right.