davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1919-12-06
What Read as Child
Stephen Leacock Tells of His Earliest
Adventures With Dickens and Jules Verne

Finn" when it came out, seemed to me
great book. l suppose the greatest
ever written in America
| read also with avidty all the sto-
ries of Jules Verne that came my way.
There is one in three volumes called
'The Mysterious Island" which I read
at fourteen and which | still read again
and again. The characters, of course,
are puerile, the incidents mechanical,
the dialogue contemplate; but the
basis of the story, which tells of ship
wrecked men upon an island, starting
with nothing and contriving everything
it up, is one that commands the inter
est of every rightly constructed boy
either of fifteen or fifty
read-and l am only too glad to
admit it-half- dime novels. read
lot of them, but | cannot remember
their names. l should read them still
if l could get any of the kind and
brand that l read thirty-fve years ago.
But l imagine that the plot and char
acters have changed. The scene of the
half-dime, I remember, was always laid
"on the prairie" This was a vague
conception, now hopelessly damaged by
mental picture of state boundaries
and railroad maps and news items
about prohibition votes in Dakota and
agricultural conventions in Omaha
There may for all | know, still be
prairies, but for literary uses the prairie
is dead.
The half-dime Of my early days al
ways opened with Bang! Bang!
BangI Bang!" This is no longer pos
sble with modern weapons of pre-
cision. Some ono would get hit.
May add to this discussion furth-
er word in a somewhat different con-
nection? AS writer of books 1t is
my opinion that children, or at least
New-York tribune., 1919-12-06
A Pocket Library

The first ten volumes of the Interna-
tlonal Pocket Library, which the -Four
Seas Company is publishing, contains
eight hundred pages and is made up Of
"Mademoisele Fiji and Other Stories. +"
BY Guy. de Maupassant; "Tales." by
Rudyard kipling; THE Gold Bug and
Other Tales by Edgar Allan Poe; "a
Snropshlre Lad by A. f. Housman;
1.-TWO Wessex Tales" by Thomas
Hardy; "The Importance Of Be;no
Earnest" by Oscar Wilde; "Modern,
Russian Classics" by Tchekoy. Cork
Soiogub, Andreyev and Antibashev:
The Last Lion" by Blasco Ibanez:
by Violence" by John Trevcna and
"GltanJali," by Rabindranath Tagore.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-06
Jonathan Trumbull

JONATHAN TRUMBULL: GOVERNOR
OF CONNECTICUT 1769-11S4. BY Jona-
than Trumbull Little. Brown Co..
Boston.
This biography of the Governor Of
Connecticut during the period of the
Revolutionary War is written by his
great-grandson, who bears the same
name. Trumbul was one of the strong
resolute men, worthy descendants of
the Pilgrim Fathers, whose faith in the
triumph of the American cause never
wavered even in the darkest moments
of the prolonged struggle. This care
full and exhaustive record of his pa
triotic activities is valuable addition
to our Revolutionary history and biog-
raphy.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-06
More Chinese Poems

In his second volume, "More Trans
ations From the Chinese" Just pub
,shed by Alfred A. Knopf, Mr.. Arthu,
Valley gives us sixty-eight pieces. 6fty.
i've of which have never before been
translated into English This volume
is uniform in style with "a Hundred
and Seventy Chinese Poems"
New-York tribune., 1919-12-06
Benavente Picks Shaw

In the opinion of Jacinto Benavente.
the Spanish dramatist, Dickens is the
most typically English writer, whether
ancient or modern. Among contempo-
rary playwrights of England his favo-
rite is Bernard Shaw. Caesar and
C!eopatra, says BenGvente, SIS a play
winch Shakespeare himself might have
been proud to have written"
New-York tribune., 1919-12-06
Renders Follow President

THE Middle Temple Murder" which
mas been identified as one of the de-
ttectlve stories which President Wilson
mas been reading during his illness
is now in its third edition.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-06
For the Collector

According to r. J. Stafford. Of
Charles Scribner's Sons. who las Just
returned from buying trip TO London
and the Continent with many cases Of
rare boks, the French have an eve out
for future profits at increasingly
higher prices. and it was only after
New-York tribune., 1919-12-06
Go S S p
A Self-Made Nove1ist

Mary Heaton Worse, whose novel "The
frestons, is portrayal of the spon-
taneity of group Of children, is her
SELF the product of laissez- faire pol
icy. Her mother condemned school
education in the belief that it taught
children nothing, and robbed them of
everything" Mary Worse is self-edu
Gated.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-06

both as a scientist and a journalist,
for the work he has undertaken.
A. ]. n. l.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-06
"History Of World War;
Francis Whiting tIalsey Formulated Journalists
History for Bulk of Current Information

TIE LITERARY DIGEST HISTORY OF
THG WORLD WAR; Conlutled from
original and contemporary sources:
<.merlcan British. French. German ard
,tners Hy Francis Whiting Iialsey
In ten volumes. 12mo illustrated.
EuNk e. Warnalls
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12

but one Of which occurred in the United
States Air Services De Haviland 4 BIZ
planes, there has been brought home
lesson in design.
The De Haviland is a modification
OF the British model of the same name.
In it the pilots seat is situated between
the engine and the gasolene tank. In al
most every crash in which this type of
airplane has figured the pilot has been
either badly crushed between the engine
and the tank or killed outright.
The British early perceived the fault
in construction of this type of machine
and modified it in the succeeding De
Haviland 9, and placed the tank next to
the engine. Some of the American OH
4s have been modified and the tank
placed ahead of the pilots seat. Why
not all?
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12

his face was still scarlet, and he was staring at
those near him with extraordinary aerceness.
Unless am sadly mistaken, his thoughts ran
something like this: "Let ME catch even the
shadow of grin on the face Of one Of you
guys, and there7l be an American atrocity
right in this car"
But nobody grinned. Every one found the
little incident-which took much less time
than 1 have spent in writing Of it-entirely
natural. l didn't want to grin, either. had
big lump in my throat, and couldn't.
Those were good days, even though they
were terrible days. Those 1.-THE, smiling lads
and those free-moving, frank American girls
gave Paris quality that to-day it lacks.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12
Class Parties

(Fron The Nnshvllo Tenncsscodn)
The plan Of a committee Of forty eight to
call convention in st. Louis for the purpose
of organizing party with the farm and
labor organizations as its basis is no moro
likely to succeed in national way than has
the Nonpartsan League, whose leader has
been sentenced by jury in Jackson County,
Mimi, to three months imprisonment for
conspiracy and scdition. The aim Of Presi-
dent Townley of the league, which in reality
is anything but nonpartisan, was to band the
farmers Of the Northwest together and then
to spread the doctrine Of special privilege
among the farmers of all actions for
political ends.
Any new party which processes to strive
after benefits for Il group Of citizens to the
exclusion of all other citizens is doomed to
failure. 1t is contrary to the great American
principle Of equal rights for all A party
which is not big enough to include men of all
classes all professions and all trades is not
big enough to attract the right thinking
majority which is to be found in any one
group
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12
From Screen to Print
the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: 1 wonder if the disaffected workers
in the printing trade appreciate that pub
lie can easily grow away from liking for
printed literature in this day of widespread
screen adaptation. l put this to them as
lover of literature
The reading of current books and maya
zines is, after ALL habit, just as s going
to the screen entertainments. One can do
without either. Of course, the need of good
books and periodicals is stimulant and an
inspiration to the average mind; but it is
not a necessity, like the consumption of food
and drink
The striking members of the printing
trades would do we'll to remember this: That
the book and magazine industry does not
live by the support of the occasional reader
They supported by the men with whom
reading has become habit. The evil of
shutdown is the enforced breaking of this
habit. The literary consumer will be COM
PEELED to seek another form Of diversion, and
the supplying of it is very simple in these
days of picture palaces around the corner
most of them presenting film fiction by the
very authors whose work the former literary
consumer will be missing through the shut
down in publishing
To give you an idea: The Coming at
fractions" page of the neighborhood picture
houses list screen adaptations like Mont
gomery's Came of Green Cables" Leroux's
"The Mystery of the Yellow Room" Daviss
Soldier of Fortune Martins "Barna-
betta," two by Beach and two by Cham
bers. In fact, it may not be q bad guess
that the screen people will make a concen-
trated drive for we who like a steady diet
Of the current authors.
During the recent actors strike had it
from friend Of mine in that profession that
one reason managers and players got to-
gether that each realized the danger of
breaking the theatre habit They feared.
he said, the public's consequent turninf to
the book, magazine and photopay producers
He said the factors in that strike realized
that if the strike continued long, each side
would "kill the goose that laid the golden
egg" by cutting off from an ever tickle pub
lie what it could get accustomed to going
without.
My friends Of the printing trades unions
may or may not find warning in this
statement. M. r
New York, Oct. 9, 1919
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12
The Future of Cyprus

The disposal of Cyprus is not within
the scope of the authority of the peace
conference, resting with Great Britain;
but the outlook is that the British gov
eminent will grant the petition of the
Archbishop Of Cyprus-namely, that the
island shall return to the motherly
bosom Of Hellas"
Early in the war Great Britain Of
fered to cede Cyprus if Greece would
do her part in protecting civilization.
But the infamous Constantine con-
trolled in Athens and defeated the ex-
pressed wish of the Greek people. But as
soon as she was free Greece came in,
and seems entitled to the benefit of the
munc pro tune principle of the law.
If the transfer occurs it will throw a
sidelight on the validity of two dogmas
much exploited. One is that political
relations are inevitably determined by
economic self-interest. The other is
that imperalistic nations have such lust
for possession that they never volun-
tarily pull down flag.
AH0 SyPIiote mas seen ms island pass
from one outside lord to another
Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Romans,
Normans, Venetians, Turks and Britons
have ruled him. Except the Greeks and
to some extent the Romans, and notably
the Brltons, the successive conquerors
have preyed and destroyed. The island
is one OF ruins-as often as industry
has reared an edifice it has been thrown
down.
In the forty years since the Turk
went a transformation has come. The
smiling hills and valleys are once more
heavy with harvcsts, and Cyprus ia
prosperous as never in 5000 years Yet
the Cypriotes, who made n soul mar
ragc with Greece in far-off days, seem
unanimously to prefer to become a
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12
A Wealthy Labor Leader
rom The st. Louis Post-D4spatch,

(fron1 me st. Louis Post Disputch)
The career followed by John Mitchell.
former president of the United Mine Work
ers, is not commonly regarded as one leading
to large fortune, or even to competency. but
Mr. Mitchell died the other day at the age
of forty-nine, leaving to his wife and two
children an estate in stocks and bonds valued
at q quarter Of million dollars
He was born in Will County, Ill.,. 80 Moor
that he attended school only until his tenth
year, educating himself by night study and
even reading law for a year From an early
age he worked in the coal mines, until his
twenty-seventh year, when he took up union
organization work. AS head of the miner.
from 1899 to 1908 he conducted the great
anthracite strikes Of 19O2-'o3, probably the
most successful movements in which mine
workers of this country ever engaged In re-
cent years ne held appointive places under
the New York Governor
Neither his salary nor the proceeds from
his writings and lectures explain his
S25O,OO0 accumulation. Probably in the posi-
tons he occupied unusually favorable oppor-
tunltles for investment were brought to his
attention which his savings enabled him To
improve.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12
A Precedent

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: picked up "The Tale of Two Cities"
Was Dickens writing of the period of the
French Revolution or our own? How few
changes are needed to make it fit ourselves.
Let's go. Here's the text.
CHAPTER The Period
at the best of times, it was the worst
of tines it the age of wisdom, it was
the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of
belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was
the season Of light, it was the season Of
darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was
the winter of despair, we had everything
before us, we were all going direct to
heaven, we were all going direct the other
way-in short, the period was so far like the
present period that some of it's noisiest au-
thorities insisted on its being received, for
good or for evil, in the degree superlative Of
comparison only. There were a king with a
large jaw and queen with plain face on
the throne of England; there were king
with a large jaw and queen with a fair
face on the throne of France. In both coun-
tries it was clearer than crystal to the lords
of the state preserves Of the loaves and fishes.
that things in general were settled forever
A. W. HARRINGTON.
Saratoga Springs, N. Y, Oct. 8, 1919.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12
To Science

(From The Sonnet,
\ ND If thou Stay Him. shall N. oh...
"A not rise?
Yea! II thou conquer Him thine enemy
His spectre from the dark shall v,s,t
lnvlncible, necessitous and wise.
The tyrant and mirage of human eve,
Exhaled upon the spirits darkened 90.
Shares He thy moment of eternity.
Thy truth confronted ever with His lies
Thy banners CLEAN little, and are furtea,
Against thy turrets surge His phantom
tow'rs;
Dragged with His opiatcs the nation.
nod
Refusing still the beauty of thine hours.
And fragile is thy tenure Of this world
Still haunted by the monstrous ghost NJ
God
GEORGE STERLING
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12
The Aviation Death Toll

Seven deaths in the transcontinental
air race, the greatest aerial enterprise
In history! Man is compelled to pay the
toll to a nature which is jealous of his
progress.
The price, though heavy, is small when
compared to the cost in the DEVELOPMENT
of the railroads and motor transporta-
ton. When we consider the number Of
flying hours actually put in every day
throughout the country the fatalities
are surprisingly few.
An analysis of the deaths reveals
that but one was due to defect in the
machine; the others were directly caused
by error Of udgment-inherent in all
mankind-and bad weather conditions.
The sole death due to defective ma
chinery came when Colonel Brandt was
compelled to descend, with broken oil
pipe. At the critical moment, while above
steep bank, his engine failed complete
ly, and in the forty foot fall that ensued
his observer, Sergeant hewitt, was fatal
ly injured.
Two Of the fatalities were caused by
The bad weather encountered by tho
unfortunate aviators, and by a strange
freak Of fortune both we're killed by
driving their machines into the side Of q
mountain. Another remarkable fact con-
corning these two disasters is that both
Of the observers, although injured, were
not seriously hurt
In connection With these fatalitics. all
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12

cleaner with the Hellenic Naomi to
sharing a life of plenty in the British
Moab. With peoples there is something
stronger and more compelling than
thought of immediate economic advan-
tage.
And as Cyprus would join Greece, so
Great Britain would suspend imperial
ism. The only argument heard for re-
tcntion is that Cyprus may prove an
other Helgoland-that neutralized
Dardanelles may not forever remain
neutralized, that Greece may not be able
or perhaps disposed to prevent the use of
the island as place from which to at
tack the Suez Canal. Otherwise there
would be no voice against the cession.
Poland, Bohemia, Fiume, like Cyprus,
of nationality. 1t overcomes the longing
for well-filled purse. And as to i'm
perialism it is shown that nations do
not generally covet other peoples lands
-arnex chiefly to meet a responsibility
or to guard against dangers lcgitimately
feared. But sociology, the science that
considers the human animal in his social
relations, is still in the hands of the
deductionists-of those who assume the
universal validity of assumed principles,
instead Of inductively studying facts
and humbly drawing conclusions there
from. The Marxte will, of course,
ignore Cyprus and it's lessons.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12

To tho Editor of The Tribune
Sir: Will you kindly give me the reasons
for the Presidents objections to reserya-
tons or amendments to the league Of ma
lions?
we are going to discuss the league at
meeting OF our church club and if YOU will
give me n brief outline of Mr. Wilson's oh
jections it will not only be greatly appre-
ciatcd but will be of real interest 70 re
GEORGE GORDON.
New York, Oct ., 1919
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12
Deaf

From The Poetry Rcrse.c, Londos)
MO MORE to me comes music.
4 My ears are laughter freel-
No more lake-water tapping
Can hull the soul Of me.
Still lake and silent river
But-Godl--thes silent seas.
Do songless birds leave silenced
The voices Of the trees?
All, soul Of mel Gods mercy
Leaves Mem'ry ever near;
Ny mind remembers music
MY ears can never hear.
In scent Of spring, and color.
Cloud glory, love of thee
Is still vaster music
To lift the soul of me-
MARGARET Il. FLEMING
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12
A Week of Verse

Maura
Nrom Poetvy)
NHAURA lies dead at last:
4v1 The body she gave to child sna,
Now feeds flower and tree. ~
Earth's arms are wide to her
breast WAY
Offers such gentle sleeping?
Her limbs lie peacefully.
From the dark West
Comes down a note like the echoSn.
OF one who rides through the dusk 49,.
After the hunt sweeps by.
It fades-the night wind is forlor,,
Music is still:
But Maura has followed the silyey bor.
Over the distant hill,
Over the hill where all winds die
MARJORIE ALLEN SEIFprn~
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12
To a French City in War Tim.

(Fro'r The A"0lo-Frcnch Ret..,o>
~, WONDERFUL city of seaw, I'd light.
~ And Fastening, thoughtless feet
Will keep faith!-by the nights
] stumbled upon the quay
By the dust
Blown gold above the docks, to NEE.
The warlike sky, where searchlghts tbru..
Their spears and swords into infinitv
Long after all the hospitals are zone
The leave-boats and the trafficked mad.
still, -"
will keep faith,-by every star that .ho,.
On "Gloire Jesus Christ" acros, IN. IN,
Though all these seeds of my desires snr;nu
tares
In peaceful days,
will come back; to see the blue steened h.,.
Lie calm again across your evening scu,,..
Rose pierced by lights from silent shin. ..
Will you keep faith to me?
GARCIA OMAN.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-10-12
Confusing Explanations

In his speech on dominion, colony and
dependency representation in the league
Of nations Senator McCumber scarcely
solved the treaty puzzle. He says first
that neither the council nor the as
scr1bly decides international disputes at
all" This statement is then amplfied
as follows: "The only jurisdiction which
either the council or the assembly can
have over dispute between nations is
the right to investigate and report what
the true facts are concerning the dispute
and make recommendations in regard
thereto"
The Senator thus assumes that recon-
mendations do not amount to a decision
that the conclusion reached by the
council is not morally binding on all
members of the league; yet Article XIV
says specifically that if the council makes
a unanimous report (the representative
or representatives of the litigant powers
being excluded from voting) "the mem
bers of the league agree that they will
not go to war with any party to the dis
pute which complies with the recon-
mendations of the report"
If Mr.. McCumber is right in his con-
tention that the council and the assem-
bly, act merely as referees, without
power of decision, Article XIV needs to
be clarified.
The North Dakota Senator says that
"the British EMPIRE being a member of
the council, which consists of nine ma
tions, has but one vote in such council,
and that as neither Canada nor any other
British dominion or possession has sep
arate membership in such council, of
course neither could have a vote therein"
Yet President Wilson, Clemenceau and
Lloyd George signed an opinion assuring
Premier Borden that there is no obstacle in
the provisions of the covenant to the cleo
ton of Canada as a member of the
council.
Again, Mr.. McCumber says: "A dis
pute between one country and another
country composed of dominant power
and its dominions or possessions is a dis
pute with each and every part of such
country, and hence in a dispute between
the British Empire or any member
thereof and any other country all parties
to the dispute would be excluded"
He thus accepts President Wilson's
theory of the diplomatic unity of the
British Empire as represented in the
league and holds, in so far as the United
States may be involved in disputes, that
we can have none with the British EN-
pire as distinguished from its domn-
ions, colonies and dependencies, or with
any of the latter as distinguished from
the mother country. Yet he acknowl-
edges in his speech that the empire and
the dependent parts would be entitled to
vote severally in dispute between
other members-between Serbia and
Rumania, for instance. Then they would
also be entitled to vote in a dispute be-
tween Serbia or Rumania and the United
States.
Here the failure Of the covenant to de-
tine the real status in the league Of do
minions, colonies and dependencies is
clearly revealed Are they full members
or only limited members? That is a
question which must be faced and which
only clarifying reservation to the cove
nant can solve.