davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08
Red Books
Editor of The Tribune

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Many of the morning papers
of December S contained an account OF
certain young Russian anarchist, who
is said to have received "his educa-
tion in anarchy in the New York Pub.
lie Library" The accounts all vary
greatly and many of them are con-
fused. The name of this anarchist, as
it is printed, is not to be found in the
list of registered borrowers from the
branches Of this library. Some of the
titles of books mentioned in certain
newspapers are evidently the result of
error, as no such books can be identi-
fed. Others (like Berkman's "Prison
Memoirs Of an Anarchist") are men
toned through error, as they are not
owned by any branch Of the library
Still others, like Prince Kropotkin' s
memoirs of Revolutionist," are cer-
tainly in the library; they rightly be-
long there, and their presence needs no
defense. Kropotkin was a revolution
list against the old Russian despotism
of the empire; revolutionist as Wash
ington was a revolutionist. Every in
telligently conducted library in the
country owns the book; it was pub
lished by the Houghton Miflin Company
and is included in the American Lii
brary Associations catalogue of books
recommended for a popular library
1t appears, therefore, that the vague
charge Of teaching anarchy" as made
against the library in some of the
newspaper accounts, is not we'll found
ed. The library has been adversely
criticized recently in the press for not
owning some of the very books which
it is now charged with circulating. The
library tries to admit books of liberal
thought; to show both sides Of con-
troverted questions; to admit the books
which well-informed persons are sup
posed to read. 1t denies admission to
books which preach violence and sedi-
ton. The library recognizes the diff
ference between a writer who advocat-
ed revolution against the Car of Rus
sia from 1880 to 1890 and writer who
advocates revolution in America to-
day. But no library can prevent the
occasional misuse of a good book by q
person of perverted instinct or foolish
or violent tendencies.
L. H. ANDERSON,
Director New York Public Library
New York, Dec. 6, 1919.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08
The Founder of the Pilgrims

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: A statement appeared in The
Tribune last week and in other New
York papers accredting the founding
Of the Pilgrims Society Of London and
New York to Sir Harry Britain Sir
Harry did not originate or organize the
society in London, nor was he within
grims was founded in New York. The
man who conceived the idea was Mr.
Lindsay Russell, member Of the New
York bar, who at that time had an Of
fice at Finch Lane, London. Sir
Harry Britain was employed in Mr..
Russell's Office, and in that way first
knew Of the Pilgrims, and afterward,
through Mr.. Russell, was given the Sec
retaryship.
Documentary evidence Of the origin
of the society may be found in the cor
respondence between General Joseph
Wheeler and Lord Roberts "The Lon
don World" of June 23, 1908; "The
London Times" of June 19, 1908, and
also the Paris edition of "The New
York Herald" of July, 1902, in articles
concerning the society show conclu-
sively that the idea originated with
Mr.. Lindsay RUSSELL; that he was
chairman of the organization commit
tee both in New York and London and
was its guiding spirit the first year or
two of its existence.
Sir Harry Britain has played a very
active part in the development Of the
Pilgrims and deserves much praise for
the achievements of the society, but it
is unfair that he should be called the
founder" of the society
FREDERIC v. S. CROSBY.
New York, Dec. 6, 1919.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08
The Frick Will

The filing of the will Of the late
Henry C. Frick reveals that of his
estate he leaves $4,000, 900, OF
more than four-fifths Of the whole,
to the public.
To New York and to the nation
through it he bequeaths his home
and his art gallery and their con-
tents, of an estimated value Of $780,
100000, together with 100000
for an endowment. This is prob
ably the most magnificent gift ever
made by a man to foster and to
satisfy the love Of beauty.
To Princeton University goes
81 100000 and to Harvard $5,000,-
900. Then follows the long list Of
hospitals and relief institutions de-
voted to public service. To the end
Of time, if the philanthropic pur-
pose Of this great lover Of the race
Is not defeated, an unnumbered pro-
cession of men and women will find
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08

commitments were subject to re-
vision by the majority. They
have been revised. That was an
inevitable result Of the Presidents d
conduct. Europe may be chagrined
at having been led to believe that
they would not be revised. But the
blame for that disillusionment
doesn't rest on the American people.
It must be borne by the President
alone, who stubbornly rejected at
all stages the theory Of coalition
and cooperation, and imposed on
the peace conference a personal
policy which antagonized funda-
mental American ideas and was
therefore unacceptable to the mass
of his countrymen.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08
1.-THE Real League"
7ripartitc Agreement Should Precedc
General Covenant

7'ripartitc Agreement Should Precedc
General Covenant
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Warmest congratulations upon
your sound and admirable editorial Of
to-day, "The Real League"
Whether or no a general alliance for
the purpose Of adjusting international
controversies by arbitration or media
tion comes to pass, there can be no
stability in international politics un-
less the United States, France and
Great Britain stand together as a unit
for peace, order and liberty in world
politics.
1t is idle to think the period of wars
can be terminated and normal condi-
tions restored without complete CO.
operation on permanent basis be-
tween these three great nations, whose
fundamental ideas on the main ques-
tions of right and wrong are so SINH
lar. Hence, no more necessary measure
confronts the United States than the
ratification Of the present tripartite
treaty, or one of even stronger charac-
ter. This treaty should have preceded
the covenant of the league of nations,
and if the leaders of the Republican
party possess aptitude for constructive
craftsmanship they will turn their at
tention to it at once They cannot,
either from patriotic or party stand
point, afford to leave international re-
lations in the present chaotic and i'm
possible condition. When the tripartite
treaty has been disposed Of the cove
nant for a general league can then be
taken up on firmer foundation and
under better conditions than hereto
fore.
May you and all like minded con-
tinue to inform and stimulate public
opinion until this is done. In no other
way can we begin surely to reap the
fruit Of the sacrifices of the great war
and of the actual alliance between the
great Western peoples, whose basic
principles are equally opposed to the
extremes of Prussianism and Bolshev-
ism. FREDERIC r. COUDERT.
New York, Dec. 5, 1919.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08
Dolls for Training School

O1S AOA q AoAl1lIS OCIlOOl
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Several hundred dolls for Christ
mas time are sorely needed by the lit
tie girls who are inmates of state
training school upstate. The state does
OF supply dolls, and most of the chill
dren are wholly without that highly
important part of child life.
The Prison Association of New York
1875 East Fifteenth Street, asks for gifts
of these dolls. About six years ago we
made similar appeal, resulting in doll
for each inmate of the institution.
Those inmates have gone out. The dolls
lasted for years, but there are no more
now.
In order to get the dolls to the State
Training School by Christmas time speed
Is necessary. Please send dolls to 1875
East Fifteenth Street, or telephone
Stuyvesant 1470 about them. This is a
chance to bring great joy to little chill
dren away from their homes. in the
training Of the state.
0. L. LEWIS,
General Secretary the Prison Asso-
citation of New York.
New York, Dec. A, 1919.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08

prices. When Mr.. Roger Fry some
years ago paid at auction on behalf Of
the New York Museum 2S.200 for LA
Famille Charpentier" Of Renoir there
were people who called the price alb
surd, but if the picture were put up
to auction now it would probably fetch
something like 100000. Degas was
still alive when "Les Danseuses a la
Barre" fetched $4,000 at the Rouart
sale in 1912; his royalty on the sale
would, therefore, have been S540 had
the tax adopted by the Chamber then
existed"
There may be other cases In which
the value Of picture has risen and
then declined, and the person selling
it does so at loss. If he wishes to
avoid the royalty tax he must make
= private sale. But the main pur-
pose Of the Chambers bill is to give
the artist or his heirs some small
percentage Of the appreciation in
sensational-which may
occur after it's merits have been
fairly recognized.
France has always prided herself
on her position as an art producing
nation. She puts a high value on
her artistic output, and it is to her
interest to stimulate and protect that
output by concessions to writer's and
artists. The royalty tax scheme is
an innovation, but it can be de-
Tended on grounds Of utility as we'll
as Of justice.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08
Art Royalties

+ The last French Chamber of
Deputies passed unanimously a bill
granting painters and sculptors a
royalty on sales Of their works some
what similar to the royalty which
an author draws from the sale of
his books. Under the French law
literary copyright lasts for fifty
years after the authors death. The
artists royalty is to cover the same
period.
Since a painting or a piece of
sculpture passes completely out OF
the makers possession on it's first
sale, a royalty can be guaranteed
only by an exercise of the taxing
power.
The Chamber provided for a levy
on the price realized through sue
ceeding transfers at public auction.
The scale authorized was / per cent
on amounts between 1000 and 10000
francs, y per cent on amounts be-
tween 10000 and 10000 francs,
2 per cent on amounts between 10000
and $4,000 francs and per cent on
amounts above $4,000 francs.
A writer in The Manchester
Guardian cites cases of very rapid
appreciation of the value of paint
ings by French painters of the pres
ent day. He says:
"There are several living French
painters, notably Renoir and Claud
Monet. whose pictures fetch very high
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08

The public is not interested in the
opinions Of the officers and attend
ants Of the Bedford Reformatory
as to the necessity of their dis
ciplinary measures. What it wants
to know is whether or not inmates
were strung up. The public feels
itself competent to pass on the issue
Of whether or not semi-crucifixio is
ever permissible. Did they do it?
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08
High Heels, Etc.
Editor of The Tribune

10 the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: Would the majority Of able, up
right and sensible doctors agree with
DR.. Copeland's statement that high
heels, tight corsets, cosmetics, etc, are
not injurious to health? From a man
of DR.. Copeland's profession and stand
ing, is not such q statement an influ-
ence of an undesirable nature?
Does DR.. Copeland approve of the
many evening gowns whose waists are
nothing but broad girdles? A. G.L.
Brooklyn, Dec. 4, 1919.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08
Gotham Gleanings
Z SiIiH Hi1S Sii7 5iE7 sRS S;a III Els6 lEdGH7

-Advertise in The N. Y. Tribune
-Advt.
Quite a cold spell is coming is
Our prediction.
Miss Lola Fisher is in Chicago
at this writing.
Art Ferguson was compare
lively genial caller one day last wk
Deems Taylor got back from
Philad'a last week, enchanted with
that city.
Winch Norden, of Ch'go, arr
here this a. ln for brief sojourn in
Our midst
Col. Z. r. Warner McCabe, OF
Richmond, Va, was in town
Wednesday.
Miss Pauline Perrin, Of Cleve-
land, who is visiting in N. Y, has
decided to get married this week.
Col. Len Ayres used to be a
pro. bike rider and was much inter
csted in last wks. doings at the
Garden.
This is Charley Riegelman's
birthday, and all his friends arc
calling him up to felicitate him
Charley doesn't look his age.
Bill Mcclellan won IS from ye
ed. Tues. Bill said Dartmouth didn't
have more than 500 students and we
said it had nearer 5000 than 1000
and it has 1850.
Mr.. and Mrs. H. B. Swope was
to "Aphrodite' Mon. cve'g and tc
"One Night in Rome" Tues. eve'g
Wed. Her b was to seance and Mrs
S. called at the Gleanings office.
The telephone service is bad
and the subway service is bad, but
as the Telephone Co. and the I. R. T
say, it is Our own fault, so we apollo.
gize and will try to do better here.
after.
Zone wonders" G. o. A. wonders
"whether the more futile gesture, in
literary criticism, is the reiteratiou
of 'One wonders or the too frequent
use Of 'gesture'?" One wonders. Blu,
what one wonders even more is how
soon "arresting" will fail to arrest
and when poignant" will lose it.
poignancy.
Yes; and the Unsuccessful Contribs Should
Be Walters
Sir: Now, about this Contribs dinner
don't you think the decent. fair thing woule
be to have a Hymn Haters' table? How
can ! presume to dine with the regular ole
timers? 1t took me seven years to land
conAdentially. I don't mind telling you tha
I think it was only due to the eclat lent by
my new stationery. MnDRED.
There was day when we accepted
the reactionary theory that the sum
Of its parts could not be greater thar
the whole. But that was before We
read. in the Railway Age, that "the
cost Of the nine days. railway strike
in Great Britain is estimated at about
$b0,00N including delay-demobiliza.
tion estimated at 25,0O0,o00."
To us on the shore, the undulatior
labeled H. c. of L. is the only perma-
nent wave.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08
Merely Serious
(From The Buffalo Erprcss)

tFrom The BuGalo Erprcss)
The Mexican Secretary of Foreign
Affairs, speaking of the situation be-
tween Mexico and the United States.
remarks that it is serious, but not
grave" 1t would be interesting to
know just where and how he draws
the line Of distinction. Is the situa-
ton merely serious because the United
States, represented by the Wilson
administration, is the other party to
the controversy
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08
The Coming 7'ower
The Vide, Open Spaces

The hot September sun shone down on
the wide and peaceful bay,
Where the mighty feet Of England In
warlike grandeur lay,
With ito lines of black mouthed cannon
and its crews of white capped men
But never a ship of all the feet SC
staunch 40 the Jolly Jen.
But Marian, fair Marian, she had nc
thought of fear
As she leaped into the saddle with a
loud and ringing cheer,
And then gave spur and rode away
across the heathery plain,
And then turned round her palfrey, and
rode back home again.
What then of the road to Mandalay
and the boy with the twisted knee
And other things men read about, bu,
seldom or never see?
And why do the rcapers in the field.
and the toilers in the town
Give up their work with troubled
look, and, thinking, sit them down
And dream of him with his caravan
as he tolls the sandy way
Across the wastes of Africa, with never
word to say;
With one hand folded behind him and
the other folded before,
And both of them folded together a.
they were in the days Of yore?
So peace to the troubled spirit, peace
to the heaving breast,
Peace to the Chinese thunder thing that
rises in the West,
For the true born poet cares naught
for sense, and heeds nor tide nor
time,
AS long as he makes his meters mcte
and fairly passable rhyme.
OSCAR H. LEAR.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08

A correspondent of The Tribune,
who is apparently misled by the mis-
representation of the Hearst news
papers, asks for further information
concerning the dual subway con-
tracts.
In detail these contracts are COM
plex, but in essence they are simple.
To link the new subways to the old
1--WE refer to the Interborough) with
q single fare and universal trans
ters the city agreed that out Of
the pooled income of the extend
ed system the Interborough should
first receive $6,335,000 per annum
on account of its old investment;
that for new construction the COM
pany should contribute $80,000,000
and the city the remainder; that
the company should get per cent
to meet interest and amortiza-
ton charges on it's investment be-
fore the city gets anything on its in
yestment, and, finally, that the COM
pany should get IL per cent on ac-
count of depreciation before there is
any return on the city's investment
There are other items, but these are
the principal preferences" as they
are called, Of the company.
%Lo
ment if the pooled income is not
enough to pay all the company's
preferences and also interest on the
city's investment? Obviously that
the general taxpayer must bear the
burden of that part Of the city's debt
due to money borrowed and put into
the subways.
AS the city's investment will prob
ably exceed 5000, 100000, this means
that the general taxpayer would con-
tribute approximately $10,000,000 a
year for the benefit of subway users.
The contracts run to 1865; so during
the next forty-five years the city
treasury would be out $450,000,000
and still owe the principal unless
amortized by prior payments.
Before the war the subway's oper-
ating costs were about 2 cents per
passenger. With a 100 per cent in
crease in the cost of labor and
material they are probably now,
though the precise figures are not
yet published, in the neighborhood of
cents per passenger. No one, of
course, can foresee the future, but
with the intensification Of traffic on
outlying lines it is not likely that the
operating cost per passenger will in
crease. But a cent per passenger is
not enough to cover the charges on
the city's invested capital, although
ultimately probably enough to take
care Of the company's principal
preferences.
1t follows that any passenger rate
which does not realize enough to
meet the city's subway bonds is at
the expense of the city, and not at
the expense Of the company. Hence
the merit in the proposal for fare
increase which will bring in enough
to recoup the city's treasury. If
fares do not reach this level then the
conclusion is unacceptable that the
subway user travels partly at the
expense of the general public-drops
in nickel, and at the same time the
public drops in cent, or two cents,
or whatever the sum is, to meet the
cost of the service and interest on
the cost Of the plant.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08
More Treaty Throttlinq

MoFe treaty Inrottllng
Notwithstanding the bad results
from previous attempts at dictation,
the President, if Senator Hitchcock
is to be believed, proposes to try
further dictation. He commanded
the Senate to vote against the
treaty's ratification, and enough
Senators obeyed him to defeat the
treaty. Now he orders the Senate
to change it's rules.
Rule XXXVII, relating to the
ratification Of treaties, says that the
preliminary decisions of the Sen
ate
shall be reduced to the
form Of resolution of ratification,
with or without amendments, as the
case may be, which shall be pro-
posed on subsequent day, unless
by unanimous consent the Senate
shall determine otherwise; at 4uhich
stdge Ho amendment shall be received
sscept by unanimous consent.
The Senate reduced it's prior de-
cisions to ratification resolution,
but was then defeated, as the Presi-
dent ordered. Question then arose
IS to the parliamentary status of
the treaty. The Vice-President
ruled that it automatically went
back to committee Of the whole, and
that any action in regard to it was
permissible. But this ruling was in
fiat opposition to the rule that after
the ratification resolution had been
reduced to final form it could not be
amended except by unanimous con-
sent. So the Senate overruled the
chair, though it took three adverse
roll calls to convince the Vice-Pres-
ident that he was wrong.
Now the President, if not misrep-
resented by Senator Hitchcock, says
that the rule is not as it reads, but
as he holds it ought to be. He de-
mands that the Senate shall stultify
itself. Rules are only scraps of
paper.
The easy procedure is for the
President to withdraw and then re-
submit the treaty. But this, it is
said, he will not do. He is out to
gain ferule victory, and seemingly
is more interested in this than in
the fate Of the treaty.
The President is described by the
maladroit Senator Hitchcock as of
the opinion that he has successfully
maneuvered to throw responsibility
on the Senate majority, and that,
having achieved this, does not much
care whether or not there is ratifi-
cation. His solicitude for the cove
nant is thus not strong enough to
lead him to take single step toward
effecting a compromise.
Thus there is melancholy confir-
nation Of the theory that the Presi-
dent is more interested in having
his exact way than In getting a
league Of nations. The scheme will
not work out per his plan. If the
President is not willing to withdraw
and resubmit the treaty to flank the
difficulty caused by the Senate rule
it is close to confession that he is
scheming to defeat ratification.
The public is coming to have a
fixed opinion of where lodges blame
for non-ratifcation. 1t is with those
who have fostered the Borah- Wilson
alliance. The Senate roll calls
furnish sufficient evidence. Even il
this were lacking the country be-
holds that the President refused tt
father any plan for adjustment OF
compromise. His position is alto
gether negative and destructive:
in no way affirmative or construc
tive. Only those blinded by parti
sanship need to be told what hanc
holds the dagger poised above the
treaty's heart.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08

The landlord of Governor Cool
idge, it appears, has raised the rent
of his tenant from $27 to $32 a
month. Thus does destiny, like the
pointer Of a Patience Worth ouija
board, persist in directing it's finger.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08
Her Mission
(Froul Tia Tokrdo Rlod~ /,

(Froni The Toledo Bldds)
Emma Goldman doesn't want to eo
back to a country where the govern
ment has already been overthrown by
her kind of people. There is no future
for her where there is nothing left to
destroy.
New-York tribune., 1919-12-08
Those Who Should Suffer

fFrom Tho Cincinnati Commercial Tribune,
III the country must freeze and starve
to make holiday for capital and labor.
lets see to it that these first get their
rations cut.