davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05
Joseph Conrad on Poland
The Mem Barbarisn1 That She Fights
on Behalf of Us All

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The Tribune has long been ably
and consistently right on the vital re-
lation of the future Of the new Poland
to the peace Of Europe. Sharing The
Tribune's belief, as l do, that the fate
of the new Poland Is the real test Of
the peace settlement, ! am prompted
to send you the following quotation
from letter from a friend of mine to
me, received yesterday. 1t Is from the
distinguished author, Mr.. Joseph Con-
rad. himself native Pole, IS is we'll
known. 1t sounds almost like frag-
ment from Sophocles or from another
Greek dramatist
II confess to some little qualification
at the thought that the unbroken Polish
front keeps Bolshevism off and that
apparently the reborn state has one
heart and one soul, one indomitable
Will, from the poorest peasant to the
highest magnate. Those same mag
mates, by the by, have now no more
power and precious little more wealth
than the poorest peasant, with whom
they fight shoulder to shoulder against
moral and physical pestilence bred in
Russia, On & line from the Baltic
provinces to the present frontier Of
Rumania The magic sense Of indie
pendence is the cause of that union
without reserves and regrets which
enables that three times devastated and
impoverished country TO put forth its
physical strength, and on the very
morrow of rising from its grave to
take on its old historical part of de-
fender Of civilization against the dan
gers Of barbarism, once Tartar and
Turkish, and now even worse, because
arising no longer from the mere saw
agery of nomad races, but from an
enormous seething mass of sheer moral
corruption-generating violence of q
more purposeful sort"
1t would seem that these few bare
facts arc worth while in forming an
opinion on the most vital point of
present European politics.
JOHN QUINN.
New York, April 2, 1920
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05
Holf-Baked Bosses
Another Defense of the Much.
Abused Stenographer

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Watt U. Writin had his say in
yesterdays Tribune about the punctu-
ationless half-baked stenographers, and
feel that the time has come for us to
be up in arms in self-defense! To
quote Mr.. Writin, l admit tits sad.
very sad" Did it ever occu. to him.
that most Of us are apparently rs good
or as bad, punctuationingly speaking,
as our experience with dictators has
made US? To begin with, Mr. Writin,
you must either be willing to pay for
efficiency and initiative ability or toer-
ate the natural shortcomings OF be-
ginner. Even you were once begin
ner in some business or other,
Most Of US leave school with both
hands full Of punctuation marks Of
every description and with a knowledge
Of rules for their use Then along
comes the first job with large cor
poration. The president requests that
commas bo used sparingly; the secre-
tary demands their absolute elimina-
ton; the treasurer suggests the omis-
SION of all punctuation except periods,
and so on down the line. We endegvor
to satisfy the idiosyncrasies OF each
dictator, with the result that il is
rather bewildering to know JUS. what
TO do when one is being tried out for
new position. Ny own idea under
such circumstances would be TO pune
tuate according 10 rule, but while that
might please Mr. Writin, it might be
distasteful TO Mr.. Readin. the dictator,
and ! might lose out on perfectly
good position.
Now YOU know who creates and Is
responsible for the "half-baked' ste
nographers! The "half- baked" bosses,
Of course. Have you ever heard sore
, Of them dictate? I'll ask the girls
question or two now. DID you ever
get the variety that glbly skips over
small-though mportant-worGs, or
the mGmb.ing kind, or the kind that
chews the end OF a cigar and dictates
al the same time, like the ventr.loquis.
who can smoke and "vent@l' at one
and the same time, or the variety that
struts Up and down the full length cf
the Office, internationally coughing ant
sneezing. or gaping out of the window
with his back turned. while the poor
animated pencil is making q desperate
effort to record its masters voice
Considering your many little ways Of
taking the joy out of our lives. can you
not forgive Us the omission Of comms
CT two occasionally?
Honestly, MI Writin. IT'S surpris
ing chat man of your seeming intel
ligence does not know that II you Sc
lect an experienced stenoCrapher VINO
can transcrhc her notes accurately
and spell correctly, she would In a iiIy
get WISE 70 the fact that you G9ic Oh
dos and dashes. and were II ny honor
and privilege 10 re in your employ II
would be my one great Joy 70 please
YOU by handing GU. all the diets ana
dashes particularly dashes 49, At MY
command. \. STENOG.
New York. April 2, 1920.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05

the best way to end destructive
propaganda is to grant free entry to
any missionaries Lenine may send
here, provided at the same time no
bar is placed on those able to de-
scribe Russia as it is. Given a good
cause and an intelligent jury to lis
ten to the testimony, there is no rea-
son to fear the verdict. Much of the
anti-Bolshevistic agitation here has
lost force because it has been pos
sible for the Bolshevist minded to
claim with some plausibilty that
there has been censorship on news
from Russia.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05

TO the Editor of The Tribune,
Sir: Why is Senator Borah trying to
uncarth the financial sources of the
Leonard Wood campaign? Is he not
aware Of the extravagances that ex-
listed in every drive put forth during
the last few years and also in present
drives? Money is essential for the pro-
motion of all big enterprises and I'VE
dcplorc the wastage that is always
present, in making countless Offices for
inefficient clerks, etc, making the
grand total enormous; but that surely
is not Leonard Woods fault
Is MI. Borah furthering the interests
Of his country by this nagging? He
cannot be, for he is trying to impede
the progress of those loyal citizens
who are working and praying for the
nomination of Leonard Wood, the only
man presented TO US to-day who is
capable of leading this nation to an
honorable goal, to n triumph Of right
over might, not by war, but by his wis.,
dom and tact and love for mankind
Aet US thank GOD that this man,
who has been blessed with such Won
derful administrative powers as shown
in his achievements in the Philippines
and Cuba, mong savage tribes, settling
disputes and delicate questions that
were brought to him; making friendly
to one another those who were before
bitter enemies; caring for the sick and
promoting cducation-let us thank God
l say, that He has raised. up and spared
such man to whom we can look
forward to settle amicably the con-
troversies that are innumcrable among
our tribes in Che United States
We cannot afford to lose such a
leader and champion for right.
FOR THE ENTIRE CIVILIZATION.
Montclair, N. j., April /, 1920.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05

vanced age IN the entirely defeated
hope Of"
Throughout the rest Of the letter
James declares himself with great
Vehemence as having no view of life
and literature"
at is art that makes iife," ne writes,
"makes interest, makes Importance, for
our consideration and application Of
these things, and ! know Of no substi-
tate whatever for the force and beauty
ii its process. If I were Boon l should
LAY that any pretense of such sub
stitute is helpless and hopeless hum
bug; but wouldn't be Boon for the
world, and am only yours, Faithfully. "
Men want homes" says Nikolay in
Michael Arlen's The London Venture"
lDodd- Aead), because they want
wives And they generally want wives
because they don't want to be worried
by the seNfeeling any more. They
don't want women LETT to their own
imagination any more. They want the
hing over and done with for ever and
ever. Safety. Men are not adventur-
Gus.
Nkolay was. if we remember co.,
rectly, l. bachelor He must have been
The sort Of marriage which he pictures
might be ideally restful, but there is
hardly such one in existence. in spite
Of the effort OF modern society tc
standardile marriage and to hedge. il
N with ceremonies and customs it re.
mains tie greatest adventure in the
life Of modern man. 4 man might a.
we'll talk of being settled" when he
has reached ar altitude of 8 5000 feet il
an aeroplane as TO speak Of marriage
as being a definite full stop in expert
ence. To talk with any such confidence
S TO invite the most harrowin. ane
devastating of nose dives. and the
difficulty is further increased by the
fact that in marriage there are always
at least TWO or more pilots We, hold
no brief for the well known institution
but at least we think it should be &c
quilted Of the charge Of being safe
Il is a business only for the reckless
II is business for those who are
willing to risk a crash for the sake OF
the possibility that they may fer lit
tie while climb above the clouds.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05
The Coming ower
HEINE DREAMS ONCE MORE


Mfr .traumt; ich bin dor blinds Gott-
Die Heinische.
I dreamt I was der licbe Colt,
Enthroned in Heaven sitting.
Some angels tried to sing a psalm,
While some were pussy knitting.
And some brought in a dAjeun4
And set 1t down before me-
Rich cakes, old wine, no bill to pay;
Yet Heaven seemed to bore me,
called Field Marshal Michael up:
"Go, quick as you can fly, sir,
And bring that saucy fellow hero
Who used to be the Kaiser.
Don't seek him at his Potsdam
.Schioss--
Deutschland he's left behind him;
But search the Niedcrloa.de through,
And there mayhap you'll find him.
Regard no extradition law;
For l Just tell you what, sir,
l care no whit for all the Dutch
I am der Hebo Gott, SIR"
Michael saluted, spread his wings,
And then flew earthward straightway;
And soon der Brdndenburgcr Thor
Was hailed through Heavens gateway.
In simple multi he was dressed,
Not In his trappings shiny;
He threw at me q startled look,
And cried, cts Harry Heine!"
'Nein, Jung" I answered him;
mot so.
You fail of recognizing
Your famous old side-partner, Gott?
1t truly Is surprising!
"Cohe, come, my little man, and
crook
Your Hohcnzollern hams, sir;
Down, down upon your marrowbones--
Kowtow and make salaams, sirl"
Michael his trusty emglisches SCHUBERT
Vas thereupon unsheathing,
And down dropped Wilhelm at my feet
And lay there, scarcely breathing.
"Out from your grounds my image
that
An empress once had placed there,
You thrust. 1t was yourself, not me,
Your pettish whim disgraced there.
"Now from mems minds and hearts is
thrust
The idol that you reared once
That idol with the feet Of clay
Your foolish people feared once.
"My worth outlives intolerance
That falsely would defame me;
With those who fought to Wake men
free,
Men shall forever name mel"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05
Germany Saving Herself

The collapse of Bolshevism in the
industrial region Of West Germany
"a collapse whose occurrence is now
conceded---is an event of world wide
significance and of great encourage
ment to those who long for better
world.
The supreme question in the Ruhr
district and in other parts of Ger
many has been whether the general
intelligence was sufficient to furnish
{. bulwark against Bolshevism. Con-
ditions Of life in Germany are hard,
and the specious arguments of revo-
lutionary communistic socialism and
Of sovietry as its instrument have
been diligently preached. Prohteer-
ing has afflicted Germany more than
any other country. and those nearest
to the food supplies have not played
fair. The appeal for a forced divi-
sion and the despoilment Of despoil-
ers thus is very strong. There was
temptation to strike for q better
ration for two or three weeks, even
though the consequences were more
bitter deprivations in the months and
years ahead. Against this there was
at bottom no protection other than
an appreciation Of the fact that Boil
e.h !
worse except for the small class
identified with the operation Of its
tyranny.
Education has won its fight. 1t
has prevented plunge into a sys-
TEN which means less production in
a country whose need is greater pro-
duction. In Russia, with 80 per cent
illtcrate, the masses were unable to
perceive the necessary consequences
Of enforced communism and listened
to the fatal philosophy dinned into
their ears, but the German masses,
well instructed on at least the lower
levels Of thinking, have wit enough
to foresee what would be the results
Il they choked industry by putting
incompetence and ignorance in com
rnand. The "Red" army Of Essen
was not beaten In the field. 1t dis
solved because large part Of its
rank and file came TO understand
what its sIccoaS p,eapt
The greatest crime Of Bolshevisrn
IS not the fate it has brought to aris-
tocrats or to the so-called middle
classes, but the misery it has brought
to the masses Of Russia. The Boil
shevists have diligently carried on a
campaign Of terror and atrocity, but
for one "White" they have killed
with bullets they have starved to
death hundred. proletarians. They
have filed the ccmeteriea Of Russia
"lth the emaciatcd bodies Of the
poor. Not because they wished to do
this, but because such was the in
cvitable consequence Of their system.
he German workman, intelligent
enough to reason from cause to ef-
fect, knows what has happened to
Ruesia, and in sympathy for himself
rather than out Of any love for his
o'd leaders repudiates those who
you'd make his lot worsc.
in this country the best safeguard
against Eolshcvism IL not in laws
and apcech suppression, bat In the
intelligence Of our people knowledge
of tho facts Is the best protection.
II Ia by no means improbable that
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05
Conrad's Poland

Our readers will agree with us, we
think, in rating high the persuasive
ness Of Joseph Conrad's eloquent
message printed elsewhere on this
page.
Much small-minded criticism of
Poland exists at the moment. 1t
exists precisely among those minds,
of a pacitist cast, who have been
consistently wrong for the last five
years. The present enemies of
Poland are those who before the
war declared il impossible and
fought every item Of preparedness;
who during the earlier part of the
war urged neutrality, spoke softly
Of Germany and still opposed pre-
paredness; who regretted our en-
trance into the war, or, if accepting
that fact as inevitable, urged that
we fight as gently as possible, and,
above all, avoid a peace with VIC
tory. These are the precious intelli-
gences which now assure us that
Poland is a wicked and imperialist
nation and that the sooner she Is
overrun by the Bolshevists the
better.
Against this view rises up every
truly American instinct-of recollec-
ton for valiant Polish heroes who
fought under our flag in the Ameri-
can Revolution, of admiration for a
superb nationalism that knows not
defeat, of fellowship with the spirit
OF Western liberty.
Joseph Conrad is in a position to
speak with peculiar authority in aid
OF these natural American synpa-
thles. He was born Pole and grew
to manhood as a Pole. He learned
his English and became member
of the English-speaking world by
choice, by force of an innate sympa-
thy with English-speaking civiliza-
ton. He is not only our first novel
lst, creator Of fiction ranking in
the great succession-his is one of
the first minds of his time. Few
utterances upon the war have probed
the depths Of national feeling as did
his earlier article wherein he de-
Tended his ppOD1a cuoinc+ tIo clo,
derous pogrom charges and depicted
those basic instincts Of Western civ
ilization which made the great war
inevitable and which have estab-
lished Poland for all time as the
Eastern outpost Of the Western ma
tons.
1t is Of that Poland. begirt by
enemies, facing in the East a new
czarism, an old Tartarism, that he
testlfies in the words quoted from
him to-day. She is for the moment
deserted by her natural friends and
allies. She fights single-handed for
us all; and she is undaunted and un-
dismayed. Joseph Conrad speaks to
the American people, and, however
beclouded our official attitude may
De, we are confident that the heart
Of the American people is true to
these valiant comrades of all free
peoples.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05
The Suspicious Tenant
the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir; Here is a question fo- which I
have sought an answer in vain: per
haps some reader can enlishten me,
VIZ: Since there Is no building going
on. what are the manufacturers doing
with all the stuff that they have on
hand-briclls. cement, lumber, etc? II
1hese articles arc scarce and HIGH now.
what Wa they be once building starts .
Also, should like to know how the
thousands OF carpenters. bricAlnycrs.
plasterers ct al. eNist when they have
nothing to DO They ask $40 or SIP
dag, but where do they get 1t? II
there is scarcity now Of these workers.
and they can command $3.50 nm hour
when there is no work, what will they
be able 10 get once building is resumed ?
| suppose we shah have to ask the
women 70 enter these occupations, else
who viii do the work
The truth is. builders do not want
to build. hclieve that the landlords
are paying them to hola of Why not ?
1t could be, could it not?
The whole thing looks "nshy" to me
There ts entirely too much Of passing
tho buck" There is an Ethiopian In
tho woodpile. suro as you live,
JULIUS REICH.
New York. April B, 1890.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05
Our Punches Males

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Apropos Of the Termination o.
the American man. about which soms
Of your correspondents have been
writing: Can the discarding Of the
mustache have anything TO do with N'
| am sure that were certain birds-ths
rooster, for instance--to discard then
plumes It would have very decided
effect upon their character.
sTRINUA
New York. April .. 1920.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05

This evident weakening on the part
of Wells brought James to the attack
with new vigor 81 am bound to tell
you,' he wrote, that | don't think your
letter makes out any sort Of a case for
the bad manners Of Boon, as far as
your indulgence in them ut the expense
of your poor old H. j. is concerncd-I
say your simply because he has been
yours, in the MOST liberal, continual,
sacrificial. The most admirlng and
Astounding critical way. ever since he
began to know your writings-as to
which you have had copious testimony.
Your comparison of the book to Il
waste basket strikes me As the reverse
Of fclicitous, for what one throws inro
that receptacle is exactly what one
doesn't commit to publicity and make
the affirmation Of ones estimate Of
ones contemporaries by. should
lihen it much rather to the prescrvative
portfolio or drawer in which what is
withheld from the basket is savingly
laid away. Nor DO | feel it anywhere
evident that my view of life and ltera-
turo,' or what you impute 10 me as
such, is carrying everything before 1t
and becoming a public menace SO una
ware do seem. on the contrary, that
my products constitute an example in
any measurable degree followed or
cause in any degree successfully
blended. I can't but think that If this
wore tho case l should find it somo-
what attcsted In their circulation,
which, alas! have reached q very ad
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05

The publication of "1'he Letters Of
Henry James" (Scribner's) brings to
light a spirited correspondence be
tween the American novelist and II.
G. Wells, shortly after the appearance
Of the lattcr's Boon" which referred
to James rather harshly. A few
months later we find James writing to
Wells:
at is difficult, of course, for a
writer to put himself fully in the
place of another writer who finds him
extraordinarily futile and void, and who
is moved to publish that to the world
ard think the case isn't easier when
he happens to have enjoyed the other
writer enormously from far back, be-
cause there has then grown up the
habit Of taking some common meet
ing ground between them for granted,
and the falling away of this is ike The
collapse of bridge which made COM
mNnication ncssibic. .3ut am by IA
ture more In dread Of any FOOLS para
disc, or at least of any bad misguided
ness, than in love with the idea of q
security proved, and the fact that a
mind as brilliant as yours can resolve
me into such an unmitigatod mistake,
can't enjoy me in anything like the de-
gree in which l Ike TO think 1 may be
enjoyed, makes me greatly want 20 fix
myself, for as long as my nerves will
stand it, with such a pair of eyes"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05
Their Own Fault

From Tho Manitoba Froe Prsss)
In their dny Of suffering md trIbu,
lstion Germany and Austria should re.
mombor TINT nobody forced than tc
atArt tho war.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05
GUAR ANT

Yeu San purchase merchandise sdvsrttsed Ia TIE
TRIBUNE with absolute safety--for II dlssatlsfac-
tlcn results In N, THs TRIBUNE guarantees
to pay your money back upon request No rcd tape
No subhlns. We make GOOD promptly II tho
advertiser does not
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05
nrsrREn OF TIE ASSOCIATED PRES.

The Associated Press exclusively entitled to the
fr republlca,ic OK all dispatches credited
to it otherwise credited IL this paper. ana
also the local u spontaneous origin publialed
herein.
AL rights OF republication Of ell sthes matte.
herein also reserved
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05

"And wherefore DO tho poor com.
plain ?" rpA
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05

The cost OF living inspires tho ask
Ing of another Literary Question
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05

Well, there arc no Socialists in the
progressive legislatures of stntes like
Mississippi and Delaware.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05

The board Of directors that Upton
Sinclair dominates for his Hypothetical
endowed weekly is, for one thing, too
large. Mr.. Sinclair dominates Allan
Benson, Alice Stone Blackwell, Harriet
Stanton Batch, Arthur Billiard, Will
liam C. Bullitt, Herbert Croly, Max
Eastman, William Hard, Mrs. j. Borden
Hartman, the Rev. John Haynes
Holmes, Hamilton Holt, Charlotte Per
kins Gilman, Paul Kellogg, Amos Pin
chot, Charles Edward Russell, Lincoln
Stetfens, J. G.. Phelps Stokes, Ida Tar
bell, Colonel william Boyce Thompson,
Samuel Untermyer. Frank A. Wander
lip, Oswald Garrison Willard, Rabbi
Stephen S. Wise
OF all that number we should retain
only William Hard. Then we should
make board composed of him, George
AIDE, Clarence Day jr.. George Horace
Lorimcr, H. L. Krehbiel, Mrs. William
Allen White, Jay n Darling and Her
bert Hoover
Tonight will be our first view of
"Florodora," so readers need not worry
that they are in for more barking back
to the brave days Of old. But we did
see the Weber and Fields burlesoue of
the sextet, in which the music ably
parodied Leslie Stuart's and in which
Lew Fields, Joe Weber, Pete Daley.
Wor fald nd tryN NH 1
others were incomparably comic.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05

Owned ana publ,sned daily BY New ycrH Tribune
inc. . Nsw York Corporation OSdcn Reid. FrcSi
dent; G Vernon Rogers. Vice Presidents Helen
FoSrrs Reid Secretary: r. Ma,ueld. Treasurer.
Address. Trihuns Building. lS& Nassau Street New
York Telephone. Bcekman 5000
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05

Tie manner in which James received
his criticism seems to have disturbed
Wells, for in a reply he distinctly gives
ground. "There is, Of course" wrote
Wells, "a real and very fundamental
difference in oar ia.ae- a.a Developed
attitudes toward life and literature.
To you literature like painting. is an
end, to me literature like architecture.
is a means, it has a use. Your view
was, l felt, altogether too prominent
in the world OF criticism and I assailed
it in lines of harsh antagonism And
writing that stuff about you WAS the
first escape had from the obsesslon of
this war. Boon is just wastepaper
basket"