davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
Soviets Seek Recognition.
Motives Back of Negotiations for Re
suming Trade With Russia.

To THE NEW YORK HERALD: a des-
patch from your London Bureau which
Won printed on December 20 has caused
me great surprise and leads me to ask
for space for comment and correction.
The despatch says that the antici-
pated announcements of the conclusion
Of a Russo British trade agreement are
evoking chorus Of approval from
nearly all London editors. My own
reading of the London press leads me
to quite q different conclusion. With
the exception OF the radical papers /
find that the editors are not only pes
simistic as to the possibilities Of trade
but are a unit in opposing any agree
ment which would release Russia from
her obligations for the claims of Brit
ish subjects for loss and damage in that
country.
The statements in regard to Soviet
gold. based on the report of Depensier'
formerly Of the French Military Mis-
sion. and as to contracts for machinery
and engineering work obtained by Ger
man firms, are not borne out by the
facts. The most striking evidence of
this is that the German manufacturers
in question. after negotiating contracts
for railway material amounting to 600.-
600. 600 marks In gold. found that the
Soviet representatives were only blufing
and consequently the negotiations we're
broken Off
Up to date apparently not a single
contract has been entered into. Third
hand. hearsay gossip about Soviet gold
destined for his account ought not TO be
taken seriously
What feel to be particularly unfair
is the manner In which the despatch
presents the matter OF claims against
Russia. 1t says:
The Russians are willing to pay their
legitimate debts. but point out that the
present Russian Government should not
be called upon. for instance. TO pay
for the pearl necklace some grand duch-
ess OF the old regime might have bought
from Bond street jewellers. Further
more, thcy insist stifny they win re-
fuse 20 recognize debts for supplies sent
10 Kolchak.
The claims in question are for the
Legitimate obligations of the former
Russian Government and for loss and
damage occasioned by the Soviet seizure
and confscation of property in Russia.
The allusion TO n grand duchess's pearl
necklace Is obviously an intent to preju-
dice the reader. AS for claims against
Kolchak, the question HAS never been
raised.
The real issue is that certain enter
prlsng nnanciers desire to obtain con-
cesslons and industrial properties from
the Soviet Government at bargain. and
the Soviet Government in turn wishes
10 realize on properties which II has
seized. To legalize the transaction and
prevent any uncomfortable action on the
part OF the legal owners II is necessary
70 secure the recognition OF the Soviet
Government, and to this end they are
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
A Great Horses History.
John II. Gentry's First Owner l.. Il.
Hall of North Carolina.

To THE NEW YORK HERALD: In regard
to your editorial article concerning the
late L. H. Harrimans trotting horses
1t will no doubt be of interest to your
readers to recall that John r. Gentry
was owned by L. 3. Hall, a wealthy
cotton manufacturer Of Graham, N. c.
Mr. Hail. like Mr.. Hartman, bred
and drove his horses for the pleasure
and love for a good horse. He sent
Gentry with others of his horses on
the Grand Circuit. Becoming dissatis-
fed with the way Gentry was being
handled and driven in these races he
made an investigation, which led him
to withdraw his horses from the track
and to consign them TO a stable in New
York to be sold at auction.
Mr.. Hartman, I think, bought his
horse at this sale. Mr. Hall has re-
Gently died. w. F. WHITE.
MEBANE, N. c., December "a.
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
Art Museum to Give Concerts.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art an
nounces that through the generosity of
John d. Rockefeller, Jr.. and other
friends of the museum it will be pos
sible in 1921. as in 1919 and 1920, to
give at the museum two series of free
orchestral concerts The first series will
be given on Saturday evenings, January
s, 10, 22 and 30, and the second. on the
four Saturday evenings in March. Mr..
Rockefeller will pay for the music Of
the first series and Robert w. De Forest
and other friends of the museum will
meet the expenses of the second series.
The concerts will be of the same char.
acter as those of the last two seasons,
which were largely attended, on one
evening there being more than 10000
persons present.
The orchestra will be of the same size
as in previous concerts and the con-
ductor will again be David Names. The
concerts, which begin promptly at
o'clock and last until 10. are free to all
without tickets of admission. The mu-
scum will be open on these Saturday 3
from 10 o'clock in the morning until
10 AS at night, thus allowing visitors to
combine seeing the museums collections
with attending the concerts. The mu-
scum restaurant also win be open on the
evenings of the concerts.
At o'clock on the afternoons of the
concerts Miss Frances Morris will give
a series of free lectures in the museum
auditorium on the orchestra. with par
ticular reference to the programme of
the evening.
The total attendance at the eight con-
certs given in 1919 was 10000. and the
attendance for this year was $4,000.
despite extremely stormy weather on
two of the evenings.
The New York herald., 1920-12-27

Austria at the head of his army and
in Hungary, at a spot which was
known only TO few of his chief Off
GERS, the corpse was enclosed in three
collins, the first of gold, the second of
silver and the third of iron, and
buried. The captives who were as
signed to the task of burying the
body were strangled in order that the
place of the interment might be kept
a secret from ATTILA's foes.
For centuries there has been a
great fascination in the search for
relics of the Huns, for it was thought
that they might throw some light
upon these strange almost unknown
Asiatic invaders of Europe. The
country along the Aranka River and
around Szegedin has been industri-
ously searched for evidence of their
successes in Europe.
Some rare and beautiful gold YES
sells have been unearthed in this re-
ciVAA' ANSC CiiOo ttl Z lJA CSCl NtNl uluOllS
the Hapsburg treasures. While these
have been identified as belonging to
some Of the peoples of the early mi
grations from the East they have
not been proved definitely to have
belonged to the Huns. The latest find
is thus especially noteworthy; not
only is it the most valuable but at
the same time 1t is the most sought
after of all the Hun treasures.
The memSry of ATTILA and his
bands of savage barbarians was
revived during the war The devasta-
tion they wrought in the lands over
which they swept seemed to furnish
the only apt comparison for the desc
lation left by the modern invader. The
people Of central and southeastern
Europe would question to-day if the
ravages of their country by the fifth
century Huns left in their trail as
much suffering and sorrow as were
left by the world war.
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
Rare Books ON Exhibition.

Selections from the library of Emer-
son Chamberlin of Summit, N. j., are
son Galleries. to be sold at auction on
the afternoons of January 3, and I.
The collection includes number OF in
teresting first editions, among them q
large group Of works by Mark Twain, a
first edition OF George Cruikshank's
sketch book, the colored issue; number
of Emerson first editions and first edi-
tions of o. Henry, Longfellow, Lowell.
Whittier and Wilde. John Wicliffs
"Dialogorum libri quattuor," a rigidly
suppressed and rare book, bearing the
arms OF Pope Plus ", is also in this
collection.
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
MONDAY, DECEMBER 81. 1920.
The Nations Financial Future.

Mr.. HoUsToN, Secretary of the
Treasury under the outgoing Admin
istration, expresses frank and
manly concern over a deficit includ-
ing debt service. which he foresees
for the Government within the next
two or perhaps three years, to the
possible extent of three and half
billions of dollars.
But there will he no occasion for
alarm about the national financial
future If the next Administration and
the next Congress manage the bust
ness of the Government as they have
the opportunity to do and as it is
their duty to do.
All that is needed on the one hand,
the spending hand, is complete
elimination of the fragrant squander
which still goes on and clean cut
ting of even legitimate expenses to
the bone. On the other hand, the in
come hand, it will suffice to put into
oppressive taxes which will supply
all the Treasury's wants without
fanatic practice of political hatreds,
destructive raiding of industry and
punitive pursuit of success.
If the next control of the admin
istrative and legislative branches of
the Government does its work with
out fear or favor, promptly meeting
the Governments bills, doggedly
wearing away the war debt and
steadily tightening the load which
gals the taXpaylng publc's back, il
will do no more than the American
voters elected it TO do and expect II
TO do If it does not do that very
thing. If 1t does not make a 100 per
cent. job of it, the more will 1t be the
fool, facing the inevitable day Of
reckoning.
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
Attila's Coffin.

a correspondent of the London
Times reports the discovery In south
ern Hungary of what archmologlsts
declare Is the coffin of ATTmA the
Hun, known to the Christian nations
of the fifth century as "the Scourge
Of Con" The find was made In the
bed Of the Aranka River, n small
tributary of the Thesis between the
towns OF Szegedln and Temesvar.
This discovery seems to support
the persistent tradition regarding the
great Hun leaders burial which has
lived for almost 1900 years. Ills death
occurred soon after his invasion of
Italy and on the night of his marriage.
His body was carried across southern
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
Work of Trade Commission.

The Federal Trade Commission,
which within statutory limitations is
to corporations what the Interstate
Commerce Commission is to railroads
and the Federal Reserve Board to
banks, has many negative virtues. In
the annual report of the commission
there are no complaints, there is no
grumbling and no hue and cry about
nothing. Yet in its multifarious ac-
tivities of the last year the commits
sion has received evidence and settled
disputes affecting almost every object
of business from fountain pens to
raisins. =
Congress established the commission
six years ago with a view to enforcing
the Sherman act and various other
laws regulating trade which before
1914 had cluttered up the law courts
with an immense amount of litigation,
much of it superlluous. In the fiscal
year 1920 specific complaints to the
number of 724 in all were lodged
with the commission charging un-
fair trade practices. In the former
practice this would have meant 724
cases for the courts. But the CON-
mission settled $50 without even the
necessity for formal hearings and pub
licity; 224 had formal hearings and
the others remain to be considered.
Out of all the orders and decisions by
the commission only seven were taken
to the courts on appeal.
For the six years the commission
has been in existence the record for
expeditions settlement of complaints is
good. Out of 1890 complaints 992
We're adjusted without hearings, and
only eleven appeals were made to the
courts from the commissions decisions
In all the other cases.
The commission also carried through
n great number of Investigations of
profiteering, production costs and
other matters at the order of the
President and of Congress. But It's
chief work is that of interpreting and
enforcing the laws prohibiting unfair
competition in restraint of trade, and
this work has been discharged in a
manner entirely creditable to the COM
mission as body and to it's members
as individuals.
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
Aftermath.

The paper on which this slight modern
sheaf
OF vagrant verse is printed--long ago,
Before 10 went back into pulp--would
show
Quaint fancies woven out OF flower and
leaf,
Ballads. compounded OF the love and
grief
And Joy OF old romance, and row on
or lovely lyrics, with the charm and
glow
or some wild woodland birds note, keen
and brief.
And so. perchance. those earlier songs
may lend
The shadow OF their beauty 10 the
last,
And all unconsclously these light words
blend
with something Of the glamour OF
the past,
Whose spirit breathes upon each later
page
The faded fragrance OF another age
CHARLOTTE BECKER
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
Spanish Tenor Pleases at Recital.

,Hipolito Lazaro, Spanish tenor of
the Metropolitan Opera Company, who
was heard in his first song recital here
early this season, gave a concert at
Carnegie Hall yesterday, in which he
had the assistance of Miss Mercedes
Padrosa. a Spanish pianist; Hector
Cabral, Peruvian violinisr, and Max
Ter, accompanist.
Mr. Lazaro seemed to have a cold,
but he was, nevertheless, able to arouse
great enthusiasm by his beautiful voice
and impassoncd style in operatic airs
and Spanish songs. One song. Penella's
"Espagnolta.' was interrupted by the
applause while being sung, and at the
close of group of Spanish songs a
man in the audience who was evidently
an ardent compatriotic admirer of the
singer went down the middle aisle to
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
WILL PAY HOOVER 81, 900
FOR % CENT DINNER
Guests TO Help European
Children's Relief.

A dinner for the European children's
relief fund directed by Herbert Hoover
will be served Wednesday night at the
Hotel Commodore at a cost OF % cents
a plate. The guests will pay $1,000
plate. or present credentials showing
that they have obtained pledges for at
least $1,000.
The menu will consist of stew. bread
and cocoa. This Is the same food as
that served at a cost of IL cents to the
children in the destitute areas, but the
portions will be twice AZ large. as the
guests are adult. and would be allowed
more under the Hoover rationing sys-
TEN.
Many of those who have accepted in
vitatlons have taken $4,000 tables"
which means they have bought ten
places. Among the guests will be Mrs.
August Belmont. Countess Szechenyi,
John u. Rockefeller. Frederick Strauss.
Albert y. Strauss. Paul ID. Cravath.
James Speyer, Mrs. A. c. Schlesinger.
the Rev. and Mrs. John ~. Lathrop.
Herman II. Westinghouse. Edward l..
Ballard. Otto III. Kahn, Mortimer l..
Schiff. Thomas r. Ryan. Henry Hark-
ness F'lagler. Mr.. and Mrs. Everett Col
by. Mr.. and Mrs. William Fellowes Nor
gan and Miss Florence Wardwell.
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
Bandits With Licenses.
Crime Made Safer by Allowing
Criminals to Drive Taxis.

To THE NEW YORK HERALD: I notice
the recommendation of the Police Com
missioner that people exercise great
caution in using taxicabs and public
vehicles.
While this suggestion might be taken
as an indication of a degree Of intelli-
gence in the Police Department, the
more important element is that 1t calls
attention to the fact that the present
difficulty in respect of the crime wave
is not being treated at the source. 1
mean that the starting point of the
present condition is apparently with the
Bureau of Licenses, which makes it pos
sible for an army of thugs and crooks
to have at their disposal the cloak of
public license for the use of the most
effective machine that has so far been
devised for use against the public. as
it provides an almost certain getaway.
Why should the Bureau of Licenses
make 1t possible for the city to be daily
combed by an army of people disposed
to break the law, when this could be
avoided by making sure that in every
case license Is granted only to a per-
son whose record indicates that 1t will
be used for its legitimate purposes? The
present practice not only tends to bring
about a condition of Generalization but
is also a handicap to those honest and
decent men who undertake to make a
living as drivers.
1 am positive If all the holders of cab
licenses were called before tribunal
and a checkup made on their careers
the authorities would quickly have in
hand a majority of the perpetrators of
the outrages which have been prevalent
in recent times. ]. T.. ALDRED.
NEW YORK, December "a.
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
Mesopotamia's Potentialities.

Irak, or Mesopotamia, is land of
great potentialities whose oil deposits
have been known and discussed since
the time of the Romans. The oil has
been used by natives for centuries as
medicine. NEBUcHADNEZzAR built his
palace Of bricks laid in asphalt taken
from a spot near Hit on the Euphrates
Modern explorers believe the entire
region of Kurdistan, Mosul and Meso-
potamia is oil bearing But it is one
Of the ironies of fate that the possi-
bilities of this territory should not
have been understood by diplomats
and capitalists until a comparatively
short time ago.
Even now the pen must pass
swiftly from the sublime to the ridic-
ulous In describing. as United States
Consul HEIzER at Bagdad has done in
report to our Government, the
wealth which waits on every hand for
the developing touch of the capitalist.
and contrasting It with the meagre
trade and industry Of the land.
If the total commerce of Mesopo-
tamia, amounting TO only $9J.453, 600
last year, were the sole index of the
fabulous wealth under the soil there
would be no quarrels over control of
this dry and uninvitlng territory. a
petty entrep6t trade between the out
side world and Persia Is not worth
bothering about.
But when we learn that the country
is level and the soil free from stones,
that IL lends itself to irrigation and
that It could be made n formidable
rival Of America in cotton production.
the surface OF our unconcern is
scratched. II 1t Is not penetrated.
When we learn further that besides
its agricultural possibilities the land
IS n vertable reservoir Of petroleum
and asphalt deposits perhaps as rich
ms the fields OF Mexico we understand
Immediately the scramble for rights
in this territory.
IL Is not what the land produces
to-dny but what Il may produce in the
future that gives Il immense i'm
portance in the politics and the bust
ness Of the world. With fuel oil being
sought ON every hand and in every
corner Of the earth, the petroleum de-
posits alone would explain the deep
c@acerp with which Mesopotamla's fu-
ture is studied in the chancellerles
and banking houses OF the world.
Aesopotama Is especially tempting
10 adventurous capital because prac-
fically everything IN the way OF de.
velopment remains to he done. Far
from being cause of discourage
ment, this whets the appetite Of those
who find their meat and drink In
opening new lands, developing neg
iected resources of the soil, building
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
Sailors Superstitions.

From time immemorial supersti-
tions OF sailors, with few exceptions,
have naturally been associated with
things of the sea, notably the belief
which marks departure from port on
Friday as certain omen of bad luck.
st. Elmo's fire, the bo'sun fish, whis-
Ting for the wind in calm, the pres
ence of priest on board ship, all
these deal with actual elements of sea
life that played a great part among
such legends. The Flying DutchmaD
legend was also born of the sea like.
wise the ghostly crew coming from
the wreck Of a sunken ship TO haunt
the crew of the vessel which caused
their loss.
a more annoying variety Of super,
stition was revealed the other day by
the action Of the crews of two Amer
lean tugs who deserted their boats at
Quebec. Before these two boats left
Detroit bound for New York fortune
teller predicted the doom Of one OF
the boats before IL finished its voy-
age. This prophecy so worked on the
senslbilities of the members Of the two
crews that they struck on reaching
Quebec. Old salts might sniff at such
a prophecy as this as being Of the
fresh water brand and not worthy to
be enrolled in the ancient and hon
cradle company Of deep sea superstl-
tions, but the prophecy worked its
evil upon the tug owners The loss
OF their crews made a real thing
of Il.
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
Daily Calendar
THE WEATHER.

For Eastern New York-Snow or rain
to-day and colder; tomorrow cloudy
and colder; northeast winds shifting to
northwest tonight.
For New Jersey-Rain in south, rain or
snow in north portion to-day, somewhat
warmer: tomorrow generally fair and
coldef, strong shifting winds becoming west
and northwest.
and probably Tomorrow; warmer to-day;
coIaer tomorrow; strong easterly winds.
propapy reaching gale force and shifting to
westerly by tomorrow.
for southern New England-Snow or rain
ana warmer to-day; tomorrow cloudy and
IoiusI t strohg easterly winds and gales shift
ing TO westerly by tomorrow.
FOR western New York--Snow to-day,
warmer In east portion; tomorrow snow
anu coider' fresh to strong shifting winds.
Tor snow In north, snow or rain in middle
ana rain In south sections east of the Mis-
sissippi River Tomorrow, followed by gen
erally fair weather Tuesday, except In tha
region OF the great lakes, the upper Ohio
Naliey' north New England and north New
nork' where there will be snow flurries
Inc temperature Will rise In the North Allan
TIC States Monday, but much colder weather
VIII again overspread the region of the great
lakes, the ohio Valley, Tennessee and the
east Gulf States Monday and Monday night.
ana the weather will become colder in the
day.
Pressure was high to-day over the Atlantic
states and over the western half of the
country ana low and falling in the lake
region and the central valleys.
snow mas fallen within the last twenty
-FOUR hours in the region of the great lakes.
me upper Mississippi Valley and the Rocky
Mountain region; snow and rain In the Ohio
valley and the middle Atlantic States, ad
@ raln IN the Southern States and along the
irtn hortn facific coast. The temperature was
i'elow Delow normal to-day over practically all sec
IONS except the Pacific States and the Gulf
states, ana temperatures of zero or below
we're general Sunday night in the Dakotas,
eastern Montana and the Canadian North,
west. A>o''n
southeast storm warning was ordered at
~ +. M: from the Delaware Breakwater 10
aastport, Me. Disturbance which extends
from Michigan southwark to the middle C;uIf
coast VIII move northeastward with in
creaslhg intensity over that area and will be
attended by strong easterly Winds probably
reaching gale force late tonight or Monday
Observations at United States Weather
bureau stations, taken at p M yas+erdav
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
His Mistake.
From the Detroit Free Press.

From the Detroit Free Press.
He longed to find the road to fame,
But not a highway bore that name.
He thought to glory there must be
A level path that he should see;
But every road to which he came
Possessed a terrifying name.
He never thought that fame might lurk
Along the dreary path called Work.
He never thought to go and see
What marked the road called Industry.
Because 1t seemed so rough and high
He passed the road to Service by.
Yet had he taken either way
He might have come to fame some day.
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
One Blue Lobster.
Found on the Maine Coast, IL Was as
TOOthsOme as IL Was Beautiful.

To THE NEW YORK HERALD: Much has
been said in your paper about blue
crabs. l wonder If any Of your readers
have seen a blue lobster.
Some years ago found one on the
Maine coast at ogunquit. 1t lay on a
shelf or ledge under the promontory
called Israels Head, where II had been
left by the receding tide. In color It
was beautiful llmpid, opalescent blue.
tinged with white and darker spots.
The She'll was soft, like that of soft
shell crab. and the lobster weighed about
two pounds It made very toothsome
dish. 1t is the first and only soft shell
lobster / have seen. Dr. c. l.. S.
New York, December "a.
The New York herald., 1920-12-27
Mr.. Untermyer Named for Promotion

To THE NEW York HERALD: have
been spending my lunch hour at the
Lockwood hearings and II has been an
intellectual feast 20 learn what sbilful
cross examination can do.
If Presldent-elect Harding wants an
Attorney-General OF brains who would
soon break up unlawful combinations
both of capital and labor why not choose
Samuel Untermyer? p. ERNEST.
NEW YORK, December a.