davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
Optimism and the Flu

TO the Editor of The Tribune
Sir May | offer the following re
marks in regard to the present cpl
demic of influenza As major in the
Medical Corps of the United States
Army observed the 1918 epidemic from
beginning to end in one Of our army
camps. was impressed with one
seeming fact more than any other
that this epidemic gained its virulent
character by rapid cultivation of the
organisms through close contact Of
susceptible subjects; that gathering
infected individuals into groups. either
in hospital wards or in barracks, was
the factor which intensified the evil
character of the injecting germs, so
that once it gained headway form of
organism was developed which was
passed about through the shortest con
tact of infected and we'll, and even dis
tributed by means of eating utensils.
The one important lesson TO be
learned from that epidemic was the
necessity Of separate rooms, we'll VEN
tilated, for oil infected individuals.
rather than waiting for the general in
oculation Of the susceptible members
of community, as we are apparently
doing again in the present epidemic.
Perhaps the most important rules at
present to observe are:
% The avoidance Of small or large
groups of individuals as far as tha,
can be carried out
(2) The avoidance of infected indi-
viduals being placed in the same room
or hospital ward with other individ-
uals, whether infected or not
(3) Attention to the excellent ad-
vice already set forth, Of plenty Of
sleep in we'll ventilated rooms. simple
food, and the avoidance of worry, get
ting wet or getting over-tired. The
observance of these things will soon
see decline in the present epidemic.
By way of encouragement | think it
is simply impossible for this epidemic
to attain the highly virulent charac-
ter of the one we passed through in
1918, when the strength of the germs
was intensified on the most suitable
soil for their development in our
crowded army and navy encampments.
J. B. c.. NJ. D.
New York City, Jan. 80, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
Bone Dryness
A FeU Queries Out of the
Distant Past

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: If you will grant me space
would like to set forth the following
questions for consideration by think
ing people:
Is it recorded that Columbus ven-
tured on his daring quest for new
world, across an unknown watery
waste, stimulated by bone dryness",
Is it recorded that Americus YES
pucius, who followed and left the i'm
print OF his name upon this Western
Hemisphere, accomplished his mission
as devotee of "boAe drynessvq
Is it recorded that De Soto, who dis
covered "The Father of Waters"-ths
Mississippi River-was fortified in hid
undertaking by "bone dryness"?
Is it recorded that the religious
order known as the Society of Jesus
the Jesuits-who traced the course Of
that great river from its source to its
mouth, did so under an inspiration Of
bone dryness"?
Is it recorded that our Pilgrim
Fathers, who landed on the stern and
rock-bound" coast of New England, in
order to worship God in their own way.
observed the principles Of "bone drys
ness?
Is 1t recorded that our early Colo
nists, in their fight for freedom from
the tyranny of the British Crown, wers
strengthened in their resolve by
spirit Of "bone dryness"?
Is It recorded that Washington, La
Fayette, Won Steuben and all the other
leaders of the Revolution, who planned
their campaign and with their men en-
dured its rigors, did so bone dry?
Is 1t recorded that many of our great
statesmen-not politicians-w who from
the Declaration Of Independence on
werd have labored in the upbuildins
OF our governmental structure havs
been of the bone dry" order of men!
Did General Grant bring the Civil
War to close on a policy of "bone
dryness"?
Did these United States of ours
reach the zenith of their power and
glory through a course of bone dry
ness?
Was the vast army known as the
A. +. F., during its term of service
"over there" in the great World War,
actually bone dry?
Can it be said that Germany was de-
feated because she was wet? =
Were the Entente Allies 'bone dryV
Was Turkey-Germany's most pitt
able ally-"wet" or dry?
Will the Great Commoner' realize
his treasured ambition on bone dry
ness? 1--WE.
New York, Feb. 2, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
What's q Constitution

Many unIind and perhaps some
unjust things have been said of
Speaker Sweet, but there is one
charge he is not likely ever to meet.
He is safe from the attack that he is
so reverent of constitutions as to
permit their tiresome prohibitions to
interfere with what he regards as
his duty. The famous Tim Campbell,
of fragrant memory, who inquired
what is the Constitution between
friends?' was never more joyously
contemptuous of the fundamental
law than is Mr. Sweet.
For example, there was the delight
full incident of Monday. Assembly,
man Mclaughlin, pressing his re-
searches into the state constitutions
hinterland. came on the provision
which says that "for any speech or
debate in either house of the Legis-
lature the members shall not be
questioned in any other place" He
quoted from a decision of the Fed
eral Supreme Court to the effect that
the absolute immunity provided for
covers votes of members. With these
citations to support him Assembly
man Mclaughlin called attention to
the fact that Assemblymen have been
questioned concerning their votes of
year ago. and raised by resolu-
tion the issue that one of the most
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
Combinations Of Labor

If plans under consideration fruc-
tify there will soon be organized one
central labor body with some sort of
jurisdiction over all the unions of
this city--one thousand locals, with
q possible membership of 100000.
The project is an interesting one,
and if carried through may have i'm
portant effects on the life of the
seven million people who populate
the metropolitan area. 1t has been
established that an organized mi
nority has great advantages over an
unorganized majority. If the union
lied labor comes together into a COM
pact mass and falls under the con-
troll of small body of directing
chiefs it can have about its own way
for considerable period
Combinations may be beneficial.
They are the cement of modern civ
ilization. But they may be evil. All
depends on the purpose. Is the prime
object Of the union Of unions to ad-
vance the general good, or is it to
benefit only its own members as a
class? Let its organizers answer.
A chamber of labor is Itself 10
more Objectionable than a chamber
Of commerce. There are many things
an association of those in kindred
pursuits may do which are no men
ace to the general good. But when
the line is passed whose existence
all apprehend although none can ex-
actly trace 1t, the combination be-
comes a conspiracy. Engage in such
conspiracy and, soon or late, the
grapes of wrath are trampled out.
There must be more than a founda-
ton of selfshness if there is to be
built temple of happiness.
A special problem before this
country is the inspiring of our labor
ing masses with lofty ideals and de-
'eloPilS heenheSS OF popular lntelll-
gence. Power is now with the pro-
letariat. 1t will be more in the
future. The doctrines of hate and
distrust have been assiduously
preached. 1t is time for something
better. The associated unions may
do great work, but they must for
ever fight against the known ten
dency to misuse power. Society,
which has protected itself against
the abuses of organization by the
captains of industry, will find a way
to protect itself against a similar
abuse by the captains of labor
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
world safe for democracy; but we
are making 1t safe for the uninter-
esting, the monotonous, the indis-
tinguishable.
Socialist or Bolsheuisto
Mr.. Wolling Defines Hi, Position
7onard Assembly Trial

TO the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Mn John Spargo. in his letter
to Tho Tribune, totally reverscs my pub
lished position. AS he has mentioned the
fact that | am secretary Of the Social
Democratic League, others are indirectly
involved, and his unsupported asser-
tons should be publicly corrected
have made no slur whatever on
Debs, unless to call him one of the real
leaders Of the Socialist party is to put
slur on the one or the other. Is this
Mr.. Spargo's view? 1t is absolutely all
| said about Debs. He is wholly honest
ldcallst OF the perverted soviet brand.
courageous man, he has lost no occa-
sion to declare his solidarity with the
Bolsheviki.
have never said or written one word
in approval of the Albany proceeding.
Unless it is proved that the Socialist
party is az directly tied to the Com
munist lnternationalc as is the Com
munist party that proceeding is unjus-
tilted. If Speaker Sweet has no such
proof he had no sufficient ground for
instituting even an "investigation.'
made my position clear in "The New
York World" on the first day after the
proceedings were instituted, and have
maintained this stand
do regard the Socialist party rs
being wholly Bolshevist and antiSocial-
ist in Its position, and | believe it of
the utmost Importance the public should
know this fact. In this way only do |
regard this investigation as of value
That does not mean that the Socialists
have so put their position on record as
to Justify the very extraordinary step Of
disqualifying them as legislators after
due election.
Spargo has therefore invented his
casc--doubtless without realizing what
he has done He refers correctly to my
preference for economic to political
action, saying that I advocated "direct
action some years ago. That was be-
fore Bo]shevism showed that "drcct
action WAS sure to become anti-dcmo-
cratic and ready to upset even the most
advanced political democracy by violent
revolution.
! still believe the economic action Of
the labor unions even more valuable for
progress than their political action
But l have learned something by the
war; namely, that all democratic
progress depends upon complete separa-
tion from Bolshevists and parlor pro-
Bolshevists, including all their methods
Democracy cannot cooperate with that
ilk and survive.
believe one can be 100 per cent
Socialist and still be a 100 per cent
anti Bolshevist Indeed, | hold that So
cialism and Bolshevism are mutually
exclusive.
WILLIAM ENGLISH WAILlNG
New York, Feb 2, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
One Famine Starts Another

The manufacturing district of New
York is now threatened with a coal
shortage. The cause of it is not
lack of coal at the mines, but a lack
Of cars to carry it away from the
mines
Here is another reflex of the gov
ernment's repressive railroad policy.
We have had government operation
of the railroads for couple of years.
But the roads have not been built
up. Their rolling stock has not been
increased, facilities have not been
enlarged, the congestion Of traffic
has not been relieved. For years
before the roads were taken over the
Interstate Commerce Commission
had persistently restricted railroad
development, impairing the credit of
the roads by reducing their earning
power and sacrificing the efficiency
Of our transportation system to the
interest of the shippers.
Freight rates have been kept dis
proportionately low. Shippers have
been directly benefited thereby. But
in the larger sense the pubic-ship-
pers, producers and all others=has
been injured by the cripplng Of rail
road service. What is the value of
an artificially low freight rate if it
disturbs industry, leads to freight
tie-ups, to partial or complete shut
downs of production in various com
munities and to the losses due to
such a checking Of national energy?
For the public the balance is far on
the wrong side. leaving entirely out
of consideration the injustice done
to investors in railroad securities.
Our railroad policy Of the last
decade or two has been coldly aca-
demic. 1t has been iinpracticable
because it approached the problem
from the wrong end. Under govern
ment supervision and control, which
are conceded, the railroad problem
should not be handled on the theory
that there is a necessary antagonism
between the railroads and the ship
pers. There is a much broader basis
TO work on. The public interest de-
mands the development of trans
portation system equal to the coun-
try's needs. That is the first de-
sideratum. The public also wants
continuity of operation. These con-
siderations are far superior to ques-
tions of rates. Rates are entirely
within the control Of the govern
ment. There is no danger Of their
becoming excessive
The railroads ask for moderately
fair freight rates. They should have
them. But the main thing, now and
always, is to put vitality and energy
into the railroad system, and to
make it more effective economic
instrument.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
The Leveling Hand of Fashion

If the Japanese women, influenced
by Western fashions, really intend.
as reported, to give up the kimono,
there will be loss to themselves and
to the world. 1t will be en- aban-
donment Of a mark of distinction. n
surrender to the commonplace. Life
Will become increasingly dull and
drab. Fashion never can make
women look as uninteresting as men.
and Paris gowns doubtless will be
more gracefully worn by Japanese
women than are top hats and frock
coats by Japanese men. Yet the
grace and charm of the kimono can
not be repeated in tight skirts. or
other feminine vagaries of the Oc
cident. There is no transmigration
OF the soul of national beauty.
Why progress-or what passes for
progress-should be so often ex-
pressed in sartorial terms is n
sociological problem worth the at
tentlon of deep thinkers. In the
early days of missionary work in
Africa the top hat always was one
of the first evidences of the con-
version of a tribal chief. That
shining cylinder of silk represented
to him the whole armor of righteous
ness. There was no beauty in it:
what value it had was symbolic.
Civilized man never has been able to
make himself outwardly attractive
since the days of the cavaliers. The
swallow-tail coats, the ruffled shirts.
the knee breeches of our grand
fathers had certain air, but they
were not beautiful. Even the young
men of the clothing advertisements
have only the semblance of mis-
guided Apollos.
we may or may not make the
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04

valued privileges of the House had
been disregarded. Thereupon, the
Speaker stodgily ruled that the reso-
luton was not privileged at all and
declined to entertain it as such.
Divers persons have complained
Of Lenine because he calls in "Red"
guardsmen when constituent as
sembly or soviet becomes balky
and talks Of parliamentary rights.
One can imagine Nicolai, if he gets
news from Albany, rubbing his bald
head with pleasure and exclaiming:
much smoother work!"
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
Influenza in the Subway

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The manner in which the In
terborough does its share in prevent
ing crowds during the influenza cpl
demic is to take off cars from its ex-
press trains. The express which /
took this morning from the Grand Gem
tral had eight cars instead of it's usual
ten, on the theory, probably, thas
there were not SO many people travel
ing. 1t was jammed. J. B. S.
New York, Jan. 81, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
Books

"The text of my sermon" writes
Hendrix Willem van Loon. as found in
to-day's review. Stacy Aumonier has
tired to explain this dogged, inarticu-
late romanticsm of the Anglo Saxon
III his novel, The Querrils.' in which
he writes, "a curious race the Anglo
Saxon, restless, not quite knowing what
1t wants etcetera and teedeldeedee.'
There is nothing curious about the
wanderlust of the Celtic Roman DAN
Observation-Disclosures Norman inhabi-
tant of q tight little island off the
coast of Holland. 1t is the same wan
derlust which drove Spaniards and
Portuguese and Phpnicians and Swedes
and Dutchmen and Hittites and Zulus
far beyond the confines of their own
god-given realm. The only difference
is that the Celtic Saxon
Norweg ian Norman novelists and his
torlans are forever talking about it.
Because they insist upon dragging their
little collapslble tin chapels and bath
tubs with them to the top of lovely
mountains and force you to eat their
own make of jam in places where the
native jam is far superior, because they
persist in wearing a shabby and shiny
black dress suit affair where native
pongee would be highly preferable and
in reading q month old copy of the
Times rather than the afternoon edi-
ton of the 'Soerabayasche Handels-
blad, which carries the full cable serv-
ice Of that morning, they have man
aged Gin their own eyes, at least) to
place their wanderlust upon a higher
plane from that of their more prosaic
neighbors.
CAS- a matter of fact, the atfliction is
simple and universal phenomenon.
Every nation, at some time or other,
goes forth to wander the earth and re-
plenish its empty Golfers, but few Of
them are SO darn proud of it that
they must tell US. And as for the tea
vender Of Stacy's little story, perhaps
he did get up in the middle of the
night to 60 and redress the wrongs of
the sweating Malays and the equally
sweating coole. If it were not his
own tea which had disturbed his
slumbers very likely it was the noise
of the directors meeting next door,
where twenty portly gentlemen cele-
brated the declaration of an extra 20
per cent dividend upon their new
opium bonds.
"Please do not infer that pride of
original race prompts me to write this
fine epistle. My own Dutch ancestors
were the same cheerful robbers and
traders as their good neighbors across
the North Sea. But they did not brag
about it. They quietly accepted 100
per cent dividend upon their capital,
thanked God for his great mercies, and
let it 60 at that. They never invented
an intricate racial theory which would
convert a deal in tea into a spiritual
act, consummated Of that be the word J
for the benefit of the humble native
who must either buy the stuff at an
exorbitant price or take the conse-
quences and suffer the loss of few
million square miles of territory. All
this I shall put down in a learned
tome, which I hope will be ready III
time for the education of H. 3D."
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
Will You Speak for the Horse ,

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: With the streets in an almost
impassable condition, the horse is max
ing his silent appeal to every creature
who will be his friend. wish every
newspaper would spare enough space
on its front page to make this written
appeal for him: ~ am horse and
dependent upon all you readers to
speak in my behalf"
NJ J. BONNELI..
New York, Jan. %, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
THE DRUNKARD'S PATH

Up in the attic | found to-day
A patchwork quilt still bright and gay
Finely embroidered in the corner
Was the makers name "Eliza Horner,"
And also the name of its pattern of
wrath,
ards Path"
In it's curves and zic-zaes one might
The dreadful course of fall from
grace.
Meant as warning for all to see,
Yet it looked quite merry to me
Formed Of calico cherry and blue,
1t limited more of fun than rue.
! folded it gently and put it away,
Funny old patchwork quilt so gay.
It's very name breathes an olden day,
Fefore Prohibition came to stay,
When men might taste of the grapes
of wrath,
And merrily tread the Drunkard's Path.
f. NJ. K.
"l believe said Sir Oliver Lodge,
"the destiny of the human race on the
planet is largely in the hands of
America 1t may be So but we are
not going to be drawn into this quar-
rel, nor struggle for supremacy If
any other nation on this planet wants
to hold the destiny of the human race,
let it drop back to catch punt
1t would be just the luck OF the
possibly about to-strike engineers and
firemen that a coal famine would leave
them with nothing to strike about.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
The Graveyard of Fraud

Time has been hard on treaty
frauds. Here are some of the
casualties Of the last eleven months:
The treaty and covenant are in
dissectble.
A change of word means going
hat in hand" to Germany.
If reservations are attached the
conference must reassemble to write
a new treaty
The covenant "fulGlls" the Monroe
Doctrine.
The Lodge amendments "nullify"
ratification.
These and many other bogies
were paraded. The grinning iack-o'-
lanterns are now broken and their
candles are out.
1t has taken time, but at last the
work is almost complete. When the
treaty is ratified it will be agreed,
even by The World, that the long
delay was due to the stubborn un-
reason OF those who insisted the
bogies should be accepted as real.
Why efforts so persistent in fa
Vor of the obviously false? Because
personal pride and partisanship in
truded. If those who assumed the
role of special champions of the
treaty had shown sense and fairness,
If they had put the interest of rati-
flcatlon first and had relegated vain
glory, ratification would probably
have occurred six months apo
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
Excusable lmpatience
From The Kansas Cify Stnrj

'""' TIC NuHSus CttD StdrJ
A man has been arrested in Okla
homa for breaking into a postotfice
Persons who get impatient waiting for
their mail to he delivered should make
final application to the Postmaster
General in Washington before taking
the matter into their own hands.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
The Diary of Our Own Samuel pepys

January 31-Early up, and to the
office and then for ride In my petrol
Wagon, but so cold l could get no
company With my wife I drove to
Englewood, to E. Davis's, where was
merry company. and I saw Mistress
Mazda again, which I was glad of. All
manner of rag, tag and bobtail till
past five in the morning, and R. Wer-
renrath sang many songs, and Fl. Har-
rlson did some playacting with in
credible ingenuity, and magick fell
low did some tricks with cards and
the like, but none | did not see through
at once.
Fe61Wa1y Lay late, and at break
last man come to me to ask me TO
drive my petrol-wageon into the ga
rage. albeit had driven it there last
mght But somebody had put it out,
forasmuch as it had no water to freeze
and it was in that zero cold for fif
teen hours. But l had small trouble
In starting it, though my worry was
great. And I was interrupted at nv
eleventh pancake, and when I returned
all thought I had had enough. and
took it with good grace, forasmuch as
II. Harrison was making an Grafton,
and could say nought. Drove Mis-
tress Janet and her husband to the
city, and so home, and to bed at 9
O'Clock.
Up bytimes, and finished nv
stint early, and walked across the
bridge with Mistress Sylvia and met
Mistress Pauline at her house and
talked of this and that, deeply inter
estlne, too. Home to dinner, and read
all evening Sir A. CUTLER Coucb,s
"Studies in Literature" and him
mold to be the soundest and most
dlvertlng talker-for they mostly were
iectures-on literary matters ever
read and his critickall judgments
without flaws. and practically in com
cord with mine, save that I am at
loss to think Thomas Hardy great
poet. Ny wife worried at tho g,eo+
cost of things. so engaged to buv
stamped 2-cent envelopes from her at
cents each; and if do but write
enough letters she will, she says. earn
a tidy bit.
3-R. Kirby had me to lunch. and
all afternoon at my scrvening and
udylng my desk, which I hate to do
Katie Hanneran's the way I was
chrlstened' she tossed him over her
shou der-From "The Fighting Spirit"
by Samuel Hopkins Adams in the Sat-
evepost
Katie, believes c. B., should chal-
lenge Stecher.
lodge to Call Up Treaty on Senate
Floor, Is the first headline we have
seen that makes you read the story
TO find whether it's Sir o. or the
Hon. X. c.
Attack some newspapers if you will
TOR profiteerng, but twenty years ago
The New York Tribune cost cent,
a copy
Secretary of Agriculture Meredith
thinks that the high cost of living will
largely solve itself.
We wouldn't trust it out of our sight
F. P. A.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-04
Had pride been a morning-glory
t.. HLORISe q.

Mr. James NJ Beck's conviction is
that the present tendency of the
American people is toward incredible
frivolty." We object. The American
people, always earnest and serious,
never, we believe, wcre quite so earnest
and serious as they are now. They
need frivolity, but the supply is small.
Our notion Of nothing to worry about
Is the warning of nonfrivolous per
son that the nation is tottering because
Of inordinatc frivolty. There were
those who have said it about all coun-
tries. including the Scandinavian; and
still there is too little Of it in murky
world