davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1920-01-20
Wanted: Lipht

The hopeless tangle in which the
extraordinary grand jury finds it.
self is no reflection on the members
of that body, who have given of their
time and intelligence freely. Ac-
cording to Governor Smiths inter-
probation of the law, responsibility
for the situation is upon the statute
which prevents any one other than
the District Attorney or his assist
ants from being named advisers to
a grand jury. If that is the law,
then there is no way in which Dis
trict Attorneys Office can be inves-
tigated by grand jury fairly and
effectively. We hope, for the sake
of the law, that Governor Smith is
mistaken. But this is a rather aca-
demic hope for the time being. The
net result Of Governor Smiths stand
is that charges have been made Sc
cretly and rumored abroad touching
the integrity of the District Attor-
neys office and the city administra-
ton, and that no competent investi-
cation Of these charges is locally
possible.
The conclusion seems clear. The
sooner a legislative inquiry into
these matters is begun the better.
1t is insupportable that important
departments Of our local government
can continue cheerfully on their
way beneath a cloud Of suspicion and
accusation and no thorough, impair
tial investigation be made. Mr..
Swann's apparent preference . for
this singular condition is a poor sub
stitute for light. If investigation
proves that the charges and rumors
are unfounded, SO much the better
for the City Of New York. Every
citizen will hope for that eventuality.
But such hope is no substitute for
an uncovering Of the facts. Light
upon it's dark places the City Of New
York must and will have.
New-York tribune., 1920-01-20
Crossing Park Row

Those Of US who cross Park Row
daily have been much enlightened by
an article in The Atlantic Monthly
concerning the French method of
crossing the street. 1t makes clear
we blush we were so blind be-
fore-the reason for the magnificent
confusion that prevails in the neigh
borhood of City Hall Park and Ben
jamin Franklin's statue.
When we stand shuddering in the
middle of stream Of angry traffic
that roars past, momentarily expect
ing to feel the last bump, we little
understood before that it was for our
SOULS good that we were thus i'm
periled. We thought in our fault
finding American way that the lack
Of jay walking lines was somebody's
fault; that if the street were
marked with passages for crossing,
where trucks, taxis and aldermanic
limousines might be expected to draw
up bit and look around for human
beings, there might be some guar
anty Of life in the uncharted plaza.
We even had thoughts of demanding
traffic cop,
But now we find that we have a
little bit of Paris with us, unawares.
If we change the names of street
or two and substitute a thousand
stenographers for the thirty-four
pairs of French lovers it might easily
be Park Row of which we read:
AT this very minute there are
three bicycles, an omnibus, deliv-
cry wagon, five taxicabs, two hacks.
four pushcarts, seven old women,
nine soldiers, three children, five
cripples, four errand boys, one post
man and thirtyfour pairs of young
/. lovers in the street between the Ouai
ces Orfevres and the Quai de Cont:
and all are pursuing their ends at
any speed pleasing to them, and sue
ceedlng very satisfactorily. And on
the curbstone stand an American
major and colonel, both Of whom. my
field glasses tell mo, helpless, ner-
yously waiting for that moment,
which will never come, when the
traffic will stop and the tides roll
back to let tho chosen cross"
New York is proud on other
corners Of the American traffic cop.
There's an institution that even the
"Reds' would allow to remain. We
knew the traffic would stop and the
tides would roll back and we could
cross with serenity. We most DEM
New-York tribune., 1920-01-20
Electricity in the Home
Wherein Mem York Is Still a Be-
nighted CITY
To the Editor of The Tribune.

10 the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Your correspondent has ap-
parently missed the point which Ger
tainly many of your readers, including
the undersigned. understood to be the
message of The Tribune editorial of
January l, viz, the crying need for
more electrical facilities and conven-
fences in the homes and apartments of
New York City.
IN its dearth Of these electrical con-
veniences for the average man our
community is, indeed. still benighted
for, as your correspondent himself
points out, New York is an old city,
end large proportion of its dwellings,
are still unwired for electricity.
The gross figures quoted by Mr..
Martin, which cover the tremendous
power uses Of electricity in this state,
arelikely to be misleading when applied
to the present discussion, which is in
tended to be confined to household
uses Of electricity chiefly.
In great industrial communities like
New York City and New York State,
where electricity is used on such a
large scale in so many factories and
manufacturing processes, including the
tremendous electro chemical industries
of Niagara Falls, where the power
generated and consumed locally COM
pares with the total lighting and trans
portation requirements of New York
City, it is evident that per capita con-
sumption figures based on industrial
and transportation consumption are
likely to conceal the very small per
capita use of electrical service in the
home. The California figures, it should
be understood, moreover, include per
capita purchases Of electrical appli-
ances, wiring, etc.
every man interested in the prog
ress of the electrical industry to one
of your correspondents statements,
when he declares that "it is relatively
a difficult and expensive thing to wire
an old home, even if of wood" Hun
dreds of thousands of old houses have
been wired and are being wired every
day, easily, conveniently, without muss
or disturbance to the occupants, and
ct a. resulting increase of $1,000 to
$4,000 in their value and sale price
en- an investment one-tenth this
amount for electric wiring.
New York City continues to be the
greatest metropolis electrically, as we'll
as in other ways; but as is so often
characteristic with big cities, the de-
velopmcnt Of electrical convenenccs
for the average household is just be-
ginning to como into its own.
G. Fl. o.
New York, Jan. 16, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-01-20
Speaker Sweets Opportunity

Speaker Sweet has been i'm
pervious to the advice given to him
by the Bar Association Of the city.
Maybe he will be more permeable to
similar advice from the State Bar
Association. 1t is not yet too late
for him to extricate himself from an
untenable position.
In the debate before the State
Bar Association John Lord O'Brian,
who supervised the administrator
Of the espionage act, and who is not
accused of "Red" sympathies, said
that the question involved was the
old and simple v,,e at fair play. Mr..
Sweet has offended against this deep
instinct. He did not present the
evidence on which he based action
and he refused to hear the accused.
The Assembly has full legal right
to do as it pleases with regard to
any member, but the public has also
an equal right to sit in judgment
on the justice and the wisdom of its
acts.
Mr.. Sweet has made it practically
impossible to accept him as an i'm
partial judge. He is too committed
to conviction. 1t follows he should
withdraw from control over the
case. If he takes a prominent part
in registering an adverse verdict
it will not easily secure acceptance.
Not only is consideration due to
"law and order" Socialists who are
sought to be involved in a condem-
nation properly to be visited on
direct action" Socialists, but also
entitled to consideration is that
larger body of citizens which clings
to the traditions of old-fashioned
Americanism-men and women who
cannot persuade themselves to
accept the doctrine that alleged
offenders should be convicted first
and tried aftcrward.
The hearing is scheduled to begin
to-day. If there is evidence showing
that the excluded Assemblymen are
direct actionists and that they thus
committed perjury when taking their
oaths of Office, it should be presented
at once. If there is no such evidence
(the accused are entitled to the benefit
Of reasonable doubts) the excluded
should resume their seats. Any
other course is not only morally in
defensible, but is an attempt at po-
litical suicide. AS an earnest of
good faith Mr.. Sweet should with
draw himself to the rearmost por-
ton of the BACKGROUND.
New-York tribune., 1920-01-20

onstrated our superiority to the
country cousin, poor tortured soul,
who lacked both the New York
knowledge that the traffic would
cease and the French daring to
plunge into it.
Now we are told that the traffic
cop is an insult to the human spirit.
In intention. he is put there to do
good; in effect. he does harm. He is
meant to save lives by regulating
traffic, but he breeds In the soul Of
man a cowardice that makes him
lower than a taxicab, which kills
what is manly in him. What does it
avail man to cross the street at the
price of his soul?"
We feel properly squelched before
this expose of national psychology.
We should be grateful for one little
hysterical plaza where we could save
our souls at the cost Of an ambu-
lance call or two. And yet-how
about the soul that never saw Paris?
May it not be that the Police De-
partment of New York should save
US for the nobler end? To see Paris
and die-that apparently is inevi-
table for those who ever get to Paris.
But how confusing to be a soul
headed for the Quai des Orfevres
and be squashed by an illegitimate
beer truck on Park Row!
New-York tribune., 1920-01-20
The Next War

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: Mr.. Frank H. Simonds's "frank
discussion of what will happen in the
next war" which appeared in Sundays
Tribune, is so important as disclosing
once again the criminal and detestable
brain of Germany, as proved by Mat
tfias Erzberger's statement, that it
should be printed by you every day for
month and sent broadcast all over the
world. 1t is only by such mastery
articles as these that the fatuous COM
placency Of men who have kidded them
selves into thinking that Germany has
been beaten can be shaken, or that the
people who are working SO hard-pro-
German to man-to bring about a
feeling of sympathy for our perpetual
enemy can be shown up.
This Erzberger letter, which Mr.. ST.
monds we'll calls the most illuminating
document that has yet been published,
proves the appalling folly of allowing
Russia and Poland to become the vas
sails of Germany and to provide her with
all that she eventually will need for
the prosecution Of the next war, which
is as certain as death, because all the
Allied nations are still under the politi-
cal sway Of those very men, unpunished
for their treachery or stupidity, who
permitted Germany to catch them unpre-
pared-the men who ought to have been
shot on Armistice Day as first step to
the setting Of our houses in order, to-
gether with all the self-styled Liberals"
who supported them and who still are
playing the pro-German-Irish- Bolshevik
game to their hearts content.
More power to the elbow of The
Tribune, the only paper extant which
has vision and fearlessness and does
not run away and. hide at the approach
of unpalatable facts.
COSMOPOLITAN.
New York, Jan. IS, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-01-20

efficient" police. Let our police raid
all the yeggmen, most of whom have
prison records and who now loaf about
the cheap eating houses Of the East
Side, and stop this outbreak of crime,
instead of asking for increased wages
for so-called deficiency"
If they drive the criminals out no
one would object to higher pay, but it
should be made a condition precedent.
Let our police earn the right to higher
pay. J. S. WOOD.
New York, Jan. IA, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-01-20
The Railroad Settlement

Since the end of the holiday recess
the railroad bill has ceased to figure
in dispatches from Washington. The
conferees have dug in and cut COM
munications. 1t is good sign, per-
haps, for a great deal Of undis-
turbed application will be necessary
to harmonic the House and Senate
drafts and to frame compromise
which will still embody some clear
and rational railroad policy.
The greatest need Of all in rail-
road legislation Is a Qualification of
the governments attitude toward the
carriers. Is that attitude to become
helpful and constructive? Is the
old attitude Of restriction for the
sake Of restriction to be aba1-
doned? A new orientation is high
ly desirable. For the railroad pl.Ib
lem has ceased to be as simple rs
the trainers of the Reagan and the
Hepburn acts thought it was. The
prevailing opinion in those days was
that all would be we'll if only some
governmental agency we're en-
powered to protect shippers by keep
ing freight rates at low level. The
Interstate Commerce Commission
adopted that theory. 1t considered
no other interest but the shippers.
1t restricted the normal develop
ment of the railroads, impaired their
credit and limited their capacity and
usefulness as great national
utility.
The government was forced to try
to remedy this situation-largely of
its own creation--by taking over the
railroads when the war came along
Its administration made matters
worse rather than better, and it is
now in hurry to pass an undcsir-
able burden back to the nominal
owners.
The public, too, has suffered in the
end from our mistaken railroad
policy. For the last two years it
has been squaring accounts by meet
ing railroad deficits. Its interest,
as we'll as the interest of the rail-
road owners, would be served by the
adoption Of a broader and more en-
lightencd Federal policy. Granting,
as they do, all the limitations on
freedom Of operation which are i'm
posed by governmental regulation,
are the owners Of the railroads now
to be encouraged to expect from the
government that equitable considera-
tion which is supposed to be given
to every legitimate American in
dustry? Other industries are al
lowed TO make unusual excess profits.
on which the government itself levics
tazcs. Other industries are pro-
tccted by tariffs. Most other indus
tries are entirely self-regulatory.
New-York tribune., 1920-01-20
Old Russia Dead
Only Anti-Bolshevik Hope *
in Upbuilding Border State

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Mr.. Jerome Landfeld's letter
printed in the Tribune of January Is
passes lightly over what seems to me
very pertinent aspect Of the situation
discussed in last Sundays editorial en-
titled "The Marches of Europe" I refer
to the genuine desire of the non Russian
states Of Eastern Europe to found indie
pendent governments of their own. Far
from being "artfcial," as Mr.. Land
field asserts, the wish of these nations
to be self-determining is the primal
motive which to-day actuates everything
they do. Does he think that the Baltic
peoples would have been willing to par
ticipate in the recent heartbreaking
campaigns against the Bolsheviki if they
had not expected as q reward Allied
recognition of their separate national
existence? Does he think that the
Ukrainian regular forces and peasant
bands would have continued their pre-
carious operations of the last few
months if their greatest hope for the
future" had been "to join with Rus
sia, but retaih local f-government"?
If the several nations on the borders
Of Russia are "weak little states," it is
because the Allied countries have not
given them stability by recognizing
them and arranging for military and
commercial cooperation with them
Some uncertain and halting steps were
taken in this direction in the case of
the Baltic states, but not in Ukraine
There the Allied statesmen preferred
rather to seek an alliance with the re-
dictionary Denikine, whose campaign,
based on no. real popular movement,
seems completely to have flattened out.
The old Russia, represented by such
men as Denikine, Kolchak and Yude-
mitch, is dead, dead as doornail. The
new Russia, Soviet Russia, is apparently
giving Western Europe cause for con-
siderable concern. If it is to be kept
from enlarging its sphere Of influence,
the Allies had better look for the sup
port of those whose anti Bolshevik
interests are as great as their own.
That brings us inevitably to those
same weak little states" AS for egg
ing them on" no one need think that
they are going to stop fighting for
their independence simply because the
Allies are not ready to assist them
and work with them. Their nationalist
aims may not prosper as they would if
powerful friends were willing to back
them up. They may suffer setbAcks.
and their ambitions may rest in abey-
ance, but they are not going to perish
utterly because Of lack of Allied SUD-
port.
The old Russia belongs to the realm
of past things, along with Austro- Hun
gary and the Holy Roman Empire.
These new nations of Eastern Europe
confront us as living facts, and it
is now Tor US to decide whether we are
gong to appreciate the identity of our
interests with theirs. If we lose our
opportunity with them, it is indeed not
without the bounds Of possibility. az
Mr.. Landtield suggests. that they may
become economic appanages OF Ger
many" HERBERT G. FRANKLIN.
Washington, Jan. II, 1920
New-York tribune., 1920-01-20
Recognizing Lenine |

Mr.. Hoover says the removal of
thc blockade against Red Russia
mas knocked one of their greatest
props from under the Bolsheviki.
On the other hand, Mr.. Root says
in a different spirit that the United
States is ''in default" to Russia.
We have failed to assist her to
shake off the dominion of "the
horrid group of cutthroats and
assassins" who have revived the
Cars autocracy.
Thousands hope that events will
show Mr.. Hoover to be right; but
the same thousands fear he will
be shown to be wrong. Those who
sympathize with the Bolsheviki have
not noticeably shouted for con-
tinuance of the blockade. If they
had believed in any genuine way
that the suspension would "knock the
props" from under the Bolsheviki
would they have favored suspen-
sion? Would Lenine and Trotzky
have begged. for a suspension if
they thought it would send them
into exile and end their system?
Scarcely. Over against the opinion
of Mr. Hoover, then, are to be
placed the opinions Of Bolshevist
leaders and sympathizers. Mr..
Hoover has high repute as an ex-
pert, but, Of course, he makes no
claim to infallibility, and the weight
of expert judgment seems against
his conclusion. One may imagine,
when the news came, that Lenine
grinned in way he would not have
done If he thought a victory had
been gained over him.
Mr.. Root spoke chiefly in the
past tense-reviewed what we have
not done to help Russia to throw
of autocracy. Here he was on in.
dlsputable ground. The "acid test
OF which there was wide advertise.
ment, has revealed gross metal
We have abandoned the helpless
millions Of Russia to their fate, and
there is no evidence that the con
trollers Of our national action in
tend to alter their course.
No particular good is likely tc
come from indulging in rose dreams
Some 100000 Bolshevists, organ
ized into party which is responsive
20 the orders Of its executive com
naittee, have possession Of practi
cally all the machine guns anc
nunition factories of Russia. OF
course, the unarrned cannot stand
against them. In Gar days d
similar minority bossed Russia by
the use Of an army lf the World
War had not compelled the Czar to
water" his army by conscription
he would still he autocrat. Lcnine
saw clearly how to control Russia.
He dismissed the civilian army and
organized one composed IL pro-
fessIonals. he il now willing 10
nave breathing spell to consoh-
date his power, but has no intention
Of giving Russia free institutions.
dc will countcnance no election
New-York tribune., 1920-01-20
The Coming 7ower
tn Mrs Nav Wilson Preston

To Mrs. May Wilson Preston
Art is a theme that 1 never should
speak about,
Being a subject I'm wofully weak
about.
But there is something which bothers
me: That's
Why do your men always have to
wear spats?
Why everybody, just as he steps off
the Park Place escalator, should
whistle is not difficult to explain. 1t
is for utter joy at release. But the
Interborough ought to insist that
passengers whistle the same melody,
and in the same key.
"Here's hoping President-elect Allen
makes speech at the Contribs' Din
rcr next year." writes the prex of the
Republican Presidential Club of Massa-
chusetts. He's our candidate, too"
New-York tribune., 1920-01-20
Trench Fever Heroes
A Vdtorous Squad of Priuotes
Who Suffered for All

To the Editor Of The Tribune,
Sir: While the question of the right.
cousness of the award of many Dis.
tinguished Service Medals for alleged
heroic services in the late war is in
the mind Of the public, | should like
to call attention to a neglect of award
on the part Of the War Department.
of the Distinguished Service Medal in
case where no one familiar with the
facts could question the heroism ofs
email body Of young men, a heroisn
commended by General Pershing, by a
report of the surgeon general, by "The
Stars and Stripes" and by the press
generally at the time of the occurrence.
allude to the members of the trench
fever experimentation squad and their
heroic act of bravery, in cold blood.
with no stimulating dramatic features
that sometimes assist the hero on tho
battlefield present, Offering themselves
as subjects for experimentation that led
to the discovery of the means Of trans
mission of trench fever, and therefore
of the control Of the disease itself.
These young soldiers, clean, healthy
American boys, cheertully underwent
disgusting but necessary experimental
ton; they had body lice put upon them;
the blood of those sick with trench
fever was transfused into their veins;
the excreta Of diseased men was rub
bed on them; they all contracted tho
distressing illness; and, worst OF all,
1t IS quite possible that in spite of tho
fact that they have been in the ordi-
nary sense Of the word Cured" they
may be throughout their lives liable
TO the after effects of the disease and
possibly to its recurrence.
In cablegram to Secretary Baker
reporting the result of the expert
mentation, General Pershing says Of
these American soldiers: 1T is no
mean thing these volunteers did IN
France. To face illness Of weeks with
extreme suffering requires particular
Valor. The average loss of weight o.
these men was from twenty to twenty
five pounds. 1ncidently, the hospital in
"hlcn the experiments were carried
out was shelled by the Germans in
their March drive 1t is believed by
the army medical corps that the sacri-
flce OF this group Of sixty-fivc men viii
IN time lead to the protection of thou-
sands Of men from the ravages Of
trench fever"
Equally strong language was used 10
the official report OF the surgeons coy
ducting the experimentation In this
report are given minute detailed &C.
counts Of the case of each man ID
the squad. The public press az ne
time called attention to the bravery cf
these men, but thus far they have re-
ceived measure Of deserved praise
and nothing more. The members of
the squad were humble American pr
Yates. They did their duty as they sac
it without thought of reward. They
had no spurs to keep their sset os
Office desks. Each OF them has room
between his belt and his collar fo'
something that is not there-a Disllu-
guished Service Medal Surely tho
War Department ought to find time 20
pin the medal on the breast OF each OF
these quiet, unassuming heroes, who
did rather moro for their country and
for humanity than any junkman who
ever lived.
WALTER DOWNES HUMPHREY.
The Rectory, Roxbury. Conn, Jan
l6, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-01-20
Let Police Earn a Raise
he Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: Why not roundup of the
crooks in New York? Chicago has set
us good example. In this city it
is the mistaken idea of the police to
conceal as far as possible hold-ups
burglares, murders and auto robberies
and at the present time these deprcda-
tlons exceed in number any previous
record. Why not take leaf out of
Chicago's book?
Instead of this. Mayor Hyan ia now
advocating raise in wages of our