davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
Not ELIGIBLE

Geneva seems about to extend a
welcoming hand to Bulgaria, whose
admission to the League of Nations
has been recommended by an Assem-
lily committee. Marshal Foch re-
ports that Bulgaria has been fulfil
ling her obligations under the peace
treaties better than any other Of the
enemy powers. That is probably be-
cause the financial reparations i'm
posed on her were light. She lost a
small area to Serbia and a little
larger area to Greece; but this terri
tory had been acquired only few
years earlier from Turkey.
Bulgaria may be the best disposed
Of the losers and better able to liqui-
date than the others are. But she
was also the most mercenary of the
recruits to Germany's standard. Tho
Entente powers didn't threaten her
integrity. They had no notion Of
any attack on her. On the contrary.
just before she joined the Teuton al
lance they offered her increases Of
territory at the expense Of Serbia,
Greece and Turkey. Ferdinand
played cold -blooded, grasping
game. He and his people put them
selves on the auction block and took
their chances on what they consid-
cred the higher German bid.
Her admission to the league at
this stage would be q conformation Of
rank duplicity and sordid statesman
ship. Bulgaria was little more than
a war blackmaler. Her selfishness
was colored with no relieving tinge
Of national passion. She is meek
loser because the cause she fought in
never touched her heart. Such a
country should ut least pass through
considerable period Of moral pro-
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
The Distressed Viennese

According to the head of the
American Friends Service Commit
tee, who has recently returned from
the supervision of relief work in
Vienna, the stories Of the gayety of
life in the Austrian capital must not
be taken literally. Those who are
filing the hotels and theaters, it is
said, are the profiteers who found
opportunities even in the vanquished
countries. But people to whom
luxuries were once familiar are
feeling the pangs of bitter poverty
and find it hard to get enough to
live on.
This is easily credible. Vienna
endured great hardships during the
war, and peace has left the beautiful
city a shadow of its former self.
That the people should bear their
burden with little complaint is in
accord with their character. The
Viennese are traditionally light
hearted. There is great contrast
between Vienna and Berlin in their
appeals. The Germans have suffered
comparativel little by the war-by
no means as much as the French or
the Belgians, for instance; and yet
they whine and protest and call
aloud for sympathy. They are both
impudent and impenitent, and most
Americans doubt the sincerity of
their complaints.
For the Austrians there has been
from the first a kindlier feeling.
Austria cannot escape her large
share of responsibility for the war,
to be sure, but few regard her as
sharing the peculiar guilt of Ger
many. If she sinned she has suf-
fered, and with a species Of courage
that compels admiration. Vienna is
not likely to be in our time the great
capital it once was; probably it will
never regain it's former glories; but
there is very general hope among
the former enemies Of Austria that
the restoration to a reasonable meas
ure of prosperity will not be long
delayed
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
MIR. Mann's Argument

James II. Mann has shown on
many occasions an irritating mar
rowness of view. He is so absorbed
in details that he often fails to grasp
the larger implications of a subject.
This Is a serviceable quality in a
censor of minor legislation. Mr..
Mann is the terror of his colleagues
when the private calendar comes up.
Like William S. Holman, he is a
watchdog of the Treasury"
But his weakness for notes makes
him overlook essentials. He op-
posed preparation before the war
and long after it was apparent to
most people that Germany was 60
ing to force us into the conflict he
was still obsessed with the idea that
the United States should do nothing
to offend German sensibilities.
On Friday, yielding again to his
temperament, he opposed the John
son bill suspending immigration, on
the ground that it would operate to
deny asylum to political refugees.
Such an argument might have con-
siderable moral weight if the John
son act contemplated the permanent
exclusion of aliens or the exclusion,
per Sc, of political refugees. But the
act is only an emergency stop-gap.
The House voted on Friday to limit
Its operation to one year. Its pur-
pose is not political, but economic.
Under its provisions political refu-
gees are put on the same footing
with other immigrants. They could
come in as travellers or temporary
sojourners for pleasure, business or
curiosity" They would also be en-
titled to admission as relatives Of
American citizens, as skilled labor
ers or in other categories recognized
by the pending bill. They would not
be Disseminated against as a class.
The purpose of a temporary re-
striction of immigration is to check
an inflow which many think will be
economically injurious and will also
retard the process of Americaniza-
ton. Others hold that the influx Of
alien labor will be beneficial eco
nomically' rather than harmful.
Congress is expected to revise the
immigration laws next year. The
suspension is to give a breathing
space in which the problem may be
worked out.
The question raised by the John
son bill is therefore primarily-al-
most exclusively-an economic one.
To approach it from the obscure
angle that it assails the principle of
the open door to political exiles is to
miss the main issue completely. If
the door is to be shut by the John
son act 1t is to be opened again BY
tho same act. The inconveniences to
the United States of leaving the
door open are not fairly to be bal
anced by the Inconvenience to one
class Of immigrants or another in
volved in shutting it for time.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
Litany Of the Gagged Songbirds

if'fon The Poetry Repte.o. London)
lkNCE swung in Heaven blue.
Once was Graded by the trees.
Once l knew the bending branch.
Touched the pinions of the breeze.
Little saint of singing things,
Francisl hear my futterings,
Hear the breaking heart of me.
Mortals think sing of joy
Canticles OF dewy light,
Roulades of the briared dell.
OF the runne's fresh delight.
Little saint of singing things.
francis' hear my futterings,
Hear the breaking heart of me.
Here l sing ENGAGED in wire.
But my spirits on the thorn
or the dancing nnoon-white may
Near the nest where / was born.
Little saint of singing things,
Erancis' hear my hutterings.
Hear the breaking heart of me
For the loving sake of Him
Who was crowned with a thorn,
Who once died upon a tree.
DOROTHY UNA RATCLIFFE.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
Revitaizing Exports

The conference of bankers and
financiers at Chicago looking to the
formation, under the Edge act, of
billion-dollar corporation to revital-
lze foreign trade is an economic
meeting, as Mr.. Hoover remarked,
the most important since the arris
tice. 1t relates to a matter which
concerns the world as much as it
concerns us.
AS Eugene Meyer jr., of the sus-
pended War Finance Board, pointed
out in his testimony at Washington,
it would take Secretary Houston
only ten seconds to place it in oper-
alton again. 1t is now imperative
only because Of his fiat. If he would
consent it would spring into life at
once, and have at it's disposal a
billion-dollar revolving fund to
finance exports. But Mr.. Houston is
against the law-regards his judg-
ment as wiser than that of Congress
and abuses his discretion to nullify it.
The likelihood Of inducing Mr..
Houston to lift his embargo seems
so remote that the prospect of pri-
vately owned and managed corpora
tion to achieve the end he has de-
feated comes as a ray of sunshine
when skies are clouded. For many
reasons it will be better to have the
management Of a business so COM
plex in private hands. The distrust
Of government management is under
stood and deserved. If the capital
necessary to float credits for Europe
can be secured, it is obviously we'll
to keep the government out.
The character and the cause of the
crisis facing the country are becom-
ing known to all. In the first three
years Of the war Europe bought
heavily from US and paid by selling
her American securities here. Then
for two years the adverse balance of
trade was redressed by loans to for
eign governments aggregating $10,-
000,000,000. During the last two
years a floating Indebtedness to US,
amounting to 4,000,0O0,00O, has
been created. But now Europe, al
though still wanting our goods, has
reached the limits of her present re-
sources. 1t is necessary to extend
credit in a systematic way if out
ward-bound ships are to go out with
full cargoes.
This credit cannot be extended
direct by the ordinary American
business man. He does not know
what buyers or projects can be pru-
IDENTIFY trusted. A controlling agency
must be created with a staff of in
vestigators and agents, competent to
decide in particular cases whether
credit Is prudent. Hence the neces-
sity Of an export organization able,
on the one hand. to pay the Ameri-
can producer and, on the other, to
supervise sales and to distribute
their proceeds.
The question before the American
industries which have surpluses,
many Of them perishable, is not
whether European promises to pay
,Jn. H., <V<cj y,,f rvhatbo~ - =,
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
Mr.. Wells

tFroni a oroup o. poems called "ChflAress.
1oriond" in The atlantic Aonthly)
AN SUNDAY morning, then he comes
- To church. and everybody smells
The backing and the toilet-soap
And camphor balls from Mr.. Wells
He wears mis- whskers in a bunch.
And wears his glasses on his head:
I mustn't call him Old Man Wells
No tter-that's yhat father said.
And when the little backing smells
And camphor balls and soap begin,
do not have TO look TO know
That Mr.. Wells is coming In.
ELIZABETH MADDOX ROBERTS.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12

duction In the Baku region, but month
ly totals supplied by the Glavkoneft
(Chief Naphtha Control Office present
an approximately similar situation,
e., an 80 per cent decline.
Wood
1t is necessary to point out that the
production of lumber has shown con-
siderable improvement within the last
few months. This is due to the fact
that much Of it has been turned over
to private enterprise, peasant and
labor artels and cooperatives and the
abolition Of labor armies in this par
ticular field. The production of lum-
ber for the 1920 season was
S,629,742 cubic fathcms. Of this,
7,261,o15 cubic fathoms has been
moved. In other words, the produc-
tion is not much below that Of 1910
or 1917.
A general analysis Of the fuel situa
tion compels the following con-
clusions:
The minimum lumber needs for 1920
we're estimated by the authorities at
Il 600 cubic fathoms.
This problem has been but half
solved.
The prospects for the winter, there
fore, are by no means consoling.
The cities and factories are again
doomed to fuel hunger and to freez-
ing.
The fuel problem on the railroads
is especially critical The railroads
need 100000 fathoms OF wood a year
because of the lack of other fuel.
Their supplies of naphtha are negligi-
lie in view of the daily need Of So
160 pools and the fact that tho re-
serve supplies of coal on the railroads
is not more than 100000 pools. The
production Of wood in general Is not
very much above the needs Of the rail-
loads. The result is that Russia is
doomed to cold and hunger in the COM
ing year of 1o20-'21.
1t is interesting to emphasize that
in most districts the lumber industry
is in the hands of private enterprise,
and the figures show that in such dis
tricts work is being pushed success
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
A Victim Of Oppression
tFron The Philadelphia lnqusrer)

AS we understand the army's re-
port in regard to the punishment Of
"Hardboiled" Smith, who was sentenced
to eighteen months at hard labor in
disciplinary barracks, presumably
Leavenworth, he served his sentence
with the exception that he was never
sent to Leavenworth, nor put to work,
and that he was under nominal confine-
ment for only eight months. Outside
of these few trfng details they GER
tainly sosked 1t to "Hardboiled.'
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
The Transport Question

1t is well known fact that the rail-
roads Of Russia were in q catastrophe
condition at the end Of 1919, when
Irotzky became railway dictator and
mapped out a series of projects for
the Regeneration Of the transport
II would be interesting to see what has
teen accomplished by him during the
frst six months Of his activity. The
following figures of locomotives and
railway cars out OF commission are
given by the Comm issariat of Lines of
Communication:
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
baton before being elected to an as
soclatlon aiming at peace and better
ment in the world.
partiality in the Family

Testimony before the Lockwood
committee, has revealed a marvellous
interlocking Of interests in the build
ing trades and air-tight precautions
to keep the profits in the family. Yet
1t turns out that, as in most family
arrangements, there were some who
ate the apple and some who had to
be content with the core.
In the marble industry. for In
stance, it was developed that the en-
ployers' association made an alliance
for mutual benefit with the marble
workers unions. The unions were
to work for no contractor not
member Of the employers fraternity.
The employers and the union chiefs
agreed on a wage scale. So far, so
good. The theory of all for one. one
for all, and only q cold stare for out
slders, seemed to have been worked
out on fifty-fifty basis.
But appearances were deceptive.
Figures presented in evidence indi-
Gated that the employers tilted to
their own advantage the system of
addition. division and silence. They
paid the stipulated wages to the
workmen, but when they furnished
workmen to builders they collected
much higher wages, The employers
conducted a brokerage business in
labor, after the padrone fashion.
They charged commissions, running
from 80 per cent up.
The interlocking system broke
down because Of it's very perfection
as a means Of making two dollars
grow where only one had grown be-
fore. There was too much "easv
money" Mention was made of
checks paid as "gratuities" to labor
leaders. But there was nothing to
show that a portion Of the labor
brokerage profits percolated any
further down.
The union workmen got much less
than was actually paid for their
services. They were being worked
by the higher-ups. That is some
thing of an old story. What was
lacking in the interlocking enter
prise was an efficient accounting
bureau. The public had to settle for
the feast, but the tenderloins went
to the top Of the table and the rump
steaks to those at the foot.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
When tie Caterer Sang of His
Wedding
10 Sirclr1r Le1r,f.

To Sinclair L-1ct.
from Moons Of Grond>ur. Publishes b. ~
GeorGe y Duran Comprnu)
ITO A crumbly, wine-tanged writhing
j" of macaroons,
A tarantella OF dwarf green anchovies,
The rainbow bubbled surf from elsrst
Under delicate confectionery moons,
Where aspic islands quivered with white
whipped cream,
Flung high the dancing dream.
The tart black -jellied beads o. caviare,
White sleek asparagus in mayonnAise,
Stuffed peppers stifed from their nstu-
raj blaze
By celery chips; striped trout With sauce
tartare;
Brindled potatoes to make the palate
burn,
Olives and almonds salted crisp and
thin,
Black coffee coifed with neufchatsl-a
djinn
Risen from the silver urn
In animate rnasque these jigged upon a
frieze
Where golden pheasants mixed With
skyblue trees,
Then vanished. Terrace by terrace, up
ward sprang
White as bright frost, that palace OF
glamouries
Built to the wild and golden god
Meringue
Perilous carven sweetness brittly built,
With curlicued devices pink and gilt
Wizarded mist such as the moon doth
nakei
On solder foundation fitly planted
Where now cleaning knife descended,
slanted
And portioned melting slabs Of angel
cake.
Thus, on an evening when his moon wns
blue,
Since Ermintrude had kissed him in ths
dark,
The caterer sang the greatest things
he knew.
Dancing round Rockbridge Park
WILLIAM ROSE BENEr.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
The Nobel Prize Award

A correspondent of The Tribune
asks why President Wilson has been
awarded the Nobel peace prize. Tho
answer IL not difficult.
l. The President has been with
out clear conception of the difference
between peace and war. He landed
armed forces at Vera Cruz on the
theory that this was a peace meas
ure. He seized and subjugated
Hayti and Santo Domingo by armed
forces In the belief this was not war.
He discovered on April 2, 1917, that
Germany had been waging war on
as for nearly two years (since the
Lusitania sinking), whereas he had
sought and secured reelection on the
ground that he had kept us out
Of war.
2. Not only has the President
been unaware Of the difference be-
tween war and peace, but for two
and q half years was unable to dis
cover. as he informed the public,
what the war in Europe was about.
He was not interested in tracing the
fountains Of the stupendous slaugh-
ter, as he said, to their obscure
sources.
8. Not only has tho President
been muddled as to when war Is and
as to what the World War was about,
but when hostilities ceased he cor
respondingly had little notion Of
what peace is or how to secure it.
The practical effect of his mission to
Europe was to introduce q spirit Of
discord into the peace conference,
out Of which grew q score of small
wars, and which defeated the hope
OF the world for conditions of lasting
peace. Arriving home, he crowned
his labors by preventing the entry
Of this country into even the poor
and manned league that was ar
ranged for.
In tho Judgment Of the custodians
OF the Nobe! prize this record justi-
fed an award to him. Hereafter let
any one who aspires to this high
honor keep in mind the three out
standing features Of the Presidents
course. II they keep from their
minds poisonous knowledge Of what
war is, or what has caused a partic-
ular war, and, above all, defeat the
establishment Of just peace, they
may hope TO be decorated with the
Insignia Of the Order Of the Dove.
But If not President Wilson, who
should have received this award?
The mind instantly flies to thought
Of Marshal Foch, symbol of the
spirit that won peace and it's only
effective guardian of future peace.
Associated in honor should be the
Unknown Soldiers living and dead,
whose souls, minds and bodies, q
free will dedication, furnished the
stones and columns to build the tenn
pie Of present peace. The soldier
architect was not permitted so to
dispose his material as to make sure
It would stand up under all future
gusts Of threatened war, but this
was not his fault nor the fault Of
those who spared not themselves to
provide enduring foundations and a
glorious superstructure.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
mileage covered by locomotives and
cars. The following figures show the
average daily mileage (in vcrstsl of
locomotives:
locomotives

(The apparently low figure for 1915
is explained, of course, by the plen-
tiful supply Of cars at that time)
These are official figures (see Bull
letin No. 8, Commissariat Lines of
Communication}. They are subject to
contradiction. BuA they rather exag-
gerate than underestimate the extent
OF Improvement. The Soviet govern
ment has placed all its hopes on the
transport. Yet the results are insignif-
can't. To be sure, the line Petrograd.
Moscow, over which foreign delega-
tons travel, IS in quite decorative
condition. But here is case Of
noblesse ohlige, for the Bolsheviki
are masters Of the art Of camouflage.
Despite all the difficulties Of the fuel
situation it is by no means the most
. important factor in the solution of the
problem. The Bolsheviki first pro
claimed the policy of "the railroads TO
the railway workers" The results Of
this policy soon become apparent. The
figures speak for themselves. But the
Bolsheyiki have now gone to the other
extreme. They now want to save the
situation By sacrificing the railway
workers. They have militarized the rail-
roads, introduced special military tri-
bunals on the railways, increased the
working days by direct compulsion, and
have made Saturday afternoon, Sunday
and overtime work obligatory. Final
ly, they have introduced the absoutist
method of administration All these
measures, designed to raise the produc-
tivity of labor, have failed to accom-
plish their purpose, or, rather, they are
accomplishing it very poorly. For the
Bolsheviki fail TO take into considera-
ton the difficult economic position Of
the workers in general and the railway
workers in particular The Soviet power
is stubborn. 1t insists upon following
its own policy.
Under such circumstances I can fore
see gradual improvement in the con-
dition Of the Russian transport. To be
sure, the improvement will be pain
fully slow and uncertain. The per-
centage Of "sick" cars and locomotives
will continue very high Nevertheless,
certain symptoms Of improvement on
the railroads are already noticeable.
But at what and whose expense? At
tie expense Of the railway proletariat
OF Russia lured into bad bargain with
the Bolsheviki
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12

wiser to take these promises rather
than to suffer wastage or to drive a
demoralized market still lower by
throwing goods overheard. Where
the balance Of advantage lies is
hardly open to question. 1t will pay
better to trust the foreigner.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
A Week of Verse
A Viennese Christmas Carol


V'i"Gsn'ncit os - dsd IT rot unto ore o. the
seaSf o. these ssy brcrhrer ~
tFro1s The Poetry Rcrsesc. l,oador,
A I CHRISTMAS. at Christmas
The stars are burning bright
And angel faces gaze between
Throughout che holy night.
lhey veil their faces wondering
As Christ Himself comes down
ana seeks the lowliest dwelling place
IN His once royal town.
O Mother-.Motherhecrt!
The .Chr1st-child calls to thee.
Q Christ-child! Thou liest
Within cradle bare,
Noush paper wraps thy tiny lirnbs,
No linen fresh or fair
Flreless and dark Thy chamber.
With walls both damp and thin:
and through the broken window pane
The bitter WHY'D blows in.
Q Nother-Motherheart!
The Christ-chiEd calls to sA.s.
On rotting straw beside Thee
my Motner Mary lies,
Her hungerwasted breasts no more
Csn still Thy wailing cries.
While bent in grief above Thea.
Desparing, Joseph stands, 81.
Clenching in silent agony
His toilworn bleeding hands.
o Mother-8fotherheert
The Christ-chiM cals 10 enes.
Al Christmas, 1T Christmas.
The stars are burning bright,
But angels veil their wondering rsss
Before this aiteous sight.
o Heart of Love Incarnate
By man betrayed, forgot,
Thou cam'st to Thine own once more
And they received Thee not.
Q Bothcrs-Motherh,artsi
Hear ye tbs Christ-child ,cattsnsr
B. NJ. SKEAT.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
A Harmonious Committee
(Fron, The Dallas Morning Ne-os)

(Fro1n The Dallas Morning Ne1os)
The British Embassy has declined
the invitation TO be represented on Os-
wald Garrison Wizards sclf-constituted
committee to investigate the wrongs Of
Ireland. This leaves Mr.. Willard to
commit his own committee.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-12
Industrial Production

All those who go to Russia or who
are coming out of the country are in
tcrested more than anything else in
the question Of productivity of labor
Is it increasing or decreasing?
studied the question as applied to many
leading industries. I visited many fac
tories and gathered much information
on many branches of our industrial life.
The Bolsheviki have been energetic
in advertising in their newspapers and
wireless dispatches the alleged fact
that. due to their efforts. Russian pro-
duction is increasing. From all that
have seen and from the figures at my
disposal | can say:
!. There is slight improvements,
quite insignificant, in some branches
Of industry as compared with 1919
?. In general, Russian industry con-
tinues to decline and the workers are
running away to the villages.
3. The "heroic measures" such ss
forcible assignment of workers to Ger
tain factories, are unavailing. The fac
tories are utilizing the last remnants
Of supplies and materials.
My general conclusion is that there
is no such thing as "the regeneration
of industry" in Russia. I will bring
in support some figures from Soviet
bulletins, which, however, paint the
situation in more favorable colors than
it really s.