davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
Curran Goes, La Guardia Stays

The withdrawal of Henry H.
Curran, Borough President of Man
haitian, from further participation in
the back-fre investigation the
Hylan administration has staged is
not to be condemned. Mr.. Curran
knows a joke when one is thrust on
his attention. He has more serious
business to attend to than to assist
the Mayor in establishing an alibi
to the Lockwood committees rev.
Citations.
But though Mr.. Curran's decision
TO depart is not to be condemned
the decision Of President La Guar
dia to remain may be approved for
different set Of reasons. Comp
troller Craig is conspicuously alb
sent from the probe, and with Mr.
Curran also away the departure Of
Mr.. La Guardia would break the
quorum, the investigation would
stop, and the community would be
deprived of the advantage accruing
from giving the Mayor all the rope
he wants.
No one has ever accused the
Mayor Of subtility or attacked him
as one cunningly able to conceal
his tracks. His conception of argu-
ment so differs from that of the
average person that he is capable,
if allowed free chance, of furnish
ing conclusive evidence against him
self. Mr.. Untcrmyer did not strike
much pay dirt" until the Mayor
himself told that the IIettrick letter
was copied from a draft left with
him by Hettrick. No newspaper, it
may be remarked, has yet succeed
Cd in inducing Hettrick to tell what
he really thinks of the Mayors
give-away. Yet His Honor believed
he was making a strong defensive
point.
The public is curious to know
whether there is basis for the
Mayors summary removal from
office. 1t is by no means impossible
that the Board Of Estimate investi-
cation, although started to white
wash, may naIvely spill the con
tents of the whitcwash can and be
gin to streak on lampblack. That
person is bold who would venture
to predict exactly what kind of no.
ton, what sort of belief of what
constitutes vindication, will lodge
in the Mayors head.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
Our Solid utucs
Home Life Rated Above
That of Europc

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: 1t is said that Figures do not
lie. but liars always figure" and if
your spondent, "Disgusted," knew
more about the divorce laws of the
Continental European countries he
would quickly solve the problem for
himself, why "America has more di-
vorces than any other country" Di-
vorces are rare because (a) they are
interdicted by church laws, more prev
alent in Europe than here; (b) di-
vorces are infinitely harder to obtain
in the civil courts; (c) the people
constituting the bulk population are
not provided with sufficient means to
undertake the lengthy court processes
necessary to obtain a divorce; CD a
callousness exists as to the serious
faults which prompt Americans in
stantly to sever the marital tie rather
than to continue life of hypocrisy
and Inconsistency.
The fact stands out in letters bold
and clear that the reason why divorce
is more common here than in "other
countrics' is because the marriage tie
is regarded as so sacred that divorce,
with all its suffering, is better than
life without affection.
Let "Disgusted' visit some of the
greatest capitals of Europe. such as
London, Paris, Brussels. Petrograd, vi
emma, etc, or some of the smaller cities,
such as Barcelona, Bordeaux, Naples.
etc, and see for himself what is pub
icly condoned He would come back
better and happier American.
His other sweeping charges do not
touch the subject in question. America
believes in exposing to the public view
the raw spots. Her publicity methods
ere crude in this respect But it is
better to let the sunshine of publicity
clean than to cover up her faults to
tester.
Yet, while America in the final tabu
atlon may have more murderers, crap
shooters, tobacco chewers and pick
pockets than Europe, men and women
who have seen Europe are glad that
they are Americans and that Amcri-
can home life rests securely on q solid
ideal of better manhood and woman
hood WILLIAM w AYPE
New York. Nov 27, 1920
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
The Russian Peril

"Meanwhile," says Lenine after
boasting Of how by making peace
with Poland he released forces to
crush Wrangel and after readvertis-
ing his purpose to wage unceasing
war, "the revolution will have a
chance to develop in these all
other] countries"
The Kaiser dreamed of making
himself the worlds potentate. The
Russian autocrat is under the do
minion Of the same idea. Super
ficially the men differ; fundamen-
tally their purposes are the same.
Let everything be militarized, said
the Kaiser, and let me be boss of
the world army. Let the proletariat
rule, says Lenine, and let the sole
test of proletarianism be blind obe-
dience to me. What's the diff
ference?
While the Kaiser gathered power
the rest of the world looked on su-
pinely. Pacifists spread the belief
that however crazy the Kaiser
might be he could not infect the
German people with his Madness
But he did. 1t took 100000
deaths to subdue Kaiserism. Now
it is said by the pacifsts that the
Russians will not allow Lenine to
carry out his purpose. How do we
know? Are the Russians more to
be trusted than the Germans?
President Wilson hinched and
ran away when he was asked to ap-
ply his doctrine of destroying any
arbitrary power that would Of it's
own weight and will disturb the
peace of the world. He would not
assist in an effective way those in
Russia who could be trusted. War
weary and lacking proper leader
ship, the civilized people shrank
from the labor of completing the
work of making the world safe for
dc nocracy. The pacifsts furnished
them plausible reasons.
Now, perhaps for a generation,
if not more, it will be necessary to
watch Russia. The Russian people
may not be especially vicious, but
the lust Of making the world like
themselves has entered into them.
Not easily will it be eradicated, and
they number 1OO,OOO,OOO.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
Clearing the Jungle

Governor-elect Miller has taken
up the work Of eliminating extrava-
gance from the state government
and restoring efficiency. The judge
is obviously beginning right. The
state has no real budget system as
yet, and a Governor has little legal
control over the estimates trans
mitted to the Legislature by the
heads of the innumerable boards, Of
fees and commissions which now ad-
minister state affairs. But genuine
cooperation between the Governor
and the chairmen of the two appro-
priations committees may make up
in part for the lack of centralized
control of the estimates.
A budget system is the first step
to take toward efficient government
such as other states have installed.
Next in order come unifcation and
coordination Of service. The report
of the retrenchment committee Of
the Reconstruction Commission said:
THE administrative branch Of our
present state government is mis-
cellaneous collection Of 1877 offices,
boards, commissions and agencies.
They are nearly all Independent of
one another and most of them are
subject to no direct and effective
supervision by superior authority"
Our state government is, in fact.
a labyrinth in which only the old
hands at the capital can find their
way. The maze must be cleaned out
The Legislature has taken some
heed of this call for reconstruction
by passing constitutional amend
ments reducing the number of cleo
tive state officers and consolidating
existing departments to some extent.
But the work must 60 much further.
To get greenhorns off the job it
would be good thing to extend the
Governors term to four years, the
term of Senator's to four years and
the term of Assemblymen to two
years. Illinois and Pennsylvania
have that system, with biennial
legislative sessions.
Waste cannot be checked until the
Governor becomes the real head Of
the state, directly responsible with
the Legislature for all the details of
expenditure. Dispersed authority
multiplies sinecures and leaks Legis-
lative authority over appropriations
should be limited to revision down.
ward Then a Governor answerable
to the whole electorate and free from
local pressure would be able to make
administration responsive to public
wants.
Mr.. Miller is also said to favor
New York City Charter revision in
the interest of economy. Our bor-
ough governments linger on as an
expensive luxury. Our separate
Public Service Commission could
we'll be dispensed with. There are
dozens of other ways in which the
cost Of government may be reduced.
The jungle should be cleared away.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
The Excess Profits Tax

In The Atlantic Monthly Herman
knollenberg gives reasons why the
excess profits tax should go. 1t is an
imposition neither wisely conceived
nor in.eliigently applied.
l. is grossly inequtable, as Mr..
knollenberg points out, in at least
four respects. First, profits taxed
re often only apparent profits.
Many corporations whose stock is
owned by few, and hence approxi-
mating to partnership, have paid
s..--. ~alaries to their directing
heads. Deficiencies in compensation
to { stock-holding employee were off
set by large dividends. 1t was all
the same to him. Then, when at
tempts were made to pay the market
price for services, the Internal Reve-
nue. Bureau would not allow it, while
corporation officers who received
large salaries before the war con-
tinued getting them.
Second, in many lines Of business
earnings in isolated years are large,
while the average is low. The Nc
Adoo-Glass tax measure hit a con-
cern which happened to do we'll in
particular year, while collecting
nothing from one whose average
might be higher.
Third, the law took no account of
the notorious fact that some bust
nesses are inherently more risky
than others. Think Of applying
common rule to a mining company
and a national bank. The return Of
one is part profit and part insur-
ance, while the other is all profit.
Fourth, the tax is based not on the
present value of company's prop
erty but on capital invested. One
for an example, has building which
cost it 100000, but which could not
be reproduced for less than 100000.
a competitor comes along and buys
or erects building at an expense of
100000. The one finds the ratio Of
profit determined by assuming
value Of 100000, while the other
gets off for two-thirds less.
These inequities are Of sufficient
consequence to furnish ample basis
Tor the demand for repeal, but there
are other objections even more
grave. It's great sin is that it penal
izes efficiency and lessons produc-
ton, and hence raises prices.
The assumption that concern
whose profits are large is necessarily
gouging the public is false. Con
sider Henry Ford. His rate Of profit
on the capital invested is said to be
the largest in the automobile indus
try, yet he sells at the lowest price.
Ability ~ produce the most cheaply
and rapidity II turnover through
superior organization and methods
are the things which enlarge earn
ings. Low yearly profits commonly
mean that the public pays more, and
not tess.
n hag been the glory Of American
burincss that it has operated on the
theory Of large sales with small
profits On each individual transac-
tim, 10 the end Of securing large
yearly returns on capital Capital
thus doez double and triple work and
production il spccdcd up, rcsulting
in more goodf ~ distribute.
The sxcesg profits tax thus strikes
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
The Co1nmuter and His Ticke

ONAAAAAoe\A SAA0 klS k(hCk
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The argument of John Jones
IN this mornings Tribune regarding
the commuter and his ticket seems to
me very illogical man does not paw
for his months neckties for a month
III advance, said neckties to be used
only during the current month; neither
does he pay for electric light on the
same lines. If he uses extra light by
carelessly burning it all night he has
received value for his money in the
extra current consumed If he forgcts
his necktic and buys another he is
the possessor Of m extra tie, which
il not worn out this year may be used
next year.
Not so the commutation ticket, which
on most roads, in the first place, con-
tains more rides than an average per-
son can use in month (sixty) and
which have to be paid for regardless
Of that fact. The cases are not in any
way parallel. f. F. SHEARER.
Now York. Nov. 20, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
To the Editor of the Tribune.

To the Editor of the Tribune
Sir: Despite my admiration for
Father Duffy as q said:er, l must take
exception to the implication in his let
ter in this mornings Tribune.
His information is based on hearssy,
mine on participation. ! spent sixty
days in Queenstown in the uniform OF
an enlisted man of the United States
Navy and while there | was twice st
tackled by the Sim Fein for being m
enemy of Ireland" as they called me-
and will bear with me all my life
knife scar in my back as silent wit
ness of my pleasant visit to these
peace-loving people.
The attacks were not due Gas Father
Duffy would have US believel to any
firtations with an Irish girl. for was
married at the time-and to an lrlsn
girl at that-and have two children
Admiral Sims is right and Father
Duffy wrong.
FRANK NJ. TAYLOR,
Ex-First Glass Seaman, United States
Navy.
Now York, Nov. 80. 1920. II
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
A Christian and the Stage

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: VIII the Rev Bishop Berry
kindly inform me why he and other
clerics insist upon venting their wrath
upon the theatrical profession. Bishop
Berry wants no member of the theatri-
cal profession or any thcatergoer in
the Methodist Church, | always won
der why these ministers Of the gospel.
who profess a brotherly love for their
fellow beings, usually strike such un-
just blows at the actors.
! am not an actor, but | hold the
theatrical profession very dear, and |
always notice that whenever the world
or II community is in need of money
or entertainment, the actors and
the theatrical profession in general nj
ways meet the emergency. They met
the Rod Crosg- drive and the recent
Liberty loans 100 per cent, and showed
their love for the boys in France by
untiring work. and |, for one, will
never forget them, and resent Bishon
Herry's attitude and am very glad that
| am Christinn and do not have To
so to church to practice it.
SERGEANT FRANK J. BECKMAN.
New York Nov 20 1920
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01

densome obligations. 1t will be
rather, in all probability, an opening
wedge for Allied negotiations, reviv-
ing the Sevres Treaty in a manner
beneficial both to Armenia and
Turkey.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01

at the price cutters and the better
doors. 1t tends to make all business
lax and slothful, and so strikes at
every mans welfare.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
The Diary Of Our Own Samuel Pepys

November 2S To the office, and
tidied up my desk. loathsome task,
and so home to dinner prepared by
new handmade we have, who near
ruined our stove, and who cannot take
the simplest message over the tcle-
phone, saying, Several ladies called
you up, but who they we're or what
they said she could not tell me- Which
put me in an i'll humour To J. Streets
and had dozen cakes, very good, and
said goodby to Mistress Marion Hol-
lister, who is leaving the city; and so
to Marjorie I'rumbull's, and played
some airs on a banj mandolin, an in
strument | never had played before.
20 ALI day at my scrivening, and
in the evening to see "The Broken
Wing,' play of varying dullness and
interest. In it an aviator crashes into
Mexican yard and becomes en-
amoured of a young woman, which
Geo. Kaufman saith, Ha. a case of
love at first flight. SO home and to-bed
80. Calder and his wife to lunch
con, and | bought them frugal meal,
and so all afternoon at this task and
that, but grey day and no great zest
in my foolish writings.
We, for one, hope the worlds heavy
weight boxing contest-or, as the head
line writer's so we'll put it, the big
bout-will be held in England We
should like to read Mr. Benefits and
Mr. Shaw's accounts Of it, and we
should like to be freed from the
cowardly duty of, after deciding not
to go, paying SS5 for ticket.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
GENEyIEvE TAGGARD.

This is our eighteenth pre-Christ-
mas columnar period. A gayer and q
wiser man, we realize that our exhorta-
tions to an indifferent universe to shop
early never aroused one person to the
rathe purchase. AS far as we are
concerned. shop as late as you like, or
and this is to prove to Upton Sim
clair that the advertising department
doesn't control us-not at all.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
The Coming ower
Cadences

leave you in sorrow,
But never for long,
Flying, tomorrow
l come, with a song.
One gesture for going,
One when l turn,
Hearing time flowing,
Seeing it burn.
GENEVIEVE TAGGARD.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01

Literature is not an exact science and
perhaps no good purpose is served by
running small errors to earth, but GER
tain verities are fundamental and must
be preserved. please inform your
friend Morris Ryskind," writes "Seven,"
that it is not as he says-Lil Phoebe
but LII Joe and 'Phcebe Five"
We are willing to stand behind this
correction. Regarding another point
raised by can Admirer of Edith Whar-
ton" we are not so ready to assume
authority. Referring to The Age of
Innocence our correspondent writes,
con pages two and three Mrs Whar-
ton gives detailed description of Chris
tine Nilsson as Marguerite in Faust
singing the daisy song, He loves me, he
loves me not!' and at the close looking
ardcntly up into the face of Faust.
1t is Siebcl who sings this song
testing the flower to see if Marguerite
loves him-and Faust is not on the
stage!"
We have endeavvred to run this
criticism to earth and to that end have
toured the Office with "Admirer let
ter. The best we have been able to OBJ
tain is the answering question, as that
the place that goes tee, tee, ii, DUN,
tee, tee?" Having seen "Faust" once in
all our life and remembering no more
from it than the Soldiers Chorus, these
~
use to US. Seemingly most people who
see "F'aust" remember it rather more by
score than by libretto. Accordingly, we
print the letter for what it is worth and
assume no responsibility for the opinion
expressed by our correspondent. We are
not in position either to affirm or deny
the rumor.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01

Nicky Arnstein's trinl has opened.
You remember Nicky. He's the chauf-
four that took Elwell home the morn
ing of the Wall Street explosion.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01

If the author and drnmatizcr of
Miss Lulu Bctt" arranges tho road
tour, the itinerary probably will in
clude Zona, La, and Gale, N. Y.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01

YOU can purchase merchandise advertised In THE
TRIBUNE with absolute safety--tor II dlssatisfae
ten results In any THE TRIBUNE guarantees
70 your money back upon request. No red tspe.
No uuibhna. We make 5000 promptly II the
advertiser does not.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
The Bus Buzzers

tOverhcard by BnlilSens]
81 hear Mannie's fancec is very nice"
"Yes, she's very nice girl"
She certainly is lovely"
"She is so pleasant to every one"
"Yes, she's a peach"
"She's very pretty"
"Oh, she's gorgcous.'
"She really is beautiful"
"She certainly is lovely"
"She has the most wonderful eyes
Of any girl I know"
"Ics, almost as pretty as Ruth's."
"They're so large and soft"
"1hey certainly are lovclv."
"Hc's very lucky to get such nice
girl
"Very. He deserves 1t, though, for
he's a fine fellow. She's nice girl
for him."
"She certainly is lovely"
Candor of an unusual whitencss is
Mr.. Francis Hackett's. whose dedica-
tion in "The Invisible Censor" is
TO
MY WIFE
SIGNE TOKSVIG
Whose lack of interest
in this book has been
my constant despe ration.
For years we have crusaded against
the hypocrisy of the usual dedication
Perhaps Mr.. 1Iackett's intrcpidity will
arouse an author to dedicate a book
MY DAUGHTERS
SPENDA AND BLOWA
but for whose extravagant
idlcncss should not have
had to write this unworthy novel.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01

Great pother is made from time to
time that boxing is a degrading and
brutal sport, but it is conducted under
certain rules which assure less massacre
than may occur in literary controversy.
The New York Times, for instance, hav-
ing printed the first two of an exceed
ingly interesting series of articles on
Russia by II. G. Wells, became some
what frightened because Mr.. Wells re-
fused to blame every present i'll of
editors straghtaway rushed out to find
a champion to combat him. Presently
the editors emerged from the locker
room and headed for the ring, drag
Things like this should not be sane
toned in q state in which the boxing
commission has ruled that only men of
the same class shall be permitted to
meet in combat If this pitiful contest
is allowed to continue there isn't a
reason in the world why Pete Herman,
our bantam champion, should not be
matched with Jack Dempsey
When II. L. Mencken was born the
conventional good fairies attended the
christening and showcred him with
gifts. One said, "He shall be erudite," "
another lowered him with Discernment;
and Wit, and Taste. and Vigor, and, for
all we know, Pulchritude were included
among the presents. Then, just as the
party was drawing to successful close
in through the window came the Bad
! Fairy, who had not been invited She
laughed liendishly and said, "He shall
also be smart"
And because Of this last gift first
rate critical intelligence has been largely
dissipated in dldoes, in nose dives and
pinwhecls and loop-the loops Even
some of the gifts from the good fairies
have turned to Mencken's disadvantage
because OF the final and fatal quality
Memory, for instance, ought to be nr
asset, but not when it means that the
clever saying which Mencken first sci
down in the spring of 1905 will appear
In slightly modified form igNthe summer
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01

Not to say Blowout, Idaho, nm
Cyclone. Ind.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
TO
MY WIFE

In spite of whose irritahilitv
| got this book written.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
MEN.BNR OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Associated Press IS exclusively entitled TO the
& 0i "s,yp,s. o, ta n ,bsl nsn.r
and also the local news OF spontaneous origin pub
iisaei herein.
A. rights ot republication OF all other matter
herein also reserved
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
Also, Solving the Housing Problem

Also, Solving the Housing Problem
Sir: Why not let's all jump into the
Constitutional Morality Drive and do
the whole thing at once? Think, for
moment, of the salutary result Of
having everything not orthodox and
theologically sacred banned by the
Constitution, with a set Of jail penal
ties to secure enforcement. Jail, then,
would necessarily take up most of
the available territory, and the only
Enclosures to be erected would be for
the protection of the good and the
orthodox and the sacred. Thus would
economy be served and a complete
segregation be assured for the de-
serving ones. w. D.
When the Puritan Sabbath comes to
make us more than merry. the con-
duct and behavior of the artists at
Sunday concerts may be of more criti-
cal momentousness than their per-
formance. This is forecast by the at
titude of The Pleasantvlle Journal,
which says: Miss Welch's demure de-
meanor with the harp marked her as a
master of the instrument"
During the Puritan Sunday Dinner
the Blue Hungarian Band will play
"The Beautiful Blue Danube" and "The
Blue Alsatian Mountains"
"Any more of that stuff" telephones
the third assistant city editor, gets
the blue pencil"
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
MY DAUGHTERS 6

SPENDA AND BLOWA
but for whose extravagant
idlcncss should not have
had to write this unworthy novel.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01

Candor of an unusual whteness is
Mr.. Francis Hackett's, whose dedica-
tion in "Thc Invisible Censor" is
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01

For years we have crusaded against
the hypocrisy of the usual dedication.
Perhaps Mr.. Hackett's intrcpidity will
arouse an author to dedicate a book
New-York tribune., 1920-12-01
GUARANTY

Battered the Posfotce at New York $ Second
Class Mail Matter