davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
Flaws in the Treaty.
Victors Won't Let a World Court Pass
on the Versailles Agreement.

To THE NEW York HERALD: In your
despatch from Geneva under date line
of November &c It IL pointed out that
that long headed and patriotic Britisher
Lord Robert Cecil, representing South
Africa, has thwarted the overwhelming
majority sentiment in the Assembly for
the adoption of the international court
plan as submitted by the body Of League
jurists, and has compelled the Assembly
TO accept amendments changing the juris-
diction of the court from compulsory to
voluntary. Your correspondent says:
Lord Robert also objected strongly TO
another feature OF tho plan. namely. that
one under section A. Article SxXIv.,
which gives tho court jurisdiction In the
matter OF interpreting all treaties. He
asserted that the court could not be per-
nitted 10 interpret the Treaty OF YER
saiiles.
why not7 The answer contains the
explanation OF tho opposition manifested
all along by the victors to an organi-
nation of tho world on a basis of law.
under the principle of the juridical equal
ity of states. and their espousal OF a
non-judicial. political system typifed by
the Council The fact Of the matter is
that the Treaty Of Versailles cannot
stand tho Test OF legal principles and II
the world organization were permitted a
legal basis the treaty would collapse.
It Ia a settled principle of interna-
tional law that treaty provisions vio-
lating established rules are void. and
II brought before a court they must
either be disailowsd or construed con-
formally 10 the law. The Treaty Of
Versailles contains clause after clause
In utter violation OF law. Take Arti-
clio 1853, for example. the one relating to
shantung.
As q matter OF law an German rights
and privileges under the lease Of March
8. 1898. lapsed and reverted to China
on August IL, 1917. the date Of the
Chinese declaration OF war. The legal
principle is settled that the outbreak
Of war abrogates such treaties. The
subsequent reconciliation by Germany In
tho Treaty Of Versailles Of Juno 2s,
1919. Of "ali her rights. title and priv
iieges' IN 5hantung to Japan In thers-
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
A Friend of Blue Laws.
Picture of Sunday Without Sports
or Pastimes.

To THE New York HERALD: Much ID
being said against blue laws in the news
papers may we not have little of the
other side?
IL man of a Sunday morning puts
aside the temptation to read one OF the
bulky and enticing Sunday newspapers
and instead attends his church services
with great satisfaction to his soul, mind
and body may he not find an equal
pleasure in sitting down at his home for
q few hours or going under the blue sky
OF pleasant day with his family and
especially with the little ones whose
faces have smack Of heaven in them.
not leaving them wholly to the Sunday
pleasant conversation with his wife, who
Is deprived Of his company for most of
the six days OF the week? Is there
anything blue about that except tho
blue sky?
Is not such a programme preferable
to the sulphuric blue of the crime and
tragedy depleted on the canvas of the
popular moving picture shows Of the
day and to the silly. maudlin and Oft
times Objectionable pictures Of social life
with which these films are interspersed7
There are cited in THE NEW YORK
HERALD of December 1 the opinions OF
two distinguished clergymen of New
York. respected each in the area Of his
activities. who recommend Sunday games
and Sunday amusements. But opinions
Of clergymen are not always correct.
I recall an instance of one clergyman
who was present in tho interests Of tas
liquor traffic at legislative hearing in
Albany and who advocated the drinking
Of beer by children, stating that he ad-
vised 1t in his Sunday school and, IL I
recall correctly, in his family. How
many of the clergymen of the city of
New York will subscribe to such a sem
timent? How many will subscribe to the
statement that attendance at one of those
gambling centres known as a profess
sional baseball game on a Sunday after
noon is keeping the Sabbath day holy?
Suspicion arises in ones mind that
those who consider the afternoon of Sum
day should be given over to sport have
not attended the morning service, which
they intimate is sufficient for all needs
of the Sunday. or else where would they
get that horror of the blue? Is there
not sufficient grace in the morning SER
vice to carry a man through the after
noon Of the same day In a pleasant
frame of mind even IL he should not have
the excitement offered by such desecra-
ton OF the day as we have described?
References have been made to tho
Rev. DR.. David j. Burrell OF the Fifth
Avenue Collegiate Church and the Rev.
Harry L. Bowlby as seeking to bring
about legislation that would make people
unhappy and blue on tho Sabbath day.
Let those who have this idea become ac-
quainted with those gentlemen and
assure them that they will find only
broad minded men who would never seek
to impose upon or wrong any citizen of
your great city. whose personalities have
no blue streaks and who are of friendly.
sympathetic and happy dispositions.
ALLEN w. JOHNSTON.
SCHENECTADY, December IL.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
Compensation.

From the Seattle Post Tnteliioencer.
A flash Of starry aster blooms
A cricket's lonely cry,
A ragged rose with heart laid bare.
Breathing a farewell sigh.
Bent grasses telling soft their beads
On dew-pearled rosaries.
A golden drift Of silken leaves
Under the wind swept trees.
A gray mist shedding crystal tears,
As autumn croons 'good-by,"
And kneeling deep in thistedown
The swaying clovers die.
But ah, before another dawn
Queen winter robed in white
Spills jewels over hill and dale.
Till all the world CLEANS bright.
Then where the autumn's starry blooms
Lay withered. sere and dead.
Flash pearl-like sprays of mistletoe
And holly gems Of red.
AGNES LocKHARr HUGHES.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12

fore mere nullity, since Germany
possessed no rights. title ana privi-
leges" in China on that date.
OF course the holders of the spoils
oppose the assumption OF Jurisdiction
by any court over their titles. OF
course, as Lord Robert protests. tho in
ternational court could not be permitted
to interpret the Treaty of Versailles;
to interpret It In the light of legal prin-
ciples is to set aside some of the most
profitable advantages enjoyed by the
allied Powers.
Mr.. Root, who is credited with the
authorship of the rejected clauses of
the international court plan, has been
popularity considered a pro-Leaguer. But
It cannot be doubted that Mr.. Root is
a legalist first, last and all the time,
and that he has really sought from the
inside the overthrow OF the political
characteristics of the League and the
substitution Of legal and judicial meth
DDS. which would radically change the
whole structure Among other conse-
quences would be the reduction of the
now powerful political Council to Inn
potency except within the limits of
law.
But tho diplomats OF Great Britain,
France and japan were not to be
caught mapping; they know the sig
nincance OF the Root articles and will
have mono Of them. at least until a
sufficient number of years have passed
to give them claim Of prescriptive
right. As Lord Robert remarked. the
time has not come to give the court
such power. Perhaps in about fifty
years It will be safe to rely upon pre-
scription before the court
STERLING ID. EDMuNpa
ST. LOUIS, Mo-. December Q.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12

To The NEW YORK HERAIDt livery
year at about this time I have called
attention to tho numerous fires which
occur annually with tho approach Of cold
weather. Several of these fires in New
York recently resulted In loss of life.
They are. In my opinion. to a largo ex-
tent preventable.
An electric alarm can be placed in
any residence which will awaken the
inhabitants at q rise of temperature TO
175 degrees. Such alarms can beylace,
In the lower halls, kitchen or furnac,
room by any electrician at a moder "a
expense.
I again refer to the fire proofing OF
staircases and the necessity for fire.
proof doors at the head OF stairs in
tenement houses and apartments. l
note that the authorities say this would
necessitate the remodelling to some ex-
tent of several thousand buildings In
this city alone. Also II is declared that
the law does not require fire escapes in
such cases as the one where lives were
lost last week.
Perhaps there are good reasons that
am not aware OF why this state OF
things should continue, but do not be-
lieve that the people OF this city are
really Indifferent to these fatalities.
have often called attention to the
folly OF placing fire escapes in front OF
windows instead of in front of the party
wall. This Of course renders them USE
less. and always will. In case OF fires
like that Of November 20. Perhaps this
also cannot be romedied, but / have yet
to be shown a good reason for 1t.
JOSEPH D. HOLMES.
NEW YORK, December II.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
Food Going to Waste.
Apples, Celery, Potatoes Unharvested
in New York State.

To THE New YORK HERALD: Presi-
dent Wilson in his message pleads for
economy. Do Americans really know
how to practise economy
To-day in Wayne county saw many
bushels of apples rotting on the ground.
One man said that in Wayne county
alone there must be $4,000 bushels OF
apples going to waste.
A farmer said to me: II know of
acres of celery going to waste and acres
of unpicked cabbages, and farmer
over in Ontario has more potatoes than
he can harvest and has asked poor peo-
pie to help themselves"
What's the answer KAyLrNH.
ROCHESTER,, December 10.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
dam and certain of the playhouses OF

dam and certain Of the playhouses or
their period. They are built with
spaciousness In marked contrast to
newer structures In which, If one ex-
cept the Selwyn Theatre, it would not
take seven league boots to step from
the sidewalk to the last row or the
orchestra seats. Such is the economic
tribute of art TO the rise In real estate
prices. We hear of theatres which are
to assume to the eyes of the public
the shape of triangle or some other
unusual form to enable two temples
of art to grow where previously there
was space for but one.
There may be only one goal for the
artist who undertakes the decoration
Of such a structure. He must aim to
avoid ugliness. Beauty may be ut
terly unattainable.
In another age the theatre inspired
the Imagination of the artist. Some
of the most gifted architects and
decorators gave their best efforts to
adorn these homes of pleasure and art.
Europe possesses the creations OF
architects who sought 10 give in their
form appropriate expression of the
purpose of these buildings. The ten
dency OF the recent theatre builders
has been different. The new style Of
architecture has been more inteasiyely
cultivated In Germany than In any
other country of Europe. It's aim there
as elsewhere has been utilitarinn, al
though there has been perhaps some
what less Of a commercial color to the
Teutonlc movement than there has
been in some other countries. The
question has not always been how
many persons may be conveniently
crowded into an audience room. The
sight lines, the acoustic properties, the
best effect Of the stage picture-these
are the matters which engaged the
thought Of German theatre designers
who were altogether Indifferent to
the question of beauty in the building
Of the playhouse.
In one way or another beauty seems
to be departing from the homes in
which the drama is to be placed. The
reasons producing this result may be
different here and abroad, but the gen.
eral effect Is the same. Now 1t Is the
artists problem only to keep the the
atre from being more ugly than is
absolutely necessary.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
Some Dwellings Practically Safe,
Others Almost UNPROTECTED.

To THE NEW YORK HERALD: Two fires
attended with loss of life-one IN an
old law tenement house on Bradhurst
avenue, the other in a residence building.
not a tenement house. at 20 West Fifty
seventh street-have naturally raised the
question whether the restrictive legisla-
ton enacted for the protection Of resi-
dents Of the city in their homes Is ade-
quate or not. An Ineligible answer
requires that the consideration of the
subject be divided into the two classes
into which the law divides residence
buildings--tenement houses and non
tenement houses.
AS to tenement houses: There are two
main classes of tenement houses: build
ings erected before 1901. known as old
law buildings, and buildings erected since
1901, known as new law buildings. In
the latter group the provisions OF the
existing tenement house law were ap-
piled, and in these buildings expert
safe from FIRE hazard. These buildings
shelter about two-flfths of our tenement
and apartment house population.
Tho old law tenement houses, consist
ing of about $4,000 buildings erected
at various periods between 1887 and
1901. are OF varying degrees Of unsafety.
1t is in this class that the building on
Bradhurst avenue belongs. The tene-
ment house law did not confer on the
Tenement House Department much power
to make these buildings safer from fire
hazards. 1t did not even permit 1t to
require improved fire escapes. although
many of the existing FIRE escapes are
unsuitable or useless for their avowed
purpose. Many of these buildings are
a constant menace to the lives Of per-
sons living in them. but the number Of
them is so great that IL they were va
Gated thousands in the city would be
homeless. They furnish striking illus
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
A Poem.

From the vitla0er.
Seeing, 1t is a gladdening thing:
White birds against morning sky.
Blowing peoples, nodding grasses.
Light that grows and fades and
passes,
Young leaved poplars shining high.
And God be thanked that gave US hear
ing
For children's laughter, sweet ana bold,
For winds that whisper old hills
round,
For every intimate sweet sound
The quiet golden evenings hold.
But oh, tits scent that makes immortal
The little lives of mortal men!
Roses with haunting sweetness riven.
Incense. to lift mems hearts to
heaven,
Lilacs, to draw them homo again.
MARGARET ADELAIDE WILSON.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12

It is true, as Senator MCCUMBER
saws. that the Government faces
deficit of a billion and a quarter OF
dollars. But it Is also true that for
long, weary months the Government
has been facing deficits all the way
from four billions of dollars down to
the present billion and a quarter.
These deficits have been constantly
and prodigiously represented by what
this paper has often called the Treas
ury o US.
Whenever the Government has been
unable 10 pay its bills out Of proceeds
of bond sales, War Savings Stamps,
taxes and other revenues-and it has
so been unable to follow the pay as
you go rule ever since the war began
the Treasury, to get ready cash, has
stuffed up the banks with It's I Q US
I in anticipation Of revenues to come in
later from whatever sources. When
1T could not pay off with cash its l
o US In the banks as they came due,
1t met them either with part cash
and new o US or entirely with
new o US.
There is, however. less and less Of
this all the time So we are not, as
some timid souls might fear from the
Senator's remarks, going on the rocks
We are getting further away from the
rocks and nearer to safety.
The Government does need the tax
collections which are due on the 10Th
of this month because 1t has barrels
of Its I o Us to meet on that date
and later. But the Government is
not now In more desperate straits
than It has been. On the contrary, it
Is not now In so tight corner as it
has been ever since the war began.
Unless the revenues utterly collapse
between now and the end Of the fiscal
year-June 80, 1921-the Treasury
will continue to be in a steadily i'm
proving condition. This will be be-
cause 1t will have cut down those /
. US still further. Cutting down
iebts doesn't spell blue ruin; it pre-
sages better and better days.
But because the revenues from ex-
cess profits and income surtaxes,
steadily sinking for months, will
surely sink still lower between now
and June 30, 1t will be only prudent
for Congress forthwith to provide such
revenues from stamp and similar
taxes as will begin to flow into the
Treasury Immediately TO offset the
losses from excess profits and income
taxes.
And because It Is an imperative
business need to clean up entirely the
floating NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Treasury
o U's-at the earliest possible mo-
ment, Congress must slash every item
of expenditure into which It can sink
the knife.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12

Decorators of the elaborate trans
atlantic ships which became so luxu-
rious several years ago evolved their
own aesthetic theory In regard to
them. Beauty was declared TO be I'm
possible under the conditions imposed
by such structures. The best that
could be expected was to make the
object of much artistic solicitude as
little ugly as possible. 1t was on
this principle that money was spent
lavishly on the ocean palaces with no
other end than their adornment.
Whether the decorators succeeded In
their purpose is a matter of opinion.
There is of course 10 be applied in
such cases the test of the Doctors
medicine. Nobody can tell how much
worse of the patient might have been
without the physic.
Theatre building Is rapidly passing
under the same rule. In view OF the
manner in which theatres are built
to-day. the decorators may soon be
faced with a problem similar to that
of ship adornment. The best that
tnste. money and skill may be able to
accomplish may be dimlnution of the
structures ugllness. Designs OF the
numerous playhouses recently erected
or planned for the near future seem
all but to prohibit successful aesthetic
treatment. The architectural prln-
-.ple that a structure should more or
less proclaim It's purpose no longer
governs the decoration OF theatres.
Nothing else is 80 important in the
theatre Of the day as the largest
possible seating capacity.
Features that used to be accounted
indispensable In theatre have by
degrees disappeared. To see the old
fhshioned foyers In their best es-
nhte It IL necessary 10 visit the En-
bsrA tho Hudssn, mo Nsw Amstsr-
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
Emergency Suburban Quarters.

To THE New YORK HERALD: The
shortage OF housing has caused many
people to live In emergency quarters
where they are exposed to fire perils
similar to those which caused five
deaths last week.
Here in the suburbs, where frame
dwellings predominant. Spectators have
acquired one family houses and are
renting separate floors to separate ten
ants. I have in mind a row of at
least three attached frame dwellings
where the frst second and third floors
are so rented. The third floor consists
OF three small rooms reached by O. mar
row stairway; as this house was erected
for one family use, Of course there are
no fire escapes. no exit to an adjoining
house or to the roof. which slants
The rooms are used for housekeeping
purposes. with gas stoves having open
Jets.
Queens has been called inadequate, and
when a frame house is afire 1t may
burn to the foundation within thirty
minutes.
The one family dwelling whicn has
been altered-or not altered--to meet
the present stress is not under tho con-
troll Of philanthropist. as we know by
the prices charged; a house that nor
mally rented for s35 month is now in
the hands of a speculator who demands
$50 a month for the single floor. consist
Ing of three small rooms at the top of
the house, where there is not even water
supply.
The situation evidently calls for off,
cial action. MARIE DORIAN.
RICHMOND HILL, December IL.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
Surveyors Perils.
The Country of the Wild Kachins Ex-
plored by Native Burman.
From the Fefd

FROM the FsetoA
From Burma comes an account Of
a notable achievement by a native sur
veyor, Maung Pc. Maung Pc Joined
the Survey OF India as a pupil In 1900
and for thirteen years served In various
parts of Burma. In 1913 his chance
came, and he volunteered to penetrate q
wild and unadministered stretch OF ter
ritory between two branches of the IRA
waddy. known .as the Triangle" This
area was at that time quite UNEMPLOYED
and had never been entered by any Gov
eminent officials. owing to the hostile
nature Of the Kachins inhabiting It
Maung Pc started Off without any COM
panion or escort and was away six
months.
When he returned in the spring of
1914 he was able to produce a valuable
map, together with much Information
about the people. In the following win
ter no again spent six months in tho
Triangle" carrying on tho survey OF
the territory and establishing such
friendly relations with the chiefs that
several of them consented to accompany
him 70 meet an official OF the Indian
Government. blnco thcn Vhhub 70 hNS
spent some six months every winter in
the territory. gradually extending the
survey and collecting information about
the tribes.
The task has not been free from dam
gor, and several times Maung Pc has
narrowly escaped being murdered by the
Kachins. But he has made steady prog
rcss, and 1t is expected that he will have
completed the survey of the territory
by 1929. In recognition of his courage
ard loyalty he was presented In 1915
with silver mounted "dah" and GER
tifcate Of honor by the Ldeutenant-0ov~
ernor, while last year ne figured IN the
birthday honors Jist for q distinction
which he received from tho hands Of the
viceroy.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12

That a new expedition Is to under
take the ascent of Mount Everest and
the exploration Of It's slopes is an evil
dence Of the fascination that this, the
highest mountain In the world and
the one about which there Is perhaps
the least authentic information, holds
for the mountain climber and the
explorer. The expedition was planned
and Is supported by the Royal Geo
graphical Society and the Alpine Club,
which some time ago sent representa-
tives to India to take the initial steps
in the project.
1t is asserted. and perhaps asserted
truthfully, that no European has been
within sixty miles of Mount Everest.
For years It was confused with a peak
5000 feet lower and to the west. It
has no native designation, It's name
coming from the military engineer
who first fixed It's height by trigono-
metrical survey. Even view Of
Mount Everest, explorers say, gives
no idea Of It's height. 1t does not look
Its 29,141 feet of altitude above tho
sen because It does not expose a great
height Of slope; from one Of the points
Of observation IL shows only about
5000 feet, OF considerably less than
the slope shown by Mont Blanc, which
Is about half It's height.
Mount Everest Is we'll ond carefully
guarded not only by Its natural situa-
don but BY nns political conditions In
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
Laughter.
From the Washington Star.

From the Washington Star.
A baby laughs as II It's face
Reflected sunshine from the sky;
The light may fade and leave no trace
Amid the clouds, as years go by.
One man will show a cunning leer.
Or grin with avaricious pride;
Another with contemptuous sneer
Has put true laughter far aside.
A few retain the power to touch
Each weary day with generous fun.
All men attempt TO laugh; but much
Depends at last on how It's done.
PHrLANpER JOHNSON.