davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
Make 1t a Merry Christmas

Even as grim a monster as the
High Cost Of Living cannot hold his
own against the Christmas spirit.
Revised price lists in all the shops
have convinced buyers that the ap-
preaching holiday may be made as
joyful as any Of its predecessors
without putting any mortgage on
the future.
The fear that any sort Of Christ
mas this year would be a far too
expensive luxury for most people
has been dispelled by the announce
ments Of Yuletide bargains.
You will discover when you go
shopping that useful gifts of every
sort are to be had for less than you
paid for them last year. In many
lines prices are much lower. Read
justment to meet new conditions has
made this possible. Merchants have
taken the losses resulting from the
purchase of stocks at war prices.
The shopper who has been afraid
that the Christmas allowance would
not meet the Christmas budget is
going to be pleasantly disappointed
Christmas trade this year ought to
be better than it has been for long
time. The uncertainty about the
future which resulted in buyers
strike has passed. The necessaries
of life are again within reach. No
longer buyers need take anxious
thought of what they shall eat and
wherewithal they shall be clothed
for the coming year.
If they will meet the merchants
half way by making this a merry
Christmas for themselves, their
families, their friends and their
relatives they will serve themselves
twofold. For they will emerge from
the gloom of the last six months and
they will give an encouragement to
business that will react as happily
on themselves as it does on the
merchant.
Incidentally, it will start wheels
turning and fires blazing in many
factories that have been temporarily
closed and enable the country to
catch up with production-the one
thing needful to insure prosperity
in 1921.
Don't be afraid to buy Christmas
gifts that are within your means.
Money put into circulation wisely is
like bread cast upon the waters.
Foolish spending is always waste.
Wise spending is always economy.
There is no reason why this should
not be the merriest Christmas we
have known since 1918. Do YOUR
part in celebrating it, and it will be.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
Still Imperfect
(Fron, Tho 10, Ano,,,, 1-.,r

fFror, Tho Los Angeles Times,
The Federal Prohibition Director in
New York has a plan that may inter
fere with the operations Of the boot
leggers. He proposes to furnish an
official escort for every drop of liquor
from the time Of its withdrawal from
the warehouse until it reaches the
ultimate consumer. This method would
be rather expensive and the escort
would have to be large enough to
watch one another as we'll as the
whisky, but It should eliminate the
middleman. However. there is alwavs
the question whether the ultimate con-
sumer is really the person he Is pre-
sumed to be. There is no absolute
assurance that he himself might not
nave strain Of bootlcggcr In his
veins.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
The Soap.Boxer as He Is

That the Rev. DR.. Percy Stickney
Grant still desires to make the
church can umbrella for the soap
box orator" shows that he is a gen.
tleman whose hope triumphs over
his experience. No one who has
attended his famous Forum and
seen him vainly struggling to re-
duce "spouters' to some degree of
order, relevance and reason will
doubt he knows the soap-boxer as
he is. The good doctor, with the
greatest wish in the world to be
tolerant, has been compelled to apply
in an institution devoted to free
speech rules and a censorship as
stringent as any Senator Lusk or
Attorney General Palmer ever pro-
posed.
The soap-box orator is not difficult
to identify. This violent and volu-
BILE person is about three-fourths
sheer egotist and notoriety seeker.
dis remaining one-fourth is about
one-half hate and envy with the
final fraction made of anarchism in
Its various unlovely manifestations.
For the Church to take up and
recognize those who are controlled
by passion of malignant suspicion,
and who denounce religion as saw
agely as they did patriotism, is as
II the money changers, instead of
being driven out of the courts Of
the Temple, had been invited to pur-
sue their business in the Holv of
Holes.
During the war the soap box was
the rostrum Of the draft defer. the
pro-German and every element that
was arrayed against the govern
ment. To-day it is occupied by de-
Tenders Of the Wall Street bomb out
rage and by the partisans of Bill"
Haywood and his crowd
1t is true that some of the
churches fail in their duty. Certain
OF them may be too exclusive to be
truly Christian. Fey, perhaps,
allure to brighter worlds and lead
the way" as they might do.
But neither their spiritual inf1u
cnce nor their practical helpfulness
seems increased by admitting to
their pulpits men whose creed is
anarchy and whose mission it is to
make human beings distrust one
another.
For any church to follow DR..
Grants advice would be to lay its
pastors or wardcns or dcacons open
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
Olive Schreiner, Pioneer

It was in 1883 that The Story Of
an African Farm appeared, and any
one who remembers that year and
period can testify to the courage and
creative Intelligence which that vol
un1e represented. There have been
those to lament that Olive Schreiner,
the novelist, was swallowed up in the
reformer. But such wishes and
speculation are idle and futile. Mrs.
Schreiner became that which her
heart Of hearts urged her to be-
few enough enjoy such good for
tune-and the world is infinitely
richer for her decision. Against any
hypothetical novels sacrificed can
be set an influence upon the mind of
her time poignant and as far heard
as English speech.
The contrast which Mrs. Schreiner
made with Mrs. Humphry Ward
was thorough and significant. Both
women were deeply affected by the
religious unrest Of their time. But
something of the splendor Of the
open, pioneer life gave Mrs.
Schreiner an optimism, new faith,
that Mrs. Wards highly civilized
surroundings and inheritance pre-
vented. That optimism expressed it.
self largely in new faith in woman
and made Mrs. Schreiner a true
pioneer in the feminist movement
now eliminating. While Mrs Ward
set her face against the new STIR
rings in women's minds and hearts,
Mrs. Schreiner hearkened to them
and inspired them.
1t is greatly to Mrs. Schreiner's
credit that she saw not only the
spiritual side of woman's new life,
but the economic aspects as we'll.
Her Woman and Labor, published
in 1911, was pioneer work in this
field, now commonplace Of the
social and economic world. Mrs.
Schreiner was born in 1862. Her
death at the age of sixty rounds
out period Of seed time and har-
vest seldom accorded to a pioneer.
Her life and her great labor are
vivid reminders that Great Britain,
like America, has been profoundly
influenced by her frontiers, that the
men and the women of her empire, as
of our Republic, who have gone forth
to redeem the wilderness have been
a continuing source of freedom and
Of strength.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
Wrecking Ireland

Where lies the responsibility for
the latest series Of Cork outrages
many persons are unfortunately like
ly to decide according to their preju-
dices. The candid, however, will be
disposed to withhold confident judg-
9nent. Conditions have reached such
pass in lreland's disturbed areas
that it is no longer safe to accept at
their letter the heated statements of
either side.
But while blame for particular
atrocities can scarcely be located, it
is possible to form some opinion as
10 where lodges ultimate responsible
ity for the conditions whose bitter
fruits are murder and areon. The
soIi was prepared and the seed was
planted when the majority Of the
Irish people, repudiating John Red
mond and his policy, fell under the
control Of ar organization which
made no secret Of its purpose to
start a war" and that in the
wars prosecution all and any means
could be employed. When this
typically German doctrine was spon-
'sored it was certain that extremists
III both sides would burn and az
easrinate.
In their hearts ono may BE- sure
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14

the masses Of all the Irish factions
have no sympathy either for assassi-
nations or for reprisals. They real
ize that these things mean a rend-
ing of the living body Of Ireland.
America may venture to exhort the
moderates of Ireland to assert them
selves. There is not promise in rely
ing on either Carson or De Valera.
Every lover Of Ireland in this
country should exercise such in
fluence as he possesses to discourage
further financing Of Irish anarchy.
Surely no true American wishes to
aid in making Ireland a shambles,
with race and religious bigotry
turned loose to spend itself in
ravaging attack and counter attack.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
New York, Dec. 10, 1920.
Concerning Mr.. Enright

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: You are doing great work for
the city in showing up the incompe-
tency Of the Police Department.
OF course, Mr.. Enright denies that
crime is rampant and that life and
property are no longer secure in the
City Of New York. This is to be ex-
pected.
1t is all disgrace to the civic pride
of our people.
You should keep up the good work
you are doing and lay the proofs that
you are securing before the best legis-
lative investiga ting committee that we
can get to show up the rottenness in
this unfortunate city.
CHARLES W. EVANS.
New York, Dec 9, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
A Christian Science Statement
To the Editor of The Tribune.


Sir: Please permit me to comment on
certain statements in the article "Sci-
ence Church Reinstates Twenty-six by
Court Order" which appeared in The
Tribune Of December TO- That the att
tude of the Mother Church was indl-
Gated by the alleged statements from
this office is quite unwarranted. am
credibly informed that the action of the
trustees of First Church in dismssing
the persons in question was unknown TO
the Christian Science board of d.
rectors in Boston. 1t is declared By
the trustees that these persons were
part of considerable body of mem
bers who were dropped because of in
activity and infrequent attendance upon
church services, in accordance with the
bylaws Of the cnurch and without ref
erence to previous church affiliations.
1t will be we'll to recall that the
charges upon which Mrs. Stetson vas
removed as a member of the Mother
Church, as announced by the Christian
Science board of directors on Novem-
Der 1S. 1909, and reported in The New
York Evening Sun Of that date, are as
follows: First, working against the
interests Of members of the church
who are not her followers and against
the interests of this church. Second,
persisting in teaching and practices
which are contrary to Christian Sci
ence." From that time there has been
evidenced no change Of thought upon
the part Of the board of directors as
to the character of Mrs. Stetscns
teachings.
ALBERT F. GILMORE,
Christian Science Committee on Pub
lication.
New York, Dec 10, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
Political Subserriency

There is another phase of this ques-
tion which is scarcely less damaging in
It's effect upon the navy personnel than
the arrogant claims of politics above
naval cfficiency-the tendency to make
the navy veritable school of politi-
cal servility. 1t is plain that unre-
stricted personal and political power
might dictate the detail of officers of
ability and independence to far-away
or unimportant stations and select for
positions Of honor and authority only
those who are willing to sink their
individuality and bow in self-efface-
ment to the tyrannical requirements
Of masterl It is unfortunate that
there are in all professions few men
who are willing to gain preferment by
the deliberate sacrifice of self-respect.
There are others who are inclined to
advocate what is right, but they often
think the situation is SO hopeless that
they cannot change it, and so they
decide to look out for their selfish per-
sonal and family interests and get the
best billet within their reach!
There is, however, third class of
naval officers, who, while serving with
true dignity and subordination under
the laws and regulations Of the navy,
will stand firmly and fsarlessly for
the good old traditions Of the navy and
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
A Legislative Investigation

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: AS citizen and taxpayer I
take off my hat to the splendid work
The New York Tribune is doing for the
City of New York. Your questions to.
day to Enright couldn't be improved
Enright will never answer them
The Police Department is the most
corrupt that was ever known in ou,
city. The only thing to do is to have 8
legislative investigation like the Lexou
committee, that will get the facts.
However, keep up the splendid work
you are doing. The Tribune is the
best and most fearless paper we have
to-day in our city. I read it every
morning before eat my breakfast,
T. r. HUNT.
New York, Dec. 10, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
The Senate Investigation,

Inc senate investigation
The testimony given in the Senate
investigation of the "conduct of the
war" revealed a startling condition of
personal self-effacement and willing
ness of certain officers to screen the
Navy Department from we'll merited
censure.
In the years from 1918 to 1917 the
navy as whole wished to prepare for
the war that was inevitable, and when
war was declared the navy wished to
jump in with full force at the start.
But the Navy Department and certain
meekly submissive naval officers stood
in the way. Thus Admiral Sims was
left for months with a puny little de-
stroyer force and one lone aid as our
contribution to the Allied naval forces
The testimony Of certain officers of
high rank whom Mr.. Daniels ac-
claimed as great admirals" and naval
statesmen" was depended upon to free
the Secretary from impeachment
Amazing to relate, several great ad-
mirals" rallied to his support They
declared that a neutral nation could
not prepare for inevitable war! One
Of them capped the climax of naval
debasement by asserting that we could
not prepare for war until Germany de-
creed unrestricted sinkings! The Lusi-
tania incident and the brutal killing
of hundreds of helpless men, women
and children were as nothing to him.
Great Adn,iraIs
Moreover, in the zeal Of their per
sonal service, to the Secretary Of
the Navy, several great admirals"
testified that our fleet, as it came north
from Cuba, in March, 1917, with no
scouts or screening vessels, cruisers
or submarines, and with tiny little
force of twenty-six destroyers, could
have successfully engaged the German
fleet that fought the Grand Fleet at
Jutland. One admiral declared that
the five German battle-cruiscrs with
their forty-fou- II and IL inch guns
could be ignored, notwith hstanding the
we'll known fact that these five ships
fought four English dreadnoughts and
nine English battle-cruisers, sinking
three Of the latter! Fortunately for
the reputation Of the Secretary's de-
Tenders, three of them dissented from
this view. One admitted that it would
have been dangerous" another that it
would have been impossible" and the
third that it would have been "crimi.
nal" to put an unscreened feet against It
another fleet supplied with the auxil-
iaries that are vitally necessary in a
modern naval battle.
1t is far within the truth to assert
that the United States would not be
justified in entrusting the command of
its fleets in war nor their training in
peace to great admirals" some OF
whom have never been to the Naval
War College and all of whom exhibit
such a lamentable ignorance of naval
tactics and strategy.
Reviewing the testimony Of the
Secretary's defenders, we find a sorry
record, in which the interests of the
navy and the nation were sacrificed to
desire to protect their benefactor.
One Of these gentlemen stated that he
came to protect the good name OF the
navy" But the good name of the navy
had only been endangered by the Navy
Departments policies, and this officers
testimony convinced the navy that such
self-appointed defenders" were most
to be feared.
The navy truly respects the officer
who declines to trim or truckle, and
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
The End of Enright

When Mrs. Ellen O'Grady was
told by police official that she was
"too damned officious" what was she
doing? She was trying to the best
of her ability with the limited equip
ment allowed her to protect the lives
and morals of the children Of the
city from fire and worse at the mo-
tion picture houses.
Her squad Of policewomen was
being largely devoted to keeping out
of these houses children under age
unaccompanied by parents or guard
ians-which is to say she was seek
ing to enforce law designed pri-
marily to protect young girls from
the professional corruptors Of virtue.
What else was Mrs. O'Grady do
ing? She was endeavoring to save
missing girls" from the fate which
inevitably awaited them if their par
ents did not find them-soon. She
had some able detectives on her staff
Mrs. Mary Goodwin, for example,
raised to the rank of detective SER
geant by Arthur Woods for con-
spicuous service. And what was the
climax of interference with Mrs.
O'Grady's work in this field? On
the same day that the parents Of a
missing girl came to her Office, weep
ing, pleading for aid, Mrs. Goodwin
was detached from detective work
and assigned to the labor of solicit
ing subscriptions for the police hos
pital. The coincidence in point of
time was doubtless chance. But what
shall be said Of police policy which,
here and all along the line, as the
Tribune investigation showed, con-
sistently detached able detectives
from their pursuit of criminals and
set them to special details where
their ability was utterly wasted?
There is much that remains to be
investigated. When Mrs. O'Grady
says that she went to arrest a man
of the Commissioners Office and was
not permitted to, what does she
mean? In the motion picture stu
alton, who is this Mr.. Cohen with
whom the police were asked to COL
laborate in supervising the motion
picture houses? What reason was
thero for subordinating an expert
and official of the Police Depart
ment to a representative Of the very
industry involved.
All this remains to be investi-
gated and determined by the proper
authorities. But already the sus-
picions of the people of New York
have ripened into conviction. A
police administration, whatever the
cause Of its incompetence, obstructs
measures designed for the protection
of the lives and morals of the city's
children and Is a stencil in the nos
trils of decent citizens. When Mrs
Ellen O'Grady exclaimed at Police
Headquarters, "The atmosphere here
is rotten!" she expressed the solemn
truth. Upon a city sick at hear,
and filled with dismay fall these
charges.
The end Of Commissioner En-
right should be swift. Whether he
resigns or not is Of small moment
If ne does not resign Mayor Hylar
should act forthwith. And whethe,
or not he leaves Office voluntarily, h,
must face the consequences Of hi
acts before tribunals with power t,
Judge him according to the facts.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
The Next War

is that the Polish government and
people are getting ready for the
Bolshevist attack which they expect
will come in the spring or early
summer. The pacifsts Of Moscow
have not demobilized their army.
They are recruiting twenty-seven
divisions up to full strength. Poland
is under no illusion as to what Is
intended.
The first item on tho Bolshevist
programme is seizure Of Wilma on
some pretext. Then tho Red army,
if the former Western allies con-
tinue disunifed, will sweep west and
overrun Poland. What will then be
done was foreshadowed earlier in
the year when Poland was thought
to be beaten. A dummy Bolshevist
republic will be set up and Poland
thus practically re-annexed to Rus
sia. Coincidentally Lithuainia and
Latvia will be made Russian append
ages. The Ukraine already having
been reconquered, Russia will thus
include once more, with the possible
exception of Finland, the patrimony
Of the Czar.
Perhaps at the same time, but if
not then soon thereafter, the British
power in India is listed for attack
through Afghanistan. Bolshevist
agents have long been aware that
the tribes of Central Asia are be-
ing worked on, and high hopes are
entertained of an melted native
rising in India itself. Russian con-
quest has been successfully achieved
in the Caucasus region, where, in
cooperation with the Turk, Armenia
has been partitioned, and south of
the Caspian Persia is to be ab-
sorbed.
Russia to-day is more imperial
istic than in the days Of the cars.
The cars were restrained by dynas-
tic reasons and some sense Of de-
cency, while Bolshevist Russia is in
! the grip Of the psychology Of the
Mongols, and, whether he planned
so or not, Lenine is a Tartar despot.
The world would not see the Ger
man peril in time, and so rivers of
blood flowed. So far it has refused
to perceive the Russian danger. It
has been fooled by propaganda and
words. 1t has shut it's eyes to the
elemental truth that vast popula-
tions do not quickly. alter their
characters; that Russia is Russia
and will remain so; that 170,0OO,000
people who can be used without
stint as the cannon fodder of the
small imperialistic group holding
mastery over them constitute a for
midable menace to peace every
where.
A lineup Of the world is threat
ened which will be largely the same
as that of 1914, only more alarming
because Russia will be on the side
hostile to civilization. This has come
about because pacifist influence has
been strong enough in the United
States and Great Britain to prevent
the writing Of a safe peace, with
the Western powers in firm alliance
to guard its terms.
Mankind will be fortunate If it
escapes another and greater horror
in consequence Of the application Of
peace without victory" ideas and
the failure to stamp out disorder in
Russia when the task was easy.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
GUAR ~

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advertiser does not
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
Seruility in the Navy
By Quarterback

disdainfully refuse to purchase promo
ton or preferment by seeming to ap-
prove, or failing to condemn, measures
which they know to be harmful to the
service
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
Patriotic Subordinntion

The civil power under our Constitu-
ton should at all times promote the
highest possible standard of personal
fearlessness and independence of char
acter among officers of the navy con-
sistent with the legitimate limitation
imposed by the subordination which
naval traditions demand. Any ten
dency, born of politics, to reward ser
Witty or to increase the number Of
weakened naval officers by appealing
to their selfish interests should be un-
sparingly condemned. There must be
system in the Navy Department that
will bring strong, active, Independent
men to the front-men who are loyal
to the navy, and to their country above
all things else.
The navy is neither political ma
chine nor a field for the exploitation
Of the personal fads and extreme preju-
dices of successive oficeholders. 1t is
military service belonging % the
whole country-not to an indisu },.'-
and it is absolutely dependent 70. :.
efficiency upon the fearlessness, fore
fulness and devotion to duty of Off
GERS Of high rank
Officers Of ability Will be powerless
and the navy will never be ready for
war if promotion and reward, under
the debasing influence of politics, are
dependent upon the complete personal
subserviency of our naval officers to
temporary civil dictatorship.
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Associated Press Is exclusively entitled TO tho
vss fcs republication Of all dispatches
c.ci'ted IL otherwise credited In this paper
and also The local news Of spontaneous origin pub
lsled herein
All rights OF republication OF al other mitter
herein reserved
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
The New Oliver Twist

(From The Dcs Aoincs ReoisteT)
Every time we hear from D'Annunzie
he seems to be wanting something
more in the way Of land or sea
New-York tribune., 1920-12-14
Longing for Divorce

(Fron The Chicago Daily NesusS
II Ireland could be towed across the
Atlantic, England you'd gladly furnish
the tow and set Ireland free In the
bargain.