davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17
1.-THE vALoR OF IGNORANCE" I"

From unparalleled negligence IN permitting
the nation to drift along through two years
rand a half of world war with no move toward
adequate preparedness, Mr. Wilson went to the
other extreme of recklessness when the United
States finally had thrown in her lot on the side
Of the allies. He was for rushing headlong at
the enemy, and risking the success OF the whole
Jailed cause in the vain hope OF subdulng the
Submarine menace In a speech to the officers
ioe the Atlantic fleet in August, 1917, made pub
lie the other day for the first time by Secretary
Daniels, the president advocated a naval strate-
!gy which, if it had been followed would have
brought immediate disaster to our arms and
won the war for Germany in few weeks.
Mr. Wilson entertained the conviction that
If the German submarine bases could be destroy
ed the war would be won by the allies He fa-
vored an attack on those bases by the combined
fleets of England and the United States. Il
am willing" said the president to Admiral
Mayo and his fleet officers . to sacrlfce halt
the navy Great Britain and we together have to
crush that nest, because if we crush it, the war
Is won' With what grim smiles must Mayo
and the other naval experts have greeted that
statement They knew that if the submarine
menace was stopped at the cost OF half OF the al
lied fleet the war would be won by Germany
and not the allies With the English grand
fleet reduced one half the German fleet could
have defeated it with ease, and from that date
control of the seas would have passed from
England to Germany Thenceforth not an
American soldier could have been transported
to Europe and not ton of supplies could have
been sent across the seas England, likewise,
would have been isolated from her armies
across the channel. The defeat of the land
forces of the allies would have been assured, to
be rapidly followed by the invasion Of England,
and later of the United States. Mr.. Wilson's
advice was nothing less than suicidal
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17
SAVE THE POSTAL SERVICE.

New York Times: In the New
York postoffice there is sign offering
employment as letter carriers to new
men at so cents an hour. The reg
ular members of the force see this
sign as often as they go in and out
On entering the service they had to
pass strict qualifying examination
and for many years received pay rang
ing only from $500 to $1,000 year
Even today, thoroughly qualified and
practiced as they are, they receive
only Al to 81 cents an hour as against
the so cents which is paid to raw re-
cruits. This is typical Df conditions
throughout the department. Some
of the higher officials are actually re-
ceiving less today than their predeces-
sors received forty years ago. Many
of them are receiving only per cent
more than the same position paid as
long ago as 1907. 1t is not strange
that there have been 800 designations
since the beginning Of the year, and
that designations are continuing at
the rate of 200 month. Good men
are going.
The authorities at Washington are
not unaware of the crisis. Fourteen
months ago federal commission be-
gan investigating postal wages. But as
yet it has made no report and congress
is likely to take recess in June.
Unless immediate action is taken busi-
ness is threatened with one more
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17
In domestic life:

In domestic life.
Grocers' scales all require new
poise weights, all notched bal
ance beams scrapped and new
ones provided, with new sliding
weights.
Peck and bushel measures dis
carded.
Litre larger than a quart, new
containers required.
Hectolitre, equal TO rs bushels,
not a practical unit
Prices on all commodities to be
readjusted TO new units.
In culinary matters:
All recipes to be readjusted to
kilogrammes and litres; cook
books TO be rewritten; general
confusion in kitchen operations.
New milk bottles.
In other household affairs:
Gas meters TO be replaced by
new system of units of volume,
or readings of meters taken In
one system and converted into
the other, TO avoid scrapping
meters in use.
Water meters in same category
as gas meters.
Tape measures and yard sticks
to be discarded.
In shopping:
Counter measuring machines TO
be reconstructed, yards 10
metres.
Dry goods to be folded at cot
ton and wooden mills in metre
folds instead OF yard folds, re-
quiring change Of machinery.
Photographic plates IN common
sizes to be known by awkward
combina tons of figures. An s by
10 plate becomes 2O3 by 254 milli-
metres.
Quires and reams to be dis
placed by decimal muldples. re-
ing plants.
All containers and cartons TO
be modified in sizes and shapes
to be adapted to new unit sizes
Shirts. collars and cuffs to be
known by strange names of sizes.
A 16-in. becomes a 406-millimetre
collar. A 187-milhmetre hat is
worn instead of rs IN.
In building materials and con-
struction:
Abandon board measure and
substitute square decimetres, CEN
tares, or ares
Doors familiar TO all builders
as 2 IT. 6 in. by TT. s in. become
762 by 2o32 millimeues.
An ordinary brick is 81 by 10l
by 203 millimtstres. ..
Sizes of sasn also are convert
ed into strange units. Weights
of tin, terne, copper, zinc, lead
sheets and plates placed before
builders in unknown units, IN
awkawrd combinations.
Molds and pallets in brickyards
to be changed to new units or IN
convenient numbers used to rep
resent sizes.
Earth excavation on basis of
cubic metres, representing about
1.3 Gu. yd. Designation or
shovels and dippers in excavating
machinery to be in fractions or
cubic metres instead of definite
yards.
All architects drawings to be
in new units, involving a most
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17
What the Metric System Would Mean

perplexing conversion or current
building material units or made
up on system that Will involve
changes in all woodworking ma
chinery to meet metric units.
In railroad affairs:
Change in position and renum-
bering of. say. 100000 mile posts,
an incidental and minor affair
relative to other changes.
Standard gage of track becomes
known as 1,435 millimetres.
Change in timetable mileages.
Books of rules rewritten and
speeds given in new units in
stead of miles per hour. Slow
boards all repainted with new
speeds thereon.
Speed recorders scrapped or re-
modelled.
Employees instructed in new
method Of estimating speeds.
Dimensions of all wheels,
axles, standard parts of car con-
struction changed into new units.
Railroad track and warehouse
scales to, be reconstructed into
metric units. Capacity OF cars
to be in new units.
In public land surveys:
Lands in many states surveyed
and staked out in townships, Sec
tions, quarter sections and eighth
sections, in none of which diyi-
sions is there an easy conversion
into metric units.
In reconveyance of lands,
present deeds giving metes and
bounds in English units would
require expensive and elaborate
efforts TO put dimensions and
areas in metric units, which II
correctly made would still be un-
Ineligible to most people.
AS great as the confusion in
the few respects above mention
ed and as expensive as the pro-
cess would be in all the usual
affairs of life, these few enumer-
ated examples pale into insignifi-
canoe beside the cost involved in
making the conversion in the
manufa turing industries. The
cost of the war is but a fraction
of that which would confront the
general industries of the country.
Virtual scrapping of all small
tools and fixtures would be faced
by manufacturers were such an
act Of congress passed.
A colossal fortune in changes
of lead screws and screw cutting
gears in lathes alone is involved.
In all machines the changes
become of such staggering
nature their mere contemplation
is most depressing. Days would
be required simply to state the
number of changes involved in
the industries.
The ravages of war have fixed
and definite limits of territory.
The ravages of the metric sys-
tenn changes would be universal
in domestic affairs.
Compulsory legislation in this
matter would plunge the nation
into economic disorder, wiping.
out values in billions of dollars.
A dual system is confusing be-
yond description. Two systems
do not admit of being in common
use A gradual change, piece
meal, is impracticable. A sudden
sweeping change would throw the
entire country into disorder.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17
Every great man is always being helped
by everybody, for his gift is to get good out
Of all things and all persons.-Ruskin.
SAVING PAPER SUPPLY.

Whatever may come out OF the congressional
inquiry into the newsprnt situation it IS plain
IL at the best hopes of betternent lies in practc-
ing economy. The government ought to begin
this economy. 1t is printing much unnecessary
matter it is circulating matter printed far be-
yond any utility for its issues; it is employing
many unnecessary publicists who write volum-
inously to justify their employment. Congress
has done something to bring about economy but
this is but a small beginning at saving that a
drastic cutting down to essentials would bring
Paper is used unnecessarily in the industries
There would be Inconvenience and some disIo-
cation cf certain businesses caused by wide
economies in substituting other containers for
paper ones but this could be done without un-
due hardship if cooperative effort in the inter
est of paper conservation were started.
The schools could help. There is great
waste in the use Of paper coming from the un-
disciplined fashion in which pupils use the tab
let's and loose paper given them or bought by
them for their school work. The only way to
save paper or anything else is to stop using it
where it need not be used to secure essential
results. Congress may pass helpful regulations,
though this is doubtful; our foresters may get
the people to planting trees; the printing trades
and publishers may come TO efficient cO-opera-
ton But what can he Immediately done is to
save paper. Let the government begin at it and
call on the people to follow the example
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17
What Revolution Means.

T, George H. Sandison, in Christian
Herald: Is there one among any
ten good American citizens of your
acquaintance who you believe would
/ be able to state clearly and accurately
/ the real, basic facts about COM
munism, socialism, bolshevism and
| anarchism?
! Ii this question were put to one
! hundred citizens of average intelli-
gence-all men of assured loyalty
! do you believe that more than one
out of the whole number would be
found who could give satisfactory
ianswer-such an answer as would
satisfy and enlighten the others?
| Here is compact statement in the
| American communist manifesto OF
/ the scope of the communist interna-
! tional:
/ "The communist international rep
resents a socialism in complete &C
cord with the revolutionary characer
! of the class struggle. 1t unites all
the conscious revolutionary forces. 1t
wages war equally against imperial
| ism and moderate socialism-each OF
which has demonstrated its complete
inability to solve the problems that
now press down the workers. The
communist lIlEeFNdtlOHdl ClicIS d piS
Crane both immediate and ultimate
| in scope. The old order is in decay
! Civilization is in collapse. The
workers must prepare for the prole-
ltarlan revolution and the communis-
tic reconstruction OF society"
In discussing the programe of the
communist party the manifesto states
THAT it is fundamentally party OF
iaction," it directs the workers strug-
gle against capitalism developing full
Ter forms and purposes in this strug-
gle to conquer the power of the
state"---a political struggle"
! 1t is set forth that parliamentary
Representatives Of the communist par
ty shall not introduce or support re-
| form measures They shall "con-
isistently expose the oppressive class
character of the capitalist state, US
/! ing the legislative forum to empha-
! size and interpret the class struggle" :"
i Communists are forbidden to cooper
ate with groups or parties not commit
| ted to the revolutionary class strug-
/ lge.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17
"Say It With Flowers"

To the Editor or Inc gate Clty.
Sleeping in France are many thou
sand American soldiers. These are
the boys we sent away with cheers.
The parting cheer is the last thing
they remember of America, for des-
tiny and love of country ruled that
they should not return to receive the
welcome home. Now the little crosses
stand as perpetual monuments to the
patriotism and chivalry of American
manhood. They are our best evi-
dence to the rest of the world that
men still love their country enough
to die for it. They are the dead
whose spirit must guide us on to
nobler heights Of patriotism. On Me-
mortal day will we allow the decora-
tion of those hallowed graves to be
carried out by the French alone? We
know that the French people love
those graves and will cover them
with flowers and say prayer for
the boy sleeping there, and they will
not forget to give thanks for men
like him Don't you think he should
have one bouquet distinctly Ameri-
can? Surely we have not forgotten
so soon. One dollar to the flower
fund will place dozen beautiful
roses on grave "over there. Do
you remember what cover there"
meant to you two years ago? Every
store and every factory should take
up a collection Of nickels and dimes
for the flower fund. VIC do not want
large amounts, but ! am sure the
day will be more hallowed to us if
we can say that we have at least one
flower on the graves of our heroes
who sleep so far from home. Every
schoolroom should have collection
of pennies for this fund. We cannot
honor these men, for they have
achieved the height of honor. They
have been faithful to God, faithful
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17

setback. In happier times mer-
chant could send his mail to the box
with the assurance that it would be
delivered promptly and that an ans
wer- might be- exported on schedule
time Without such assurance all
business is disordered and keen COM
petition becomes impossible. Today
over one-third of the 10000 clerks in
the New York postoffice are new
hands. If this progressive loss of
trained men continues, the result
must be seriously harmful to the SER
vice.
Tho situation throws a vivid light
upon the general conduct of the de-
partment According to Secretary
Burleson's figures, there has been a
considerable profit. Such state
ment is made possible only by the alb
lsence Of items which would figure
prominently il the post office were
conducted as private enterprises have
to be conducted. Many overhead
charges are absent and the govern
ment has signal advantage in max
ing rates with the railways. And
now 1t appears that the great mass
of employees have been SO miserably
underpaid that the service is threat
ened with diSintegration. Yet Mr.. Bur
Lesson not only announced financial
triumph, but reduced the rate of post
age from the three-cent to the two.
cent basis. The wartime increase
was a tax imposed without expense
and collected from those who profited
by the service. But it was discarded
with a flourish. When the just and
inevitable increases of salary are
granted there will be no way equally
logical and economical of meeting the
deficit
! The time has come, nevertheless, to
cease playing for statistical results
with the department and get down to
business Whatever the cost, the
postal service must be saved.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17
TODAY'S BIT OF VERSE
THROUGH THE YEAR.

When the spring gtme promise fills the morning air,
Each young petal CLEANS more fresh and fan
Through the glistening dewdrops sparkling everywhere
When the heat of summer parches hlIl ana palh'
And the thirsty garden Quiyers as In PAIN
With what healing gladness comes the dancing ram.
When the fruitful autumn, through purple haze,
Her abundant harvest layishy displays,
we acclaim her bounty with rejoicing praise
When the hand OF winter grips the dying year
And the world seems gloomy. somber. dull and dreaT
How love the freight, with its warmth and cheer!
/ would give you, dearest, OF my heart and Drain
All the richest fruitage; soothe fatigue and pam
With q love as healing the summer rain
Through the changing seasons thing still is true
Fervent as the fire, tender the dew,
Is the love, my darling, that / hold for YOU
Iris. in Chicago Tribune.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17

among Akron's citizens. 1t is manu-
featuring city and it's chief business
is the manufacture of rubber tires
and rims.
The city got it's start in the world
by building up a cereal business,
making use Of the grain produced in
that section of Ohio, and by turning
the clay of its adjoining hills into
brickf tile. and pipe. Then it went
into the manufacture of tires, busi.
ness in which it dominates.
Without the enlistment OF it's civic
spirit, Akron probably would have
remained in the class of moderately
progressive and moderately prosper
pus inland cities which are found
throughout the central states. Twenty
years ago it was a small town. II
got ahead because its people got to-
gether and pulled together
Comparatively recent happenings
in Akron furnish the clue to Akron's
success. When, during the war, rail-
road freight service failed the city.
its manufacturers promptly purchased
motor trucks with which to move
their products and bring in raw ma
terial. When it realized that there
was housing problem ahead of it.
its people Immediately organized a
$4,000, 900 corporation to build houses.
They put another s500O,000 into Il
hospital and $20O0,00O into well
fare work fund for emergencies. It
is now putting s12,506 900 into new
hotels. ..
Business conditions have, OF course,
prospered Akron. But these condi-
tions have obtained elsewhere. Akron
has been forward and prompt in TAX
ing advantage of them.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17
LIVED ON HIS WINNINGS?

Richard Crocker former ''hoss" Of New
York City by virtue Of his headship in the Tam
many organization, in his version Of his family
relations makes himself out a vertahIe King
Lear with a marbIe-hearted progeny whose
thanklessness is sharper than serpent 5 tooth
There is nothing inherently incredible in this
for the situation is not new in human expert
encc The statement that strains belief is that
he was a poor man when he withdrew from
Tammanv as its dominating individuality; and
the statement which stretches it closer to the
breaking point is that he lived for ten years on
his race track winnings. The possibility Of this
is not denied; but if the old sachem has a Sys-
tenn which works out as we'll as that, it would
be a priceless legacy to his sons and worth more
to them than such part of his ten-milllon-dol-
lar estate as they seem likely to get. Hosts of
keen and persevering mtelects have sought
that infallible system through vicissitudinouS
lives and mourned because they found it not
and whether Mr.. Crockcr stumbled on it OF
evolved it by concentrated thought, it is a dis
covery which puts him first in the ranks of in
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17

vestigators into the law Of probabilities, II
there is such a law Inasmuch as one horse,
one color, one card must win and another lose,
it seems as though it should not battle mental
processes to determine which. But simple as
it seems, it has defed all efforts at solution un
til now, unless this deep deliver has laid the
secret bare. But whether he has really found
this purse of Fortunatus," it must be admit
ted that the old sachem has countered heavily
on his children who impugned his mentality
and the morality of his wife
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17
cLEyERNEss AND GOODNESS.

What is cIeverness? It has been suggested
that the general impression is one must be
somewhat of rogue in order to be clever. The
statement of Macaulay gives force to this as
sumption: Though there were many clever
men in England during the latter half OF the
seventeenth century, there were only two great
creative minds'' And Carlyle says ''clever
men are good, but they are not the hest.
But why should cleverness be looked upon as
antagonistic to goodness Charles Kingsley's
lines seem to imply such antagonlsm:
Be good my girls, and let who may be clever,
Do noble deeds not dream them all day long!
The word "clever'' was originally used only
bv the uneducated Trench in his work, Eng
lish Past and Present, F" describes it as "a low
born word which without observation found us
vav into good society,"" In the dictionary the
meanings given for ''clever" as ready, =
.'alroit,n - Edexterous, 'scapable" and 'sa-
gacious'' But in the United States the ad-
iective is colloquially used in the sense OF
"good-natured'' or ''obliging:" The country
folk in England call an athlete ''clever' when
he is agile or physically active.
Thus words are not infrequently dubious
labels which may be useful for the purpose or
deception. But why should ceverness be oil
vorcod from goodness7 Why should ability be
inconsistent with honesty? Skill and integrity
NAV 90 together and so we may venture to re-
write Kngslcy's words without destroying tne
meter: i.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17
Voice of the People

IUnder this head The Daily Gate
City will publish communications on
any and all subjects of interest to the
people generally, reserving the right
10 reject unworthy articles or those
inspired by personal animosity or
malice. All communications must be
accompanied by the names of the
writer's. The Gate City does not
assume responsibility for opinions or
sentiments expressed in any COM
munication.l -
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17
WHAT CIVIC SPIRIT DID.

Illinois State Journal: Akron,
Ohio, be it known, is a banner Guy
of the United States with respect 10
increased population in the last de-
cade. It's census figures show tnat u
made a gain of more than 200 per
cent. from 1910 to 1920.
Akron has no special advantages
other than the enterprise OF those
engaged in it's basic industries AMI
the spirit of cooperation prevailing
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1920-05-17
IOWA PRESS COMMENT.

Jefferson Bee: The worst peril
which confronts the republican party
is Hiram johnson. This is year OF
great possibilities for republicanism
in the nation. The people are out of
patience with the democratic manage
ment of national affairs. Nearly any
representative republican can lead the
party to victory as its candidate for
president, but we doubt if Hiram John
son could do 1t. We doubt II the
republican party ought to win if john
son is nominated.
Manson Democrat: IF the people
rule why don't they get what they
want?" used to be one of Bryan's old
time war-whoops. If they could get
what they want right now most OF EN-
would take beer.
Algona Upper Des Moines-Repubii-
can: From some Of Bryan's argu-
ments one would imagine that ms
grape Juice had ferInented.
Davenport Democrat: Senator
Johnson should beware of getting into
a discussion with Herbert Hoover.
While Hiram can talk any kind OF stun
To his audiences, a debate in print with
any clear-headed American would
place him at an enormous dlsadVan-
tage.
Marshalltown Times Republican:
Why shouldn't women be ordained
ministers of the gospel? The women
are the mainstay OF the churches.
They are not barred by reason OF IN
capacity, for most of them are more
intelligent than the men they have TO
live with.
Perry Chief: President Wilson
has won the title of greatest in at
least one thing ExPresident Iatt
says he is the greatest obstructlonlst
in Washington.
Webster City Freeman-Journal: Inc
country seems to have lost all interest
in the question of whether or not the
president will be a candidate for a
third term. He probably couldn't
get the nomination if he wanted II
and If he did get it, couldn't come
within forty miles of being elected 30
what's the use of worrying?
yipton Eagle: OF course much De
pends upon the way citizens vote this
wear but more depends upon the way
they plow, dig and hustle.