davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
The Point of the Sims Charges

Admiral Sims yesterday reiterated
his charges Of inefficient naval ad
ministration during the war. He
drew sharp distinction between the
magnificent way in which the navy
functioned in 1918, after it really
got into the war;" and the halting
way in which it functioned in 1917,
when, apparently, clear war plan
was lacking.
Admiral Sims has been put
wrongly in the attitude of attack
ing individuals--even Of attacking
Civilian control" Of the navy.
"Civilian control" is unavoidable,
since the Secretary Of the Navy is
the controlling power in the depart
ment, and over him stands the Pres
ident, who is the Commander in
Chief. The question which the ad-
miral raises is not whether "civilian
control" ought to be superseded by
professional cAntrol, but whether the
existing CONTROL had made sufficient
use of the professional advice avail
able for shaping a war program.
Naval operating plans must be
made ahead, just as army operating
plans must be. That Is what general
stats and war colleges are for. Ad-
miral Fiske gave the Navy Depart
ment ample warning, in the earlier
stages of the World War, that there
was little chance that the United
States could be kept out Of it. Every
intelligent naval strategist could see
the necessity Of working out a
scheme Of operations, to fit contin-
gencies. That should have been a
matter Of routine precaution. The
question Is whether the Navy De-
partment actually did have plan
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
The Relief of Vienna
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: At the last meeting Of our e.
ecutive committee the report as re'
showed that almost $4,000 had pe''
sent for the purchase Of clothing f"
be used mainly for the little ones =
the stricken City of Vienna. A mss.
sage received from the President D.
the Republic Of Austria gives the j
formation that the children below 'os'
years are the chief sufferers, and ''''
1t is no uncommon sight to see ''~
wrapped in paper and the Larger s'A'
dren in burlap and in rags.
The awful need of clothing ana wy
plies in the hospitals where so mo-
convalescent children are cared -
has prompted the relief COMMITTEES :
concentrate a good portion OF the wv =.
to relieve the condition. aifss''
about ten thousand dollars have 0s'
sent through both the American =
lief Administration and the An'el''''
Friends Service Committee {QuaAs'4
Of Philadelphia, which is doing spss
did work at present. The response =
| tickets for the concert. at which p''''
nent operate stars will participate r. =.
which will take place on March u y, ,,
Patrick's Day. at the LieaefA'-,
Hall in East Fifty eighth Street, ID '''''
gratifying. !.
Mr.. Sidney Rich, former A''e's,.
vice-Consul in Germany, is gis'Ds
good portion of his time in pfias'
to the attention of Americans the y
perate needs of the children a0i's.
He has recently returned from - -
tracted visit abroad and has mos
thetic stories to relate Of tneE =
ferings.
Contributions of any arnouns :.
| matter how small, are grateiu's :. .
ceived and acknowledged by the ~ 49,,
ican Clothing and Hospital ~. :,
Yorkville Bank. Eighty-ffsh Ssrss'
Third Avenue, New York City.
AMERICAN CLOTHING REIass'
New York, March 3, 1920 -
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10

worked out and whether it was pre-
pared to apply 1t with vigor from the
day war was declared.
War with Germany didn't take the
country unawares. Diplomatic re-
lations with Germany had been sus-
pended for q couple Of months. A
clash with Germany had been indi-
Gated long in advance-from the day
of the Lusitania massacre. The real
point made by Admiral Sims is that
even after war was declared there
were no signs Of a clear and vigor-
GUS offensive or defensive policy at
sea. In the first six or eight months
of the war, he holds, "the depart
ment violated numerous we'll recog-
nized and fundamental principles Of
war"
Here is the gist Of the Sims criti-
cism:
"1f I am wrong and we were pre-
pared, and if we had plans before
and at the beginning Of the war SINH
lar to those announced on paper some
time after we declared war, and II
such plans were in accordance with
the policy which was actively and
actually pursued at the end Of the
first six or eight months Of the war,
then is it not a grave error that all
the forces, men and ships which were
actively engaged in the war zone at
the end Of this six months delay
were not there at the end Of the first
month 2"
That is the main thing to be de-
termined by the present inquiry.
The issue rises above partisanship
and personalities. 1t concerns the
future Of the navy and the vital in
terests Of the country to know
whether or not we have a working
system Of strategy according to
which the navy can be operated
when the hour strikes to fight.
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10

who hold securities for q rise to seize
on any change as ''bull" argument.
But as important as the direct ef-
feet Of the decision is the indirect
influence It Is likely to exert. It en-
courages managers Of property to
believe they are to have greater free
dom in the management Of business
confided to them. Companies, in
stead Of dissipating their resources,
may be led to invest their surpluses
in improvements, issuing stock
against them without falling under
penalty. What the public wants is
betterments, and in every way the
path thereto should be smoothed.
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
By
Hcypoed Broun

glad. I claim you as part Of my in
heritance-the most valued, the most
welcome portion, if you so will It, If
| can help, serve, comfort you, I am
ready to do so to the utmost Of my poor
capacity"
Alexis, Lord Oxley, made no reply,
but it was evident that he accepted her
offer of service and comfort graciously,
for he continued to call regularly. His
manners were perfect, although it is
true that he never sent up his card, and
yet in one matter Frances felt COM
PEELED to chide him and even tearfully
implore reformation. 1t made her
nervous when she noticed one day that
he carried in his right hand the ghost
of the pistol with which he had shot
himself. Agreeably he abandoned his
century old habit but later he was able
to give more convincing proof Of his
regard for Frances. She was alone in
the Tall Villa when her husbands vuI-
gar friend, Morris Montagu, called. He
came to tell her that her husband was
behaving disgracefully in South Amer
ica, and on the strength Of that fact he
made aggressive love. "Montagu's voice
grew rasping and hoarse But before,
paralyzed by disgust and amazement,
Frances had time to apprehend his
meaning or combat his purpose, his
coarse, pawlike-though much mani
cured-hand grasped her wrist"
Suddenly the room grew chilly and
Morris Montagu, in mortal terror, re-
laxed his grip and began to run for
the door as he cried, Keep off, you
accursed devil, tell you. Don't touch
me. All! All! Damn you, keep off"-
1t is evident to the reader that the
ghost Of Alexis, Lord Oxley, is giving
the vulgar fellow what used to be
known as "the buns rush" in the days
before the Volstead act At any rate.
the voice of Montagu grew feeble and
distant and died away in the hall. Then
the front door slammed. Frances was
saved!
After that, of course, it was evident
to Alexis, Lord Oxley, and Frances tina.
they loved each other. He began to
talk to her in husky and highfalutin
style. He even stood close to her chair
and patted her head "Presently," writes
Lucas Malet, "his hand dwelt shyly,
lingeringly upon her bent head, her
cheek, the nape Of her slender neck. And
Frances felt his hand as a chill vet
tender draw, encircling, playing upon
her. This affected her profoundly, al
attacking her in some sort through the
medium Of her senses, from the human
side, and thereby augmenting rather
than allaying the fever Of her grief"
Naturally, things could not go on In
that way forever, and so Alexis, Lord
Oxley, arranged that Frances should
cross the bridge with him into the next
life. 1t was not difficult to arrange
this. She had only to die. And so she
did. All of which goes 20 prove that
though it is we'll to be polite and well
spoken to ghosts, they will bear watch
ing as much as other men.
"The Tall Villa is readable, though
it seems to us to deal seriously with q
theme which forever trembles on the
brink Of burlesque
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
The Head of the Family

we lear That only q cellbate could
have uttered Cardinal O'Connell's
plea to males to assert their dignity.
and leadership. Alas! marital dig
nifty cannot be maintained or re-
stored by any such easy method as
asserting it. Can any dignity be
saved by throwing out the chest and
in the chin and declaiming orders in
q loud, firm tone of voice? We have
yet to see such a result. The near
est appearance to it is occasionally
found in certain variations Of the
happy home. But it is only an ap-
pearance there, an easy pretense by
which male vanity is sated and femi-
nine subordination officially pro-
claimed while the matriarchy Of the
American family swishes on its GER
tain and mistressful way unabated.
Are men therefore feminized or in
danger Of becoming feminized? Is
the American mother turning patri-
archal in soul as we'll as in authority
and emoluments? We doubt either
peril, Cardinal O'Connell's eminent
authority to the contrary notwith-
standing. By the Turks standard
there might be something in the
criticism. The American male is
sad decline, patriarchally speaking,
from the magnificent Turk; and the
most shrinking American woman is
brazen, sexless monster by harem
standards. Taking a long look at
the processes of civilization, we sup
pose men have been gradually femi-
nized in the sense Cardinal O'Con-
nell means, and women have corre-
spondingly lost some Of their utterly
feminine qualities as their uses to
society have broadened.
But has the process gone too far
in this country, far enough to de-
nland shouts Of warning and the for
nation Of he-male clubs and the OBJ
servation Of Fathers Day when
the titular head Of the family is to
be worshiped in his own right? Not
by any outward and visible signs we
can descry. The American mother
does run her home very much as if
it were her Job. The children are
largely hers to train and control In
the earlier years. That is part of
the working terms of partnership in
which the American marriage usu-
ally results. 1t is rather natural
division Of labor. AS the children
become older the American father
plays larger part.
If this joint control fails to bring
up children ideally there is some con-
ISOLATION in the fact that other sys-
TENS seem to err quite as egregiously
in other directions. Perhaps we are
too optimistic, but what we have
seen, for instance, of the British
husband in action and the British
child in inaction makes us regret
very little the American system of
ioint-stock control that at least per
mits all hands, big and little, to work
along without believing foreman
to scare and obstruct and repress.
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
Another War Message

Of the many extraordinary utter
ances Of the White House the latest.
it will be scarcely denied, is the
most extraordinary. Instead of re-
turning physical vigor softening the
Presidents weaknesses of temper,
his unreasoning acerbity seems to
grow.
This time he seems to curse out
practically everybody. Those whose
minds do not in all details go along
with his own-and there are many
such--are priona facae wicked and
detestable. The brave men, living
and dead, who won the war to pro-
tect their homelands and civiliza-
ton from a wolf that was loose,
and who sought a peace which
would insure the claiming of the
wolf until it's vulpine nature showed
signs of change, are inferentially
condemned as imperialists who are
no better than the Germans of 1914
to 1918.
In all sobriety the question may
well be asked: "What right has any
man so to pass judgment on his
fellow beings?" For any one, no
matter how placed, to assume that
refusal to accept his decisions estab-
fishes blackness of heart is to re-
veal narrow arrogance which Is
rare in human annals.
To find a parallel one needs go
back to Omar the Caliph, who
burned the Alexandrian library on
the theory that if it's books but re-
peated the Koran they were unneces-
sary. Whereas, if they disagreed
with it they were vicious. Or to
old Procrustes, who placed those in
his power on his bed, chopping them
off if too long or stretching them
out if too short.
Amazement is not lessened by re-
calling that this utterance is from
the same man who said prior to our
entry that he did not know what
the war was about. Truly he did
not know. Seemingly, he never
learned. He never was really cured
cf his "peace-without-victory" idea
only kept silent with respect to it
for a time. Here is the source of
his error. The President is so con-
stituted as not to perceive that hope
OF future peace was slight if a
record were not made that would
deter ether would-be conquerors.
The net effect of the PRESIDENT s
diplomacy, in both its secret and
public aspects, is to bring almost to
extinction the high hopes the world
entertained eighteen months ago
His activities at Paris and since
have relighted the fires of the old
jealousies and discords. He says he
does not like the old order, but he
has perpetuated it. He declaime
against balances Of power, but he
has contributed to creating a condi-
ton that makes such balances prac-
tically inevitable.
It is not as crusader for peace
that there is world objection to the
President, but as a fomenter Of bad
feeling, and thus of war.
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
Killing the Landlord
An Upltt Bill With a Brownsville
Trademark
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The Jesse rent commission
bill is Brownsville Bolshevik's
dream Of paradise. AS an example Of
half baked legislation it is inimitable
and would be entertaining If it affected
a less important matter. Freak bills
are no novelty and usually receive
scant attention. 1t is said, however,
that this bill is being considered by
a committee Of the Assembly.
1t provides for three commissioners
who are to be experienced in rental
problems, but not engaged in the bust
ness. It Is not stated whether having
been an officer Of the Tenants Union
would qualify them. Their required
business ability is measured by $4,000
salary. They are to have uncontrolled
power to determine what is fair rent
for all the dwellings and apartments in
the city of New York. The only appeal
from their decisions lies as to matter Of
law.
The commission is empowered to fx
lease for the owner in respect to all
its provisions. The owner has no de-
Gliding voice in the matter, not even
as to the end Of the term. He is COM
PEELED to keep his tenant indefinitely,
but the tenant can go when he pleasas
The owners books, papers and cor
respondence are to be at all times open
to the commission and it's agents, and
the duty is put on the owner to fur
nish floor plans, rent schedules and
other data to assist the commission in
determining what wages the owner
shall receive for his forced labor on
behalf Of the tenant. Rent so fixed Is
not to be raised for year. The om-
niscient drafter of this bill was able
to see that the emergency would end
on the 31st Of December, 1925. He
also was able to see that it existed
in all the larger cities of the state
But the Assembly committee, it is
said, has found it advisable to limit
the emergency to New York City alone,
for reasons not stated.
The simple fact is that the three
$4,000 men who would form such
commission could not properly per-
form the duties thrust upon them
within the limit Of their lifetimes,
much less in the short life of the act.
They could not even perform the ini-
tial act Of fixing the rent. Their court
| ~ 1on 1or IL Id =
calculation except as the contending
parties, chiefly the owners, would de-
spair Of gaining any redress, while the
opportunity for graft would exceed
that of all the city departments COM
bined
The bare fact that such a bill is
considered will doubtless put stop
to the extension Of past due mortgages
and raise the mortgage interest rate.
1t will also doubtless increase the de-
msnd for the immediate payment Of
principal. 1t will, of course, halt an
plans for building which any adventur-
Gus builder might have been consider.
ing
The need Of New York ia new build
ings. Under such a law there will be
no new building. Rent rates are find
ing their new level in normal fashion
and would do so without excessive fric-
ton except for the pernicious work Of
the organizers Of disorder No quack
remedy with the Brownsville trade
mark will have any other effect than to
make matters worse.
CHARLES E. MANIERRE
New York, March s, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
If Only Woman Ran Our Street
Cleaning Department

10 tho Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: When an efficient woman is put
at the head of the Street Cleaning De-
partment, and a snow storm visits the
city, owners will be compelled to clear
their sidewalks. There also will be
constant supervision Of cutters at
street corners. AS things are now
there are pools Of dirty water waiting
for an outletI It fills one with indig-
nation to see such criminal neglectl
WOMAN VOTER.
New York, March 7, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
A Moderate Request
{From The Nashville Tenn.,.sc

(Frons The Nashville Tennesseon}
The railroaders threaten to cause
trouble unless Woodrow assures them
OF an immediate drop in prices. Be
fore demanding that he repeal the
natural law Of supply and demand
why not let him start on somsthine
easier--have him, for instance, declare
the law Of grsvitation unconststu.
tionalf
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
Mercy Has Its Limits

tFrom The Charleston Ne,cs- Co,.ricy)
If the Allies decide to revise the
treaty every time the Germans let out
sQueal there soon won't be any
treaty left. Il isn't we'll TO be harsh
OF unreasonable, but It Is we'll to re-
member that Germany Is pretty good
st squsalinA
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
The Five-Day Week

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The eight-hour bill which YOUR
correspondent Maurice Saunders re-
fers to distinctly states that more
hours may be added through the week
to make shorter day Saturday. The
outside number Of hours permitted in
any one day is nine, and Lord knows
that's enough for any work! It would
not interfere with fve-day week.
MAUD SWARTZ.
New York, March 4, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
Unfreezing Railroad Value.

Unfreezing Railroad Values
The Supreme Courts decision re-
quiring the Interstate Commerce
Commission to accept contempo-
raneous values Of railroad rights of
way and terminals when making
railroad valuations is highly i'm
portant and calculated to revive the
spirits of unfortunate owners of
railroad property.
Other assessments are always on
present or existing values, but the
Interstate Commerce Commission has
leaned to the rule that original cost
or the amount invested was the test.
Replacement cost was sought to be
ignored, and railroad owners were
to take the risk Of depreciation but
not to have chance Of Increment.
Yet the railroads cannot go to equip
ment manufacturers or the rail
makers and say: "Give US new cars
and locomotives or new rails at the
price we paid for the old ones"
But the commission nevertheless has
been trying to value railroad rights
of way and terminals not at what
it would cost to-day to replace them,
but at the original cost years ago
when labor, materials and land were
half as dear as they are now.
No other producer is asked to sell
his product on the basis of the
costs of twenty or thirty years ago.
Yet the railroads have been treated
by the commission as if their capital
value had been frozen a generation
back, and as if they were not en-
titled to share in the general incre-
ment caused by economic expansion
and war imitation. On the other
hand, if replacement costs were less
than the investment the lower figure
was seized on.
The same mental tendency was
glaringly exhibited at the outbreak
of the World War. On August /,
1914, the day on which Germany de-
clared war against Russia, the COM
mission gave out decision denying
the railroads, then in difficulties, an
increase in freight rates. To it the
war meant nothing at all. But within
three months it had to recall it's re-
fusal and allow a grudging increase
Of rates.
The new railroad law requires the
commission to fix rates which will
permit fair and reasonable return
on the property Of the carriers. The
act didn't prescribe replacement
value. Yet the commission has been
fighting in the courts against using
replacement as a standard, on the
ground an original cost valuation
would call for lower compensation.
The Supreme Court rejects this
proscriptive attitude. 1t refuses to
put railroad property in one class,
so far as valuation is concerned, and
other property in another, so far as
cost of operation and maintenance
is concerned. Congress intended to
give the railroads a fair return on
the value Of their operating property.
But they cannot get this unless the
Interstate Commerce Commission is
cured Of it's illusions and learns
somehow to cooperate in the develop
ment Of stable and efficient rail-
road system. Such cooperation Is
not only required by equity to the
owners Of railroad property, but
even more by the interests Of the
general public, which wants good
railroads and cannot hope to have
them unless investment in railroad
property Is made safe.
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
The Coming 7ower +
The Faculty
From a Student's Notebook

(Trom Student's Notebook
MISS AMANDA BROWNING
IF there were ostrich eggs Tor aoors
You could no, step moro softly.
In your hair is an invisible feather
Long and purple. which you toss.
Your jokes arc summed and labeled
In small neat boxes
And every period you open one
And show your yellow teeth at tho class.
MIR. EZRA LIGHTTooT
never knew Robespicrre until now.
never saw tho Reign Of Terror until now
Ezra Lightfoo.. as pass your room.
Round and round you stamp. believing.
oe, woe to the unpreparcdl
MISS MARY RANDOLPH
There arc shadows in her eyes,
She is all shadow
Even her hands,-and yet
Her class is radiant.
DIR. AGNES HOLT
One day las, spring
l thought saw a bud
In her hair-but was mistaken.
1t was the tip Of rcd pencil
MR.. THOMAS wEATHERSToND
/ can see him walking into Latin,-
A thin. red man, with red goatee
Covering hi. weak chin.
He whistles the lesson through his teeth
And the class laughs.
Then he gives ten extra lines Of prose-
Old Red Herring
MISS KATE GRAYsoN
What does Miss Grayson think3
y y
She holds the pulse Of the school.
And her diagnosis is unerring.
Sometimes her medicine is bitter, but
MISS CORA WHITE
She has too big heart
To be just a mother
And so she teaches school.
FLORENCE RIPLEY MAsT1N.
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10

Our candidate, Governor Henry J..
Allen, has not signified his intention of
conducting this column for o day, be-
cause, being probably like most people,
a non-reader of this Colonnade Of
Clarity, he never saw our offer. Hereby
he is warned that II he writes "My
attention has been called" We shall
throw our support to Hoover.
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
The Theater Takers
fA% uAh.,h. s.,.,s~

t<AI <AOEdhd1n AluCOln
Young Woman: "That's a file play.
Really, I never knew much about
Abraham Lincoln before-except that
he never told lie"
An Elderly Woman: "I agree, nv
dear, it's q very impressive play. But
you must admit that the ending is
highly improbable"
director Ellis" says the Hoosier
Reel News, "sent out and got copy
of the Paris edition Of the New York
Herald and our hero reads his news in
French, as he should" That, as the
A. E. F.. will testify, would make him
more or less hero.
In Che same fascinating journal we
read Jacks real name is William Har-
rigan Dempsey. Jack is really nom
de guerre."
Really. itss = nom do 'xusrrsr
NH, "A
lt-s
New-York tribune., 1920-03-10
GUARANTY

You can purchase merchaadlss advsrtised IN the
TRIBUNE with absolute safety-fer II dissattsfac-
tlen results In any case THE TRIBUNE guarantees
TO pay your money back upon request. No red tare.
No qubbllns. Ws make good promptly II the
advertiser does not.