davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1920-05-21
The Peak of Prices

Royal c. Meeker, Commissioner of
Labor Statistics, has a large staff OF
Investigators whose business is to in.
vcstigate and report on wages, living
costs, production, etc. With his in.
formation his Judgment as to the
probable course of prices should be
ABOUT the sest in the country. But
no talks as loozely as the rest of US.
Mr.. Meeker trosts the tender bud
dlngs OF hope oy saying that the
paak in prices IS not yet reached,
particularly With respect to foods.
He looxs for no material fall until
after another harvest, and perhaps
not tit~u-unless there is dcfiation.
lie deuies that there is undcrproduc-
ton through labor's loafing. Thus
the public is pushed back to the re-
gion o6 encircling gloom.
But the creJibility of the witness
is lessened by the revelation that Mr..
Meeker is not without prejudice. He
~hoops for natural economic law,
laying that it is the best regulator
g prices, and then, changing his
sas, seys the abandonment of pub
y eontxol Of prices has aggravated
New-York tribune., 1920-05-21

that put forward by Zechariah
Chafee jr. In Tho Haruard Low Re-
uiew. Plainly, hero is a case of
pacifist sympathies distorting rea-
son out of ali resemblance to COM
mon sense. 1t Is an old maxim of
the bar that "hard cases make bad
law" a recognition that even judges
allow their sympathies to bend the
law to do individual justice. Mr..
Chafce is plainly guilty of the same
weakness. If the court erred in Civ
ing excessive sentences under the ex-
citement Of war, this critic errs
equally to-day, in the calm of peace,
in seeking to show that the language
quoted above involved no effort to
interfere with the war against Ger
many. The primary intent was,
concededly, to aid Russia. But, un-
less these grown people are to be ex-
cused as silly children, how could
their effort to stop all munition work
be treated as anything else than an
effort and intent to obstruct the war
against Germany?
Emotion still is distorting reason
touching the war, and it is not all in
the brain of Mr.. Sweet, either.
New-York tribune., 1920-05-21
A Debt of Honor

The House Republicans have in
dorsed the soldiers bonus bill, de-
spite Secretary Houston's letter op-
posing any bonus legislation.
The Secretary has confused two
issues-namely, the moral question
of recognizing just obligation and
the financial question of how the
money is to be raised to meet it.
The two matters may properly be
considered independently.
The Secretary doesn't see how
Congress can prudently pile any ad-
dltlonal obligations on the Treas
ury. The Treasury faces deficit.
The Secretary says that new taxes
may be needed to raise it's income to
the level of expenditure already in
sight. But it IS for Congress to
wrestle with this problem of income
and outgo. The two houses have
Topped off more than 100000, 900
from the estimates which the Treas
ury submitted last December. It
can continue next year to slash in
f1ated Administration estimates. 1t
can also impose new taxes.
The real issue is whether Con,
gress is to recognize at this time
the justice of the claim made on be-
half of the men whoefought. That
claim is unassailable. Those who
volunteered to go into the first line
of defense or were drafted into it
gave more to the country than any
other class of citizens. They served
for very small pay, while most Of
those who were within the draft age
limits and were exempted because of
dependents or for other reasons
stayed at home in safety and had
their wages increased. The worker
IN war industries was pampered by
an unwise military policy. Instead
of taking him into military service
by universalizing the draft he was
allowed to combine with other labor
ers in boosting wage rates.
The average citizen who STAYED at
home profted by the war. The SOL
dler and sailor didn't profit. They
sacrificed most and got least. It
doesn't lie with any stay-at-home to
protest against the equalization
which the bonus act contemplates.
We owe to the men who went into
the army and the navy something
more than lip homage. 1t may
cramp the Treasury temporarily to
allow the bonus. 1t may be disa-
greeable to many to pay higher
taxes. But objections based on the
dlsagreeableness of payment do not
lnvalidate an obligation to paw. The
bonus is debt of honor. It is
real peace offering. 1t isn't like the
American people to want to temper
their gratitude with selfish parsi-
mony.
New-York tribune., 1920-05-21
Safeguarding the Primary

Governor Smith deserves credit
for vetoing the bill to revive iudi-
clal nominating conventions. This
bill was Intended as an opening
wedge in the campaign for the re-
peal of the primary laws. 1t was
thought that selection from the top
could be more plausibly defended in
the case of judges than in the case
of legislative and executive officers.
One of the briefs submitted in be-
half of the bill said: "The judicial
office is one which requires Of the
candidate special fitness which can
be best discussed among small
number of representative persons"
The Governor fatty dissented from
that argument. Carried to it's logi
cal conclusion, it would go back
couple Of generations and make all
judicial Offices appointive instead Of
elective.
The desire to return to the con-
ventlon method of nominations ia
based on distrust of the workings
OF popular party government. It is
easier for party leaders to control
an organization if nominations are
made indirectly. There are advan-
tages in the convention system il
party leadership is efficient and
h'gh-minded. There are great dis
advantages in it if party leadership
becomes grasping and narrow. In
the long run the public is more in
telllgent than it's leaders. The
voters became convinced some wears
ago that the old fiction of party self
government ought to be converted
more generally into fact. They
brought in the primary. There is
no indication that they arc willing
to surrender 1t.
Said the Governor: "No person
has so far been able to offer any
good reason why the nominations of
a party should not be made by an
the members of the party" That is
sound democratic doctrine. Its
soundness has becn emphasized by
the grant Of suffrage 70 women.
New-York tribune., 1920-05-21

A Criticism of the Ncwcst Wou TO
Avoid War
To the Editor of The Tribune.

10 the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: There is one point in the covenant
OF the league of nations that has not
yet had the discussion it deserves It is
that provision by which the members
OF the league, in furnishing any infrac-
tion of its guarantees, are bound to
proceed by starvation blockade in anv
case, while the use of any other method
IN addition to this is left optional.
If Nephelococcygia makes war on
Utopia, we are to do as we think best
about sending the Utopians any auxi'
larry forces to resist the invader, but we
are bound to cut Off the innocent
Nephelococcygian babies (babics are the
only people we'll known to be innocent
IN nation waging an unjust war; from
the direct or indirect use of any i'm
ported supply of food, and to cut Off
the Nephelococcygian hospitals from all
imported medical supplies. If the war is
stubbornly fought, starvation of the
innocent Everybody knows that fam
Inc does more damage among growing
children than among those whose growth
is tlnished) is the only weapon that we
are not permitted not to use. If an
epidemic gets started, we are required
to make it impossible, so far as we can
that this epidemic should be nipped in
the bud before it gathers such strength
as to make it doubtful whether it can
be stopped from spreading to the rest
of the world
IN wars before our time it was not
in the power of blockade to famish
the population of whole country. Those
who began the blockade in this war did
not realize what they were doing; and
when the Germans sent out statements
of their suffering we had we'll
grounded distrust of their talk. And it
may be doubtful whether this war could
have been won without this hard meas
urc. But the covenant provides that in
any future case, no matter if other
methods would suffice, no matter how
we'll everybody knows what SUFFERING ;s
resulting, every nation that is a men,
Der of the league is bound to coopcrate
in applying the screw of starvation.
lhls is the one point on which no option
is to be allowed to anybody.
Mr.. Hoover says friendly words about
the league, with proper reservations.
wish you would get him to speak his
mind on this particular point, the re-
qu'rement that we must all, without op-
ton, do our best to starve the babies of
any nation whose government has this
particular kind Of wckedness. There
is no man whose opinion on this specific
point would interest the world more
than Mr. Hoovar's.
STEVEN T. BYINGTON.
ballard Vale, Mass, May 10, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-05-21
Startling Coincidence Discov-
cred by Mr.. Daniels

10 the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: I note that Secretary Daniels
in his testimony Tuesday seemed to
carry the idea that there was something
surprising, if not sinister, in the fact
that Admiral Sims, Senator Penrose and
others made use of the word "procras-
tlnatlon' in connection with the Secre
tary's administration of the Navv De-
partment. Where did they get the idea
Of that particular word?" he asked.
The word "procrastination" has been
IN general use for a good MANY vcars
Every school boy and girl knows the
quotation, "Procrastination is the tbief
Of time"
Mr.. Daniels should remember that
since the war began in Europe the word
representation" has rightly become
one of the hardest worked words in the
American language. The use of that
particular word" by men of even ordi-
nary intelligence is not any evidence of
colluslon or conspiracy, particularly in
the connection in which it is said to
have been used.
AS a matter of fact. isn't "procrasti-
nation absut the only word in our
American language which could be used
to briefly sum up the charge against
Mr.. Daniels? ARCHIE D. GIBBS.
Norwich, N. Y, May 10, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-05-21
+ Forgotten Services

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: While Messrs. Wilson. Daniels
ct al. are setting themselves up as
critics of the panic stricken" British
navy, would it be amiss for US to re-
fleet briefly. on what the United States
navy?
Have we forgotten Manila Bay and
the friendly conduct of the gallant
Captain Chichester? Had it not been
for him the Spanish feet would have
been reinforced by that of the Ger
man admiral, Won Diedrich, and results
might not have been so pleasant.
And about Mexico While President
Wilson patiently pursued his policy of
"watchful waiting" how many train
loads of American citizens, denied the
military protection of their own flag,
were escorted to safety by parties OF
British bluejackets?
Have we forgotten that the British
fleet. kept the seas safe for our Ship
preparing to shoulder our share of
the responsibility?
Lastly. the British feet has always
been the greatest bulwark and pro-
tector of the Monroe Doctrine
The present storm of "mudslinging"
here has been characterized by the
English papers as the conduct between
sailor and politician. In justice
to the greatest of our allies and for
the sake of our own greatness as
nation let us not permit our national
gratitude and sense of honor to be be-
logged by a group Of civilians who con-
slider themselves especially ordained to
run the affairs of the world.
WILLIAM NEWMAN CHEW.
New York City, May IS, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-05-21
Philadelphia Still Reforming

At the Republican primaries in
Philadelphia this week the work be-
gun last year by the election Of j.
Hampton Moore as Mayor was con-
tinued. The nomination of a capable
business man for Mr.. Moore's old
seat in Congress against candidate
of the contractor combine was a
wholesome achievement. But an even
more important one was the success
full challenge of the dominance of the
Wares and their followers in the Re-
publican City Committee.
The legitimate function of the
committee, of course, is to elect cam
didates after nomination. But in re-
cent years it has devoted itself to
debating nominations. Only through
most strenuous labor by the better
element in the party, assisted by in
dependents, was Mr.. Moore able to
carry the primaries a year ago, and
then only by the narrowest of mar
gins. The organization since has
endeavored to block every effort to
translate reform principles into
practice.
The vote of Tuesday means that
the Republican party in Philadelphia
has purged itself, for the greater
part, of the malign influences which
so long discredited it. The survivors
Of the old regime will find their claws
cut. The days when Philadelphia
was corrupt and contented" are no
more. If the new regime lives up to
its professions they promise never to
return.
New-York tribune., 1920-05-21
Daylight Saving Stands

Governor Smith vetoed the repeal
of daylight saving upon exactly the
right grounds. A majority of the
people Of the state desire the reform,
exactly as a majority of the people
of the nation desire it. The wishes
Of a vigorous minority prevailed in
Congress and they finally prevailed
i'll the Legislature at Albany. The
Governor now restores the will of
the majority, and he deserves the
thanks Of every one for his courage
and clear-headed sense.
New-York tribune., 1920-05-21
By
Frederic F. Van de Water

ne can lay claim to being the Colombian
Zola. He makes war as disgusting n
Ness as the French author, but he uses
msny more words in doing it.
Much of the character drawing seems
to have been done by literary R. L..
Goldberg. At times you have the feel
ing that the book must be intended
merely as broad satire. No one out
side kipling's bandar-log talked, We be-
lieVe, as namely and with such a pitt
full attempt at erudtion as do the peo-
pie in "PaX." Despite our pride in our
Anglo-SaXon inheritance, we are un-
willing to concede that all Colombians
are moronS
The novel is manifestly intended as
an attack upon the constantly recurring
revolutions that retard the develop
ment of Colombia. Never since reading
1t Will we succumb again to our earlier
impression that Latin American up
After wading through Pax" your mind
feels the way butchers apron looks.
In addition to the unnecessary words
that obstruct the march of the book,
Senor Marroquin Or the translators or
the proofreaders should be spoken to
harshly.
To support this contention we will
confess that we aren't quite certain
what "a battle-cry of imDlacable Juror"
sounds like or what "a very clod Of
blood" is. Unfamiliar as we are with
Colombian customs, it seems badly pos
sible that Roberto was at the head Of
the long table and on either side of
him Bellegarde, Alexandra and General
Ronderos"
New-York tribune., 1920-05-21
Farewell to Sweetisrn

When the asperities aroused by
the truculent behavior of the Copper
heads of 1917 and 1918 are softened
by time and forgotten by the next
generation it will, we believe, be held
to the lasting credit of Governor
Smith that he vetoed the Lusk bills.
The work his pen did on Wednesday
VIII be remembered gratefully by
the public and be a source of salts
faction to himself and his children.
The state, through Governor Smith,
is saved from the reproach Of mar
rowness and bigotry. 1t is revealed
as big and magnanimous, as state
ought to be. With respect to details,
many things could be and were said
in favor OF the Lusk bills. A new
and dangerous form Of treason had
raised its head and the impulse was
strong with men of patriotic zeal to
strike it down.
But the public judged the bills in
their general tendency and spirit
rather than specifically or with re-
~nect 10 particular provisions. 1t
sensed an effort not to widen but to
- +, Ia IL ~. 1t has not been the.
practice of this country to hobble the
political activity Of any group. The
rights Of minorities have been jeal-
Gus y protected. The Lusk measures
seemed to establish something akin
to censorship, and there was in
stlnctive reaction against them.
Particularly Objectionable was the
F'earon bill. This sought to place
with a specified court the duty of
passing or the tolerableness of the
principles advocated by any political
parties and the power of excluding
from the official ballot the candidates
OF any prescribed party. The tests,
as the Governor remarks, the court
would be compelled to apply would
be political. The court would thus
be thrown into the midst of political
controversy.
The proceeding would necessarily
be summary. Reliance would be had
not on witnesses but on affidavits.
Too many centuries of labor have
been spent in securing equal suffrage
to permit any small group of men to
dlsfranchlse, peremptorily perhaps,
many thousands. The courts are not
equipped to exercise the discretion
sought to be placed with them. 1t is
better to cling to our old, illogical
political system, which allows the
airing of unreasonable grievances
and the advocacy of preposterous
doctrines.
The states criminal anarchy stat
ute makes it a crime to advocate an
overthrow of the government by vio-
lence. This in principle is an ample
prohibition, and the statute should
De enforced, as are other penal ones
by Indictment, trial and convic-
tion. If the Rand School teaches
violence let the district attorneys
and grand jury act. If there are
teachers who inculcate doctrines
which assail democracy let them be
dispatched to Sing Sing. Perhaps
the procedure of trial could be SIM
phfied, but unlimited power should
never be with an administrative Of
ficer. This would be government by
decree, instead of by law.
In the bills were some elements of
good, but these were SO associated
and mingled with the bad that there
could be no dissection. SO the Gov
ernor has made an end to them as
whole. Sweetism passes. May it
not return!
New-York tribune., 1920-05-21
Emotional Law

Emotions were regnant during
the war, and it is safe to say that
precious few arguments either on
the side of the patriot or the pacifist
stuck closely to either facts or logic.
Those who felt that the war was
the only way out, who once made
this decision and made it with a
will, had small patience for debate
as to details over conscientious OBJ
jectors or any breed of Red. In
dlviduals must stand aside until the
war was won, according to this gen
eral view. Those who never went to
war or who went half -heartedly had
an entirely different outlook. Their
sympathies were naturally aroused
by every individual who was treated
with anything less than time
consideration and care.
A good illustration of both view
points is the debate still going on
over the case of the United States
VS.. Jacob Abrams ct al. The five
defendants, Russians all, were con-
vlcted of violating the espionage
act. 1t was proved that they wrote,
printed and dropped from window
two circulars, one in Yiddish and
one in English, which contained
typical I. w. W. phraseology, urging
the "Workers Of the World" to
awake" and in particular these
sentences:
"Workers, Russian emigrants, you
who had the least belief in the hon
esty of our government, must now
throw away all confidence, must spit
in the face the false, hypocritic, mil
itary propaganda which has fooled
you so relentlessly, calling forth
your sympathy, your help, to the
prosecution of the war. With the
money which you have loaned or are
going to loan them they will make
bullets not only for the Germans, but
also for the Workers. soviets of Rus
sa. Workers in the ammunition fac
tories, you are producing bullets,
bayonets, cannon to murder not only
the Germans, but also your dearest,
best, who are in Russia and are fight
ing for freedom.
"Workers, our reply to the barbaric
intervention has to be a general
/. strike! An open challenge only will
let the government know that not
only the Russian Worker fights for
freedom, but also here in America
lives the spirit of revolution"
The five defendants received Sc
we're sentences, ranging from three
years to twenty years in prison, the
maximum. Upon appeal to the
Supreme Court of the United States
seven justices united in affirming
the convictions, two dissented, JUS
tices Holmes and Brandeis.
Now, we think there should be lit
tie disagreement in these calmer
hours as to the right and wrong of
this case. The defendants were
rightly convicted and the law was
an entirely just one which made
such propaganda a crime. But the
sentences were out of proportion to
the extent and gravity of the Of
fense. AS a matter of fact, one of
the defendants already has been
released. We have no doubt that
the other sentences will be greatly
reduced by Executive clemency after
a sufficiently impressive sentence
has been served.
We can quite understand any
to obtain clemency on the
ground that the sentences were ex-
cessive, but we cannot follow tho
Of such an argument as
New-York tribune., 1920-05-21

Why enlarge the electorate and then
seek to restrict Its freedom Of &C.
tion within party organizations?
The machinery of primary nom-
nations might be improved. But in
principle it is common sense Ameri-
canism.
New-York tribune., 1920-05-21
The Master Barber
He Discourses Upon Strikes,
Tips and Safety Razors

10 the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: Following is a statement by the
Central Body Of NeA York and Vicinity,
Master BARRIERS reply to the Journey
men Union $50 of the Bronx as 10 their
own contradiction Of statement
When the conference was opened for
discussion the Master BARRIERS Associa-
ton, having received and anayzed the
new demands from the Union as to the
increase in pay, in order tnat the
Master BARRIERS could meet such demand
partially, they would have to, against
their will, increase the service charge
to the public as follows.
Halr cuts ................. rs
Hair Cut and Shave .s5
ShaVe Observation-Disclosures. .25
10 this reply the General Organizer,
Mr. Leon Wathall, gets up and compN-
ments the Master Barh~rs as being toe
lenlent to the public. whereby he said
that he believes S100 for a haircut
would be none too much TO charge the
pubic, which is earning more now than
ever in the history of mankind, and fin
lshed by saying: "Show no sympathy to
the public and don't be afraid to charge
them what you want" of which the pub
lie is we'll aware, such statements hav
ing heen previously seen in the daily
p...,crs, advocating a dollar haircut In
si~tt.
To this reply the Master BARRIERS
Association of the Bronx were COM
PEELED by the Central Body Of Master
BARRIERS, with which the Bronx is afili-
ated, to reject their new prices adapted
to meet the new demand by the Union.
nat if they would increase the charge
to the public, it would simply compel
their trade to go downtown to thc big
shops. where they do not believe in rails
ing the charge to the public any more
than what it is to-day and where the
Union has no jurisdiction whatever.
The Master BARRIERS of the Bronx in
formed the delegates of Union $50 that
under present conditions they do not see
how they can increase the wages of the
Journeymen any more than what they
are getting now, making 20 per cent OF
the receipts taken on their chair, with
out the extra tips; out of the 80 per
cent the employers earnings must pay
all of his expenses to run his shop,
ranging from s12 to SIS week for
each chair.
In conclusion the new demand from
the Union of $500 a week salary
would mean the turn over to the jour
neymen of the entire receipts that he
takes from the employer under prevail
ing prices and that TO raise them the
Master BARRIERS do not see the neces-
sity. for the average barber to-day is
earning as much as any other skilled
mechanic; in fact, more, because if r.
wants to work he can work 81 week
IN year-while such a condition a.--A
not prevail in other industries.
But Mr.. Quinto, president of ~
Local Union 500 of the Bronx, has the
audacity to say that the Master BARRIERS
can we'll afford to give the increase with
out demanding any more from the pub
lie, when he knows in his own heart
that the average barber doesn't take In
any more on his chair than s35 or $40
week for his employer, at the present
prevailing prices.
MASTER BARRIERS CENTRAL BODY
OF N. Y. CITY AND VICINITY.
Anthony J. Praitano, President
New York, May IL, 1890.