davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
In Simplest Terms

With respect to Article K the plat
form Of the Republicans Of New
York indorses the following brief
and clear reservation:
"The United States assumes no OBJ
legation, either legal or moral, to send
American soldiers OF sailors for. serv-
ice abroad unless the Congress, in Che
exercise Of its constitutional power,
shall so authorize and direct"
Do you believe a President, acting
without check, should have power to
put the country into war at his
pleasure? If you do, then you may
approve the ratification Of Article X
without addition.
Do you believe that the Congress,
as the Constitution orders, should be
able to stop the acts of an adventur-
ing or chauvinistic PRESIDENT Then
you must approve the reservation.
The President, Senator Hitchcock
and many others have sought to con-
fuse this simple Issue. But more
and more it stands out plainly. Any
person who opposes the reservation
sketched above shows he is more
interested In securing an enlarge
ment of Presidential advocacy in
foreign relations than he Is in &C.
curing ratification Of the treaty or
Of entry of the United States into
the league Of nations.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
Medical Bunk

10 tne Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Mr.. Mark Sullivan, in "The Eve
ming Post" Of this date, undertakes a
labored defense of President Wilson's
late performances and arrives at the
conclusion that the Presidents is in per-
feet health. He bases his assumption on
the statements Of the Presidents
physicians, which have been made by
them without limits of candor."
The fact Is that every intelligent
reader Of the bulletins issued by the
men who had charge Of the Presidents
case knows that there was a labored
attempt on their part to cover I'D the
facts and by what Is usually termed
medical bunk" to throw dust in the
eyes of the people, who were certainly
entitled to the truth in regard to the
condition Of their President.
When Senator Moses said, in an inter
view last October, that the President
was suffering from a brain lesion. DR..
Dercum denounced the statement "as
silly story and backstairs gossip" Only
few days ago did DR.. Young admit
that the diagnosis which had been
guessed at by the public was correct
and that Mr.. Wilson had cerebral
thrombosis and hemiplegia, from which
his recovery was still incomplete.
After having most unskillfully tried
to conceal from the public tho real
condition they now submit to inter-
views in which they tell how wonder
fully the President has recovered from
his sickness. Mr.. Sullivan says "that
Washington has never intimated that
his physicians statements concealed
anything" Washington must be full
of people whose knowledge Of the Eng
llsh language Is so imperfect that they
cannot understand words having moro
than two syllables.
Every medical man, and possibly an
occasional newspaper writer, knows
that the President is suffering from ar
teriosclerosis, which has already caused
a thrombus, or hemorrhage, In his
brain, which is liable to recur at any
time and may be precipitated by men
tai or physical exertion. AS DR.. Arthur
Deane Bevan, noted surgeon Of Chi
cago and a former president of the
American Medical Association, said re-
Gently, the proper course would be for
the President ITO retire from Office.
under the advice Of his physician and
family and friends"
do not think that It is possible for
any man to compass the ruin Of this
great country, but 1t will be death 70
the Democratic party to follow the
leadership Of a man with q damaged
brain for the next year.
W. F. WHYTE, MD.
East Orange, N. j., Feb. 1s, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
residential MabHitu
Our Readers Debate the Lansing Episode Mr. Wilson'S Mental
and Physical Condition, and the Ways and Means Of Action

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: When one reads the newspapers
in these days one is inclined to think Of
the ex-kaiser as q modest violet be-
side messy stone in comparison with
our Chief Executive. The Kaiser did
condescend to take God into kind of
partnership--secondary, of course, but
still he was admitted. With President
Wilson, however, it is all II, I, I, my
self, l." and woe betde those whose
minds do not "willingly 60 along With
mine!
And further, 1t is his custom when
referring to some decision that Is
wholly his own to say: America will
or will not do thus and So" Now, has
the idea Of democracy fallen so low in
our country that a one-man autocracy
is permitted without protest7
I, as an American citizen with a vote
which Is supposed to count, protest
against this state Of affairs and advise
those who wish to preserve the efYec-
tiveness Of their citizenship to do the
same, in no uncertain tones.
These are no new qualities which
President Wilson Is showing. They
have manifested themselves all through
his term Of office, with the increasing
force Of one whose head Is turned with
power. But in this crisis of world
affairs his self-will, stubbornness,
irritability and pride might easily
bring disastrous consequences to our
own country and others if he is allowed
to continue his role Of dictator.
G. M. WATSON.
Nsw York, Fob. 1s. 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
oleted within the last year OF two is
already obsolete.

oleted within the last year OF two is
already obsolete.
The only concrete guarantee given
the railroads is the temporary one,
covering the period of resumption Of
private operation. Beyond that
everything is left indefinite. If Con-
gress could guarantee the intelli-
gence, good faith and minded
ness Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, then the present con-
ference report might offer real
solution of the railroad problem.
The commission is to be enlarged.
Its powers are to be extended. 1t
may have learned something from
the illuminating experience of the
last six years. 1t may be cured Of
its old delusions. Yet, if it is not
cured, the railroads will find that
they have obtained no government
guarantees on which to base a resto-
ration of credit or an expansion Of
service.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
Washington and the Ballot

The constitution of the Communist
party specifically provides that no
one whose income principally comes
rom rent, interest or profit may be
member. The same idea--namely.
that possession of capitalistic power
makes man al enemy of society
was argued by Morris Hillquit, "the
brains Of the Socialist party" at the
Albany hearing. Lenine, except
against the peasants, has applied the
same rule. A Russian who dares save
to provide for his old age is an in
famous bourgeois and to be excluded
from any part III the government.
So George Washington should not
have been allowed to vote or to COM
mand an army or to preside over
the constitutional. convention or to
b President. He refused all re-
muneration for his public services
ana barely lived on income from
property.
Washington's personal expenses
when engaged in public pursuits ag-
gregated s64,355.30, but when his bill
was finally paid he received paper
worth but five cents to the dollar.
He bought public securities to about
one-tenth Of his estate, and seven
sghths were never paid. But he
lived on accumulated wealth. The
hideous fact cannot be denied. He
died seized Of an estate which in
yentoried S530,000. He was the rich
est man in the United States, and
plainly merited absolute exclusion
from citizenship and the most con-
dign punishment.
Hamilton, Jefferson, Jackson, Lin
coin, Roosevelt and many other once
vell-considered Americans lived on
property income, even as Mr.. Hillquit
Is said to do now. But such things
must not happen again. The afro
cious thrift habit must be rooted out.
Men, like pigs. must Immediately
consume everything they can lay
hold Of; the man who has one shirt
must concede all power to the shirt
isas,
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
Nominations Closed

Our neighbor The World has en-
harked upon the new and enteruris-
ing task of nominating candidates
Tor all the parties. 1t began with
Mr. Hoover-to run on the Demo-
cratic ticket, the Republican ticket.
or any ticket with the Presidency to
let. 1t has switched now to the
Governorship of New York, whereto
IL presents William II. Anderson.
Pooh Bah of the Anti-Saloon League.
TO run on the Republican ticket.
1t is very kind of The World to
try to help the Republicans and the
other parties in this fashion. We
mad supposed that something might
oe left to the voters of particular
party in this matter of nominations.
BUT this system is evidently obsolete.
We stand corrected by The Worlds
example, and we hasten to take UP
the completion of the task which
Inc Worlds natural modesty for
bids. We respectfully nominate Mr..
Frank Cobb, editor of The World
tor President, Vice President, Sem
ator, Governor and such other offices
as may appeal to hin,-for any or
all of same-upon the Prohibition
ticket.
Thus the campaign of 1920 Is all
but set. Considering that The World
would very possibly prefer to see
Mr.. Hoover run on the Democratic
ueket, we may say that only the Re-
publican nomination is still open.
Why does not The World fill this
blank and thus relieve the country of
the bother of primaries and conven-
tons? 1t is easy to guess whom The
World would suggest in view of it's
prior selections and it's contempt for
party lines. For the convenience Of
our readers we present the three cam
dldates seriatim: Republican, Wood
row Wilson; Democratic, Herbert C.
Hoover; Prohibition, Frank Cobb.
What could be fairer or clearer? If
our neighbor feels that duty also re-
qulres it make a selection for the
Socialists, will it indicate which it
prefers-Speaker Sweet or Attorney
General Palmer?
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
The Presidents Record

To tho Editor Of The Tribune.
sirs Without celebrating tho subject,
It may be stated that there Is no pro-
vision Of tho Constitution or tho statu-
tory law committing to the President
alone authority to request tho members
Of the Cabinet to assemble for informal
conference.
Tho question Of interest to the public
Is, How does the President arrive at the
conclusion that in him alone Is vested
authority to sanction conferences, in
formal or otherwise, between the heads
Of executive departments, and that act
ing without such sanction in conducting
such informal conferences is a usurpa-
tion Of Presidential powers7 The an
swer to this question appears to neces-
state survey Of the activities Of Presi-
dent Wilson since he entered upon the
administration Of public affairs, and
more particularly since the entry of the
United States into the World War.
A quality Of intolerance and ten
dency to clash with those whose views
were not subordinated to his own were
evidenced in his administration Of the
presidency Of Princeton and Of tho gov
ernorship Of New Jersey. After the
entrance Of this country into the war
the great powers which under the Con-
stitution vest in the Chief Executive
during time Of war passed into his
hands, and willing nation and its Con-
gress supplemented these powers to an
extent that made his authority beyond
that Of any man now on earth. The
shipping, tho railways, food, fuel.
finances-all were taken under the con-
troll Of tho Executive. The power and
1induence Of tho Executive entered into
the daily lives Of the citizens as never
before in the history Of the country.
By the nation at large this was ac-
cepted as q necessity of the situation,
the outcrop of temporary condition,
but with the reservation that 1t was
not q precedent, not to be continued
beyond the emergency. and that It by
no means sbrogatsd the right Of the
psspie and Il the other branches II
esysrnmsnt - resume fully tAsi1 usr-
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
Leave the Spirits Alone

TO the Editor Of The Tribune,
Sir: l. II there be no "life after
DEATH" and If communication with dis
embodied "spirits" be not a fact. are
not all these so-called spirit messages"
and psychic experiences at best merely
unconscious self-deceptions, which fur
nish q certain class Of intellects with
temporary amusement or consolation:
and Is not that tho conclusion Of thu
matter7
2. On the other hand, II there Be- such
continuity Of life and II communication
with tho dead Is such q simple matter
as the mere tipping Of hickory table
or the sliding Of maple board. IA It
credible that It should have required 30
many thousands Of years (from the
dawn Of human life on this planet until
1920 A. d. for US humans to find Il
QUIT
3. If not, why should We not accept.
at their face value, tho many instances
recorded In secular and religious writ
ings. as we'll as traditional accounts Of
such spirit Manifestations?
4. Further. II We do admit such r.-
corded communications, should we not
also heed the equally numerous warn,nes
that have been written and uttered
throughout at least sixty centurte.
against the dangers, mental and mora,
which attend such psychic operations {?
B. In short, is It NOT the part of rea-
son and wisdom to take stand such
as the following: II the dead" can
communicate with as, and wish to do
30 for our good. let them; but let us
noe' on our side, risk the possible dan
gers OF tampering with the ~souls that
sleep until ws know of our own knowl-
sAss sneuxh - warrant sueA preosdurst :
Nsw Ye1k, 4sA. "a, 1o3o. ULyXIA
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
Shoveling as a Career

Commissioner MacStay Of the de-
partment which is courteously called
ms street cleaning one announces a
wage scale of 80 cents an hour
'oF street workers, $40 a day for
motor trucks and SIS a day for
wagons. With an eight-hour day
ana the customary extra allowance
'of overtime the snow fighter who
comes home at nightfall with less
@an $40 may be suspiciously ques-
Toned by his spouse.
taking one thing with another,
Tue lot Of the so-called emergency
worker Is not altogether an unhappy
eae His avocation is of ample
'slsure. The ruminating street
groups whose torpidity has almost
equalled that Of the ice heaps have
SHOWN that fishing is no longer
supreme as a quietistic pursuit.
oonae member Of the craft whose
mnd turns to reflection and gentle
philosophy should write "The Com
plsat Shoveler."
Yet the high compensation that Mr..
aacStay Is willing. even anxious,
pay is not without its instruction.
me opinion widely prevails, among
Employers as we'll as among en-
~oyed, that labor organizations and
objective bargaining have been the
,a'e1 factors in pushing up wages.
OUT tho more or less unsteady and
a0n-energetic gentlemen who have
.een occasionally lifting spoonfuls
from the snow piles have no unions.
1ney are not protected from ex-
r'0l1atlon ,r' by walking delegates.
lucy do their own bargaining and
~ on the pay roll as unfettered in
dividuals.
AT times it almost seems as if the
Na-iashioned economists were right
"uo neld that trade unions never
. ao and never would raise wages in
e aggregate. The law Of supply
a',o :. demand has a way Of coming to
:. ,ae When it is agreed that it is dead.
Is most disturbing.
~ Aaward Bellamy, who wrote
{ looking Backward" should be alive
80 this day Of a $40 scale for un-
llied workers. Trying to avoid
r1er compulsion and the tyrannical
nmsnt q man and womsn 70
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
Back in the Closet Laws

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: This latest move on the part Of
our "Dictator' recalls (the lines by
Omar Khayyam and which seem pecul-
iarly fitting:
But helpless pieces Of tho game he plays
Upon this Chequer Board Of nights ana
days
Hither and thithGr moves, and checks, and
Stays,
And one BY one back IN tha closet lays"
Secretary Lansing Is serving the
nation we'll in refusing to serve as
"puppet." All honor to him!
MADELEINE Wyatt
Bristol. R, L. Feb. is. 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
A Week of Verse
Song of a Second April
From Ax,.,..,.

fFron Ainsies'sJ
A PRIL this year, not otherwise
Than April Of year ago.
Is full OF whispers, full Of sirhs.
of dazzling mud and dingy snow;
Hepaticas that pleased you 50
Are here again, and butterflies.
There rings q hammering all day.
And shingles lie about the doors;
IN orchards near and far away
The gray woodpecker taps and bores:
And men are merry at their chores.
AND children earnest at their play.
Inc larger streams run still and deep,
Noisy and swift the small brooks run:
Among the mullen stalks the sheep
Go up the hillside in tho sun.
Pensively-only you are gone.
You that alone 1 cared to keep.
EDNA ST. VINCENT MILIAy.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
The Railroad Guarantee

A great deal of 1nisapprehension
exists as to the return guaranteed to
the railroads under the Esch-Cum-
Minis conference report. For six
months from March l, 1920, the
standard return, fixed by the gov
ernment when it took over the rail
roads, is to continue. This is based
on the average earnings of the vari-
GUS roads for three-year period
preceding the war.
For two years from March /, 1920.
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion is to fix rates which will pro-
duce minimum return Of 51a per
cent on the aggregate value of the
property Of the railroads used for
operating purposes. The trainers of
the bill do not seem to agree as to
the meaning Of this guarantee. Does
1t secure each railroad minimum
57a per cent return on the value Of
its operating property? Or does it
imply that in any regional grouping,
or for the country as a whole, an
average 51a per cent return is to be
provided, the rates imposed allowing
the stronger and better managed
roads to earn more and the weaker
and economically handicapped ones
to earn less?
Mr.. Esch takes the latter view.
He says there is no definite guaran-
tee to any road. In his opinion,
which may be right or wrong, the
commission will allow rates yielding
general return Of 57s per cent, ana
each road will have to fight for its
particular share. If strong road
earns more than per cent it must
divide the excess with the govern
ment. If weak road earns less
than 51a per cent it will have to
pocket the loss. The government,
however, will lend to the poor roads,
at per cent, its half Of the excess
earnings Of the more prosperous
ones.
After March /, 1922, the only
promise of adequate return to the
railroads is that contained in the in
struction given to the Interstate
Commerce Commission to fix rates
which will "earn an aggregate an
nual net railway operating income
equal, as nearly as may be, to fair
return upon tho aggregate value Of
the railway property Of such car
riers held and used in the service Of
transportation" This pledge or
promise is satisfactory so far as it
goes. But it binds the commission
to no definite standard Of return. Its
meaning is left to latitudinarian In
terpretation. The commission is to
determine the value Of the operating
investment of the carriers. Railroad
valuation is mostly hazardous guess
work. Replacement value has nearly
doubled in the last four years. Yet
there is joker-looking clause in the
conference report which says that II
a valuation has BEEN completed that
valuation shall stand for tho prop
srsy sovsrsd Anye valuation COM
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
That Women's 8 Party
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: There has been so much talk
recently. about the danger of @
women's political party that would
like to draw the attention Of our fell
low voters of the malc sex to one
little fact. So long as women are the
mothers Of men there ia not the slight
est danger Of . women's political
party opposed to mems political
party. When women cease to be the
mothers Of men then-perhapsl But
is there any immediate danger Of that
IDA N. TIMME.
New York, Feb. 1S. 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22

fortune, not his fault. Because Of II
he should receive nothing less than
profound sympathy from the whole
American people. No question Of
politics is involved; no change of
power from one political party to the
other will ensue, and government will
go on. The King is dead, long live
the Kingl GLEN COVE.
New York, Feb. II, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22

nal functions when the emergency had
passed.
The diverse conceptions held by the
President and by the people as to the
quality and character of the personal
government with which he had been
temporarily intrusted were illustrated
in his official communication to the
public prior to the election Of 1918 and
In the response Of the public to that
communication.
The Presidents conception Of the
quality and extent of his powers and
Of this personal government were
further illustrated in the construction
which he placed upon his constitu-
tlonal duties relative to negotiation of
treaties. Never before In our history
has President left the United States
and detached himself from the admin
istration Of the government. Never
duty to install himself. in q foreign
country for period Of months in order
to negotiate treaty.
Unprecedented conditions, 81 course,
result In unprecedented acts, but the
outstanding feature that impresses one
Is that the President appeared to think
that the responsibility was one devolv-
Ing on him personally; that tho work
must be done by him personally; that
his alone was the power. his alone the
responsibility and that he alone could
conduct the work.
The Constitution Cart. e, 500. 2, cl.
y provides that the President shall
have power. by and with the advice and
consent Of the Senate, to make treaties.
provided two-thirds Of tho Senators
present concur"
Tho "advice" Of the BenAte was not
sought directly or indirectly. Indeed, 1t
would appear to tho onlooker that the
President sought to withhold from It
all information upon which any advice
might be predicated.
Even the Secretary Of State, to whom
the negotiation of treaties Is ordinarily
confded, was ultimately to large ex-
tent excluded from participation in the
negotiations. The predominance Of the
personal note resulted In the startling
attempt to influence the voters Of the
kingdom Of Italy when President Will
son found his views opposed by those
Of the Italian delegates.
In a smaller, but perhaps no less
characteristic, way the personal note
appeared in the arrangements made for
his personal convenience. His entou-
rage at Paris was In strong contrast
with the simplicity that characterized
his great predecessor. Franklin; and
while the great transport George
Washington swung at her anchor at
Brest through the weeks and months
awaiting the Presidents pleasure for
his personal transportation, tens Of
thousands Of the A. E. F. awaited IN
adequate means Of transportation over
seas. In other countries q cruiser was
thought appropriate even for Q sover-
eign; It would seem reasonably ads-
quate for the president Of democracy,
particularly when this would release
the great transport for transport pur-
poses, The vast number of unused
motor cars that were held In reserve at
different points in France against the
possibility Of Q Presidential visit re-
suited In inadequate transportation for
ssrvtce unlsa.
Precisely Nhas msy b ~ lsund, hy
vAisA PrssiAsn4 Wl1ssn nv epuestvse
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22

particular Jobs, he developed the idea
shat the most disagreeable occupa-
cohs should have the shortest hours
or the highest remuneration. The
scavenger was to get more or work
less than the banker or college pres
ident. In sort of way, as the
teachers point out, the system tends
to come in under the institutions of
capitalism.
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
Last Thoughts Before Sleep

(Fron, The New States,non)
WHO shall awak.- frst,-the ssncv
queHn,
The mother Of my soul, august soa
mild,
The passionate lover, the fixed friend.
the keen
Woman Of affairs, tbs absurd ana
humorous child?
Who Of them shall come, al! who shall
como
When first her mind feels morning.
when she feelse
Sweet, when we feel ourselves again
become
What now is slipped from Us, slips
from US, steals
cannot tell where. But nor
my mind is so clear,
You are 80 warm and close. 60 warm
lie,
That now is tho time to think great
things, with you near,
l feel such thoughts as / never had 90
Such deep things and presently
tell you what knew,
So warm and close, so close and so warn,
are you.
CHARLES WILLIAMS
New-York tribune., 1920-02-22
4 Pen Picture

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: w. A., in Tuesdays Tribune,
asked for pen picture of President
Wilson. am no artist, but here is my
simile; A narrow gauge engine with no
reverse lever on a single track road
with no turnable. He cannot back up
or turn around, regardless Of what may
be ahead. I'll W.
Johnsonburg, N. j.. Feb. 1s. 1920.