davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1921-06-26
Seven Years Preparation

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The writer of the letter "Do
Trained Nurses Profiteer 2" complains
of trained nurses reducing their work
ing hours from twenty-four to twelve
hours day. How can any sane being
expect nurse or anybody else to work
twenty-four hours day? I should
hate to have the life of loved one of
mine depend on nurse who had not
slept or rested for a week or more. no
matter how efficient she may be nor
mally.
AS for private duty nurses asking
the outrageous price of 81 day and
three meals for "only' twelve hours
duty! Has your correspondent ever
given a thought to the fact that a
trained nurse has sacrificed seven years
OF her life to gain the education nee
essary to become a trained nurse !?
-Four years of high school and three
years of hospital training, to be exact.
Since nurses must be compared with
mechanics, teamsters and tailors. how
many years have they spent getting
their education? They were all paid
while learning, / believe. And, in spite
OF the nurses reducing their hours, thew
are still working four hours a day
longer than the above mentioned
classes.
There is no reason why people
should have to die for the want of
care, even if they can't afford to paw
nurses. There are plenty of hospitals
where poor people may go and get the
same care for little or nothing.
The suggestion of importing nurses
from the devastated regions of Europe
sounds easy, but they are not ready
made nurses, and to become American
trained nurses they have a long wav
to- go, especially if they don't speak
English. And once they got here thew
might more than likely do as most
American girls do--choose something
easier which will bring them as good
and perhaps better reward, and cer-
ltalnly more appreciation.
IDA S, OLSON, r, N.
New-York tribune., 1921-06-26
Fifty Gents an Hour
Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Will Brooklyn" kindly explain
how we of the nursing profession have
doubled our wages by cutting our
time in half? 1t is indeed humorous.
The private duty nurse doing twelve
hour duty gets Sc and not 81 day,
pays for a room in a good location,
laundry, registration dues, carfare to
and from the patient and keeps up q
presentable appearance. In order to
give her best to the profession she
has to have some recreation and rest
between cases, during which period she
pays for her own three meals a day
and there is nothing coming in.
She has put in three years of inten-
sive training and the greater part of
the Sc day is paid for her knowledge
of, how to care for sick person in
telligently.
She goes on duty at Or 8 in the
morning until or 8 at night, and it
takes her from half an hour to an hour
from thirteen to fourteen hours in all
What other class of women, profes-
sion&l or professional, put in such
long hours at less than so cents an
hour?
Besides, there are many nurses who
do twenty-four hour duty in private
homes, with from three to four hours
off duty in the afternoon and supposed
ly chance for at least six hours sleep
at night-all for 81 day.
After eight years nursing it has
been my experience that those most
critically ILL., even though in moderate
circumstances, are the most apprecia-
tive and the most willing to pay the
nurse what she so deservedly earns.
They would be the first to consider the
term "profteer" in connection with the
nursing profession ridiculous
A NURSE FROM CALIFORNIA.
New York, June "a, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-06-26
I rained Nurses Reply
Vigorous Protests Called Forth by Letter Asking
Whether They Are Prohteers
o The Editor of The Tribune.

To The Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The letter by Brooklyn" charg-
ing the trained nurses with profiteering
is one that calls for most emphatic
reply.
Strange as it may seem, there are
some persons with very poor under
standing of what the term trained
nurse" really means. / know of one
case where nurse was asked if all
Grained nurses we're not trained to go
without sleep" 1t is, of course, very un-
reasonable of the nurse to expect any
time for rest and food, to say nothing
of any recreation. That, of course, they
do not heed!
Brooklyn" has no doubt figured out
that nurse receives $2,555 a year.
Certainly, 81 day 365 days year,
leap year excluded. 1t never entered
her head that nurse is able to work
comparatively few months out of the
year. Not because there is no work, but
because of her health. To state a spe-
cific case, nurse was called on case,
miles from home, worked one week and
was then herself taken to the hospital
stricken with scarlet fever. For days it
was question whether she would live.
1t cost her only about 5000 to get well,
not to mention the time she lost. This
is not hypothetical case, and state
it only to show what a nurse has to
contend with.
Volumes could be written about the
experiences of the nurse, and am sure
they would make people realize not only
that the life of a nurse is not milk and
honey, but they would also learn to ap-
preciate more the true worth of the
trained nurse. X. e. LOFGREN.
Elizabeth, N. j., June "a, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-06-26
The Wet Parade
7I'cetotaler Tells Why He VIII March;
Boston Tea Party Comparison


To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: James K. Shields, in a letter
to The Tribune, calls the Fourth of
July parade "wet" parade. I've been
given the impression, through the
press, that it is personal liberty"
parade. l am going to parade on the
Fourth, and | am 900 per cent"
teetotaler.
| am going to parade for two rea-
sons: I cannot see the justice of be-
ing stopped by policeman and asked
What have you in that case?" Q
had a musical instrument in the case.
| had to answer, much against my will.
Having seen this done in Russia I
protest it here in the United States.
Then, again, cannot see the justice
OF having two big policemen come over
to my table in restaurant and de-
liberately look into my cup of coffee
to see if was drinking "hooch."
Keep this attitude up and it will
turn more strictly temperate young
men against this unreasonable law.
Put common sense in it and I'll back
the law for all it's worth.
Yes, I'm going to parade and not
feel ashamed of whom I parade with,
as protest against this method of
enforcing prohibition. R. w. K.
Brooklyn, June %, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-06-26
Tenants Protection
Need Of Organization Questioned
The Court Routine
To the Editor of The Tribune.


To the Editor of The Tribune.
S Sir: The formation of new pro-
tective organization for tenants raises
question which in my mind is second
to none in Importance in our efforts to
solve the housing situation. All that
such an organization could do IS to de-
fend actions for rent increases through
its official legal department.. Ny ex-
perienco has been that the tenant has
ali the protection he could possibly de-
rive from such legal service already.
And in most cases without the expendi-
tIre of penny for legal advice. This
is particularly true of the poorer class
of apartment dwellers.
Now, how is the poorer tenant pro-
tected? When landlord decides to
increase the rent he demands his in
crease, sometimes giving notice in adj
vance, as he should do; sometimes
seeking higher rent for the current
month. Every tenant in New York
knows to-day that he has only to re-
fuse to pay the increase if he does not
want to pay more than he has been
paying. The landlord cannot put him
out without going to court and haling
the tenant to court. The landlord
causes the tenant to be served with a
summons demanding the increased rent
and summoning the tenant to answer
in court at the clerks office within five
days.
The only intelligence required of q
tenant is that he know enough to ap-
pear in court within the period stipu-
lated in the summons. He appears at
the Office Of the clerk, at the address
given in the summons, and inquiries of
the employee at the window what he
is to do. The clerks of the Municipal
Court have found to be the most
highly efficient and uniformly willing
group of city employees. They advise
the tenant in few seconds what he
must do, and place the case on the
court calendar, instructing the tenant
to appear on certain day and to an
swer when his name is called in court.
No one could give other advice and be
right, no matter what the fee.
At the trial, the presumption being
against the landlord by express pro-
vision Of law, the tenants case is safe
with the justice. The landlord must
overcome with figures, and with proof
of their correctness, that he is entitled
to an increase in rent. Under certain
conditions he gets it. More often he
gets nothing in excess Of the old rent,
and now and then only part of the
increase. Counsel, no matter how
astute, could not add to the tenants
case. A protective organization could
not improve the tenants chances of
success. KIP.
New York, June %, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-06-26

age person to pay, especially when the
upon as being in the same class as
the service of ones cook or waitress
or laundress. But stop just a minute
and realize that one is also paying for
and experience which makes the nurse
rather than the housemaid the essen
tial employee.
AS for the trained nurse taking ad-
vantage of this shortage in her pro-
fession, will merely point to her
record during the war, when her serv-
ices were SO much more in demand
Did she strike for more pay or
shorter hours? Was any profiteering
done by her when everybody else,
worthy and unworthy citizens alike,
was grasping all the profits from the
war within reach? Certainly such an
idea was as far from the nurses mind
as it was from the soldiers
The shortage of nurses is very
serious problem, but not one which is
for the nursing profession alone to
solve; neither is it the fault of those
who are trained nurses. We who are
nurses would be the first to welcome
new recruits to our ranks. By all
means get all the "able-bodied, intelli-
gent women" from England or any
other land to take up hospital training
here. Many overworked, worried train
ing school superintendents would be
glad to have them in their schools. In
that suggestion 1 am heart and soul
with my opponent. Why doesn't he
start some such immigration
H. PERSEE BONTON.
Willard Parker Hospital, New York,
June %, 1921,
New-York tribune., 1921-06-26
A Nurse $ Day

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In answer to "Brooklyn's" query
as to whether trained nurses prohteer,
may l state few facts?
l am a trained nurse of many years
standing and am engaged in private
nursing, mostly obstetrical work. I
prefer to work twenty-four hours be-
cause find it far easier than the So
called "twelve-hour" duty.
However, my doctors often require
me to 60 on cases at the hospital,
where l work twelve hours. In order
to put in my full time / have to rise
not later than 5:45 a. m. to be over
to the hospital, have my breakfast and
be on duty at q. m.
l leave my patients room at p. M.
or even later, and reach my home some
where around 8 p. M, having had no
fresh air except what can get coming
and going. AS rule one is too tired
to walk either way. -
For this we get Sc day. but
when outside at patients house We
get 81. 80
Has it occurred to brooklyn" that a
nurse has to have permanent address,
place to live when not on a. case, a
telephone whereby she can be called by
doctor or patient? She also mus.
"dress for the public" in uniform, no
small item in these days of profteer-
ing; she has her laundry to pay for
when on case in town.
A nurse, if she is any good, has to be
the most self-sacrifcing person. She
can do nothing practically outside Of
her particular work. Can she join
any club for outdoor sports? Can she
join any classes for self-improvemen ?
Can she plan ahead for the opera, or
for wedding or for dance? Very
rarely indeed.
Girls are looking ahead now to pro-
fessions and work which will lead them
to something in the future. There are
too many things woman can do in
these days, and unless the public be-
gins to take little more interest in
nurses, their work, their hours and
their pay Pm afraid there will still
be an even greater dearth of nurses.
NEW YORK.
New York, June %, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-06-26
Ridiculous and Sublime
Artemus Ward as Preface to Eman-
cipation Proclamation

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Apropos of your editorial
"Frolicsome Man." Mr.. Drnkwater's
employment of reading from Artemus
Ward in abraham Lincoln" is not
only characteristic of the Great Eman-
cipator but authentic historically. Con-
fi1mation is furnished in a new psyche
analytic study of Lincoln. This is in
Lincoln as Exhibit B (Searching for
the Key to the American MinA), by
Harvey O'Higgins and Edward H.
Recde, M. D., in the current issue of
McClure's Magazine. The authors are
describing Lincoln's actions in crises:
"Take him on September %, 1862,
VIXEN he called his Cabinet together to
hear his proclamation freeing the
slaves. The stage was set for what is
called "a historic moment and all
recognized it as historic. Two of his
Cabinet ministers wrote accounts of
the meeting in their diaries that night.
He opened the meeting by
reading to the Cabinet not chapter
from the Bible-as Bishop Fowler and
others have believed-but a comicaI
page from Artemus Ward: His Book,
which the humorist had sent him. He
knew the Importance of the moment.
He was about to announce deyoutly
that he was determined to free the
slaves because he had promised God
frna
armies were victorious at Antietam. He
was prepared to face the opposition of
his Cabinet members, majority of
whom he knew were set against is
suing the proclamation. Yet, confront
ing this opposition, pledged to action
by covenant with God, at one of the
most solemn crises of his official life.
he began by reading Wards ridiculous
account Of how visitor to his wax
works attacked the figure of Judas
Isoariot. And this nonsense 'he seemed
to enjoy very much as the Secretary
of the Treasury wrote in his diary"
1t is all strikingly like Scene w in
Drinkwaters abraham Lincoln" And
the dramatist has put into Lincoln's
mouth asspeech which Eliminates still
more his mental processes:
"It's an exciting morning, gentlemens
feel rather excited myself. I find my
mind not at its best in excitement.
Will you allow me (opening his book :?
1t may compose US all. 1t is Mr.. Ar
temus Wards latest"
DAVID H. WALLACE.
New York, June 23, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-06-26
Our War Motives
Tenants Redress

both the Volstead act and the propos.s
amendment do deal specifically with
the medicinal use Of alcohol, and !. !.
incomprehensible that the copnsst
should have made such a statement =,
that the members of the comitia shouId
have been willing to accept the re-.
sponsibility for publishing it,"
Meanwhile, the Medical Society a,
the County of New York, which il q,
record, as we'll as the American Medi.
cal Association on this subject. is ure.
vented from voicing its opinion durinv
this crisis in medical affairs. 1t NAV hs
stated that it was for the purpose a;
reaffirming the stand previously taken
by the Medical Society of the Counts
of New York that this matter was again
brought before the society on April 2s
Under the recently adopted const;.
tuition of the society no matter can b.
debated at the time Of its introdue.;a,
except by consent Of the president. All
business, however pressing, must await
the decision of the comitia minors
In this instance this body reported II,
findings one month after the ress9u.
tions in question were presented. The
attitude previously taken on nationa,
prohibition and the Volstead act by the
Medical Society of the County of New
York was to the effect that as far az
these measures related to medical ursc.
tice they were: Irrational, unscien.
tifc and against the accepted usage Of
civilized countries everywhere else
throughout the world" They were also
condemned as permitting the sale Of
patent and proprietary alleged medici.
nal compounds containing alcohol in
varying amounts, while denying the
use of spurious, vinous and malt alco.
holic beverages of proved therapeutic
worth"
JOHN P. DAWN, ND.
New York, June "a, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-06-26
Assyrians in Peril
Jeopardizcd by Reduction Of British
Forces in Mesopotamia

Forces in Mesopotamia
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: England, it is reported, is
shocked to- learn that some 10000
horses will have to be slaughtered
when the British forces in Mesopo-
tama are reduced. Our own humane
sentiments are also aroused by this
announcement. The 10000 people who
will probably be slaughtered by this
same movement seem to claim com
paratively small amomunt Of sympathy
from us.
Before the war the Assyrian race
numbered about 100000. Encouraged
and melted by the British, they fought
against their neighbors, the Kurds and
the Persians, in support of the Allied
cause. They have thereby incurred
the undying enmity of those two races.
Their sacrificial contribution to the
Allied cause is mutely evidenced by the
fact that about 10000 of these people
grouped around Mosul and Bagdad. far
from their homes, are practically the
only survivors. Forty thousand Ar
menians now at Busra are in similar
condition for the same reasons.
Last year they attempted to return
to their homes, but were turned back
by the Kurds. The Arabs will not
permit them to remain where they are.
British protection is being withdrawn.
England and the United States have re-
fused admittance to them. There is
no other place for them to go. Unable
to stay where they are and unable to
move, their chances are almost equal
to those of the proverbial snow ball on
the kitchen stove.
We are not anti-British any more
than we are un-American in protesting
against particular phases of our own
government policy, but perhaps our
humane sentiments can be aroused to
the point of action by the plight of
these human beings, as we'll as by the
fate in store for 10000 horses.
EDWARD TYLER PERRY.
Westfield, N. j., June %, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-06-26
Maternity Bill Objections
Adverse Comment on Sheppard
Towner Measure-Fiske's Warning

SfSfSioS NoilliiASlit ou A'hCPpoid"
Towncr Measure-Fiske's Warning
TO the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: AS your correspondent Mr..
Rosenthal has not yet seen valid OBJ
lection to the Sheppard -Towner ma
ternity bill, ] would refer him to the
following. Fiske, in his Critical PERIOD
of American History, says:
''If the day should ever arrive (Which
God forbid!) when the people of the diff
ferent parts of our country should al
low their local affairs to be admins
tered from Washington on that
day the progressive political career. of
the American people will have come to
an end, and the hopes that have been
built upon it for the future happiness
and prosperity of mankind will be
wrecked forever"
Also this from an article on "Educa-
tion,' by Paul l.. Blakely, in America:
The State of Maryland, for instance,
recently petitioned Congress to enact
the outrageous Sheppard -Towner ma
ternity bill, and among the chief
grounds alleged was the fact that in
one year 158 mothers had died in that
state for want of proper care. If that
be true have not the citizens of Mary
iand enough humanity and initiative to
take steps to prevent an abnormally
hight such it be-death rate; or,
failing private agencies of relief, cam
not the State of Maryland solve the
problem for itself? Is it so lost to in
dependence that in matter affecting
the local health regulations it must
Immediately turn to the Federal gov
ernment, thereby confessing it's unfit
ness for self-government?"
AN INTERESTED WOMAN.
Baltimore, Md, June 23, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-06-26
A Lincoln Chapel
Patriotic Memorial Planned by All
Saints Church

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: 1t is possible that many of
your readers might be interested in
fact about Lincoln's New York funeral
which seems to be very little known,
namely, that after the body lay in
state at the City Hall, where the mid
night service was held it was taken to
the New York undertaker's residence,
Willett Street, and that the next morn
ing before the procession started out
the body lay in state at the triangular
place called Scanned Square, where
Scanned Street falls into Grand, cross
ing East Broadway. Besides the testi-
mony of the daughter of the under
I taker, | have that of Mr. E. Cots
chalk, who remembers going up the
steps of the little platform by the
side of the catafalque and viewing the
body.
AS this was right by our old church,
we have felt that it would be fitting
to commerate the fact by dedicating a
chapel to Lincoln in the church. We
have installed bust and have mounted
on cards many precious old pictures
of the occasion. We should like to
enrich our. collection of relics, souve-
Mrs or letters of Lincoln, so as to in
crease the interest for the public
school pupils and visitors who will be
invited to make a pilgrimage TO our
chapel, especially on Lincoln's birth
day.
Perhaps some owners of Lincoln
souvenirs, letters or relics would like
to know of some place where they will
be with pious reverence preserved
for patriotic purposes. Resides such
mementos we should gladly receive
| communications of hitherto unpub-
lished "reminiscences of Lincoln, or in.
deed, anything whatever that will pro-
mote the patriotic Inspiration of our
| visitors.
| Any gifts would be properly credited
to the donor, and would thus form 4
permanent memorial to him.
REV. KENNETH SYLVAN GUTHRIE.
Rector of All Saints Church
1 New York, June 20, 1921.