davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17

restricts primary voting TO legally
qualified voters.
The law also throws such safe
guards around primary elections that
cvii elements which otherwise would
lawlcssly vitiate the results by fraud
or chicanery are restrained by fear
of phnlshmcnt. Also, the law Is so
plain and simple In all its operations
that no ordinarily intelligent voter
viii be confused by any of its require
mcnts.
So here is the hope OF the Demo-
cratic party in our State. With pri-
mary contests decided In a manner
clearly expressive of party will, there
can be no room for dissent from the
ascertained results. Then the way
will he clear for a campaign that will
cnthuse the party voters and inspire
them with a desire for success at the
election. And campaign thus in
spired surely would lead the Demo
cratic party to victory in Delaware
next year.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
ANOTHER NATIONAL PERIL.

1t Is bad news that comes from out
Kansas way. They say the country
store is passing away. The women
folks don't come around as they used
to and set their market baskets on
the counter and tell each other and
the storekeeperi AN that they have
heard since the other time, and the
men folks don't come around and sit
on cracker boxes around the cannon
stove and debate affairs Of state, and
the storekeeper is not making any
money.
The party line telephone and the
automobile are mostly to blame. The
women do their gossiping on the tele-
phone, with large and appreciative
audience of party liners. and the men
are putting In their spare time trying
To find ont what Is wrong with the in
wards of their gasoline conveyances
All this is hard on the storel<eeper
and we are sorry for him, but the
storfkeeper's plight is not the worst
of it. The country Is I'm worse fix
The country store, il the open forum
where all public questions, have beer
settled. Scarcely a day has passet
without the country being saved a
least once by sapient local statesmen
around the old cannon stove. 1t Is 'ap
palling to think what we n nay come e
with the closing of that arena of pop
ular debate, Where, we ask, will th'
country turn for the easing of it's dis
tresses when the country store is n,
more and the remnant of the repub
lies redeemers have no warm corne
in which to foregather and illuminate
st. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
MORE CADETS WANTED.

The annual report OF the superin-
tendent of the United States Military
academy. dated last June but only
recently. made public. takes cognizance
of the ideals which are manifest in the
disarmament conference at Washing
ton. After resume of the work done
during the last year by the cadets at
West Point, the superintendent makes
only one recommendation To the war
department. That is for an increase In
the authorized strength of the cadet
corps at the academy. The report
states: The overwhelming trend OF
public opinion throughout the world
is against war. This feeling reflects not
only the horrors of the past but the
crushing financial burdens of the fu-
| ture."
Then. by way of explaining the re
quest for more cadets at West Point
the report adds; AS the nation re-
spends TO its Impulse m diminishing
the size of it's standing army 1t must
IL wise, increase the small leaven OF
professionally trained expe. Is to trair
the great masses Of the citizen sold
/ iery which must be improvised in
| time OF strite. AS our standing army
goes down in numbers the enrolment
oc the Military academy should go up
| II the lessons of the recent worlt
war are to he utilized. the war depart;
ment should give consideration TO thi;
rational. common sense 'recommenda
tion of the superintendent. 1t will b,
remembered that after war was de
clared in 1917 the big problem In this
country was not to get men, but e
get officers competent to train these
men.-Rochester Democrat and Chron
4 iple
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
"wHEN DOCTORS DISAGREE"

Senators Ball and du Pont having
been sharply criticised and severely
condemned by the Methodist Episco-
pal Preachers Association of this city
for voting against the Anti Beer"
hin during the recent special session
of Congress, now have a measure of
consolation in unanimous approval
from another direction. The Physi-
clans and Surgeons Hospital Clini-
cal Society. at meeting held at the
Hotel du Pont. Thursday. unanimously
adopted a resolution commending the
two Senators for their action. The
resolution declared that in so voting
the Senators had upheld the legiti-
mate rights of the medical profess
sion 20 prescribe alcohol. In the form
~ either beer. wine or whisky, when
human lives or the health Of the sick
are at stake"
Who shall decide when doctors
Disagree" has been a mooted ques-
ton Tor many years. and now IL arises
In connection with the attitude of
these two Senators from Delaware
towards the "Anti-Beer" bill in Con-
tress. one set of doctors-for IN
these days nearly every minister of
any standing or pulpit reputation is
doctor" by virtue OF honorary de-
gree conferred by some chartered in
stitution OF learning--denounces the
votes of the Senators; another set
% doctors--real followers OF the medi-
cal and surgical professions-says
they voted in the right manner and
heartily commends them for the stand
they took.
Whether the matter will rest here
Is yet to he determined, but there
must be al least some degree Of salts
faction in the minds OF the two Sena.
tors over the failure of conviction by
reason of a disagreement of the en-
tire jury OF doctors" honorary and
professional Meanwhile. as they say
they voted in accord with their con.
sCientious convictions and sense oi
duty. they at least have the calm as.
surance which this action always i'm.
parts. no matter what may be in,
volvcd in the controversy.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
THE MIRROR OF
PUBLIC OPINION

censorship has been emphasized by
consideration OF the very weighty
opinions OF one OF the ablest officers
In the navy or army recently express
ed In n personal and private way, not
in breach OF the censorship regula-
ton. These opinions touched such
questions M the Caribbean, the status
OF the canal, the policy OF retention OF
the Philippines, etc. and they repre-
sent not irresponsible thcorizing but
years OF experience and reflection and
practical contact with responsibility.
They are clearly worthy of careful
consideration, not merely by our rep
resentatives, but by the public whose
opinion must support policies, II they
are to prevail. Yet this man and his
like are gagged. They cannot speak
to their fellow citizens on the very
matters they are most competent TO
discuss. and public opinion is there
fore cheated of guidance and stimu-
| lation II most sorely needs.
our official censorship In the army
and navy should be strictly limited Ia
| professional secrets. Discussion OF
problems of policy and OF the factors
entering into their solution should be
not only permitted but encoura gedS as
they are In other countries.
| Tribune,
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
MR.. UNDErWOOD'S FAILURE.

Senator Underwood's participatior
in the Armament Conference as one of
the American delegates by appoint
ment from President Harding is not
in itself a valid reason for his re-
moval from the Democratic leadership
of the Senate. as some Of his COL
leagues contend. The record of the
Underwood lead 2rship. however. is
ample reason for his removal.
As the minority leader of the Senate
Mr.. Underwood has been a complete
100-per-cent failure. Thanks to Mr.
Underwood, the Democrats of the Sem
ate are without a policy. without a
programme. without a purpose.
If this We're merely a partisan fail
ure it could be dismissed rather liGtt-
ly. but it is much more serious than
that. Representative government
cannot function properly without in
telliSent and aggressive opposition
| Legislation al It's best and at it's worst
must -be worked out under the fire of
debate. The majority is entitled to the
benefit of the most honest and search
/ ing criticism that cln be made. With
out such criticism it cannot discharge
/ It's ftSpOliSlDllHleS.
The country is rightly disgustod
with the record of the Republicans in
! Congress and the inability Of the party
/ in power TO frame economic legisla-
/ ton that meets the needs of the coun-
/ try. The Republicans are leaderless
land generally incompetent. but they
would be far less incompetent If the
Democrats were not politically bank
rupt in the House. and especially in
the Senate. A capable Democratic
leadership would by its force and Wig.
or compel capable Republican leader.
ship. A capable Democratic opposition
would give the country IN alternative
to Republican futility. Under Mr.. Tn.
derwood the minority has been merged
into the general inefiiciency of the ma,
! Jority, and there Is no place to draw
a line between the two parties. Suct
opposition as exists comes chiefly from
the Republican left wing.
Mr.. Underwood is a man of higi
character and accepted ability. but h,
has not fulfilled in the Senate any o
the brilliant promise that he carli
from the House to the other wing O
the Capitol. Since he became the Dem
ocratic leader in the Senate the M!
nority party mas not only been aim
Jess but it has disintegrated into fac
lions which he has no talent for har
monizing.-New York World.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
CENSORSHIP OF OPINION,

AT all times, but especially at this
time, American public opinion should
have the benefit. of the expert dis
cussion and information which army
and navy men could give us. The men
who devote their lives to the study
of our defense problems and to the
military and naval relations of ma
tions can give civilians knowledge and
points of view which are of great
value. If we were called upon to
legislate for sanitation and the pre-
vention of epidemics. we should not
ignore the physician and sanitarian.
Yet when ii Games TO the considera-
ton of means to establish relations
with the world consistent with and
conducive TO our safety and welfare,
We are obliged to go without Nthe ad-
vice of students of defense. Army and
navy men are forbidden To publish
their views. not merely of technical
phases of defense, but of the larger
aspects of our international problems.
Our sense of the folly OF this official
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
JUST FOLKS
THE LETTER TO SANTA CLAUS,
BY Edgar A. Gucst.


I'd filled my pipe and settled down
beside the cosy ingle nook
To while away an hour or two and con
the pages of a book,
When from another room there came
"A question by that rascal yelled,
And this the burden Of his plea "Pa.
how is locomotive spened?"
j answered him and turned TO read
and of the question thought no
more,
When suddenly / looked and saw that
boy of mine beside the door;
What is II now?" / asked of him, for
much the lad investigates,
Il was just wondering" said he, lust
how to spell pair of skates"
] answered him and sent him off, but
back he came again to Know
How coaster sled" is spelled And
then into his room | watched hin
And wondered what was on his mind
and what his interest might be,
When he returned and said ono.
more; VIII you spell boxing
gloves for me?"
Now these are curious words, though
/. for such little boy to learn
/ And it is strange that he should max,
his spelling such a grave concern
Say, how do you spell 'watch?r he
cried, and then / tumbled to the
cause
The rascal had begun TO write his an.
nual note TO Santa Claus.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
CITY COUNCIL is RIGHT.

We believe the best sentiment of the
community win sustain City Council
in refusing to vote approval to the
scheme OF creating a permanent and
satisfactory system of garbage dis
posal in our city by the installation
OF a complete now plant, at a cost
now set down at sl45, 900, but which,
if entered upon, doubtless would cost
a great deal more. At least this is
the general experience in respect of
such matters.
The city has in operation a garbage
crematory which is said to be giving
satisfaction in its operation as far as
they can go, but which is handicapped
by limited capacity. The Councimen
favor the plan of adding to this plant,
and thus continue to utilize it's SER
vices, instead of scrapping it and
spending a large amount of money
upon an entirely new plant, the merits
of which would be an unknown guam
tity until demonstrated by actual trial
The Board of Health plan would in
volve sacrifice of the cost OF the ex-
isting plant. in addition to the ex-
penditure of large sum for the pro-
posed new plant, with all its uncer-
tainties. Council. therefore, is right
in its decision TO enlarge the presen,
plant.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
THE LURE OF SOME PLACE ELSE
BY Frederic J. Haskin

Is having one just now. a series ~
spectacular plays. purporting 20 de-
scribe life in the Orient. have had A
great success. Several books OF the
same character have been best-sellers.
and the movies as usual have followed
suit.
! IL IL Interesting TO note that this
| imaginary Orient has almost exactly
the same essential features az the i'm
aginary South Sea Island. In this
Orient Of the screen and the stage
it is once more always SUMMER, once
more people are shown leading easy
unrestrained lives. and once more the
unciad dansel Of emancipated morals
is the leading feature of the scene.
These coiorful porirayals Of an easy
iIde life, full Of excitement and desire.
devoid OF hard work and clothes. draw
enormous crowds of typical Ameri-
cans, who work hard every day in the
week and often go 70 church on Sun
day. who lead lives Of routine and re-
straint, in the most law-ridden land
on earth, and who are easily scandal
ized by any suggestion Of immortality
In the lives Of their neighbors,
tHiHHN lufh hfdffs
is there anything strange In their
liking for these pictures and books
and plays which described life az
thing OF freedom, adventure and iust7
Nothing at all. In each Of those
worthy citlzens is buried a subiimlnal
self that longs for just those things.
and the preposterous books and pic
lures give him a sort Of vicariOus
satisfaction.
These books and plays and pictures,
then. are above all diagnosis of civil
lied life in America. They show what
: Il lacks by showing what the man who
is living It instinctiveIy Graves. And
the things which he Graves inva riably
are less work. less restraint. more adj
venture, more freedom, and especially
more freedom in the matter Of love.
The instinct Of the average man as
! to what Is the matter with bis life is
probably right. Most people doubtless
do work too hard, and above all they
work too monotonously. They do the
same things over and over again until
those things become meaningless
There Is not enough Of change and ex-
j. citement in aeir lives There IL not
enough to feed their imaginations and
. develop their emotions. Most pse'
:, pie. too. are not satisfied in zoe.
. so far the average man - righ-
He knows what he wants. even II hs
wont admit it, or az least he feel.
what he wants even II he doesn't
;. know II. The books he reads. th'
r pictures and plays he goes 20 see ar'
2 his confession Of longing and aspirs
?, ton
h Where he is wrong il in supposini
= that II he could Just go 70 some far
;. away place all would he different Al
e a matter Of fact, life is amazingl'
e similar wherever you go. You cal
Y satisfy your longings in a measur
o anywhere If you are strong and cleve
g enough, and II you are not. the odd
Y are against you on South Sea Islam
= TO less than on the Island of Manhat
a tan.
y Salvation for any man is not high
II 70 some far-sway place where N
Il game is easier, but in a careful stud
o. Of the environment about him.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
MARSHAL FOCH'S VISIT.

Marshal, Foch's visit 10 our country
which came TO close when he sailed
from New York City. on Wednes-
day was an occasion that will be
memorable for all time 10 come. Ger
tainly the fine old soldier will ever
treasure his experiences here as the
most pleasing Of his notable career.
During the entire period of his visit
Marshal Foch was .showeard with
honors and courtesies He had high
part in that most momentous event,
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
RIPPLING RHYMES.
BY Walt Mason.
MY NEIGHB0RS.

My neighbors all are splen-
did jays. a credit to their race;
and evermore l sing their praise
upon the market place. And SO
I've made the discords cease
that used to jar my nerves, and
any gent who longs for peace
must emulate my curves. Time
was when l would pass along
the evil tales l heard, and say
that Johnson's life was wrong,
Jones was a wicked bird; it tired
me that l must endure Jed
Bunkum and his gall; and sim
full motives. was sure, inspired
my neighbors all. 1t Is not
strange that men grew sick of
hearing talk like that, and now
and then a well-aimed brick
would spoil my Sunday hat.
And when l found l had no
friend in all the region nigh. l
reared my person up on end, and
asked the reason why. The rea-
son was not hard to find; saw
it. through my tears; and | re-
marked. II have been blind and
batty all these years. | have re-
fused to see the good in any
human skate, and now, through
out the neighborhood men sing
the hymn of hate. They throw
their tin cans In my yard. they
sic dogs on my COW, and |, fat
and futile bard, can see the rea-
son now" Then | reformed, and
on my Tyre l made a solemn
pledge that I'd find something
to admire in all men, and not
hedge. So l began to roundly
boost Tom, Dick, James, John
and Jake, and neighbors bless
me when l roost, and praise me
when / wake.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
THE EVENING SMILE.
WHY SHE DIDN'T KNOW.

She was a real Southern darl<y Just
up from "Gawgia" with her family of
ten children and her husband. One
day. not being able to come to work
as usual. she sent two of her daugh-
ters. one being Pauline, while the
name of the other sounded like "Es-
therdee.'
The neXt time. she came herself her
employer commented on the unusual
name she had given her daughter. She
laughed and said: "Oh. yes'm, and one
gentleman she works for. he jes' calls
her Easter Day" We'll. Eve" said
the lady of the house, whatever is the
girls name? Can you spell it?'
"Oh, yes'm. An. kin spell it. Est
her, Esther, and ID, what's in the
alphabet
oh" said the woman, do you
mean the initial d."
"Yesm, dat's II. INITIAL D."
"But what does it stand for?"
We'll, ma'am. dat's sump'n I just
CANT tell you. case / doesn't know.
never aXed the lady | done name
her for."-New York Evening Post.
The Boss-"Im just going to help
you beat part of this unjust and bur
densone income tax" The salesman
Thanks, chief. How do we do it?" Tn
Boss-"We reduce your salary 25 per
cent. Houston Post.
Nj. H-"Do you know I can strike
nails like lightning?" Mr.. SIS that
so?" Mr.. H.-"Yes. lightning never
strikes twice in the same place.
Science and Invention.
Butler-"But won't you stop for
your breakfast, sir?" Clubnan-"No
Riggs, old chappie. you drink il fol
me. American Legion Weekly.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
MEETINGS TONIGHT.

Olive Temple, l.. G.. Il.
Wenonah Lodge, S. of II.
Liberty Conclave, S! w. NJ.
Mechanics Lodge. l. O. o. +.
Apache Tribe, lmp'd. o. r. NJ.
Lenape Tribe, Imp'd. O. II. NJ.
Sheet Metal Workers Association.
James a. Garfield Council. ID. of A.
James Young Con, III. or S. w. NJ.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17
Christmas Celebration.

a community meeting will be held
next Monday evening at the home of
Mrs. Calvin l. Swayne, 1900 West
Seventh street, to complete arrange
ments for a Christmas celebration in
Eighth Street Park.
Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-17

Washington, Dec. 1.-THE South
now enjoying tremendous popularity
among persons who have never been
there.
The South Sea Island craze Has
started by a book which described
In the most luscious language that
paradise OF eternal summer. Of easy
living, OF few clothes, and no re-
straints, and OF beautiful native
maidens who fell in love with white
men on sight, and knew little or moth
ing about marriage.
The material for this book, Il is
said, was supplied by man who had
spent some years in the islands, but
the luscious writing was done by a
clover woman who had never been to
the islands at all. The book was
quickly followed by other books by
the same author and by others. Boats
bound for the South Seas began to
be hacked With tourists.
Then camle. the inevitable reaction
The wanderers found that the South
/ Sea Islands were just about like
| Florida, California. or any other win
ter resort country. They found that
instead Of lying around and picking
up breadfruit whenever they goi
hungry, they had 10 pay si2 a day al
the hotels. Instead OF caperinf
naked on coral strands. they had [,
ly enough beautiful native maidens to
dress for dinner. There weren't near
go around. As for the climate. IL wal
nice for "a while, but no tropical eli
mate agrees with white man foi
very long at stretch.
in a word the tourist found that the
hard realities OF human life dogge,
him even TO the South Sea Islands
and that the books had been mostly
fairy tales. SO many were the dis
appointed tourists that a literatur,
poking fun at the South Sea Island,
has sprung into being. Many maga
zine articles have been written to tina
tune. and now book Is out which &
a parody Of all other books that toll,
about the irresponsible delights of tn
South Seas.
This comedy has been played owe
again. The South Seas have leape
irto popularity time after time, ant
then have been forgotten agair
Robert Louis Stevenson gave them
run some years ago. and before that
Herman Melville set men to banker
ing after breadfruit and tropics
warmth and beautiful copper-colore
damsels.
Places That Aren't.
OF course what the writers describ
and what the readers banker afte
and often go in search Of, is not IN
South Sea Islands az they really ar
but a purely imaginary realm whic
will give play to all Of the longing
which they cannot satisfy at hom'
These periodic crazes about strang
faraway Arcadies are simply evidenc
OF the fact that most men are onl
half satisfied by the reality and ;
. live largely in their dreams. Tn
craving for some place else is chief
interesting as revealing the unsatis
. fed longings OF men. The South Sc
1slands are by no means the onl
popular never-never land. The Oriei
is another one which has a spell
I popularity every few years II, TO