davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
Not Unrelated Evils
Editor of The Tribune.

10 the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Your recent editorial "Alcohol
and After" is most interesting. and vet
1t seems unlikely that a young man
should be physically sound though ne
had become unfit as soldier from ex-
cessive use of alcohol. Assuming that
the figures quoted indicate moderation
or entire abstinence from alcoholics
by mental detectives, they would seem
to prove that the injury done the state
by the LIQUOR traffic was even greater
than had been supposed 1t would ap-
pear that instead Of destroying those
of little value its thousands of victims
would otherwise have been valuable
citizens.
1t cannot properly be read out Of
the figures that an insignificant num-
Der of men are seriously injured by
alcohol, for that is contrary to COM
mon knowledge. The most that can be
deduced is that the effects of alcoholic
Indulgence do not become so marked
until one is beyond draft age as to pre-
vent his performing his duty as a sol
dier, and this deduction also agrees
with common experience
Mental deficiency and alcohol are not
entirely unrelated evils, for though
the mental defective may be in the
main a small consumer of strong drink
an appreciable proportion of such de-
fectives owe their unhappy state to the
drinking habits OF their parents The
suppression OF the liquor traffic may be
expected in some degree to diminish
the number Of detectives. Nevertheless
they and their progeny VIII remain a
serious problem to be faced and solved
by the state
CHARLES E. MANIERRE.
New York, March 8, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
For an Unnortgaged Forum

Now that New York has a Town
Hall, it is the duty of the yeomanry
to join in and help pay for it. 1t is
rot agreeable to think of an instltu
ton that unites the functions Of
Roman Forum, a Faneuil Hall and
a Cooper Union with a lien on it.
10 pay immediate obligations and
TO finish the upper floors of the temple
of free discussion $500,000 is re-
quired at once, and to lift the mort
gage Indebtedness 100000 addi-
tional. By renting the hall an in
come sufficient to pay interest can
be secured, but this will mean that
it will not be available for public
purposes when needed. Obviously
the edihce should be free and clear,
a Runnymede in brick and mortar
owned by the public in fee simple.
Gifts to the Town Hall involve no
future obligations. There is to be
no further passing of the hat when
the debt is paid. Its income, without
interfering with its appointed func-
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13

larger number, the more important life
of future generations, as with the bee
and the salmon, for example
When prohibition came to aid decent
living a certain type Of mind bent every
energy to outwit the law, to translate
Thou shalt not" into 81 will" Self
denial or self-sacrifce never occurs to
this type of mind
How long is it going to take public
sentiment to appreciate these facts and
to recognize that It is quality of race,
not quantity, for swhich the world is
suffering to-day? Life has no meaning,
no use, unless VIC can leave the world
bit better because we have lived in
it. Sound character. true patriotism
and pride of race must be cultivated if
real Americanism is to survive. AD
New York, March 8, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13

such basis But there is sound rea-
~on for some action toward q partial
lifting of that burden of debt, which
8 backed up by every sense Of justice
and manly dealing.
Every -blooded American knows
that we should have been in the war
for all we were worth mediately fol-
lowing the sinking of the Lusitania if
rot earlier Had we struck then with
our navy and modified our army, as
we did later, the war would have beer
ended two years sooner, at a saving of
thousands of lives and billions of dol
lars. During this interval we owed our
safety to the British navy. The sink
ing of our ships was only one means
Of forcing US into the war. Germany
WIS absolutely sure of her ability to
win the war, and she was looking to
us, rich nation, to recoup her de-
rleted treasury at its close. Her navy
would have been upon us in full force,
levying upon the rich cities of the
coast to fill her Golfers, had not the
British and French navies kept it
blocked up at Kiel.
For this protection we certainly owe
sn adequate compensation. There is no
sentiment in this position. 1t is only
even and exact, manly justice. A re-
rlittance of, say, one-half the Allies
var debt to US, as an acknowledgment
of protection afforded and for our
dereliction in the performance of our
plain duty for those two years, should
be Immediately accorded. This the AL
les could accept with grace and with
out the tairt of benevolence. and am
sure it would secure and cement q
friendship that would be far more en-
during than any cancellation on grounds
Of generosity. f. L. HITCHCOCK.
Scranton, Pa, March 9, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
Is There a Moral Decline =?

Mrs. Gertrude 4.therton asks the
question and answers it with a de-
cided "No" in the current Forum.
How can our morals decline when
there are SO many censors. she ex-
claims. With Mr. Sumner at one
elbow and the revenue agent at the
other, we must be growing pure
and thirsty while you wait.
This may, concededly, have its
hint of satire. But Mrs. Atherton
has real evidence to cite, to wit:
Main Street. This portrayal of
small town typical of tens of thou
sands of small towns the country
over is one-sided. she argues. But
it shows the vast majority fairly,
omitting the best and the worst, and
certainly giving The opt.mist the
wors; of it. If there wao any de-
moniacal activity at work along Main
Street Mr.. Sinclair Lewis would
have put it in surely. And is there
here mad orgy of dancing, i'm
morality, crime, repetition Of an
cient Rome by our wild young peo-
pie? Let Mrs. Atherton answer:
'"Not by a long sight. 1t is the
history of people who are sordid,
mean and petty; vulgar, common, un-
ambitious, back biting, ill-educated,
suspicious of any attempt even of
amateur attempts TO improve what
passes for their minds; SNUG, CON
ceited and vicious as a lioness bereft
of her cubs over any suspected
moral lapse.
There is no evidence in this
chronicle of Main streets of America
that the dancing craze, popularity
supposed to inaugurate the downfall
Of nations, has taken possession of
our middle class. and is not the mid
die class the backbone OF any nation
"All communities, even the small
est, haya their gay little 'boassss.'
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
The Orchards Of Laon
A Little Story for Those Who Are
Plying Germany
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Those who are pitying Ger.
many and think that she is being asked
to pay too much should read The Doc
tors Duff1e Bag, by NJ. Louise Hurrell
There are many parts that have appli
cation, but one of the most dramatic
is this simple story about the trees:
Three generations ago in the Ar
rondissement of Laon, in northern
France, after much weighty discussion
among the smaller farmers, and at
considerable cost because fruit trees
we're a luxury for the poor, move
ment was started of planting small or
chards, benehting not themselves but
their children possibly, their grand
children surely. In the district many
thousand fruit trees thus began their
lives, and each tree, oF each owner, II
can easily be imagined. was nursed as
tenderly as any infant. In France there
is a law which makes it obligatory to
replace every tree that falls. whether
it be by accident or deliberation, and
this applies to private possessions as
we'll as to those of the government. Ii
can readily be seen that the owners of
these fruit trees during the last dec
ade have been reaping the benefits of
their grandparents fo~cthought, and
also, because of the example OF the
forefathers, each generation continues
to plant trees.
There came TO the Commune Of st.
Paul, Canton OF Coucy-le Chateau, in
this ACCOMPLISHMENT of Laon, on the
twenty fifth day of February, 1917, the
Germans The village of St. Paul-aux-
Bois was occupied by them. 1t lay in
the center Of the orchard district. At
once the order was given for the slaugh-
ter, ard the soldiers in pairs with
cross-cut saws began their work. The
work proceeded rapidly, the trees fall
ing in the same direction; during the
three days that followed 4.400 fruit
trees were felled in one canton There
they lay when the photographs were
taken One peasant woman was seen
each morning wailng over ner dead.
She had nineteen trees upon her gen
erous piece of ground. and when she
cried My house, it can be rebuilt in
ten years, but my trees. my trees have
been growing since my fathers fathers
time,' Can there have been any excuse
for the deliberateness OF this act?
What restitution can be made TO this
woman, or this woman's children? And
she is but one of many"
sMONTCLAIR.
Montclair, \. j., March 8, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
Wilhelm's Meditations

Wonder what The last of the kai-
sers is thinking about, Probably
something like this:
'The devils in Dusseldorf, invad-
ing the Ruhr, and the Fatherland
helpless as torpedoed liner. l was
the power in Germany. Without Me
there is no power. | was stronger
than all of my people. | was stronger
than any two nations. They see now,
the swine, what Germany is without
Me. | am Germany. Not Germany
now of the harness maker whose
name ought to be changed: Z weak,
bowed down people-too feeble to
evade punishment by threats. Ach,
Gott! can it be these are the people
I raised to splendor by my forceful
domination over them?
"Nein, nein; they are not Ny peo-
pie. am finished with them. 1t is
for Me to head race Of gods-not
this accursed rabble that gives up its
guns and cries that it wants. to be
good and has to suffer the enemy to
advance into its territory.
II am through with them. But for
that fact should be glad to see a
division among the Allies on the so
per cent tax that would make Italy,
perhaps Belgium, friends of Ger
many.
"And that would not be such bad
start for Me already again. With
Russia at My feet-an iron hand
like Mine could quickly pull those
fools around-what might not be the
possibilities?
THE Irish in America are strong.
That Madison Square Garden meet
ing, under the Mayors protection,
shows much. That was much good
news. The Irish and Germans will
soon have America at England S
throat. Then there's Japan uneasy
ever white meddlesomeness IN the
Far East and ready to be used
by Me
Little do they realize what
thoughts go through My head, and
little do they realize what a working
organization | control by Ny per-
sonal authority, even to-day Moth
ing goes on in the world that I don't
know. | still have My royal minis
ters and royal treasury probably
greater than any king or emperor
personally controls. could get
credit, too, in unexpected places.
These verdammt English, with their
;.ccursed cartoons showing me hiding
behind Wilhelmina's skirts-they
forget that the might that once was
Mine is not all passed.
"But, by Wotan's spear, it is hard
It is hard to watch and wait
would the tirstlings of My thought
could be the firstlings of My hand
But, alas. it may rot yet be. | must
show am fox as we'll as lion and
take cunning as My guide"
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13

but the bunch is lost In the herd.
and the herd chews it's cud from
birth till death and regards life with
the large, bovine gaze of formidable
respectability.
Following this negative evidence
as to the present, Mrs. Atherton
turns to the past. Dancing marks
the downfall of a nation, according
to the moralists of the hour. 1t is
true that Rome danced, but she did
many other things that we do not,
MRS. Atherton points out; her people
overate and lived for pleasure gem
orally, having achieved the pinnacle
OF civilization, as civilization went
IN those days, and therefore having
nothing to do except amuse them
selves. Is there similar tendency
to grow soft and devitalized in
America? Not SC that the tired
business man or woman can notice it.
Paris danced madly before the
war, and, of course, collapsed from
internal rottenness in 1914. And
how about the real collapses of Spain
some centuries ago and Germany
and Russia more recently, for in
stance? Was it dancing or brutal
stupidity that did for them? No,
dancing would be good for Main
Street, Mrs. Atherton concludes. Not
bad morals but SNUG stupidity is
the likeliest menace to the United
States Of America bY her diaEnnsis.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
Not Generosity. but Justice
New York, March 8, 1921.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: notice n an interview with
Mr. DENLY, the incoming Secretary Of
the Navy, that ne is in favor OF can
ceiling the Allies war debt, as matter
Il pure generosity, to cultivate good
feeling toward the United States. as in
.he case of the cancellation Of the
Boxer indemnity. The eases are in no
sense parallel, and the argument savors
,. boyish generosity altogether out
of place. We sre not justified in Civ
ng away the peoples money on any
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
f ew Grade-A Humans

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: D.. Bailey's figures give no
clew as to the causes of the mental de-
ficiency and nervous diseases which
rendered twenty out OF every thousand
physically sound young men unit for
service, though less than one in 1000
was discharged for alcoholism 1t has
long been claimed that alcohol and
venereal diseases were the chief fac
tors in producing feeble-minded chill
dren. the sins of the fathers being
visited upon the children"
Judging from the psychologi, tests
given to all soldiers, we are told that
in population of 00,o0O.oo0 there
would be only about 4,500,OO0 Grade A
human beings, of very superior intelli-
gence; about twice as many Grade B
while the masses are divided between
c and D. with at least 100000 who
are detectives and feeble minded. called
morons
lndividualism and the cry of per
sonal freedom have been carried too
far. To allow criminals, insane and
feeble minded to reproduce their kind
Is not only shorts GIFTED but criminal
In nature the life of the adult animal
is often controlled by a compelling in
stinct which involves the highest type
OF self-sacrifce, the giving up of life
itself, for the higher interests Of the
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13

cies but twice week, the indict-
ments would easily have been twice
as numerous.
notwithstanding this record and
the tracks of graft and near-graft so
spread about that even a noseless
dog could follow them, the Robinson
Sternburg resolution for legisla-
tive investigation sleeps in an AL
bany pigeon-hole. What's the idea
to make certain glad election night
for Hearst and Murphy?
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: 1t was with great satisfaction
I read the letter headed "Unsightly
Roofs For a long time have won
dered why this serious defect has not
been pointed out, when SO much has
been written about the architectural
improvement of our city.
A great and deplorable disagreement.
which has increased very much in the
last few years, is the hidcous water
tanks raised on stilts above so many
OF our buildings. Many of these are
visible from the streets and they in
crease in number the higher up one is
situated AS | write | look out of a
window on the sixth floor and can see
over thirty Of these tanks
a short distance north of Washing
ton Square a new apartment house has
been built which is very attractive in
design. but is entirely spoiled by the
tank and other Objectionable features
OIL the roof, which car easily be seen
as one walks in the square.
Also when riding downtown on the
Fifth Avenue bus it is pleasure to
looE. ahead and see the Washington
Arch at the lower end OF the avenue
but its beauty IS greatly lessened By
water tank which looks as ii perchec
on top of the arch. instead of on ths
building at the south of the square
Many architects of our really fin,
buildings seem to think that abov.
the beautiful cornices of the building
they are free to commit any atrocity
ROBERT c. MANN.
New York. March 8, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
Wrongly Levied Income Taxes


mitted before the Supreme Court a
material error in the Treasury's
method of computing income tax
losses and gains on securities sales
This concession of misjudgment will
end an abuse from which many tan
payers have suffered and from which
some have unfairly benefited.
In determining the profit or loss
on sale the Federal Internal Reve-
nue. Bureau decided that the selling
price should be compared with the
purchase price if Che purchase had
been made after March /, 1913. But
on an earlier purchase the real cost
of the securities was ignored and
the selling value on March l, 1918,
was substituted. Thus, an artificial
valuation was established for taxa
tion purposes, either below or above
the true level.
The inequity of the method is easy
enough to demonstrate. Securities
are bought prior to March /, 1918,
for $4,000. On March /, 1913, their
market value happens to have fallen
to $4,000. They are sold later for
$4,000. The owner has real loss
of 900 on the transaction, but the
Treasury has compelled him to pay
a tax on an imaginary profit Of
$1,000.
In a recent case in Connecticut
Federal judge held that there was no
warrant for such method of reck-
oning income. Arguing the appeal in
the Supreme Court, the Department
of Justice now also confesses that
there is no justification for it. A
true Interpretation of the law has
been sacrificed to administrative con-
venience.
Our state income tax has been
misapplied in the same way. Cost
values prior to January l, 1919, have
been abolished and artificial valua-
tions on that date have replaced
them. The wrong done the taxpayer
is more fragrant than under the Fed
eral law, for the general level of Sc
curity values was lower on January
l, 1919, than it was on March !,
1913. Consider the effect of the
state method on the broadest class
of security holders, the owners of
Liberty bonds. Hundreds of thou
sands of people subscribed to Lib
erty bonds at par in 1917 and 1918,
many of them having been led to
think that these issues would never
go below 100 But on January 2, 1918,
they were selling at 96, 95, "a and
90. A holder who now disposes of
a bond subscribed for at par loses,
on most issues, from 10 to Is points.
But he can only claim loss on the
market quotations Of January l.,
1919. If the bonds should go again
to 81 he would register a loss on his
sale, but have to pay the state tax
on a fictitious profit.
The Federal government is appar-
emily about to renounce its error. 1t
is equally important to New Workers
that the state government should do
likewise.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
A Week of Verse
A Prayer
Fvosr PoetryJ

- layer 4
From Postry)
I Owe Us, Lord, but not too much.
Como thou near, yet not too near.
All thy laughing splerdor se-Hu
Wat we daily see and fear,
j. lat we bear. and do. and touch. y
Love US SILL but not TOO much.
Come thou near, Lord, not too near:
Let US breathe thee through our lips.
Even now saw thy hue
In the naples yellow tips,
When leaf, so gay so dear,
Fell-but come thou not more near
Let US breathe thee through our lipsi
Do thou enter IN our eyes!
Touch US that we not forget:
Make us simple still, and wise.
Circling US. thy finger slips
Let US breathe thee through our lips.
JESSIE MACDONALD.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
First Sunset and Star-Rise

From The London MercurB)
WHEN Adam eyes, childwise
" Through the leaves of Paradise
First saw the sun sink
In glory over earth's brink.
Mute amaze awed his gaze:
But as anon he walked the dew,
More solemn still his wonder grew,
When Night in hers his hand drew
And, leaning over Heavens black bar,
Looked at him with all her stars.
ALFRED PERCEVAL GRAVES.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13

tions, will then not only be ample
for maintenance but will provide a
surplus available for the erection of
other ike halls. Checks made out
to Henry W. Taft, 40 Wall Street,
are not likely to be returned, and
will be duly receipted for.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
Purple

From Poetrp)
4 PIGEON walking dainty IN ths
street;
The morning mist where backyard fences
meet;
An old victoria-and in it, proud,
An old. old woman, ready for her shroud:
These are the purple sights for me.
Not palaces nor pageantry.
MARGARET STEELE ANDERSON.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
Home Rule and the Port Treaty

In opposing the port treaty the
Board of Estimate and Apportion-
ment reaffirms its belief in the theory
that the development of the harbor
is purely city problem. 1t is not.
1t may have been in the distant past,
when a port, left to grow without
direction, sufficed for the city's needs.
But we have left that era far be-
hind us. The city itself has out
grown the crude facilities for sup
plying its daily needs which we're in
herlted from another generation.
The. old port lacks the modern equip
ment necessary for handling ingoing
and outgoing foreign commerce. Ter
mlnal problems are becoming more
complicated 1t isn't within the
clty's power any longer to assert or
maintain monopoly control of the
Port of New York.
The reason for this is simple. The
port can be developed successfully
and economically only if it is treated
as unit. There are conflicting
Jurisdictions within it's geographical
area-the city's, the states and New
jerseys. There can be no question,
therefore, of home rule as against
state rule, as in the municipal trans
portation problem. The west shore
OF the Hudson is an integral part of
the port. New Jersey must come
into the partnership, and any at
tempt to carry throughga real port
development must be conditioned on
treaty arrangements between Tren-
ton and Albany.
The Board of Estimate and Ap-
portlonment reflects the views of the
narrower home rulers, those who
have their eyes fixed exclusively on
the Manhattan and Brooklyn water
frontages. These help to constitute
our harbOr. But the core of the
port is the Jersey meadows sector.
the natural terminal Of the great
trunk lines, where freight trans
shipment is cheapest and easiest.
The Board Of Estimate cannot init
ate and direct harbor improvements
which will utilize the real center of
the ports activities. A dual port
control must intervene in order to
bring about unity and coordination.
1t isn't what New York City would
prefer to do as an unfettered. sep
arate agent, but what it must give
and take in a combination with other
agents, which should determine the
city's policy. The unified port will
serve all parts better than any one
part could serve itself.
Localism has no case, therefore,
against the port treaty. Manhat-
tan's cost of living is artifcially in
f1ated by the present barriers to the
delivery of merchandise and food.
:. We are paying an immense terminal
toll, although we have no terminal
system worthy of the name. The
port is being handicapped more and
more IN competing with other ports.
The situation is bad because the ex-
isting system of controf and opera
tion is bad. And the worst cure of
all for the present chaos would be an
optimistic Endorsement of the fall
lacy that the New York City portion
of the port is strong enough to keep
on going it alone.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
Eidolon
From Poetry

From Poetryl n
or WHAT use are windows. i
have seen too much.
OF what use are the shapes Of my
illusion =
have called things by too many names.
These curtains will draw;
These candles l will extinguish.
One moon or two moons
1t makes no matter.
There is neither saffron nor samite,
Nor the Uhiteness of dead hands.
Of what use compassions
OF what use these candles By the face
of darkness
Pity me not, for am pitiless
The image you would have me break
We dreamed.
LESLIE NELSON JENNINGS.
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13
.,,,xrs OF TIE ASSOCIATED PRES.

=. .uoctsteS! P-eu Is exclusively entitled to
a. n,s ioY republication OF all news dispatches
.a,..d 70 Il or not otherwise credited IN this
.ss and slso TIE local news OF spont ansous
-r,s published herein
n r.sas Of republic alton Of all sthar matter
u7.a llso Gs reserved
New-York tribune., 1921-03-13

va as ,urthsss merchandise advertised In THE
,.,nuus xith sssclUts ssfsty-ter " dissattsfae-
=, r.,u,ts In any case rHE TRieuNE suarsn-
:. ~ psy ycur money back upon rsquest. No red
:. Ns aulsoll-s. ~ make good pronptIy II
!, ,,ysr,s.r does nat.