davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1921-11-06
World Facing Catastrophe
On ParIey EUe, Says Wells

numbered. every one OF US. with
pre1udices and prepossessions.
There is patriotlsm-the passion
that makes us see human affairs as
n competitive game instead OF a com
mon interest; a game In which our
side, by fair means or foul, has 10
get the better--inordinate the
rest OF mankind. For my own part,
though, / care very little Tor the
British Empire. which / think "A
temporary patched-up thing. / have
a passionate pride in being OF the
breed that produced such men as
Shakespeare. Milton. Bacon. Crom-
well. Newton. Washington, Darwin,
Nelson and Lincoln. And love the
peculiar humor and kindly temper
OF an English crowd and the soft
beauty OF an English countryside
with "A strong, possessiye passion.
i find IL hard to think that other
people matter quite as much as the
English. 1 want 20 serve the Eng
lish and 10 justify the English. In
tellectually. ! know better; but no
mans intelligence 10 continually
dominant: fatigue him or surprise
him. and habits and emotions take
control. And not only that l have
this bias which will always tend TO
make me run crooked In favor OF my
own people. but also / come TO
Washington with deep. irrational
hostilities.
For example: Political events
have exasperated me with the pres
cnt Polish government. IL IL an un-
happy thing that Poland should rise
from being the unwilling slave of
German and Russian reaction to be-
come the willing tool OF French reac-
tion. But that is no reason why one
should drift into a dislike of Poland
and all things Polish, and because
Poland is so Ill advised as to grab
more than she Is entitled to. thai
G5e should be disposed to give her
less than she is entitled to. Yet 1
do find a drift in that direction.
And prejudice soon breaks away
into downright quarrelsomeness. 1t
In amusing or distressing, as you
will, to find how easily /. as pro-
fessional peacemaker, can be tempt
ed into a belligerent attitude. "Of
course" / say. ruffled by some argu-
ment, III Japan chooses to be unrea-
sonable-"
make no apologies for this auto
biographical tone. 1t is easier and
less contentious to dissect ones self
than to set to work on anyone else
for anatomical ends. This is Exhibit
No. /. We are all like this. There
are no demigods or supermen In our
world superior to such trivialities,
limitations. prejudices and patriot
isms. We have all got them, as we
have all got livers.
The Washington times., 1921-11-06
CASH AND CREDIT SYSTEM

Our civilization is. materially, a
cash and credit system. dependent
on mems confidence In the value
I OF money. But now money fails us
and cheats us; we work for wages
and they give US uncertain paper.
No one now dare make contracts
ahead; no one can fix up a stable
wage agreement; no one knows
what one hundred dollars or francs
or pounds will mean in two years
time.
What Is the good OF saving? What
is the good OF foresight? Business
and employment become impossible.
Unless money can be steadied and
restored, our economic and social
life will go on disintegrating. and II
can be restored only by u world
effort.
But such world effort to re-
store business and prosperity is
only possible between governments
sincerely at peace, and because OF
the failure OF Versailles there Is no
such sincere peace. Everywhere
the governments, and notably Japan
and France, arm. Amidst the steady
disintegration OF the present system
OF things, they prepare for fresh
wars, wars that can have only one
end-an extension Of the famine and
social collapse that have already
engulfed Russia to she rest OF the
world.
In Russia, in Austria, In many
parts of Germany. this social decay
is visible in actual ruins, In broken
down railways and such like ma
chinery falling out OF use. But even
in Western Europe. in France and
England, there Is a shabbiness, there
ia "a decline visible to anyone with
a keen memory.
The other day my friend Mr.. Char
lie Chaplin brought his Keen, op-
servant eyes back to London aftef
an abscene of ten years.
people are not Laughing anu
careless here as hey used to BE-
he told me. "It Isat the London 1
remember. They are anxious. Some'
thing hangs over them.
The Washington times., 1921-11-06
NEW YORK IN DANGER

Yet no one knows better than I
do that this very attractive, glitter
ingly attractive, laundering, tower
ing city Is in the utmost danger.
Within a very few years the same
chill wind OF economic disa ster that
has wrecked Petersburg and brought
death to Vienna and Warsaw may
be rusting and furnishing all this
glistening, bristling vitality. In a
little while, within my lifetime, New
York city may stand even more
gaunt, ruinous, empty and haunted
than that stricken and terrible ruin,
Petersburg.
My mind was inadequate against
the confident reality of a warm Oc-
tober afternoon, against bright
clothes and endless automobiles.
against the universal suggestion
that everything would shine on for.
ever. And my mind Is something
worse than thus inadequate, find
Il is deliberately evasive. II tries
to run away from the task have set
It. l find my mind. at the slightest
pretext, slipping off from this diff.
ficult tangle Of problems through
which the Washington conference
has to make its way.
For instance, l have got II into
my head that l shall owe II to my
self to take a holiday after the con-
ference. and two beautiful words
have taken possession OF my mind
Florida and the Everglades. A Wis.
ion OF exploration amidst these
wonderful sun-soaked swamps
haunts me. 1 consult q guide book
for information about Washington
and the procedure of Congress, and
I discover myself reading about
Miami or Indian river.
SO II Is we are made. A good half
of those who read this and who have
been pulling themselves together to
think about the hard tasks and
heavy dangers OF international af.
fairs will brighten up at this men
ton OF holiday in the Everglades
either because they have been
there or because they would like to
go. They will want to offer expert
ences and suggestions and recon-
mend hotels and guides.
And apart from this triviality OF
the attention, this pathetic disposi.
tion to get as directly as possible to
the nearest agreeable thoughts
which ! am certain every statesman
and politician at the conference
shares In some measure with the
reader and myself, we are also en-.
The Washington times., 1921-11-06
DANGER IN INDISCRETIoN

y Yet there is a real danger in In
discretion. especially as the speeches
are assumed by editors to have been
meant for publication and even to be
official Indications Of policy.
In the early years of this country,
a certain peer. who was then a Com
moner and in the Admiralty. elec.
trified Europe by the cheerful post
prandial assurance at the Lord Nav
or's table that God was in His Heav-
en- and all was right with the world
because the British Admiralty could
always sink the German fleet before
a declaration of war reached Ber-
lin. ....
The convivial orator meant no
harm and was only making himself
agreeable, but he created a panic
on the Continent that ragged for a
fortnight. 1t was recalled by the
Germans in 1915 in their attempts
to conciliate American public opin-
ion, but British public opinion never
noticed the hubbub
Now l won't go so far as to sug-
gest that II the American public
wishes to know what Is happening
at the conference IL should regale
the assembled diplomats at Gargan-
tuap banquets and call on them for
speeches at dessert. Such banuuets
have to be quite wet. America has
gone dry, but l am sure that in NO
other way is there the smallest
chance for the diplomats to let
America know what they have been
arranging.
There is another difficulty and a
subtler one. / do not know what
happens in America, but in England
statesmen never used to keep the
public in the dark. because they
take care to keep themselves in the
dark.
1t may be that in America the
Secretary of the Navy, when he
orders half a dozen new battleships
with eightinch guns, says to him
self:
Now can sink the British fleet
or the Japanese fleet II want to-"
No British secretary of state
would be guilty of such indecent self
consciousness. Just as he might
say to his wife:
The Smiths next door have set up
a third footman; we owe II to our
position to do the same" he wouIl
say: America, a mere republic. ms
set up five ships: we as a first class
empire must set up six" And ne
would leave 1t at that. He would
most Indignantly repudiate anv suR.
gestion that these ships were meant
to sink anybody elses ships or that
their guns meant anything else than
target practice.
The Washington times., 1921-11-06
ASSEMBLE RELUCTANTLY

Whatever little notifications ana
limitations the small cunning OF dip
lomatists may impose upon the
torms of reference of the conference,
the plain common sense of mankind
will insist that its essential inquiry
ia what are we to do, IL anything
can possibly be done, to arrest and
reverse the slide toward continuing
war preparation and war and final
social acollapse?" And you woulh
imagine that this momentous con-
ference would gather in mood or
exalted responsibility, with every
conceivable help and every conceiV-
able preparation to grasp the enor-
nous issues Involved.
Let us dismiss any such delusion
from our minds.
Let us face a reality too often ig-
nored in the dignified discussion or
such business as this washington
conference, and that is this: that the
human mind takes hold of such very
big questions as the common peace
of earth and the general security
of mankind with very great reluc-
tance and that 1t leaves go with ex-
treme alacrity.
We are all naturally trivial
creatures. We do not live from
year to year; we live from day to
day. Our minds naturally take
short views and are distracted by
little, immediate issues. We forget
with astonishing facility. And
this is as true OF the high political
persons who will gather at Wash
ington as It is of any overworked
clerk who will read about TIE
conference in n street car or on the
way home to supper and bed. These
big questions affect everybody, and
also they are too big for anybody.
A great intellectual and moral
effect is required II they are to
be dealt with in any effectual man
ner.
/ find the best illustration OF
this incurable drift toward trivial.
ity in myself. In the world. Of
science the microscope helps the
The Washington times., 1921-11-06
WAR RONMELLON
WILL [bE.PUSHEO
8YlAFOLLETTE
Demands Treasury Head Get
Out for Alleged Stand Against
Taxing Wealthy. A,
by J. BART CAMPBELL.
international News Service.

At the end Of a day of stormy
debate, which at times was fea-
tured by heated personal exchange,
Senator Robert NJ. LaFollette IRE
publican) of Wisconsin last night
Indicated he intends TO press his
demand for the retirement Of Sec
retary of the Treasury Mellon "for
having brszenly and impudently
laid down the principle that wealth
will not and cannot be made to
bear its full share of taxation"
La Toilette also served notice that
he would renew his battle TO force the
Treasury Department TO make pub
lic all tax returns. An amendment
TO the existing tax bill to this effect,
sponsored by the Wisconsin Senator.
was voted down by the Senate yester-
day, 35 TO 80.
New Vote to BE Demanded.
Defeat OF the amendment came
while the Senate WAS considering the
tax measure, ''in the Committee OF
the Whole" and LaFollette said he
would demand vote on 1t when the
bill enters upon the stage Of final con-
sideralon in what is known under
parliamentary procedure as 'the
Senate"
LaFollette was successful in one
phase OF his fight to compel the Secre-
tary of the Treasury to give "pitiless
publicity" to tax returns. He obtain
ed the adoption by an overwhelming
vote OF an amendment compelling
holders of Federal, State, municipal
and other tax.free securities TO list
their holdings when they make their
tax returns. The vote on this was
3S to IL.
Another amendment Of LaFollettes
to increase existing inheritance taxes
to a maximum Of so per cent where
the amount exceeded $50, 900 900 was
defeated by a vote Of 80 to 2S.
Party Lines Split.
Party lines were badly split in the
vote on all three Of the LaFollette
amendments, a considerable proper
ton of the Republican side joining
with a large number Of Democratic
Senators in supporting them
Debate on the amendments was often
and as LaFollette charged
Secretary Mellon with pointing out
how wealth can defy the law in evad.
ing it's just and fair share of taxa
tion," he engaged in frequent tilts
with Senators Penrose of Pennsyl-
vania. Watson of Indiana, Shortridge
of California, and other Republican
Senators.
THE fiscal head Of the Govern
ment," LaFollette asserted, has laid
down the principle that wealth will
not and cannot be made to bear its
fair and full share of taxation, that
the people must carry far more than
their fair, and just share Of taxation
If the revenue needs of the Govern
ment are to be met successfully.
He has laid down that principle
brazenly and impudently, and he
ought to be retired for making decla-
ration of that sort"
The Washington times., 1921-11-06

vender, said he had a stand at Ninth
and q streets northwest, and that on
the morning OF August IL, last.
Abrams, who was stationed at that
corner, asked him TO get him pack
OF cigarettes. saying that he did not
have any money TO buy them himself,
The vender purchased the cigarettes
and gave them TO the policeman, who
later returned and asked for $40.
Abrams. according TO the affidavit,
told the vender not TO pass him the
money but TO give IL 10 the switchman
employed by the street car companies,
and that the switchman would give II
20 him. He said IL would look bad II
anyone saw the fruit yender giving
him the money, ths affidavit says.
Boutsicaris. in his affidavit, says
that when he asked Abrams for the
money, several days after. Abrams
told him to keep still, and II he did
not that he would have him arrested
and that u would cost him 500.
The vendsr then complained to the
police or the First precinct and he was
told 10 come back when Abrams would
be there, he says IN his affidavit.
Abrams. In the presence or Sergeant
McCauley, the affidavit sets forth, said
he had left the money with the switch
man and when Boutsicaris asked the
switchman for the money the switch.
man said. the policeman had never
paid him.
Maj. Harry l.. Gessford, snperin'
tendent Of police, after he had re-
ceived the reports on Abrams and
Dempsey. said the trial board would
investigate the conduct OF all OF.
ficers who were brought before them
on charges and that no favoritism
would be shown.
During the last year. II was
learned at police headquarters las,
night, more policemen have been
charged with serious offenses than
IN any other previous period. and
many of them have been dropped
utter investigation.
The Washington times., 1921-11-06
{. A. BAKER ELECTED
HEAD Of FEDERATION
Conduit Road Man Wins From
Field Of Ten-Capt. Stutler
Chosen Vice President.

Charles A. Baker, of the Conduit
Road. Citizens Association, was elected
president of the Federation of Citizens
meeting in the history of the fedora
ton. He won on the second ballot
from a field of ten candidates.
Mr.. Baker, who held the presidency
of the Conduit Road Association for
four consecutive terms following its
organization six years ago, and who
has been a delegate to the federation
for six terms, succeeds William Il.
Westlake, president for three terms
Three ballots were needed TO bring
election of Capt. Warner Stutler, of
the North Capitol and lexington AS
sociation, as vice president.
Leland +. Atherton was unanimous
ly reelected secretary. and Capt.
George w. Evans, treasurer.
Besides Mr.. Baker, the list of NOM
inees for president included William
Nick. Clayton, Washington Topham,
William Il. Westlake, George Wales,
Jesse G. Suter, Paul Groves, George
A. Finch. Robert McMackin, and
Selden Ely. This field was narrowed
down to Baker, 27;Suter, II: Clayton,
IL, and Westlake, 10, on the first bal
lot, and Baker, 30; Clayton, 10; West
lake, 10, and Suter, Z, on the second.
Discussion Of three proposed amend.
ments to the constitution was post
poned. Two hours of the meeting was
devoted to heated debate on the ques-
tlon Of admitting to the federation the
newly organized iowa Circle Citizens
Association, formed in the territory of
the Mid-City Association.
The question was referred to
ptoniaI NffnItfnn 90 H., IL
Speelman, Prof. Mitchell Carroll, and
Alan Davis. which was instructed to
arrange n meeting between delegates
of the two associations and to har-
monize the differences between them.
The federation adopted resolution
for presentation TO tho House District
Committee indorslng the pending milk
bill, which embodles recommendation
of the federation.
The Washington times., 1921-11-06
AMAZED AT BUOYANCY

Coming as I do from Europe to
America. L am amazed at the ap.
parent buoyancy and abundance OF
New York. The place seems to pos
sess an inexhaustible vitality. But
this towering, laundering. congesteh
city, with such torrent OF rall'G
and such a concourse OF people as !
have never seen before, Is, aiteI "ii.
the European door OF Ainerlca'
draws this superapunoant anu
founding life from trace, iroh'
trade whose roots are uyihs, "
When one looks at New York us
.ss,rance il amazing; when one re-
fleets we realize it's tremendous
neriI 1t is going on-as London ID
Going on-by accumulated inertia'
with the possible exception OF Lon
don the position of New YORK seems
70 me the most perilous OF that OIL
anv city in the world. What Is 10
banpen to this immense crowa Oh
naI,,,le ~ the trade that feeds II epns
as assuredly 1t will ebb unless ths
decline Of European money d'
business can be arrested, unless.
Ibat "a the world problem ot traoe
and credit can be grapp,ed with as
a world affair, r.. a.,
The worlds economic hfe, ils
civilization, embodied In It's gresI
towns, Is disintegrating ana co
lapsing through the strains Oh sne
modern war threat and OF tne us
united control of modern affairs.
This in general terms is the situa-
tion of mankind today: this Is the
situation, the tremendous and cru
ciaI situation, that President HARDING
the head and spokesman of what
10 now the most powerful and influ-
ential state in the world, has calle'i
renresentatives from most OF the
states in the world to Washington
to discuss.
The Washington times., 1921-11-06
REED BONUS Plan
KILLED BY senate
After Nine = te Meas
AYe .g

tCof,t;aue1 trar7 ..-"' selr
+. a..gy soldier r,. even su' IN
cash.
But IL is conserva lively est mated
that not more than cue--hird would
demand cash. In that case we will
have money to burn
"The Republicans a:e rGw sCheming
to fasten a sales ta on Inc country
before the next elec ION 70 save their
faces and make the people pav the
burden of taxation while at ha 5 Lme
time continuing to protect tls profi-
teer.
1--WE who demand Justice Tor he
boys who fought in tls w7r are de-
nounced and condemn ad ~ dc-0a'o-
CUES. But I want to say that II is
not the advocacy of Tho bonus that
makes demagogues, but is the adj
yocacy of taking the prpit"ers 10 pay
the bonus that makes us demagogucs
THE cold unadultera ted truth e
that in order to take the excess profits
taxes off OF great wealth the soldiers
were denied that which is their right.
The dominant party, choosing between
the soldier and the profiteer, took the
side of the profiteer.
Fordney Attacked.
VI COuTSe nODOuy Is ever u uCtT6-
gogue who has not made a lot Of
money. Chairman Fordney, of the
House Ways and Means Committee,
says this amendment which ! rro-
pose is unconstitutional decline
70 discuss that question. The diff.
ference between the champion of
the House proposal and myself Is
that 1 propose to take the money
out of the profiteers, while he pro-
poses to take 1t out of the pockets
OF the people by means of his form
Of sales tax. If the Fordney plan
Is adopted then ever ysoldier win
have to pay the tax out of which his
bonus will be pnSd.
MY proposal n that the bonus
should be paid out OF the profits Of
those who grew fat out of the war"
Senator McKellar, Democrat, Ten
nessee, announced that he would i".
troduce another soldier bonus amend
ment which would provide for pay.
ment to soldiers from the Indebtedness
Of the various allied countries to ,ue
United States.
This amendment differs from Sen.
ator simmons in that 1t would require
the Treasurer OF the United States to
convert the S11 900, 900, 900 indebted
ness of the allies to the United Stares
into bonus, for use az a direct pay
ment to the ex.soldier instead OF casr,
the bonds to be guaranteed by the
United States.
The Washington times., 1921-11-06

Continued from First PageO
beginning TO apprehend. The break.
down Is a real decay that spreads
and spreads. In a time OF universal
shortage there is an increasing
paralysis In production; and there Is
a paralysis OF production because
the monetary system OF the world.
which was sustained by the honest
cooperation OF governments. is
breaking down. The fluctuations In
the real value OF money become
greater and greater and they shake
and shatter the entire fabric OF
social cooperation.
The Washington times., 1921-11-06
More Than 100000 Rats
Put to Death in Paris

PARIS, Nov. 5.-More than SOFIA
rats have been killed in Paris since
the offensive against them was started
year ago. Bonuses have been pail
at the rate of thirty centimes a heal
In the first month of the campaign
the bonus was paid upon delivery bv
the rat hunter of the tail of the ami
NAL, but a sewer cleaner became an
expert in the art of manufacturing
rat tails of leather and other material.
at the rate of several hundreds per
day, and since then the bonus has
been per head" instead of per tail"
The Washington times., 1921-11-06

some good will for all mankind in
every one VINO comes. Probably
not one is altogether blind to the
tremendous disaster that towers
over us, but all are forgetful.
And yet this Washington confer
ence may prove TO be the nearest
approach the human will and intel.
ligence has yet made to a resolute
grapple against fate upon this
planet. We cannot make ourselves
wiser than we are. but in this rhase
OF universal danger we can at Least
school ourselves to the resolve to
be charitable and frank with one
another to the best of our ability.
to be forgiving debtors, willing 10
retreat from hasty and impossible
assumptions, seeking patience in
hearing and generosity in action.
High aims and personal humility
may yet save mankind.
The Washington times., 1921-11-06
Shaw Predicts Secrecy
At Disar1r Conference

in which this reckless communica-
tiveness is dangerous. 1t is a Gus
tom in the city of Lopdon to enter
tain the cabinet ministers occasion
ally at great banquets at Mansion
House or Guild Hall. The wine.
which is of the best. goes to the
heads of the guests, though these
heads. when of cabinet rank. are
usually well seasoned and the par
liamentary habit of saying nothing
at enormous length is intensified
rather than corrected by alcohol.
The Washington times., 1921-11-06
KEEPING STATE SECRETS

Thus state secrets keep themselves
even when an expansive and talka-
tive popular statesman land what
man can become a popular states
man unless he is expansive and
talkative?) purs them into the ears
of every man he meets between his
parliament and his club and then be-
comes the life and soul of the after
noon tea party of his egeria (every
British statesman has half dozen
egerias, though l understand they
are an unknown institution in Amer
ica), retailing them there with every
scandalous establishment he can
lay his tongue to.
There is only one place In England
The Washington times., 1921-11-06
Refuses to Pay $4,000
for Kiss: Is Fined $40

PARIS, Nov. 5.-The pecunia.v
value of kiss is agitating the Paris
courts. Nine. Vera Ostonski says she
was forcibly kissed by Ebenezer Whit
field, a wealthy Englishnnan, when
alone with him in a railway comparJ.
ment. Nine. Vera demanded s5,0Ul.
Whitfield refused to pay, saying be
would rather go to Jail. The court
compromised by sentencing him to
month in Jail or $40 fine.