davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
The Truth About Italv

A vivid picture of conditions in the
devastated portion of Italy beyond
the Piave is given by the American
Ambassador at Rome, who has re-
Gently returned from a visit there.
What impressed Mr.. johnson first
of all was the energy of the Italians
IN the work of restoration. The
devastation was as great as that In
France or Belgium, though VIC have
heard less about it. Yet already
there is hardly a town in which at
least 20 per cent Of the houses have
not been repaired and in many
cases the number amounts to co Der
cent. Mr.. Johnson declares that the
courage and resourcefuIness Of the
italians have been as great in peace
as in war, and that they deserve
the admiration Of the world"
This is the more remarkable in
that italy has little or no aid from
without, in spite Of the poverty in
which she was left by the war. In
more than one respect, indeed, she
has been, as Mr.. Whitney Warren
once said, the Cinderella Of the AL
Hes. Mr.. johnson reminds us that
italy held a front Of 42O miles for
many months, keeping a million and
half Austrians from reinforcing
the western line, with az many Of
l1er own troops wounded and half a
million killed. Nor, considering the
promptncss with which she pro-
claimed a neutrality which released
large number Of French troops
from duty on the southern boundary
and the fact that she entered the
war at time when the prospects Of
tho Alljes were dark, should she ever
have been reproached with sordid
bargaining.
The Germans, whore own country
1as undevastated, are whining over
their hsrdshipB and larnenting the
cruelty VI tho demand that they live
np To tho terms Of the treaty. And
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
Scaling tho Burden

The appropriations which Con.
gress makes at this session will run
until July l, 1922, more than quar-
ter way through President Har-
ding's term. He has, therefore, a
direct personal interest in them and
has properly conferred with the
House and Senate leaders about re-
ductions. In his campaign speeches
Senator Harding strongly advocatcd d
decreased expenditures as a first
step toward decreased taxes. He
has now strengthened the determi-
nation Of the majority in Congress
to go on cutting deep into the Ad-
ministration's reckless estimates.
After a talk with the President
elect Mr.. Mondell said he hoped to
keep the regular appropriations, in
Guiding permanent charges for IN.
terest and sinking fund, down to
about $3,000,000,0OO. For 192O-'2l
the Secretary Of the Treasury sent
in estimates for regular and pcrma-
nent appropriations totalling $5,-
528,000,000. Congress allowed ST.
$4,000, ,OO0-a saving of 81, 1,155, ,0OU,-
600. This year the Secretary SUBJ
mitted estimates for 1921-'22 total
ing $4,653,956,000, of which S1,1S7.-
100000 was for interest and sinking
fund.
The permanent appropriations can
not we'll be cut. But there is vast
opportunity for economy in the reg
ular estimates. Secretaries Baker
and Daniels have asked for $1,400,-
100000. Fer the current year Con-
gress allowed them 1886, 100000.
Mr.. Mondell thinks that they will be
able to get along next year with
about $735,00O,O00-a saving Of
$665, 100000. The sundry civil bill
estimates have been pared off $780,
100000, SO that reduction of near
ly $1,100,000,O00 is already in sight.
Secretary Houston's recent fore
casts of the financial situation as
sumed regular and permanent ex-
penditure Of 100000 a wear
for the next three years. But Con.
gress has already shown that that
estimate was too high. If regular
and permanent appropriations can
be reduced to $3,000,O00,O0O in 1921
'22 they need not again rise above
that figure, and miscellaneous and
deficiency expenditure will shrink
rapidly after the departments are
put on peace basis. 1t is, in fact,
only the Administrations will to
spend, reflected especially in Mr.
Bakers and Mr.. Daniels's flaeran,
demands, that has held back neaco
readjustments and postponed for a
time the possibility of tax revision
and tightening of the badly bal
anced Federal tax burden.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
A Council Of National Defense

Several years ago Captain Hill, Of
The navy, suggested the organization
of a permanent council of national
defense, to be composed of the fol.
lowing members:
/. The President Of the United
States, presiding.
2. The Secretary Of State.
8. The Secretary Of War.
a. The Secretary Of the Navy.
s. The chairmen of tho Senate
Naval and Military committees.
6. The chairmen of the House
Naval and Military committees.
z. The chief of staff of the army
s. An officer Of the navy.
This was a most intelligent con.
ceptiOn. 1t is manifest that coun-
Gil so constituted could quickly CO.
ordinate the governmental agencies
that are directly concerned in for
mulating the plans necessary to sup
port our foreign policies and to
secure the best measure Of national
defense. Without such q council the
executive, the legislative and the two
military departments must proceed
moro or less Independently. The
council would not lie required to
meet very cftcn, perhaps; but is it
not clear that its deliberations would
secure concerted and intelligent ac-
ton?
The United States has never had
such a council. The Cabinet does
not meet the requirements, The So
called Council Of National Defense,
composed Of the secretaries of War.
Navy, Interior, Agriculture, Com
mcrcc and Labor, to which Mr.. Dan
lels refers so grandiloqucntly in his
shnual report, is misnomcr. 1t is
not authorized to deal with the broad
lntcrlocking questions Of foreign re-
lations and national defense. The
Army and Navy Joint Board" has
limited functions pertaining solely
to its own agencies.
There has never been a time in
our history, except prior to the
World War, when a properly consti-
tutcd council was so sadly needed as
to-day. Chaos reigns in the army
and navy and in our foreign rela-
tions. The governmental organiza-
tlon at Washington resembles n
football team wherein each PLAYER
proceeds Independently. Under such
conditions can we look for sisdom
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
BY
Hcywood Brouln
k-0u

serman s amazingly skillful in sketch
ing character with a few telling
strokes. He does this for Lorr, the
actor, when he writes: "He was so
changeable Of mood that it was ex-
haustlng 10 associate with him. No
one opposed him, and this lack of oppo-
sltion had produced an empty space
about him that had almost the Euise OF
loneliness He himself took it for the
solitariness Of the soul and cherished
it with q proud pain
The technical scheme of Wasserman
s distracting to US, largely because it
Is unfamiliar. The book is written in
short chapters, often Of no more than
800 or 400 words, and the author re-
talns the liberty Of jumping from place
to place or from person to person with
out the slightest excuse. For our part.
1t is most annoying TO get all worked
up about something which, is happen
ing in Berlin to Christian, concerning
whom we are interested, and then to
| turn page and suddenly find a new
chapter about the Argentine and
| Letitia, who enthralls Us not at all.
Wasserman keeps the lives OF some ten
or twelve characters going in this jerky
way. Some Of them are almost unre-
lated to the rest and, as novice un-
accustomed to such treatment. we felt
q little bit as If we were going through
The Saturday Evening Post and carry
ing half dozen serials in our head at
one tims. The worst Of it was that
every now and then we turned to q
chapter. such as the one which begins
Randolph Won Steiner had arrived"
and were suddenly seized with the un-
comfortable realization that we hadn't
an idea in the world who Randolph
was. At such times we would have to
dart back and by and by we would
discover that he had been mentioned
before briefly, but had dropped out
The Worlds Illusion is no novel in
which to let your friendships GROW
rusty.
But for all this, there are many e!e-
ments Of true greatness in Wasser-
mans book. In spite Of the disjointed
quality of the structure the book is
constantly sweeping on to a plan and
purpose. The very existence of eddies
Is proof OF powerful current. There
are torrentlal pages and chapters.
Sometimes it IS little too search
ing for our taste, a little TOO pains
takingly and laboriously searching, but
1t does get into peoples vitals. Here
is story somewhat akin to the theme
of Tolstoys Redemption, but with inf
nitcly more detail than was possible in
the play form which Tolstoy used for
his tale Of the man who searched for
life's significance. The Worlds Illusion
is not among the books which people
proudly boast of having read at a single
sitting. After all, that's no great COM
plmcnt 60 book. This is a book TO he
besieged and to be won.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
Now for a Hylan Probe

The Lockwood committee has it's
hands full. 1t has struck pay dirt.
For many months to come it will be
busy uncovering the involutions of
the embargo laid on building opera
tions here by the tactics of materials
men, contractors and labor organiza-
tions, interlocked and inter-allied, to
extract a maximum profit out of the
housing shortage emergency.
The trails which the committee is
pursuing lead in many directions.
Evidence has been presented which,
in the opinion Of the committees
counsel, shows that the city has paid
excess toll on it's building operations
and that the relations Of city officials
to the "code of practice" price boost
ers need clearing up. This is by
path which the committee hesitatss
to enter, because its main object is
to expose and call to account the
principals in the cooperative hold-up
by which this community is being
victimized.
An auxiliary investigation should
be made Of the contacts between the
building rings and the city govern
ment. Senator Robinson and Assem-
blyman Steinberg provide for this in
their resolution, which is to be Of
fered at Albany to-day. They 90
further, and ask the Legislature to
authorize q general investigation Of
the city administration.
How far has the city government
been Hettrickized and Brindellized?
That question calls for prompt an
swer. There is also the Enright
police regime, about whose merits,
trumpeted so faithfully by Mayor
Hylan, the public has become acutely
skeptical. The Tribune has said
what it thinks about the Enright
dispensation. But police records are
guarded carefully from curious eyes.
A legislative inquiry would rend the
seven wells of secrecy and let every
body see with what intelligence and
zeal, or lack of them, the chest
policed city in the world" has been
protected.
According to Messrs. Hylan and
Enright the present "crime wave"
is hallucination-due to brain
storm. Is the popular conception
with regard TO Mr.. Swann's admin
istration Of the District Attorneys
Office also traceable to imaginative
hysteria? If a community clinic is
desirable we ought to know it. If
the city government is as lax and in
cornpetent as Mr.. Hylan has painted
it capable and virtuous we ought also
to know it.
There are manifold arguments in
favor Of an investigation. New
York will welcome one--the sooner
begun the better.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
The Pilgrim Stamps
70 the Editor of Tho vr;b

lAe fdltor OF The Tribune.
SIR: My attention has been called 20
news article published in The Tribune
OF December 27 In regard to the ;sruo
Of Pilgrim postage stamps. The article
states that the fve-cent STAMPS shoD
the signing of the compact with tho
Southern colonies in the cabin Of The
MayhoWer." The extraordinary even
mentioned, if it occurred at all. GER
tainly did not take place in tho cabin o.
the Mayfower I have not vet seen he
stamps, but l presume that the picture
IS we'll known one, portrayine he
signing of the Mayfower compact. IN
der which the Pilgrims covenanted and
bound themselves together into evil
body polite for their better ordering
and preservation and to enact such lust
and equal laws from tin1c to time as
should be thought most meet and con.
vcnient for the general good Of tho
colony, unto which they promised 81,
due submission and obedience. That f.
the only compact that seems to havs
come down TO us; and if one was made
with the Southern colonies in the cabin
OF the Mayfower, as your article state..
there seems to be no record of it.
The further statement is made that
the first commemorative issue of post
age stamps was put out for tho Colum-
bian Exposition in 1893. / have before
me n commemorative set issued by tho
United States government in connection
with the Centennial Exposition in 1876.
HENRY G. QUIMBy.
New York, Dec. 81, 1890.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03

failure. If he had had the means to
enforce his better judgment, prob
ably Germany wouldn't have made
the colossal blunder which lost her
the war.
Bethm.nn-Hollweg also saw that
the war was bound to dissolve Prus-
sia's ancient political system. lie
sensed the democratic ferment about
him and tried to check it by con-
tinual concessions to the Socialist
and radical elements. To Ludendortf
such concessions we're a species If
madness. Bethmann-Hollweg fore
saw a shifting of political power
from the oligarchy to the masses as
a repercussion of the Russian revc-
luton. He wanted to end the war
without disaster in order to preserve
the monarchy. This explains h,s
attitude toward the peace negotisa
tions Of 1917 and the Reichstag's
resolution vaguely declaring Ger
many's peace terms. His approval
of that resolution ended his career.
Ludendorff resigned because of il,
thus causing a crisis. The Grown
Prince lacked up the military lead
ers. The Kaiser was intimidated.
He declined Ludendorff's offer to re-
sign and accepted Bethmann-Holl-
weg's. The Reicl1stag couldn't be
coerced and passed the resolution.
But new Chancellor was appointei
who treated the declaration as q
nulity.
Bethmsnn-Hollweg had many
faults-among them indecision and
volatility. But he was moro of q
modern European statesman than
any one else in high place unler
William II; and his political vision
was superior to that Of those who
drove him out Of Office, having first,
by the resumption of ruthless U-boat
warfare, made German defeat in-
evitable.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
What rance Knows
Firmness Alone Will Produce
Results With Germany
1c the Editor Of The Tribune.

Ic the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir. Permit me to answer Mr.
Courtney's alarming dispatch from
Paris in your issue Of December "a.
Mr.. Courtney sends cry Of despair
from Paris and states that the present
government Of the republic is facing
an imminent crisis over the reparatlon
question. All that over the simple
question OF reparation, and he quote,
figures.
The French people have solved the
question to their satisfaction; for some
time they have asked themselves the
following questions:
Can Germany pay? Their conclusion
is an emphatic Yes.
Does Germany want TO pay? No.
Can it be compelled to pay? Yesi
Germany spent little money to carry
on war. 1t purchased little on outside
markets. 1t ransacked Belgium. Po.
land, the industrial north of France.
robbed all it could carry awav from,
AN"-y anu huSSla. It's fePa
rltory during the war never vas ina
vaded, but only was better cultivated
than ever before by ovcrvorkcd. under
led ana tortured prisoners OF war. and
therefore can produce more now.
Germany does not want to nav.
thinking thus to divide the Allies. Its
military caste and kulturists, formerly
engaged in spying and ulterior propa-
ganda' are now engaged in crying croco.
dile appesls for pity-telling the world
how reformed and poor they are.
They were very systematic in prc.
pairing for war and thorough in their
destruction. They dream of coup snd
wait but for an opportune time.
Reparation is easy; let them turn
their attention to the right. As soon
as thelr minds can work in that d.
rectlon they will pay Dickerine with
them is nonsensical, and the quicker
they begin payments the sooner will
they reestablish themselves.
The French knew their enemy ~.
foHe the war; they know it even bet
ter now T, Dr~Ap
New York, Dec. 25, 1920.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
talking Shop
From The sprinosc.d Repvs..co.


mere arc so many kinds of "shops,
nowadays that it is necessary to define
ones terms There is the open shop.
the open union shop. tho open non
union shop, the closed shop, the closed
union shop, the closed non-union shop.
the widc-open shop. the shut-tight shop.
the half-and-half shop, and pretty soon
there won't be any shop at all.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
Bethmann-Hollwee

Bethmann-Hollweg overshadowed
Germany's other War Chancellors.
Michaelis, Hertling and Prince May
OF Baden were figureneads. The two
former were under the thumb of the
high Command, which had forced
bethmann-Hollweg's dismissal. Max
was put in, when Berlin decided to
throw up the sponge, in the hone of
facilitating an armistice.
The Kaiser struck up friendship
with Bethmann-Hollwcg when they
were both students at Bonn. and that
personal association made easy the
latter's advancement in public life.
When Prince Bulow fell William b.
slowed the Chancellorship on his
university comrade. Bllow was a
milder and more polished Bismarck
and sometimes took little trouble to
conceal natural contempt for tn.
All-Highest's overrated intellectual
equipment. Bethmann-H Hollwee wa.
more subservient and plant than his
predecessor. He was a patricia1,,
but not real Prussian aristocrat.
IN many ways, also, he departe /
from the Prussian type, showing,
bourgeois sympathies and ter
dency to accept more modern Do]it;.
cal ideas. The military oligarchy
looked on him with dstrust, and his
course during the war justified their
worst suspicious. Ludendorf de.
tested him, and since tho armistice
has persistently charged him with
having loen the chief factor in Ger
many's defeat.
The Chancellor's views differ, 4
widely from those Of the High Com
mand. He had much broader view
OF world conditions than Ludendorf
had. He felt somehow that Germany
Rad blundered into the war and
ought to get out Of it quickly at the
least possible cost. He feared the
power and obstinacy of Great Brit
ain and was always hoping to brig
about some compromise with Lon
uon. lie would have preferred to 20
easy In the West and to make Ger
nany's main military effort against
Russia. He privately deprecated the
rubmarlr-e campaign, because IL,
would enrage England and cause
complications with the United States
tic once astoundcd LudendorR tv
protesting against German acria,
bombardments Of London.
Tho Chancellor was, Of course
often obliged TO ride two horses. He
approved the renewal Of unrestric,.
ed submarine warfare in the wint.-
Of 1917 when he found that linden
burg AMI Ludendorf had the Kaiser
on their side. But he had no real
faith in 1t. In the spring Of 1917 he
Rad tho satisfaction Of writing TO
Ludendoyff that in his opinion the
submarine campaign was already a
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
Gotham Cleaning.

Jimmy Montague was pleasant
caller Thursday.
Jack Finley has accepted a posi-
ton with Adolph Ochs.
Miss Ruth Hale is in the NATL
capital over the wk. end.
Charley Edison was a pleasant
caller Wednesday, and Jack Hogan
Thursday.
Art Samuels is still living on
1l2th Street pending repairs on his
town place ON L. 57th St.
Miss Neysa McMein was to the
party Friday night Of the Englewood
Croquct and Charade Club.
Winch Nordcn of Chicago saw
the New Year in in New Rochelle,
it being his 1st visit to that city.
William Allen White Of En-
poria, Kans., arr. yesterday for a
wk.'s sojourn in our busy midst.
Leon Cadore the B'llyn pitcher
got married last month. Leon is not
so slow as some folks thinks, hey
Wal1y Cosgravc.
Miss Kathleen Millay and How
ard /. Young were married ws. be-
fore last and good luck to all con-
cerned is our hymcncal wish.
-Wanted-Thc name OF some
newspaper you can put an ad in to
get somebody who can cook pretty
fair, make beds we'll, and can answer
the telephone without trcpidation.
Mrs. Kenneth Macgowan is out
or town for two months and Ken is
looking for furnished room. Ken
says put it in Gotham Gleaninys
probably we suppose because more
people Ken would like to live with
read G. G. than The Globe, hey Ken
Mrs. Sam'l Untermycr gave a
party Monday eve. Mrs. Alice
Miller wore a yellow silk dress, Miss
Edna Ferbcr rose gown, and Miss
Zoe Atkins reddish affair. An elc-
@ant collation. including fine cigars
was served.
why asks Kalona, "be satisfied with
the amorphous poyrhythms of Roget
CT al. when''--- and she quotes from
Hulett (Journal Of the American Chem
lcal Society, e, 40, 1905l Small drops
III the vicinity Of large ones grow small
and disappear, while tho larger ones
grow larger, and the reason is quito
clear"
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
Promise and Performance
(Fro.n 7hs Dat,n, Morr,r, N~,o,

tFro'n Tho Dallas Morning Nescs)
North Dakota, which was eoinr to
show the world beautiful example Of
n socialistic commonwealth, has had
more than twenty bank failures in two
months. The trouble with ali sorts Of
socialism is that they promise pros
perity and deliver bankruptcy.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03

from a loudly vocal band Of Ameri-
cans and Englishmen come walls Of
sympathy for them. Italy may re-
pair the wreck as best she can. She
fought with US and has no claim
upon our compassion. mark, now,
how plain tale shall put you down. :"
Mr.. johnson gives US facts-does not
merely parade prejudices.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
Hamlet, revised by Old Chuck
Towne; "Alas. poor New Yorickl"

Ihcrc WAS New Years time when
our resolution was made to waste less
time during the ensuing year. But
with the silvcring years a trickling Of
wisdom has bubblcd; and VIC know
now. surveying the centuries we have
lived, that all we have on the credit
side is the memory Of wasted time.
It's earnest effort that ages and cor
rodes; not wasted time. Being
the slightly rucful and partially insin-
cere thoughts Of one who has frivoled
since Friday afternoon; and found him.
self last night with no ripper. more
epoch-making thoughts than these.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
Unsyrnpathetic

From Tho Churesson Ne,c-- Courie4)
The small-salaricd man Is an obsti-
nate. pig-hcadcd. unreasonable, selfish
fellow. lie simply refuses to 60 into
a spanm OF grief over tho falling
prices.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
Nor Advertising
From Tho Dallas Ne,oy,

VF0'N Ths Dallas Ners)
80 little is heard of Belgium these
days 1t may signify that the Belgians
have no political geniuses who have
found a hetter way to restore pros
petty than by WORKING.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03
KATHLEEN MAVOURNEEN. AWAKE
FROM THY SLUMBERS

I've heard OF Adelaide and Heloi.e,
W Ruth my husband oft has voiced his
praise:
Bot 1t is not for jealousy OF these
That l my frantic supplications raise.
] thought that when / recently vas uea
My meal ticket was paid till time immortal
But in The Tower of yesterday l read
lh2t one must pay quip to pass your portal
And now l ask you--have you got the face
10 make me in the bread line stand and wait.
And let my husband sit in single grace
The while yon pass the contribution platc7
KATHLEEN.
But | went on writing and now look
at the damned thing!-Cosmo Hamilton
CMy Maiden Elfort') in Tho Authors
League Bulletin.
"You look, boss" postcards C. A. ~I
can't see anything"
Not ours is the tictionist's gift. else
we should take the following Personal
from The Augusta, Ga, Chronicle, and
Covelizo it:
HoRACE-Pleaso do not phone me
again. Father is cleaning his
Gun.-LULU.
The best we can do is;
Please DO net phone me again.
F~ther is cleaning his gun.
Caution. you boldest Of meni
Please DO not phono me agai1L
Though u1U marry yor. tchen
Rises tho Saturday sun,
Please do not phone me again:
Father IS cleaning his gun.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-03

Yes can purchase merchandise advertised In THE
vaf1uNE with aoseiutc ,afety-for II dissatisfae-
sisa results In any case TIE TRIBUNE guarantee
t. gay your money back upen REQUEST Ne red taDs
Ne sabbllna We mako COED promptly II ths
advertiser does not.