davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
Housing Our Diplomats

congress has at last decided to
house our principal diplomatic rep
resentatives in foreign capitals. 1t
has been a reproach for years that
we rave left our ambassadors and
ministers to find quarters at their
own expense, thus putting on them
burden which few men without
large private incomes are willing to
bear. This in itself has unfairly
limited the field of choice and worked
hand in hand with the use of for
eign appointments as party patron
age to prevent the development of q
permanent diplomatic corps.
The country needs to-day more
than ever q trained foreign service
personnel, with wide experience and
well defined traditions. The best
way to get such a personnel is to
build from the bottom, insist on
merit promotions and insure all
grades stability of tenure and salts
factory living conditions.
Congress has held down salaries
and allowances In the higher diplo-
matte grades, although in recent
years it has reorganized and inn
proved the consular service and done
something in the way of classifying
the diplomatic secretaries and in
surfing them transfers of posts and
regular promotion Presidents Roose-
yelt and Taft set the example Of
raising secretaries to the rank of
minister. But under the Wilson Ad-
ninistration, with Mr. Bryan as Sec
retary of State, there was painful
relapse TO the old spoils theory. Mr..
Bryan's acutest concern, as he con-
fessed in famous letter, was TO find
places for deserving Democrats"
That sort of thing is out of date.
Our political service abroad will
have to be made less casual and
more efficient. The functions Of
diplomacy have broadened as politi-
cal and economic relations among
nations have become more compli-
Gated. The United States must equip
itself as other great powers do for
the delicate and intricate contacts
OF modern world intercourse.
To pay the way of ambassadors
and ministers, instead Of forcing
them to dip into their own pockets
is a notable concession to the new
point of view. The question of taste
involved in accepting embassy build
ings in part payment of debts owed
US by foreign countries is of minor
The government al
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
The Rockawav Site
City Park Land Too Precious TO Give
Up TO Aviation

10 the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: AS the Queens Commissioner OF
Parks who took an active part in the
final steps TO acquire the land for park
purposes in 1912; as major Of coast
artillery, at that time interested in ac-
quiring an aviation park Of some 100
acres within the defense zone Of New
York City for the uses Of the War De-
partment, and, finally, as a citizen and
taxpayer Of the city who pays his pro-
ortlon Of the one and q third millions
that the park site at Rockaway PENN
sula cost, want to urge most earnest
iy that the demand OF the Navy De-
partment Tor ninety-four acres of 1t
f"r aviation be refused, absolutely.
Is it the duty Of this city to pay the
cost Of it's defensos? Those defenses
protect the interests Of large part of
the business Of this whole country.
The defense OF the country is by law
vested in the Federal government, and
every citizen pays his share.
If land is required for it. it il the
tuty of the government to acquire it
by eminent domain or otherwise and
pay for it.
1t is said that no other land in the
zone is available. There nre two and q
half miles OF exactly similar land ad-
Joining it on the west, and belonging
u a Far Western railroad. Against
this strip no such objections would
hold.
The railroad has made no use Of this
land in twenty or thirty years of pos
session. Any grading required on it
.ould be done at a minimum Of ex-
p, nse.
This land is the last available and
accessible strip on clean, open-sea
water that the city can ever econom-
cally acquire and reach for small
carfare. And no matter what the "pol-
l:-tion OF Jamaica Bay" may be, it will
always be available to our people for
D. ating-~a whole mile OF this park
Tront on the north is on the bay, and
is soon to be accessible to Brooklyn,
Manhattan and Queens by the new
"Cross-the- Bay Boulevard"
We sorely need this park for our
people. Let the navy use it until we
are ready to utilize it, and meanwhile
prepare the other land for its use, and
move their buildings thereto. That is
the limit of generosity which the navy
should ask Of this debt-burdened city.
The chronology Of the movement to
'oquire this park is given in full on
pages 296 to 312, inclusive, Of the Re-
port Of the Department. OF Parks for
:e12. WALTER G. ELIOT.
New, York, Feb 25, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
Should Columbia Move?

The undergraduates of Columbia
College are becoming very vocal in
a. protest against the submergence
OF their educational unit in the
gigantic organism that is Columbia
University. The Spectator prints
an editorial which is outspoken and
challenging. 1t takes as text re-
mark of President Buffers that he
could visualize Columbia Univer-
sity as the greatest graduate in
stitution in the world, extending
from Morningside Drive to River
side Drive and from 113th Street to
121st Street. What will be, are al
ready, the consequences of such an
outlook upon the fate of the col
lege? The Spectator feels that the
graduate students already own the
campus; the college is restricted to
one cramped building; whenever
there is question of inconvenience
the undergraduate is sacrificed.
Even more serious, "as soon as a
professor reaches any marked de-
gree of prominence he is transferred
to the graduate schools" AS re-
suit the college is gradually being
crushed under the weight of the
graduate .schools," )" Collegiate. at
mosphere" is disappearing. AS a
possible relief measure it is sug-
gested that the college be moved
bodily into the country perhaps
forty miles up the Hudson. What
might be lost in educational facili-
ties would be more than compen-
stated for by the gain in college life,
it is urged.
A lengthy editorial reply in the
current Alumni News states the
other point Of view very fairly. The
only question which will remain in
the mind of the observer is how COM
pletely the university authorities are
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
Nearing the Top

The indictment Of Inspector Lahey
brings the pursuit Of police corrup-
tlon close to the top Of the depart
ment. There seem to have been few
limits to the authority of this czar,
who lived by the favor of Commits
sioner Enright. There has been no
parallel to his power in the force.
Rules were remade, bureaus reor-
ganized to give him direct, supreme
sway over practically the entire
force.
The present indictment is for the
infraction of a regulation of the
city charter providing that a GER
tain percentage Of a policeman's re-
ward must go to the pension fund.
1t IS a minor breach in itself. It
is only as its relation to the whole
situation touching the return of
stolen automobiles shall be developed
by Mr.. Whitman that its Importance
can be established. The volume and
activity of this graft are declared
to have been enormous. The stream
of money flowed through Police
Headquarters; in this particular
case a small bit of the stream flowed
across Inspector Lahey's desk.
His demand for speedy trial
should be granted. The public is as
eager as Inspector Lahey to know
the full transaction. The effrontery
of the auto graft was appalling.
Who at Police Headquarters knew
of it? Why was it not ended? Why
did it flourish unhindered until
Tribune investigators unearthed it's
trail? These and many other ques-
tons wait upon this trial of small
charge of potentially large signifi-
canoe,
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26

ready owns "a few residences abroad.
Congress has now made it possible
to acquire by gift, debt cancellation
or purchase other official residences
in London, Paris, Rome, Brussels,
Vienna, Athens, Bucharest Prague,
Berlin, Budapest and various other
capitals. That is a material gain.
1t encourages the hope that before
long we shall have laid the founda-
zion for modern. self-renewing
diplomatic body, with a status some
thing like that of the officers corps
of the army and navy.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
The Nautical School

The New York State Nautical
School may have been subject to at
tack as as educational fancy in the
days when the American merchant
marine had dwindled to shadow.
1t was, in fact, more or less of
luxury, maintained chiefly because
New York was one of the great sea-
ports of the world, made so more or
less by virtue Of the facilities it Of
fered to foreign shipping. Our
coastwise commerce was barred to
vessels not under the American flag
and still offered a career to the
graduates turned out at the foot of
East Twenty-third Street. But the
American sea-going carrier was
helpless in competition with the
cheaper foreign carrier.
The school persevered, hoping for
better days. Since 1885 it has grad
uated 1900 boys and had more than
5000 under instruction. Civic pride
and tradition kept it alive. Now that
the turn has come and the United
States has suddenly jumped to the
front as maritime power it would
be paradoxical exhibition of econ
omy 20 dispense with such an
agem q. Friends of the school fear
that rs annual appropriation from
the Gate will be reduced, if not with
held They are urging the Governor
and The Legislature not to close it
down at moment when the patient,
uphill efforts Of the past are about
to ba justified.
New York needs q training school
for eoilormen. Every other Ameri-
cAs port needs one. The Federal
has recognized its duty
70 foster education Of this sort by
an annual appropriation for
our nautical college. Since the new
merchant marine has been built by
the government, is operated by it in
arge part and must be supported by
t, even after the government-owned
ships pass intos priyata ownership,
training for future officers
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
Swelling Traction Costs

Leaving aside all questions relat-
ing to home rule, emergency fares
and the like, there are two elements
in Governor Miller's traction plan
which do not seem to have received
proper attention.
The Governors messages and ex-
plantations imply two highly impor-
tant things: First, flexible fares,
ultimately if not Immediately, with
the fare automatically fixed by divio-
ing the sum of operating expenses
and interest charges by the number
of passengers carried. Second,
unified traction system under which
there will be a single fat fare for
the whole city, with the losses on
feeding lines made good by profits
Oh the main lines.
Yet it is plain that the flexible fare
is in essence merely the cost plus
system, Of unsavory repute, in an
other form. 1t will be all the same
to the management what wages are
paid and what payments are made
for supplies. The expenditures,
whatever they are, will be charged
in the bill which passengers must
pay. 1t needs no argument to estab-
lish that inefficiency would show it's
head and that it is indispensable, if
the fare is not to mount, to have
safeguards putting premium on or
otherwise compelling economy. What
is proposed to be done along this
line? How will the supervising COM
mission be able under such condi-
tions to make q private company
manage well?
AS to the other point there is SINH
lar obscurity. If there is unified
service, with a single fiat fare, it is
highly probable that interested
groups will each demand a trolley at
its corner and that the resistance to
tearing up non-paying tracks will be
strong. Every one will be out to
milk the main line. The deficits of
the Staten Island ferry indicate
what may happen when costs of a
service are diffused over the whole
city. An energetic selfishness is
loosed that it is not easy TO restrain,
These matters relate not to the
superfcialities but to the essentials
of the Governors plan. Yet small
heed is seemingly paid to them at
Albany. They emphasize the need
Of clarifying and amending the
Lusk-Adler bill if New York City is
not to find itself pushed further into
the traction morass rather than lift
ed out of it.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
A Neglected Brooklyn School
the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In recent news item, read
about the numerous improvements
which are TO be made in Brooklyn
schools this year.
Although the names of many schools
were listed, the Girls Commercial High
School seems, rs usual, to be left out,
The Girls Commercial High School
is the only school In Brooklyn which
offers commercial course to girls
only. Yet it is forced to continue in
a little building which was con-
demned fifteen years ago as unfit for
further use, and WAS consequently
abandoned, to be later used as the an
mex OF girls high school. Despite
our being an independent school, we
still must use this building. Retarded
By lack Of supplies. proper textbooks,
and other necessities, it's condition ss
at present deplorable.
MILDRED LIEBowrTZ.
Brooklyn, Feb. 81, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
Books

"Mr. Hayward Brown, Sir" writes
N-orrie Ryskind, ~ have been reading
'ut about books since you startcd writ
ing about them for your paper. started
reading you when you wrote about the
baseball games, being interested in
sports, and having pitched for the class
- 1917, Columbia School OF Journal
ism. SO when saw VI. name one day
over the book column read it, and it
being just like yr. accts. of the base
ball games, kept on reading it and
nrobaly will continue to do so if we
can come to terms, as you might say.
"What mean is that + have wrote a
book, This might not mean anything,
nut it has also been published, which
IL where I have it on lot of birds
know. This book is Unaccustorned AS
Am, I naming it that on acct. it
Icing my first book. Also il the book
crickets don't pay it no more attention
than what they have been it will prob
ally be the last. And I thought that
maybe wa could come to terms: II you
would review the bk. I would keep
right on reading your col. and saying
il was great whether it was or no, if
you would do vice versa for my bk.
II was talking the other day to Ger
name like / spelled it above, and she
ought 60 know. Mrs. Athcrton has just
had bk. published also, it being
called Sisters-inLaw Hers is not q
comedy bk. like mine, or she would
probaly call it Mother-in-LaW. We'll.
Mrs. A. complains to me on acct. most
crickets aren't authors, and she woull
like her bk. TO be reviewed only by
authors. She says poets ought only
to review bks. Of poetry, and that give
me an idea.
$50 / fgure maybe you haven't re-
viewed my book on acct. you never
done no poming TO speak Of. So
thought Of an jdes. I would review
the hk. for you for nothing, and
would give It first-class review, me
knowing all about poetry and etc, and
| if you don't believe me you could ask
my publisher. SO l have wrote out q
little testimonial you could use about
the bk. and If you like it you could
send me something about yrself, and
would be glad TO use It on all oc-
casions where possible. Out here /
meet q lot OF swell people and / could
pull the stuff casually and it would
probaly do @ lot OF good for you
among folks like Doug Fairbanks and
Katherine Macdonald. For. example,
Will Rogers might say to me, Well,
and how do you like Californian and
l could say: Fine, only 1 miss Hay
ward Browns stuff q lot And he
would say: Who and the hell is Hay
ward Brown" and then could spring
the testimonial. So If we could come
to terms, please let me know and
would send the review of my book
"Give my regards to all the NY boys,
and in especially Ring Lardner"
AS q mstter of fact, nothing but
lack Of background has kept us from
expressing ourselves about Mr. Rys-
kinds book Of poems called Unac-
custorned AS Arn. For all his Yro-
testations Of the frivolous nature of
the volume we have found in 1t the
serious note as we'll. It Is insinuated
rather than stressed. The lure for the
casual reader may lie In the sequence
entitled around Our Studio" in which
he may read OF "The Director:
They're fond OF laying down the
law,
I And, OH the salaries they draw!
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
The Borah Resolution

The decision Of the Senate lead
ers, apparently made with the ap-
proval of the President-elect, not to
oppose the Borah resolution for a
three-power conference on reduction
Of naval armaments seems a wise
one.
The question to be brought before
the conference is q pressing one,
Great Britain has postponed action
on naval construction until June.
But Japan seems pressing forward,
and so are we. If any agreement is
reachable touching a@lifting of taxa
ton burdens there is danger in de-
lay. The time to March is so short
that there is little risk of forestall-
ing action by the present Admins
tration. The passage of the resolu-
ton, while in No wise tying the
hands Of the new Administration,
will save month.
The Borah resolution in no wise
commits US to any specific policy.
Its purpose is merely to create ma
chinery to facilitate getting together.
AS such it promises no faster prog
ress than conditions permit. 1t
dreams of better days, but realizes
they cannot come unless foundations
of reality are laid. AS such it holds
out more hope of attaining what the
world would have than all the allur-
ing pictures painted by Missionaries.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26

is really a Federal rather than a
state or local function. Congress
may eventually take over our local
institution. 1t costs the state less
than 100000 year. Why not keep
it going at least until it can be
merged into a merchant marine
school system, conducted as it
should be, by the national govern
ment?
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
Give the Truck a Chans
Advice to Legislators Who va
Tax 1t Of the Highway

To the Editor Of the Tribune.
/ Sir: AS a means Of measuring /
mental qualities Of some Of our lgs
lators ct Albany the proposed I'd
tax law is extremely useful 1t
teresting to note the smallnsa
| vision Of some who, with thei, q
wide open to indisputable facts, isN
ing truck transportation, considss
wise TO strike q death blow at 81
dustry which, in spite Of all they b
attempted to do in the past to h
it back, has developed into ustiO4
asset.
1t is generally conceded BY those V1
are acquainted with the facts tnl
had it not been for motor truca
transportation in this country wed
have been completely parslyzed d
ing the switchmen's strike ssd |
subsequent congestion at terninsl:
tributed thereto.
At that time q national emergs|
existed and the cry WAS heard ID
every quarter: "Give US more tratSl
Every available truck was pressed
service with the result that incsls|
BILE millions were saved through
quick and efficient movement Of pr4
able goods which otherwise would 4
rotted where they stood.
To-day no national emergency sI1
The rail congestion has been clsIs
up and thousands OF freight cars .
standing idle on eidings. Let us, et'
fore, forget what the trucks did Z
consider the damage they do 10 ]
highways.
Our highway engineers do no. "
capable Of building roads ths: 81
stand up under a hve-ton ttusk'
let's make it impossible for 81 eT''
to operate q ive-ton truck psO6ts''
Our bridge engineers will not gas
antee their bridges for such i''a
therefore, let Us pass laws limiting !
loads to be carried. It won't do 70:
to admit these facts publicly
we'll have to stop this growing nss'
to our peace of mind by legislatl0a.
The motor truck has been and v.
continue to be an important tatso'
the growth Of this country. Il u
become an absolute necessity 70 q
scheme of transportation and u
here to stay.
May we not suggest, gentlsnn :
the Assembly, that perhaps ii 10"
our highway engineers were sem
France or to England to study ="
construction as they learned II is
tho Romans, they might be able 70 =.
Us roads and bridges that will ho''
five-ton truck for q reasonable Iss
Of time? L. Il. EABIS
New York, Feb. "a. 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
A Protest
70 the Editor Of The Tribune

20 the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir; No peace having been made as
yet between the United States and
Germany, rise to ask the following
question:
Are not the promoters OF the much
advertised meeting to be held at Madi-
son Square Garden February 20 guilty
of giving aid and comfort to the
enemy" considering that the object Of
the meeting Is TO protest against the
horror on the Rhine?
JONAS LIPPMANN,
Formerly of the Journal d'Alsace.
New York, Feb. Is, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
Health in Daylight SAVING

To the Editor OF The Tribune :.
Sir: Your editorial to-day Oh - I,
light saving, as g measure Of Ssa.
must please all fair-minded s's =,
who take into consideration the h's,. !.
Of closely built city streets CIV i
welfare Of children ami invalioA
is a phase OF the question no.
upon as frequently as the usas' ~
ments in behalf of store, on's Z
factory workers. but Is an exeeea''.I
important addition TO the msHy =
lent reasons FOR 9 widespread sess
OF the custom. j. 6. bhAiNs
Cambridge, Mass., FeL. %, isA''
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
Tncurablc
fyyor. Ths los Angeles TsF'sssl

lgYor1 Tbs Los angeles Ts'''s't !
There is only one way 20 s~Y 4,
killing OF folks by automobile aos,. b.
and that is to adopt q cons't 4,
amendment prohibiting the mas
ture, use and sale OF automopiieS !,
the chances are there would ee
leggers,
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
SUBSCRIPTION RATEs-Hs man, sneluatnR
pee.asa IN TlIE yrNiTKp STATES
GUARANTY

Ysu can purchass msrehansse stvertissd In THE
TRIBUNE with absolute satssy for II dissa'isfss'
ton results in any rHE TRIBUNE saaran'
tees 10 cay your money back upoa raauc'i' No red
sess. No eulbslins. Ws make soos wsms'ly II
;As advertiser does net
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26

There is the poem not included in
the Scribner Edition Of Field. When
the poem appeared in Fields "Sharps
and Flats" column, those were names
that meant q great deal in Chicago;
most Of them still do. Marshall Fields
is more widely known now than 1t was
then. The others are Professor David
Swing, Hobart Chatfeld- Chatfeld Tay-
lor, Joseph Medill, of The Chicago
Tribune; Walter Q. Gresham, r. NJ.
Hooley, Of Hooley's Theater; N. X.
Fairbank, Philip D. Armour, Franklin
MacVeagh, John V. Farwell and Regi-
naM De Koven (his son-in-law).
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
.sp>,szR OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tns Associsted Press is exclusively entitled 70
the use for republication Of ali news dispatches
credited TO Il or not otherwise credited u this
paper and also the local Of spontaneous
sngia published herein.
All tights Of republication Of all ether mater
hesetn Elso Yeseryed.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
A Vigorous Peace

Prom The Philadelphia North AmerIcos)
We ara convinced that peace indeed
hath her victories, she seems TO be
downing pretty nearly the whole world.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26

Doubtless Pollyanna is an alumna;
also the young woman Miss Grace La
Rue lmpersonates in "Dear Ne"
New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
By
Heywood ,Broun
Copyright. 1921. Nsw York Tribune Ips

"1u say they lead a grand cx-
lstencc
"The work is done by their as
sistants.'
'The Press Agent" "The Vampire" T."
THE Studio Dog" and the rest are in
the same light vein, but evidently Mr.
Ryskind has been around the studios
long enough to know the value Of
heart throbs, and in "The Higher
Criticism" we have:
"a father, with a little one in his
arms,
"Bent down and kissed the flesh Of
his flesh
with the dear, fierce joy Of father
hood. :"
Now, where on earth did Morris Rys-
kind get that notion? If this is an
accurate glimpse OF the proper feel
ings OF 3 father, II third Is holding
out on us. Certainly we have never
felt the slightest possessive feeling
about his flesh. His title to it seems
clear TO us. AS matter Of fact we
don't want it. Fatherhood has fire.
quently seemed dear to US, and some
times fierce, but never has it seemed
dear, fierce and joyful all at the same
time.
Children, in moderation, are all
right, but father generally has no
great difficulty in flying into g terrific
state of calm about them. In Rys-
kinds rhapsody it is the poet who
speaks rather than the father, and so
it is necessary for proper hearing
that ne should be heard by poet. We
await with interest his review Of Un-
accustomed AS / Am.