davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
The Gallery Gods

Many a gray hair, remembering
the glad old gallery days when ac-
tors were actors and plays were
plays, will be interested in the sug-
gestion of the Actors Equity Asso-
citation that the price of tickets for
the second balcony be cut in half.
But can the old companies of the un-
terrified be induced to return to the
spoken drama, or even to divide their
allegiance between it and the pic
tured drama?
The motion picture houses have
made distinct bid for those who
can afford to spend little on enter
tainment. Compared with the COM
fort, even luxury, offered by the pic
ture houses, the top balcony Of many
theatres is uncomfortable. Only the
most absorbing play can cause for
getfulness of hard seats and stag
nant air. In many theaters, too. the
alOP Sul Vail Sut0 Olk a SUtO pdIb VI
stage business.
The plea of the Actors Equity re-
fers to the half-rate as being 25
cents. IN pre-war times, SO cents
was the charge for the second gal
lery. But, alas, not now Matinee
prices are low, but the gallery
devotees are nocturnal animals for
obvious reasons.
There is no real need for enmity
between the motion picture and the
spoken drama. Each has it's own
appeal. But one longs again for
that period of glory when Walt
Whitman used to ride up Broadway
on bus, of course-and then
drape himself over the rail of the
gallery and there enlarge his soul.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
The Railroad Labor Agreements

A good deal OF confusion exists as
to the character Of the application
made to the Railroad Labor BOARD
by the railroad executives. What the
managers of the roads ask is an an
nuiment of five national agree
ments" and eleven other ''sets of
rules and working conditions" put in
force by the Federal railroad admin
istration while the roads were in it's
hands. These agreements and rules
do not determine basic wage rates,
but have to do with details in the ap-
plication of basic rates which affect
the pay drawn by employees.
The roads complain that these
agreements and rules interfere with
efficient operation and increase costs
by unduly widening the margin be-
tween pay and the service given in
return. 1t is contended, in other
words, that they encourage Stacker
ism"
The Labor Board is authorized
under the Esch- Cummins act to de-
eide all disputes with respect to
wages. 1t may act on the application
OF the chief executive of any carrier
or any group Of employees, or on it's
own motion. Since the railroad adj
mlnistration's agreements were ma
tion-wide in scope, there is no neces-
sity of prior action by territorial ad-
Iustment boards. The procedure Of
the railroad managers has therefore
been regular. The question in dis
pute has been properly presented.
The Federal railroad administra-
ton had full treasury behind it and
wasn't hampered by any need of
economy IN operation. Being a ma
tional body, it made wages and work.
ing conditions Identical throughout
the United States. As regards un-
skilled labor, the nationwide stand
ara works inequalities, since un-
skilled labor commands different
wages in different parts of the coun-
try. But the main objection to the
present Standardization is it's minute
regulation of working conditions,
which takes away from the owners
the power to control expenditure and
to relate it to rates and operating
cost.
From the public's point of view
efficient operation is the great desid-
eratum. The railroads don't want
rates which are SO high as to dis
courage traffic. They would rather
have larger volume of business
done on a lower rate basis. To this
extent their interest and the public's
coincide. It is an unscientifc distri-
button of the wage fund from which
the railroads say they suffer. And
If they do, the public also does.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07

policy, involving the expenditure of
hundreds of millions of dollars!
II is admitted that the depart
ment may at times with perfect pro-
prioty withhold such facts from for
esgners and from general publica-
tion, but to keep Congress in the
dark under existing conditions lis
reprehensible in the extreme.
At the Battle of Santiago the
guns of Sampson's fleet made only
5 per cent Of hits. In bombing the
Indiana the percentage of direct
hits was three times as CREST!
1t is clear that a searching inves-
tigation of the naval situation is i'm
perative, otherwise Congress will
share with the Navy Department a
heavy responsibility.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
Burning Liberty Bonds
he Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The statement that / have al
vised people to burn their Liber]
bonds h&s been published rather widel
in newspapers of recent date. hsT'
given no such advice. On the eel
trary, 1 believe Liberty bonds at th'
present time a good investment sHi
am advising my friends to keep vAst
they have and to save money and bry
more. Two years ago, when prizes
were rising and people were bu ing al
kinds of luxuries with their Libsrt
bonds, said in a public address n
New York City that such practice va
dangerous, for it tended 80 make priss.
rise still further, and any such art
ficial rise of prices would certainly b
followed by a crisis. if no. pant
Rather than have people use thti'
Liberty bonds as money said, q
would prefer to see them all burned d
big bonfire on the next Fourth Il
July"
A few weeks ago I addressed th'
business men in an upstate city e.
The Credit Outlook Of 1921" In tti
talk l said that the rlse Of prices whIe
succeeded the armistice and oulmins's
in collapse last Nav had been part
due to the use Of Liberty bonds .
money, but I said nothing about bur
ing them, for they are no longer ~'rI
ing any mischief In our markets.
After my address two reporter
talked with me and tried to mas
them see the difference between s''
ditions to-day and those Of two ys'h
ago. In my talk with them told thtf
about my. bonfire suggestion Of ~
years, ago. That was very unwisc, "
see now, for one Of the young men
his report of my address made me r
yocate the burning of Liberty bonds :
the pre7ent time. I did not see ea
newspaper until ten days later anc
was considerably surprised when I"
ters poured in from distressed wito'
and indignant investors, denounsl@
me as fool professor.
JOS. FRENCH JOHNSON
New York, Feb. 5, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
Suppressing Naval Facts

In the investigation by the Naval
Committee of the House concerning
The yulnerability of surface ships
to air attack Admiral Sims and Gen
eral Mitchell brought to light the
fact that in bombing the Indiana air
planes at q height of 1000 feet
made 10 per cent OF direct hits and
40 per cent of hits within distance
of 60 feet from the ship.
This statement naturally caused
a sensation, and Admiral Coontz,
representing the Navy Department,
when asked show this information
got OUT declared that he did not
know; 1--WE do not usually give out
such matter. 1t is regarded as
secret"
And so it appears that the Navy
Department deliberately withheld
from the Naval Committee informa-
tion Of vital i,nportanca at this time
when Congress is shaping our naval
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07

the use Of the navy. No records
are yet accessible disclosing what
our real military policy was. Mr..
Lansing is about co publish book
telling for the first time some of
the secrets OF American activities at
the peace conference.
In France, Great Britain and
Germany there is abundant ma
terial on which to form Judgment
as to the conduct of the war. Luden-
dorff has printed his correspondence
with chancellors, secretaries of state
for foreign affairs, war ministers
and many other civilian function
aries. But we have only the barest
data covering the inner development
of war policy and strategy or of our
diplomatic relations with our allies.
President Wilson is still suppress
ing the records of the peace con-
ference.
Up to now most Of the truth about
the war has come out through the
activities Of investigating commit
tees. They have done most valu-
able service, although so far they
have only scratched the surface of
the soil beneath which our war
secrets are buried.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
mo, Do Not"

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir; Ask business man, bookkeeper
stenographer or any other Office worker
question that he cannot answer, nins
times out Of ten the above will be the
reply, especially If the correct answer
Will display little knowledge.
1t is not as though ''No'' or "No, air. -
as the case may be, would not answer
the purpose jnst as well, bat "No, do
not somehow prolongs the answer and
SORT OF makes a fellow put on a
thoughtful face and appear as though
ne can think once in while and will
give you what he thinks the next best
answer that luckily emerges to the sur
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
A Correction

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Please permit me to eorrsss
misstatement in a news item reSps
to the marriage of Colonel CowPa
II wait appearing in The Tribune
February 5. Mr.. Murray is not nep
ber of First Church Of Christ, Sels.
tist, as is stated. The Christian |"
ence denomination has no oFcalDe
ciergymen who are qualified to perl0's
the marriage ceremony. The hahs'
of the Mother Church provides ~
''if Christian Scientist is to be ~
ried the ceremony shall be performs
by q clergyman who Is legally s''A'
ized" (Article TX, Sec. u.
ALBERT F. GILAosA
New York, Feb. 8, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07

bodies never stopped to consider
whether woman could conceivably
attain high rank as a scientist; they
merely observed that certain women
had attained such rank, and let it
90 at that. And abroad there has
been the case of Nine. Curie, whose
achievements did not fit the theory
that woman from her nature
couldn't qualify in science. And
even Byron, when he asked his
famous question of the lords of
ladies intellectual, conceded in his
very query their intellectually.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
Can Women Be Learned?

The question of whether women
are capable of intellectual or artistic
achievement would seem to have
been settled some time since. But
the American Academy Of Arts and
Sciences is still puzzling over it.
A committee of the academy ap-
pointed to consider the question of
admitting women was also instruct
ed to consider the general question
of membership qualifications. In the
latter connection the committee
points out that no qualifications
other than professional should
count. ''The matter of election to
the academy" it says, "is mat
ter of excellence in arts and sci
ences and is not to be determined
in any way by personal preference
or personal prejudice, as would be
entirely justifiable in the case of a
social club" This being the case, any
theory Of the complete inadmissi-
bility Of women for the academy
must spring from nothing less than
general theory Of women's inabil-
ity to excel in any art or in any sci
ence. All other grounds are by ad-
mission excluded.
But the committee fights shy Of ap-
plying its principle. Though cap
pointed primarily to report upon the
admission of, women" it expresses
no opinion. Realizing" it says,
''that an innovation is here involved
and that there are a great many
fellows of the academy who are VIC
lently opposed to the admission of
women, while others are insistent on
such elections" the committee, to
speak inelegantly, ducks.
At the word innovation" how
ever, there is curious footnote:
"It should be observed that Maria
Mitchell, of Nantucket, was elected
an honorary member in 184S, and
that few years later
Miss Mitchell's name was placed
with the fellows" There being no
dispute as TO the fact that said Maria
Mitchell, eminent astronomer though
she was, was yet woman, it looks
as though the whole question had
been answered in the affirmative
some seventy years ago. But the
implication is that the inclusion of
Miss Mitchell was an oversight, that
since 1S4S or thereabouts there has
been an nnwritten female exclusion
law, and that before another woman
is taken in simply on her personal
merits the abstract question of the
potentialities of women must be
thoroughly thrashed out.
Other organizations are less eau
tious. The American Psychological
Association and the American Philo-
sophical Association not only have
women members, but they have both
had women presidents; indeed, Miss
Washburn, of Vassar, is now presi-
dent of the former, and Miss Cal
kins, of Wellesley, has been presi-
dent of both. Probably these learned
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
The Subway Skunk
e Editor of The Tribune.

40 the EDITOR or The Tribune.
Sir: May take the liberty of cor
recting grave error in this mornings
Tribune? The skunk did not move into
the subway yesterday afternoon. l
have olfactory evidence that he was
horth of Seventy-second Street at IL 80
p. m. on Thursday. Having trapped
many skunks in my youth, feel that
| am fully capable of recognizing their
presence. l trust that the information
that the skunk is heading due south
may be of assistance to The Tribune
and the Interboro officials in solving
their difficult problem
I'M. LEONARD.
New York, Feb. 5, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
Lloyd Georges Answer

Aloyd george mas made a straight
forward answer to those who are
agltating in Germany and outside
Germany for softer" peace. 1t is
chat the Versailles Treaty still
binds Germany and that the powers
represented on the Reparations
Commission intend to exercise their
right to say what Germany must
pay. Dr.. Simons has complained that
a full bill has not been presented
TO Germany. The reparations agree
ment drafted at Paris scales down
Germany's potential treaty obliga-
tlons. If Germany rejects it she has
two alternatives-ro resist any en-
4orcement of the treats or to pay
the much heavier treaty bill.
The real question is whether or
not Germany honestly recognizes
her duty under the treaty to repair
the damage which she wantonly in
f1icted on France and Belgium. She
promised to make decentralization
but her attitude since the conference
has been one of persistent obstruc-
tion. She has squirmed out of her
obligations whenever hesitation on
the part of the Allies has permitted
her to do so. "a challenged treaty, .
says Lloyd George, ''is war in sus-
pense." There has been state of
suspended war between Germany
and the Allies ever since the
armistice.
This was due IN part to the in
ability of the Allied governments to
agree on an enforcement policy. But
at Paris such policy was declared.
The Allied concert has been re-
established by the fixation of an in
demnity total and an accord ON mill
tary and other measures necessary
to secure it's payment. Germany
challenges these decisions. The
Allied governments would show a
pitiful lack of firmness if they didn't
meet her challenge as it deserves to
be met. Are they to stand in greater
dread of the beaten and broken Ger
many of to-day than they did of
the bullying and fre-eating but i'm
nensely confident and powerful Ger
many of 1914?
Somebody must pay for the Ger
man devastations. The "soft" peace
advocates don't care who pays, only
so Germany doesn't. They would
gladly throw the bulk of the burden
on France, although of all the Allies
France made the greatest war sacri-
fees. German restoration may be
desirable as factor in the restora-
tion of Europe. But French, Bel
gian, British and Italian restoration
comes first.
The Paris reparation total is not
excessive. AS Lloyd George says,
Germany can pay it II she has the
will to pay it. She would make the
task of payment easier II she
dropped her threats and bluster and
gave evidence of an honest purpose
to discharge her debts. The voice
of Simons is the voice of the unre-
pentant irreconcilables who led Ger
many to ruin and now refuse to
acknowledge their guilt. Their
dream is to restore Germany by a
war after the peace.
Lloyd George has at times seemed
to lean toward the Keynes theory
of writing off Germany's moral obIi-
cations and treating her financial
obligations as debts which it is
Of doubtful utility to collect. Now.
fortunately, he has thrown the
weight of his influence on the side
of righteous treaty enforcement.
to be obtained through a reestab-
hshment of the Allied concert which
won the war.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07

face Of the perplexed waters Of "A
mind.
The writer can scarcely suppress
smile every time the above expressu
IS used, but it is not so bad at that.
used to be just Nope" or "NO," br
most of US seem TO have taken tur
for the better, thinking about a one.
tion we are asked. How abou. 4
folks? LK.
New York, Jan. 26, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
By
Heywood Broun

er' Attaches to your fingers. So small
no one can detect it. The other boys
will be mystified at the wonderful
outs 'ins,' and drops you can pitch
with this little marvel. They will won.
der how you do it. Send 10 cents TO-
day and we will mail the Curver, to.
gether with copy Of our latest booklet
How Roy Johnson Won the Game foI
the Rusie Club"
After much thought Avery put the
Curver back in the drawer and we
never did hear whether or not it lived
up to the promises of the advertise
ment. Throughout his life Zell had an
extraordinary faculty for making wrong
decisions about everything from Sab
bath observance to marriage, but we
never felt that he was merely being
pestered and 'tormented unnecessarilv
by novelist merely to make q story.
Iell was the sort of person who would
make wrong decisions. Seemingly. the
author believes that in the most i'm
portant question which came to Zell he
made the right decision when he de-
cided to go on through life with the
wrong woman, Certainly, whoever
wrote the blatant and impossible Jacket
for the book made that assumption
with entire confidence.
We are not SO sure. We think we
detect at least shade of ironv in the
final paragraph of the book: "The
concert was over now; and he made
his way slowly through the crowd to-
ward the entrance 60 the stage-almost
happy" Perhaps Aikman Ia In this
enough artist TO realize that in this
mood he is touching upon the most
universal and most poignant Of ali
tragedy-the tragedy of people who
are almost happy. At times his artis-
try falls below this standard. for he
dlsposes of two characters by sudden
death in manner much too purpose
ful. Sudden death Is not thing which
comes with any regularity upon its
proper cue as Aikman has summoned it
Occasionally there is also an Irritating
tendency to set down an unusual word
when simpler one would serve much
better We get, for instance. now and
again such an ugly and meaningless
Phrase as "the eupeptic arranger of
the party" Generally, Aikman writes
simply and he is able to achieve emo
tion with great economy. Character is
sketched rapidly and yet completely.
zen seems to US enthralling. There
ls no reason why everybody should not
read it at once except the fact that even
those who delay may well find that it is
stiii the best book of the year.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
The Lesser Evil

= V"7 7 nc 17eFF OF FTes I7TU38J
The Filipinos now say they are will
ing to risk the dangers of non-protec-
tion if we viii only set them free. Per-
haps they have stacked the volstead
act up against Japanese domination and
have made their choice.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
Gotham Gleanlngs
EsEEyygggyTUTWIl1IL

Eliot Cross was on jury duty
last Thurs.
Our schools and subways are
overcrowded.
Glare Briggs left Friday for a
trip to various towns.
-Conde Mast is giving party for
Mrs. Clare Sheridan this evc'g.
Roy Andrews spoke on Kubla
Khan at Mr.. Otto Kahn's Thurs.
Mrs. George Werrenrath of An
drews Avenue had a birthday Tues.
Harry Beck got home kind of
late for supper Thursday eve hey
Harry.
Art Samuels of Far East S7th ST
has been entertaining his mother the
past week.
Miss Beulah Livingstone at
tended performance of the opera
Thursday eve'g.
Miss Baird Leonard left for
Palm Beach Sat. in co. with Mr.. and
Mrs. Winchell Smith.
Mrs. w. G. Harding Of Marion,
o., was in Gotham shopping last
week with Mrs. Ned Mclean of
Washington, D. c.
Geo. Ade will celebrate his
birthday at Belleair Heights, Fla,
day after tomorrow quietly with
Ort Wells and Sewell Ford.
Raymond Ives the popular ccrti-
fed accountant has accepted the
onus of making out ye eds income
tax schedule this year again.
Col. Raymond Sheldon is going
to be married to Miss Mary Stewart.
The Col. is good officer, having
chastised as severely once on the
Leviathan..
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07

Truetalk by Keith Preston in the
February Bookman: "As regards criti-
cism, the light-verse poets are even more
deplorably situated than the heavies.
Serious poets will not criticize them, re.
garding them, perhaps correctly, as dis
appointed heavies, who are all the time
trying to assume poetic weight and horn
into the big game. Every now and then
serious poet loses patience with the
lightweight and squashes one fiat. The
nature of their own emoluments hardly
allows the serious poets to call the BAN
tams 'penny-a-liners.' But they have
evolved an epithet 'pun-a-liner,' which
is used with, crushing effect. 1t has also
been found effective to remind a light.
verse poet of his disastrous serious mo-
ments'"
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07

In his dedication Aikman opens up
new possibilities TO authors. II Is an
scribed, "ro my own beloved family.
sympathetic, affectionate, forbearing-
happily different from the zells." IF
some such noc.ea had only come to
Dickens he migns well have dedicated
Oliver Twist "To my grandmother
because she was not In the least like
Bill Sykes"
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
A Fair Return
srrom TAe Boston Gloesl

From The Boston Gloes1
Now that the United States has ~.
polite enough TO apologize to Gsf.asr. !.
for the attempt to kidnap Grover 0ie's =,
land Bergdoll, will Germany % PSD'
enough to hand him overt
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
Observation-Disclosures

Sir: Hey! Do you remember a song
in "Piff, Paff, Pouf'' in which Bob Gra-
ham was wont to declare that he Didn't
want any Wurzburger" and that he'd
"sooner drink gasoline? I just had
3. drink of something the purveyor
called whisky" and 1 can give Bob
his address if he wants some.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
An Unobserved Formally

(Fron The Richmond Tinses'pssFa's"
At least the ship owners askse
mission to sell liquor, which IS sa'Sss
more respect for the law than .
people are doing.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07

1t takes light $50 years to get from
here to Betelgeuse. and it will be just
like those Betelgeuse paragraphers to
say it's Burleson's fault.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07

Our athaletic young man is writing
advertising copy, apparently, for the
Depot Quartermaster, who announces
"Soluable Coffee"
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
ssxstRga OF THE Assoc1A4rp pnyss

The Associated Press Ia exciusiysir entitled 10
che use fer republication Of all news clspatches
sredttsd to Il not otherwise credited In ths
rhpsf. and slso the local news Of spontaneous
srtGin published herein
All rights Of republication az all ether matses
ssrsin also reserved
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07
Well Trained

From The Washington Post}
Ireland has given Lloyd George
enough practice for him to pacify the
whole of Europe easily.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07

"John Barleycorn," observes The Al
bany Journal "is only legally dead. He
doesn't have to pay taxes" No, but we,
his heirs, are paying an enormous in
heritance tax.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-07

Yes, Prunella, you may now call 4
the Ear Apparent.