davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15

114,917 rural inhabitants in 1910.
But in 1920 she is credited, appar-
emily under an improved classifica-
ton, with 1892.
The distinctions between urban
and rural dwellers are not as sharp
as they used to be. City and coun-
try-especially when a village of
$500 is counted as a city-have
come closer together in the social
as we'll as the economic sense. Eco
nomic forces regulate the shifting
OF the balance Of population. The
fact that the city dwellers now out
number the rural dwellers doesn't
initiate against interests of the lat
ter class. The non-urban population
is more likely to be benefited, in fact,
by the equalization now effected.
With the farm producer in numer-
ical minority and the demand for
what he produces enlarging, he will
undoubtedly be in a better position
to improve his economic status as
we'll as broaden his life.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15
The Law of the Land
Should 1t or Should 1t Not Be
Enforced by State Authority

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Of course, Judge Miller is
within the law" in his advocacy to the
Legislature of a prohibition enforce
ment act, following strictly the lines
of the Volstead act. But what Of the
Volstead act? Is it not repugnant to
the people, as Judge Miller seemingly
admits? Was it not vetoed by the
President of the United States? Was
not its constitutionality affirmed by ahe
Supreme Court by majority of one
5 to 4? Has not Volstead himself, &C.
cording to The Tribune news reports,
apologized for his sponsorship of it?
Nevertheless, it is obviously the law
of the land, just as the old blue laws
are that have never been repealed
And just here, as 7 understand it,
Judge Miller confdes to us his opinion
that rigid enforcement might lead to
modification. General Grant, l think,
said something about killing a bad law
by enforcing it. And wasn't it ABE
LINCOLN who wanted to know the brand
of whisky that Grant drank?
The hypocrisy of the whole thing
makes me sick. Formerly tired work
man could buy ten glasses of beer for
90 cents. To-day ne can get no more
than finger" of whisky for the
same money. He gets it, all right, and
what does he get with it? A bead"
that he couldn't get with twenty
glasses of beer.
If the Legislature Of New York heeds
the advice of Judge Miller statel'
rights will be joke. DISGUISED.
New York, Jan. 13, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15

The American shipping men who
appeared before the House Judiciary
Committee to urge the passage of
the Edmonds bill to supersede the
Palmer ruling strictly applying the
Volstead law to American passenger
ships made their case clear.
The American merchant marine,
so far as international passenger
service is concerned, will be out of
business if the Palmer rule is en-
forced. We can have passenger liners
or we can have the satisfaction of
saying all American ships are
liquorless, but we cannot have both.
The Palmer rule attempts to ap-
ply the Volstead law to the high
seas. 1t can't be done, for we have
no exclusive jurisdiction over the
high seas. Other nations will not
adopt our regulation. We can't
make them. And we can't escape
the competition Of ships not oper-
ating under the Palmer rule.
To build up our American mer-
chant marine at best will be difficult.
1t cannot succeed unless our ships
have a 100 per cent chance to secure
business. They will not have such
a chance if the Palmer rule stands.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15

truck will be direct auxiliary to the
main railroad lines throughout the
country and that the railroads will not
only refuse to build further branches
but will have abandoned those not
showing a profit. In place of these
branch lines; motor trucks will act as
direct feeders, gathering vast tonnage
Systematically and literally converting
every farmers and manufacturers
gate into eight-loading station The
railroad then will be in a position to
put all its finances and energies into
the problem Of handling the tremendous
volume of freight delivered daily from
these thousands of far ranging trucks.
Sooner or later many apparently
complex national issues, policies and
platforms will be built around the
highways and the motor trucks, and the
sooner every voter becomes familiar
with the basic economic principles of
commercial advancement, just that much
sooner will we realize the long-wished-
for agricultural and commercial sta
bility. II. C. BAILEY.
Mount Vernon, N. Y, Jan. 10, 1921. /
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15
An Embargo, Not a Blockade

Concerning trade relations with
Russia Acting Secretary of State
Davis says:
"The only restriction maintained
by this government on export trade
with Soviet Russia is the restriction
on the export of munitions or COM
modities susceptible of immediate
military use. There is no restric-
tion on the export to Russia of med
ical supplies, soap and the common
necessities of life No special
licenses are needed; none has been
= applied for.
ANY American citizen who wishes
to enter Russia on his own respon-
sibility and without passport can
do so without any let or hindrance
from this government. The official
obstruction to feeding of sick Rus
sian children by Americans has come
not from this government, but from
the soviets."
The next time a mass meeting in
New York protests against what is
called the blockade of Russia may
some one have the honesty to men,
ton there is no blockade-that the
only impediment to free entry is the
embargo of the Soviet government.
Any one wanting to send goods to
Russia will not be interfered with by
our government, except he wishes to
send in military supplies.
The principal Bolshevik propa-
gandists in this country have been
perfectly aware of the facts, but it
has suited their purposes to seek to
delude.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15
Herring Trails

What did Mayor Hylan and
Messrs. Hearst and Brisbane talk
about in their secret conference?
There have been many guesses, but
none perhaps wholly satisfying.
Now basis for new guess is fur
nished. Following the conference
Commissioner Enright suddenly de-
veloped fear Of a Red plot and saw
the great harm Of allowing restau-
rants to be open after a. N. So
with a blast of trumpets police
guards were assigned to a large
number of threatened places, and to
deplete further the police force pa
trolmen were dispatched to chase
home jewellers who persist in JOY
fulness. What if burglars and high
waymen took advantage of the ab-
sence of policemen from their beats?
More important things were in mind
than suppressing crime.
One can imagine Mr.. Hearst, who
always loves the flag, saying to the
Mayor: "The thing to do is to pull
flag stuff. I've always found this
useful. If you will get noisy over
the danger of a Red outbreak the
public, which can't think of two
things at once, will forget about
other things
And one can imagine Mr.. Brisbane
adding: AS a champion Of light
wine and beer, and thus stern and
unbending moralist, suggest round
ing ups the cabarets l am told hip
pockets are becoming larger. The
herring Comrade Hearst would draw
across the trail is all right, but why
not two herrings? If we can get up
a row over curfew rules and the like
we need not worry over investiga-
tions."
These speculations may be base
less, but the new attempt to divert
public attention came soon after the
conference adjourned.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15
City Folk in a Majority

The 1920 census shows that the
country's urban population has at
last overtopped its rural population.
There are 54,31S,OS2 persons living
in cities and 51,39O,739 outside them.
We started out as nation of
pioneers, frontiersmen, conquerors
Of the empty wastes of the continent.
But the frontier life and the agri-
cultural life have had to give, way
more and more to the activities
which cluster in towns and cities
manufacturing, trade, distribution
and the more complicated forms of
economic progress.
The countryScreates and sustains
the city, feeding it with population
as we'll as with farm products and
raw materials. Even in it's sparsely
settled stage there was never time
when the United States couldn't look
forward to an inevitable equaliza-
tion of the two elements-rural and
urban. The drift cityward has been
Z under way for many decades. 1t is
no more pronounced now than it was
forty years ago. 1t is, in fact, some
what less pronounced.
Between 1880 and 1890 urban pop
ulation increased from 14,772, 900 to
22, 100000. This was a gain of 81
per cent. In the next decade the in
crease was 8,077, ,000-or SO per cent.
Between 1900 and 1910 there was an
increase of 1885, ,0o0-or 80 per
cent. In the last ten years the in
crease has been II, 1,695, ,OO0-or only
:. .2l per cent The rate of growth
outside the towns and cities has also
. declined since 1880. For the decade
ended in 1890 it was IA per cent.
for that ended in 1900 1875 per cent.
for that ended in 1910 9 per cent.
In the last ten years it has been only
per cent.
The census takers include among
urban centers town and villages of
$500 inhabitants. Hundreds of COM
rnunities. rural in one census have
therefore become urban in another.
and what was formerly rural incre-
inent has become an urban incre-
ment. On the other hand, up to the
;fenaus of 1910 urban communities
Included New England towns, really
4cwnships, Of more than $500 popu-
l&tion, thus throwing considerable
number OF rural inhabitants into the
asbMn group. For instance. Con-
1seassnA vas sxadatsd with only
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15
Shame

1t now is sworn that while New York was
struggling to create great building pro-
gram one man for plunder was controlling
construction in way that injuriously af-
fected the life of every man, woman and
child in the city.--News Item.
Great city, hide thy face once more in shame :;
Put on thy sackcloth, and gray ashes
spread;
Shed bitter tears for thy dishonored name
And walk with contrite heart and lowered
head.
Great in thy numbers, in thy power and
pride;
Rich. far beyond the dreams of other days.
And pressing on and up with stalwart stride
Thy high uplifted towers pierce the skv
And draw the world to thy colossal mart;
Here lavish science seeks to glorify.
And here the treasures of a boarded art.
Thy docks and waters hold the countless
ships
That laden come from every distant sea.
Past the tall sentinel, whose chiseled lips,
Tho soundless, voice the call of Liberty
VI truth and justice and those noble parts
On which our fathers built our nations life.
Inspired our weakened minds, and thrilled
hearts,
And gave ambition to our pruellinv strife
That upraised torch was to all men the sign
That here the battle had at last been won
To give to Truth her due eternal shr;ne
And prove the errors of the past undone.
And now behold, how great is this. thv fall
how hollow thy pretensons and how vain
How family sounds thy former vibrant call
To strike from Freedoms arms the CALLING
chain
For thou, thyself. hast been a cringinR slave.
In blindness and in gross stupidity.
10 the foul purpose of this arrant knaye.
Who led, It's sworn. to this anomaly
OF shelt'ring him whose Shiny hand each dsv
Reached out to nullify and to destroy.
And mans most needed work and nlan
betray.
With all the schemes that grating minds
employ
Unharmed, unseen. through every CITY street
BY night and day. this thing Of VICE has
crept,
While guardians of the public weal have
slept.
No home too rich and none too poor to
feel
Unconscious Of the cause, its poisoned
blight;
No purse too thin for greedy clutch TO
steal,
No weakness safe from avaricious might.
And so thou vert and 80 wilt thou remain
The Mecca Of the plotters' tireless horde.
Until thou shalt from ashes rise again,
And solemn vow Of vigilance record.
Beware the that sapped the life of
Rome.
And now the couch Of Incidence forsake,
He hghts forever who would save his home
Oh. city Of our hopes. awake awakei
ROBERT Il. FARLEY.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15

day and it's suggestion that the
country be taken over by the Inter-
Allied Reparations Commission
amount on it's face to nothing
short Of that.
OF course, the solution recon-
mended by the Vienna Cabinet does
not solve anything. For the Inter-
Allied Reparations Commission to
assume the duties Of government
would mean that the nations repre-
sented on it-frst Of all Britain,
France and Italy-would have TO
finance the administration of Aus
tria. The Allies already have vol
unfairly assumed considerable bur-
dens in supporting the needy popu-
lation of Vienna and other Aus
trian cities on a basis of pure
charity. 1t is not likely that they
are either willing or able to do
more. If they were they could help
out the Austrian government di-
rectly-the Reparations Commits
sion has the power and the means
to supervise the application of such
aid without assuming the functions
of government.
In its immediate aspect the only
solution, though it is hardly worth
that name, of Austria's difficulties
seems to be charity-more charity;
but the question remains open
where more charity shall come from
and how far it still may go. Ulti-
mately Austria, a manufacturing
and trading state, with Czecho-Slo-
vakia, Hungary and Jugo-Slavia for
natural clients, must be made self
supporting by a system of economic
cooperation that in the long run is
as vital for those countries as for
Austria herself. The crux of the
whole problem is just how to bridge
over the period that still separates
US from the return of common
sense to the councils of Mid -Europe.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15
The Ex-Kaiser's 8 Duty
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: l entirely agree with the letter
signed "An American" published in
your issue of January 8, 1921, suggest
ing that the ex-Kaiser and his family
and other rich Germans save the lives
Of the children in Central Europe. The
American Relief Committee for German
Children sent out letter on January 8,
1921, asking for funds, and states in it's
second paragraphs; eve have Mr..
Hoover's authority for assuring you that
onc-third of the sum collected (by the
European Relief CounciD will be devoted
to the relief of children In Ger
many, :" In view of the fact that
so many German Americans will give to
these two funds it seems to me that
unhyphenated Americans should feel it
incumbent upon themselves to aid the
suffering people in our own country
and in devastated France.
MAUD NATHAN.
New York, Jan. 12, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15
Lost Contacts at the Library

10 the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: 1t seems such pity, when the
reference room of the New York Pub
lie Library is the only one available FOR
the great mass Of the people, it can
not adequately meet the demands Of
its patrons. 1t is not only unwieldy in
its operations, but in no measure yields
even small percentage of the great
wealth of material stored there. You
are sent hither and yon for the books
That you need, and have to wait for from
twenty minutes to half an hour to get
them. And it has been my experience
that it is quite impossible to get any
material help from the staff other than
stereotyped directions as to place.
In the old days at the Astor Library
there were men of long experience at
your service to aid and help in meeting
your wants. The same men are in the
new library, but filing positions where
they do not come in contact with the
patrons, and in their place are young
men, we'll meaning, perhaps. but lacking
in knowledge of photography in which
their predecessors were past masters. ]
often think, when go into the circula'
ton branch in the same building, il It
were only possible to get the same
spirit and the same willingness 70
help that those splendid young women
evince, the reference room would be
vastly different place from what it y
to-day. AN OLD PATRON.
New York, Jan. IS, 1921.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15
The Truth as to Russia

Mr.. Schwartz, of San Francisco,
a disillusioned Socialist radical who,
accompanied by his wife, went to
Russia as delegate to Lenine's
Third Internationale, and has now
escaped after months Of imprison-
ment and hardship, fills the Berlin
press with descriptions of the Soviet
government as he found it.
Communism in Russia" he ex-
claims, "is sheer robberism; it toler-
ates Imprisonment, persecution with
out trial; it has brought. Russia to
starvation, disease and death. There
is no government 1t is worse au-
tocracy than the Czaristic autocracy,
and l know, for l lived there twenty
years under the Gar"
The unhappy Schwartz, bemoan-
ing his wife, who perished from
tortures inflicted on her, blames
Lenine for lying to the world
for advertising that he had estab-
lished millennial conditions.
1t is scarcely against the Russian
autocrat that complaint should be
made. At times he has been frank.
1t is the radical press of America
and Great Britain that has steadily
labored to conceal the facts. Clear
evidence has been ignored. Poor,
credulous Schwartz learned in Rus
sia what he would have learned at
home if he. had not been a victim
of Bolshevist propaganda.
There is no doubt, and never has
been, concerning the main facts of
the Russian situation.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15
Mary Garden, Ilnpresario

To step into the jobs of two able
bodied impresarios and sing as an
operate star in addition compose a
task which only Mary Garden would
dream Of attempting. Yet why not?
The inimitable Mary has been doing
the impossible all her life-even to
achieving the rank of a great singer
when wise critics said she had no
voice and what more natural than
her present straddling the operatic
universe of Chicago?
SO far as the purely executive
tasks go, there is nothing especially
startling in the notion of woman
as opera director. In business
women are succeeding as high eX-
ecutives the country over. Why may
not one be especially fitted to sue
ceed in that extraordinary combina-
tion of business and art which makes
the task cf impresario about the
most difficult in all the world?
AT least Miss Garden understands
the necessity of having one supreme
boss for any complex artistic achieve
ment The chief difficulty at Chi
cago has been that there was no one
voice strong enough to end the de-
bate between impresario, stars and
trustees. 1t is a safe bet that Miss
Garden will end that debate. On the
score Of ruthlessness every conf
dence can be reposcd in the new
dlrectress. Will she also be able to
hold her company together? A
breathless world Of music waits to
learn. If Miss Garden has tact it is
that strange variety which blossoms
under a candor SO outspoken and ex-
pliclt as to leave an irritated oppo
nent gasping for breath.
AS for continuing as star her
self while announcing her intention
to "end the star SYSTEM" heads will
shake even more obviously. There
IS surely a chance, artistically speak
ing at any rate, for opera which
should aim first of all at ensemble
and gain its effects by a striving for
accurate dramatic and vocal values.
let the stars be eclipsed as they NAV.
Whether a public would ever ap-
prove this transfer Of opera from
the realm Of spotlights and curtain
calls to the realm of pure art only
heaven knows-or is likely to know.
But Miss Garden is an artist, dra-
matte artist, to her fingertips, and
with a free hand as an operatic
tyrant, without her own stardom to
cloud her judgment and stir enmitv.
she might achieve vastly, interest
ing experiment. All angles consid-
cred, the colorful Mary can count
upon the warmest sort of welcome
here for her new adventure when
she scars above the western horizon
at the end of the month.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15
Transit System Needs

Mr.. Delaney, the Transit Con-
struction Commissioner, saws in his
1920 report:
with an annual increase in traffic
exceeding 10 per cent it is obvious
chat provision must be made without
delay for the extension of local
transit facilities for all sections Of
the city,
In the twelve months preceding
the signing of the dual contracts
in 1913 the rapid transit lines car
ried 810,000,000 passengers. Since
then there has been an increase
in the traffic of 615,000,000 pas
sengers, or 76 per cent. Even the
rev lines are beginning to show
congestion. 1t is estimated that a
system to meet the city's needs for
the next twenty-five years must be
able to carry 5,00O,0OO,00O pas
sengers annually. The Construction
Commissioners Office has prepared
plans for such system, and one of
the city governments problems in
the near future will be to construct
the additional lines and arrange for
their operation.
When new contracts are under con-
sideration the operators of the dual
system may properly bring forward
arguments for higher fixed fare
or a flexible fare In linking the
new routes to the old in an enlarged
system all matters come on the table.
1t will be for the city's negotiators
to pass on the issue of where lies the
weight Of public advantage.
The construction cost of the exten-
sions tentatively planned is put at
$3.50, 100000 at present prices, or
S175,000,000 at pre-war figures.
Equipment would cost 100000 900
additional on the existing price
level. To carry out the UNDERLYING
idea in the dual contracts all pro-
jected lines or extensions, wherever
they originate in the outlying bor-
ouyhs, are to bring passengers to
the heart Of the city--that Is, the
ssetion in Manhattan south Of Gen.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15
trail Park and between Second and

trail Park and between Second and
Tenth avenues.
Subway lines develop whole sec
tions and largely increase the value
of adjacent property. The cost of
new lines might we'll be met in whole
or part through assessments on
localities benefited. Willingness to
pay such assessments is the best
test of the belief Of outlying neigh
borhoods in the necessity of new
rapid transit facilities. Part of
property value, the increment due to
construction, should fairly go to the
city, whose action creates it. The
elevated railways damaged adjoin-
ing property, but subway spreads
prosperity along it's route.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15
Defiance

In view Of the Hylan-Enright fat
refusal to cooperate with Mr.. Whit
man and the grand jury in any sort
OF investigation, can any reasonable
person longer have doubt of the need
of a searching legislative inquiry?
From the beginning The Tribune
has insisted that the city admins
tration was determined to block and
prevent any thorough scrutiny Of
police and city affairs. The Hylan-
Enright defiant letter is a confess
sion Of this intention.
No course seems open to Mr.. Whit
man but an appeal to the Legislature.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15
The Diary of Our Own Samuel Pepvs

Jonuary 12-Early enough up, and to
the Office, and there all day, talking
about poiticks and other petty Matters
and home by omnibuss, and very
windy night it was, and near 10th
Street young woman made rs t.
alight, saying, My hat hath blown of;
so got off and ran back four blocks
but could not find it, owing to the great
wind, and | went back, and found her,
and she said, fear | have taken cold.
and thanked me prettily, with as fine a
smile as | have seen in week; aud so
home to dinner, where | found A. Wooll-
colt, and talked of this and that and re
promised me copy Of Mr.. Dickcrs's
Great Expecta lions, which never have
read.
13-Lay late, and 20 the Office, where
Ted Robinson the poet come to visit me,
and Mistress Mabel Hill, and took them
to luncheon, and then they left me to
my scrivening, at which near all after
noon. Home, and Mistress Alice Miller
called for me and took me to Mistress
Betty Hare's for dinner, very pleasant,
and she in the finest silver gownc ever
| saw
14-At my stint all day, and. with my
wife and Mistress Edna Ferber and
Will White to dinner, and so to the
playhouse to see r. Tinney, and his
anticks and clowning very comickall
New-York tribune., 1921-01-15
Naval Morale
New York, Jan. 12, 1921.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The regrettable quarrels among
the aviators just rescued in Canada
point to the conclusion that the navy's
morale has sadly fallen off, else would
the struggle for life in the presence of
almost certain death have brought the
three close together mentally as it did
physically. One can hardly believe such
rift could have occurred in the pre-
Daniels era. Is it not the result of his
persistent assaults on the navy's esprit
de corps?
The only redeeming feature in the
whole situation is that not one of these
officers Is graduate of the Naval
Academy. Two of them rose from the
ranks and one is Naval Reserve.
ALUMNUS,
New York, Jan. ~, 1921.