davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The New York herald., 1922-12-12
The Champion Commuter.
Former Comptroller Metz Trots Out
n Candidate.

To THE New York HenArp: l saw
a few days ago in your paper the state
ment that a certain gentleman was the
champion commuter," having Travelled
for twenty-five years between Cape May
and Philadelphia.
know YOU would like to have things
right and for that reason I am calling
your attention TO the fact that Mr..
Philip S. Clarlson OF my organization
has for over thirty years to my knowl-
edge. without tho loss or more than
thirty days altogether during that time
covered the distance between Beverly.
~ j., and New York twice day. Zig
uring, therefore, on thirty years only
and Il is nearer thirty-tive, and 900 days
to a year, ne has covered at least 1885,
600 miles. and probably nearer 1900, 900
during that period, and is st,ll doing It.
III. A. METz.
NEW YORK. December IL.
The New York herald., 1922-12-12
McNally's Flats.
Early New York Knew No Dearth
Of Tenement Houses.

To The NEW YORK HERALD: T. x.
Martin, Jr., makes inquiry about flats
sntedating the Navarro housekeeping
them In rows all over town. They were
known, however, as tenement houses
and they were celebrated in song nearly
as follows:
NC NALLy's row or FLATS.
Way down in Bottle Alley
There lived Timothy McNaNy,
A wealthy politician and gentleman a:
that;
Adored by all the ladies.
The gossoons and the babies
That occupied the tenement called McNally's g
row OF flats
cHoRrs.
Ireland and Italy.
Jerusalem and Germany
Cinnamon and nagurs and
A paradise for cats.
Fuddled all together there
In storm and rainy weather. sure
They occupied the tenement called
McNaliy's row of flats.
1t would seem, then, according to
Harrigan and Hart, that credit must be
given to Mr.. Timothy McNally for being
the originator not of one fiat but OF
stacks OF them. the only differences
being that his renters We're known as
tenants, while the lessces OF the more
stately fats are eny;ously called clifY
dwellers.
So there you are.
CHARLES RouLFs.
BUFFALO. December IL.
The New York herald., 1922-12-12

intended 'em to amt Of no more account
than dog howlin' at the moon.
"The trouble with the reforner is that
he don't want to assist Natur' he wants
to take her place"
Whats your remedy" asked SOL
emnIy, although was much amused at
the old fellows earnestness.
II been thinkin' 1t over. specially dur
in the last three months" he replied
gravely. "A while ago l read about the
King OF Spain bein' interested in run
min a gamblin' establishment arter the
style Of that thar Monte Carlo and I
see a lot of reformers in this here
country get all het up over 1t and
wanted the President to make moral
/ issue out OF it and take steps to prevent
il. Atthe same time see a lot of other
] reformers wantin' to prevent English
and French ships from servin' liquor to
their crews whenever they happened TO
be in American waters. That's moral
issue, too. they claim, and one that we
got to uphold even IL it leads TO war.
wall" continued lrph grinly. I'm
in favor OK war. Let's go 10 war to
prevent the King Of Spain from gam
blin' and the English and French sail
ors from drinlsin' on their own ships.
Lets declare war on Spain. England
and France, and the sooner the better.
Let's mobolIze to morallze the world.
Let's draft ev'ry mothers son OF a gun
who believes In reforniin the world and
put 'em in the forefront OF ev'ry battle.
And let the slaughter be great. That's
my remedy for bringin' this here coun-
try back to where 1t belongs"
You mean TO a state OF nornalcy,
suggested. laughing.
"Nornaalcy be blowed! - he Numbered.
Were too blamed normal now. What
we need is swift kick to bring US back
to a state OF tolerance and common
sense" SIMON CRcEL.
! ALBANY, December 9.
The New York herald., 1922-12-12
French Plays and Life Here.

Plays have come to the New York
stage from France in unusually large
numbers this season. One is re-
minded of the sos, when the prin-
cipal supply for theaters here was
obtained from the same source. The
Paris farce has always proved ire
sistible to the native manager, who,
however, was able to resist the seri-
Gus dramas which every year repre-
sented less and less life compre-
hensible to American audiences.
The motives which animated the
characters in these pieces we're not
the motives which Influenced the
lives Of Americans. Dramas Of this
kind we're tolerated. even appreci-
ated highly. for the appeal they were
for years able to make to the emo
tions. Just as soon as the public
became convinced that the drama
should reflect some plausible phase
OF life its interest in these essen-
TALLY Gallo dramas came to an end.
They were usually acted in English
for the sake Of some particular
player, since the French authors are
expert in providing opportunities for
their interpreters. II was through
the same consideration for the actor
that works of this kind came to be
transferred once more to the New
York stage.
The metropolitan public has been
invited this year to inspect various
specimens Of the dramatist's art as
II is admired on the banks of the
Seine. The problems they posed
were essentially of another society
than our own. In one play the ac-
tion turned upon the fickleness of a
young mother OF two children who
did not hesitate to deceive the ell
derly lover with whom she was liv-
ing. He was as distressed as II she
were his own wife and he had a
right to expect fidelity from her.
In another wife stood hesitating
between husband and a lover. She
was saved from leaving home by the
ancient expedient of the dead child.
The lover had never seen him. The
husband. on the other hand, was as
sentimental as she about the baby's
toys and photographs. In third
play the son of an unmarried woman
whom her lover threatens to desert
attempts to apply the law Of an eye
for an eye by debauching this mans
daughter.
OF course such situations bear no
more relaAon to American life than
they do to conditions among tribes
in central Africa. Nevertheless one
should not overlook the skill of these
playwrights in dealing with the prob
lens OF their own people. They de-
serve a hearing IN any land which
can appreciate the skill of the dram
atist. They fail to excite any gen.
The New York herald., 1922-12-12
The Noisy World.

Radio has provided after dinner
speakers with another illustration Of
the way In which "the continents
are being brought closer and closer
together every year, so that now.
gentlemen, it IS after all a small
world" Several times the Newark
broadcastjng station signals have
been picked UP in England. At Holy
head, early on Monday morning,
an English operator listened to a
Sunday evening sermon delivered In
New Jersey. A man in Lancashire
heard the organ recital.
News like this provokes a certain
uneasiness. II is all very we'll for
the continents TO be drawing closer
together, but there are likely to be
complications IL all the world gets
to the point where II overbears what
everybody says. Those disadvan-
tages that fall to the lot Of persons
who dwell in thin walled apartments
may afflict entire peoples.
Some day. instead OF seeking
means OF further amplification OF
signals, We may have to build ether
proof houses TO shut out the neigh
The New York herald., 1922-12-12
One of the Two Billions.

Twelve years ago to-day young
woman of refinement, beauty and
good social position left her home in
broad daylight and disappeared as
completely as IL the sidewalk had
engulfed and closed over her.
Since then no year has passed
without a newspaper mentioning the
anniversary of this strange case; nor
has public interest in the mystery
been worn away by time.
Nothing could better illustrate the
fact that the imagination is more
stimulated by the unknown than by
the known. n the young woman had
died the announcement would have
been of little public concern. What
aroused interest was an utter lack Of
knowledge regarding her fate.
The inhabitants of this little planet
are curious in regard to one another.
War kills ten million men, but 1t is
careful to count them and takes
pains to identify them. So when one
young woman was missing from the
earthly roll call and unaccounted for
millions Of people In this country
wondered what befell her.
Such interest as this comes not
from the fact that one human being
Is gone from the ranks Of the two
billions but from the fact that no.
body knows why or how. Nobody
would think very much about infin-
ity If we understood 1t. The world
is full Of churches partly because we
do not understand 1t.
Human imagination centers about
everything that is mysterious or un-
known. 1t drops the obvious. So
in disappearing the young woman
made more Of mark on the average
mind than is left by the deed OF a
more striking individual.
II you were to stop fifty persons
on the streets Of New York and ask
them who GAvRILo PRINcIp was or
what BosToS CoRBErr did forty-nine
could not answer. At least forty
however, could tell you WHO DoRorHY
| ARNOLD was.
The New York herald., 1922-12-12
Davis Asks More Power in Strikes
His Report to Congress Urges Expansion of Federal
Machinery of Cancellation.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11.--Declaring the
nation must find a way to avert these
futile, fatal appeals TO force In industry.
Secretary Davis OF the Labor Depart
ment recommended to Congress to-day
In his annual report that the Cancellation
machinery of the Federal Government be
so expanded as to enable tito handle
effectively nationwide industrial cis-
putes
mo better example Of the futility Of
these appeals to force can be found" said
the Secretary, than the recent strike OF
the bituminous coal miners. AFTER
months Of supended industry. the 60o, ,000
striking coal miners returned to their
work without single change having
been effected in wages or conditions of
employment. It has been the experience
of the Department OF Labor that dis
interested. intelligent, practical concilia-
tion Is capable OF ending many OF these
disputes.
1T seems TO me that before cnacting
any radical legislation or changing the
administrative scheme for dealing with
these strikes, we might well consider
the perfecting and extension Of the ma
chinery which has proved SO effective
in the past"
Asks Halt on Child Labor.
The Secretary also asked that the inn-
migration laws be revised to permit ex-
animation and selection OF prospective
immigrants at their ports OF departure
and to make more stringent the Chinese
exclusion act: that aliens In the United
States be enrolled and educated In Amer
canism that action be taken through a
constitutional amendment or otherwise
to end the employment of children as
wage earners; that juvenile offenders
be given status In the Federal courts
separate from that occupied by adults,
and that the Federal Employment Ser
vice be enlarged to enable 1t to keep a
finger at all times upon the industrial
pulse Of the nation.
He reviewed the part taken BY the
Federal Government toward the settle
ment OF the rail and coal strikes. but ex-
pressed no opinion regarding the merits
OF the controversies.
He declared "all thinkers have rec
ognized for some years that men who
take an oath of office in public service
give up their right to strike" adding
However there is field in the twilight
zone between public employment and pri-
vate industry, generally referred to as
public utility or quasi public service. II
Is in this classification that the rail-
roads, the coal mines and other similar
industries fall. The right not to
work in industry or under conditions
which the individual considers improper
cannot be abridged"
In many ways. the Secretary said, the
present facilities for regulating impii-
grafton are Inadequate. The Ellis Island
station at New York, he said, usually
has at least 80 per cent more business
The New York herald., 1922-12-12
More of the Peoples Money.

Regarding THE New YonK HER
AIDS recent editorial article on "The
Plain Peoples Money" l.. d. WooD.
WORTH, deputy manager Of the Amer
lean Bankers Association, Savings
Bank Division, sends the latest avail
able figures on savings bank accounts,
indicating this papers estimate Of
the amount to the credit of small
savers in the United States was very
conservative. From his figures and
estimates it would appear that saw
ings deposits comprise one-half the
total deposits and one-third the total
resources of all banks and trust COM
panies in the United States.
Mr.. WoopwoRTH's tables for the
savings distributions in all financial
institutions show the following:
The New York herald., 1922-12-12

than it is equipped to handle. while the
station at Boston Is 'woefully made
quate" and that at Seattle Is awlSwardly
located. The station on Angel Island
In San Francisco Bay he pronounced
wholly unsuited for the purpose for
which 1t was built"
The Chinese exclusion act, the Labor
Secretary said. had "signally failed
1T seems to me-" he said. that the
present situation with reference to ORR
entail labor under our law is simply dis
graceful. The pressure for entry Into
this country Is tremendous and appar-
emily we'll financed. The schemes for
circumventing the law are most astute
and clever and In numbers are beyond
belief"
He said a complete survey would in
dicate that 100000 children are vic
tins Of premature toll in mines. mills,
factories. fields and homes" and con-
tinued: "It is urgent that some method
be- adopted which will forever blot from
the escutcheon of the nation the black
spot Of child labor which still exists
in some form in some places"
Industrial strife and unemployment =
he warned. "oifer opportunities TO the
enemies of government too favorable
for US to overlook them"
The New York herald., 1922-12-12
An Ancient Roman Kettle.

One never thinks OF such historic folk
Possessing ordinary pots and pans,
Or poring over small housewifely plano
Or how to utilize an extra yolk;
One pictures how their grandeur might
invoke
A thousand slaves to serve their least
behcst
Or dining off iarl<'s tongue or piorer's
breast.
But never making shift. or going broke.
And yet. n Roman matron's grave to
share,
They laid this earthern kettle, wrapped
in myrrh,
An immemor.al interpreter
or her proncience in domestic care:
Somehow its simple, homely usage
brings
Her nearer to US than would costlicr
things.
c'HAnLorrs 5rcxrE.
The New York herald., 1922-12-12

borhood clamor and the racket Of the
world. Englishmen are not going to
take to it kindly il they are to have
their ears filed with the arguments
OF a lawmaker from Oregon who is
seeking an appropriation for harbor
development. For time the Chinese
might appreciate listening in on Fri
day afternoons while the Board Of
Estimate practices polite repartee.
but that would pail after time.
II can't think for the noise" you
say as you sit at your desk while
the riveters work on the new build
ing across the street. What are you
going to do when the bagpipe strains
of a Highland regiment on parade
slither across the Atlantic and drift
in at your window?
The New York herald., 1922-12-12
Americans Studying Spanish.

Forward looking American stu
dents and instructors are giving in
creased attention to study OF the
Spanish language. This notably is,
the case in New England. Vermont,
never laggard in educational mat
ters, is well to the front in apprecia-
tion OF the value to Americans of
ability to read, write and speak the
noble language Of Spain. For the
benefit OF its own students, approxi-
mately 500 In number, Middlebury
College, one Of the Oldest OF the Green
Mountain States educational insti-
tutions, has arranged to open a sum-
mer school at Granada, Spain, where
those who wish to improve their
knowledge of Spanish may do so un-
der advantageous conditions.
This instance is indicative of a
movement that is gaining impetus.
The tendency on the part of public
school pupils to substitute Spanish
for German. or even French, is be-
coming marked. 1t may be the pres
tige which German once had in our
courses OF study Will never be re-
gained. Hereafter German will stand
on its merits Of prospective advan-
tage to the student as compared with
other modern languages.
Either French or Spanish. espe-
cially Spanish, would probably be
preferred to it. The advantages to
Americans of knowledge of Spanish
are obvious. Aside from the fact that
It is one of the stateliest and most
sonorous Of all the beautiful tongues
evolved from the language Of ancient
Rome. the contiguity of millions OF
Spanish speaking nelghbors with
whom we are destined to have In
creasingly intimate social and busi-
ness relations makes the acquisition
OF the language they speak OF especial
Importance to Americans.
The New York herald., 1922-12-12
Why Animals Fight.

10 THE NEW YonK HERALD Thought
full" Is so evidently in earnest in hi,
puzzlement as to why men and animal,
fight that with to try to shed u llttl,
light on his mystery.
Beasts, having limited reasoning pow.
ers. are largely actuated by instinct
and the lighting instinct Is ono that
has been highly developed by former
necessity.
AS for humans--well, II they were
half as reasonable beings as they are
supposed TO be this would be less tur-
bulcnt world 10 live in than Il is.
NEW YORK, December IL. j. II.
The New York herald., 1922-12-12
EVENTS TO-DAY.

National League OF Professional Baseball
Clubs. meeting. WaldorfAAstoria.
New York State Wholesale Bakers Assoc
citation. meeting, Hotel McAlpin, morning
and afternoon.
meeting. Waldorf Astoria; meeting. 10 A. ".
and p. NJ: dinner, p. NJ.
Lockwood Legislative Committee. meeting,
City Hall. 10 A. NJ.
Friendly Aid Society, opening OF the nsw
Florence Tucker Baker House, o01 First avs
nue., to r. NJ.
Brooklyn Advertising Club. luncheon,
Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. noon-
Chamber of Commerce OF the Borough Of
Queens. luncheon. Hotel Commodore. 1880
p. M.
Allied Metal Industries, luncheon, Hotel
Commodore. IL 80 2. NJ.
Drama League, luncheon, Hotel Astors
! p. NJ.
Theater owners Chamber OF Commerce,
luncheon. Hotel Astor. p. NJ.
League for Political Education, Alfred w,
Spiritual Love: SAUL" Town Hall. II A. NJ
Junior Emergency Relief Society. meeting,
Hotel Bltmore
National Automobile Conferences. Hotel
Pennsylvania. 10 A. N.
National Association Of Cotton Finisher,
luncheon. Hotel Pennsylvania, =. NJ.
Daughters Of Pennsylvania. meeting. Wal,
Railway Supply Manufacturers Association,
meeting. Waldorf-Astoria. 10 A. NJ; iuncli-
con, =. NJ.
School Nature League. Midwinter Flore-
Thow. Public School ~. i2f East Fifty
first street, until December -.
Metropolitan Museum OF Art. talk for eie-
mentary school teachers. Crete. an Island
in the Blue Green Sea-" Anna G. Chandler,
40 p. M: John Getz on Chinese Pot
terry" $3.50 ?. NJ.
Bowery Mission, concert. c2T Bowery. s:i5
p. NJ.
National Association for American Speech
benefit. Hotel Plaza, $500 =. ".
Broadway Tabernacle Forum. Prof. w. c.
Sheliabear, The Religion OF the Tur16s, -
Broadway and Fifty-sixth street, s:1S p. NJ.
New Yorl; County Association OF the Grim.
inal Bar. dinner to Judges Koenig and Col
Inns. Hotel Astor. ! r. ~.
Kings County Republican Committee. Gen
ator-elect Fess OF Ohio viii speak, Kismet
Temple, Hcrtimer street, near Nostraud
avenue, Brooklyn, go r. NJ.
Dinner to seuator-elect Copeland, Staten
Island Club. Sc. Marks place. st. George,
$. T., r. II.
New York Railroad Club. dinner, Hotel
Commodore. $3.50 i. NJ.
Indiana Club. dinner. Hotel McAlpin.
: L. NJ.
American Committee for Deva stated France.
dinner to former Premier Cemenceau. Hotel
pcnnsy lvania. ! J.. NJ.
Iowa Society,". meeting. Waldorf Astoria,
2 y NJ.
American Association oi Engineers. dinner
Hotel Breslin. Z. NJ.
DR.. Gregory Ciilborg, translator OF ole
who Gets Slapped" will Lecture at Hunter
Coil.re nj r. NJ Tie public Ia Invited
The New York herald., 1922-12-12
A Dream of Fair Shoppers.
A saleswoman dreamed a dream

A saleswoman dreamed dream.
She saw New York in mid-Decem-
Der. II was 9 o'clock In the morning
From the apartment houses were
coming women as well as men.
"If my husband can get out on his
way to business as early as this" the
women were saying, 81 can be OF on
my business of shopping. If the
girls in the stores can get to work
at 9 o'clock. can arrive at the stores
soon afterward TO do my Christmas
buying"
So, in the dream, it happened that
the aisles of the stores, instead Of
being almost deserted at $50 o'clock,
were comfortably filled with shop
pers. So it happened that what had
been q mad afternoon rush became
Just brisk business.
But this, as we have been careful
TO say. was only a dream.
The New York herald., 1922-12-12
Eph Small Is for War.
Strange Philosophy From Survivor
of the .Ideallstic Era.

TO THE New York HERALD: For
many years have bought apples OF Epli
Small. Yesterday morning he delivered
me barrel of Northern Spies. The
price seemed high.
II should like to know what you con-
slider fair profit?" Inquired.
"A fair profit" said Eph. 'is what
my customers will stand for. I amt
foolish enough TO jack up the price to a
pint where they won't buy, but J don't
calc'late to take less than think they'll
pay. That's what call sarvice."
You've got queer idea oe service"
replied. somewhat disgruntled.
ITS the poplar one" he answered as
he counted out my change for the bill 1
had given him. And Furthermore they
amt nuthin' queer about It, considerin'
the natur OF the traders.
SAY" he continued with his peculiar
drawl. when I think OF what had 10
neat, eggs. q couple pair o. pants and
sech like family necessities j wonder l
don't tack on 'nuther dollar TO that thar
barl of apples. And It's jest the same
now arter the war as 1t was afore. The
war didn't change human natur' any (; 1t
simply showed 1t up. Anybody that's
got anything to sell. no matter when. Jest
naturally carclates to git all the profit
he kin without hurtin his business"
"Eph." said. you should have lived
IN prehistoric age. Your prototype
1ourished In the Neanderthai period"
He knew what meant. He. too.
i,1 all foa Of
History"
'I reckon ! kin trace bacl; your an
cestry and mine IN n gin'ral way to an
older age than that thar Nandertnal,"
he rejoined. land In doin' It won't run
across no account OF a race OF onselfish
men, will II"
"I hope We are evolving toward such
a race" ] suggested. lie smiled
broadly.
80 do L." said he "and IL we keep
OH goin' strong we ought to git thar in
about a couple hundred thousand
years."
But men OF Your type, Eph." said.
don't help any rather you hinder"
And s'pose ye think reformers help,
eh7" he inquired. II spose ye think
eV lEtiOn WOulun evolve IL u wa u AOA
these here reforners that poster u.s."
Don't be foolish, Eph." argued (;
"reformers have their place.
III know IT," he growled; "but they
ain't found It yet. and we amt got
gumption nun to steer 'cn to st."
Just what Is your idea OF re-
forner3'' I inquired curiously.
"waii. III tell ye," he replied slowly,
helping himself TO a large slico OF cut
plug. '1u give ye an example-.a sort
or parable arter the fashion Of the Good
BOOK
"Talsc that potato patch or your'n.
Ye was mighty proud OF Il this last
summer. and 'cordin 20 your tell OF It's
Weld It want no slouch. Now let's
s'pose that when tho vines had shot UP
out OF the earth about an inch or two
some slick fellar had como along with
a plan 20 make 'em grow faster by
takin' hold OF 'eni and puliin 'em up
hale an inch further out Of the soil.
"wall. that's Jest what your reformer
is tryir' to do to the human race. The
human race Is CROWN Jest ns n potato
vino grows and any attempt TO make
either Of 'em grow faster than Natur'