New-York tribune. [volume], July 31, 1917, Page 6, Image 6

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

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Ad*.<rti**ements
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Another German "Discovery"
a. Ger
vcry" of French ambitions, it is i
*.\i,rtli whi I the curlier "discov?
ery" ? mum in Brush's. No one '
.'.! that here fuithfu!, cred
-as credible as any
;in?found proof which convin
?uiy that Belgium had long been plot?
ting to attack the German Empire, and
that tlu: German invasion in fact only
. the Helgian conspiracy,
rth while recalling uto that cer
'tain German papers \*SA vered"
that the rOMOO that the United States is
I with Goman*** is to be found in the'
fact that the Pr? .-?dent's son-in-lav
letary of the Trea.-ury McAdoo, is under
? nti'ol of the wicked, Anglophile M-r
To recall these two interesting Ger- '
man ?'-'' is to get a sense of
values in dealing with the newest Ger?
man find.
Taming now to thii German allegation,
which curiously enough MM the light of
i'ay alongside declarations in n?any Ger?
man papers that only the feeble-minded
imagine that the Germana will ever give
op Belgium, what ii the protraMe sub-.
M of it?
The German statement confidently men?
the name of Saarbruecken and
vaguely adds other vast territorial modi
lications on the left bank of the Rhine.
What it seems to refer to is the coal region '
which is northeast of the old frontier of
??-Lorraine as it existed before the
war of 1970, Apparently the Germans
. have unearthed a French plot
to ..* ?rth of
..ar River.
:' thi.? U rritory is simple.
In the eighteenth century Lorraine passed
to the French Crown, not by war or by ;
conquest, but by the death of the King of
Poland and in accordance with previous
agreements. Lorraine, as it then existed,
included a very considerable portion of the
territory northeast of the Saar River
which is now German territory. In this
m and within the frontiers of Lor?
raine were very considerable coal deposits.
At the close of the Napoleonic wars, after
France had been conquered, Prussia
marked out and took as part of hor own
prize these coal districts. In the first (on
of Vienna, which precede*] the return
cf Napoleon from Elba, Prussia was sat?
isfied with the boundary of the Saar River,
hut at the second Congress Prussian appe?
tite increased an l a muni ? south
of the '..it, including Saarlois, were
I took from
rrnv.ri- ) et most cor: :.nd valuable
-
In ltTl, in the T Frankfort,
Germany extended h?T conquest to include
all the iron regions ?if Lorraine then dis
-. covered. After the Congress of Vienna
and the Treaty of Fiankfort, therefore,
the Gern,ans q ?* that they had
: rnnac of hor greatest eoal-pro
<??**-'?'? tl end her richest iron re
?able deposits of
??re I y found within
1-rer.oh territory has always rankled in
the (Terman mind, and the determination of
Germany to annex the Priey district has
been frequently sot forth in all sorts of
nn publications r.r.d by all sorts of
Germans.
We may very well leave it to the French
, ?in what the fact? of the situation
*-r(' -M ? a 1 war aim*?, laut
it II I .ing that the d strict which
the '?? a'1at the i
tad lrnperialistically
seek to ana Le the eoal dtotrlet stolen
from France after Napoleon had been de?
feated in :
Thii G'-rman manu-ivre should deceive
.;,*. It is Mrtaifl ?hat there will be
any numl-or of similar efforts to iiapiOM
upon the Rusoian end the Arr.<??
pies the idM that thin is only a war of
n the {?art of all nations that
; re fighting, and that th?- icle to
peace is the appetite of the nations which
are fighting Germany. No American can
be deceived ^nd no Raoofaa should be. The
test of German desire for peace remain
German purpose as to Belgium. Thereitcr
ation on the ptxtg. of German newspaper
of a determination to hold Belgium is ai
all-sufficient reason why the war should g
on and why it will fro on.
The German? attacked France, as the;
.'?elgium, without any warrant am
without having received any injury. Thei
?.??fort to convict Belgium o? having plotte?
Germ;i:i ruin is now logically followed b]
a similar charge against the French. Thi
: *iuri against our 1'ri'Mch frierais wil
carry just aboot as much Weight as di?
the German allegation aguitut Belgium. I
muy or it may not be true that the French
now that their own coal regions have beer
wantonly wrecked by Germany in the Leni
? let, have detonnined to take back a
D of th? coal district wrongfully torr
than by the Treaty of 1816. But
this i n which does not ari?e so
.y maintains her right tc
?mnex Belgium, to make RttBSiM Poland
m and t . deny liberty
to the Barbiana. yVhan Germany has an?
nounced her policy with respect to thfc >'
qoestiona, and when this polie** conforms
IV and i.-ieseapal?y with the de?
mands of civilization, right and justice,
then it will be time to discuss the crimes
end purposes of Germany'*-, foes. Just now
(here il something incredibly ludicrous in
h rmun wolf diaclosed in the attitude
of a-seuaing the lamba le bus plundered
and wounded of wicked <
against
Mr. Mitchel Accepts
In accepting the nomination offered to
him by the i'ommittee of Two Hundred
and Fifty Mayor Mitchel lays emphasis
mi the fact that he has been drafted to
tun. It has long been an open secret thai
he preferred for many reasons to retire
from public life. But like a good citizen
he has sacrificed his personal wishes and
interests at the call of duty.
The Fusion movement will undoubtedly
be Stronger this year with hitn at the head
of the city ticket. And this il a critical
year. Gne more decisive defeat will nearly
finish Tammany, whose machinery has
been creaking and whose prestige as a pot
hunteis' organization with an invincible
knack of cming back has been rudely
shattered. Tammany is no longer a name
with which to rally the prc.latory classe*
ntimidatfl weak-kneed respectability.
The interests with axes to grind no longer
go hat in hand to Fourteenth Street. Nor
are humble and well intentioned citizens
any lotager oppressed with the thought
that it may be dangerous for them to show
their sympathy with anti-Tammany ideals
of government.
Now is the time to slay the legend which
has for so many years kept Tammany go?
ing?a legend based on the belief that
Tammany fitted naturally into the local
scheme of things, that it was a typical
Manhattan growth, that Tammany MM*.
good enough for New York and thi't N?? v
York was simply putting on airs when it
pretended to be too good for Tammany.
Whin we explode that superstition by
slaughtering the Tiger we shall have gone
lar on the road toward our deliverance
from the old Fourteenth Street-Thomas
C. I'latt-Amen Corner School of Politics.
Up to now no anti-Tammany adminis?
tration has been able to succeed itself.
There has always been a reaction. We
thi Strong administration and then
lapaad lack to Van Wyck, We had Seth
I."\v in office for one term. Then came
McClcllan and (iaynor. They both owed
oAei to Tammany, but in the end set up
mildly for themselv s. Mr. Mitchel was
d four years ago by a phenomenal
plurality. It is desirable above all things
that the great Fusion victory of 1913
should now be repeated. Let us rid our?
selves completely of the notion that when
the city is sick of rottenness it craves for
reform, mid when it is well it goes back
in t?> Tammanyism.
Mayor Mitchel will stand for reelection
? record. It is an admirable record.
Only those who have lived in New York
through many earlier r?gimes can appre
I date it at full value. No rea Bomb?n yicr
;on will deny that our city administration
for the iast four years has risen to a level
of intelligence and efficiency never before
ettained. That is almost a commonplace,
yet only citizens with memories realize
how great the advance has been?com?
pared with the administrations of Gaynor
an?! McClellan?to say nothing of the
malodorous Van Wyck.
W | have seen the i U a ? f civic obligation
instilled Into the peraonnel of the city fov?
ernment. The motto of the Mitchel admin?
istration has l*een "The City First." Its
? '.m has been to irwc the taxpayers
the bul possible return for their money
through service rendered. All the depart -
1 meats have caught something of the new
spirit, and if in the one where the hold of
the old ideas is strongest ? in the Police
I'epartment?there are to-day evidences of
Tammanyism, that is only because some
elernei** :??'? that department still cherish
fond " ? ' ? ?ays of I>ev.i ?:.
whom Van Wyck glorified as "the best
?"hief of Police New Y??rK City ever had."
Mr. Mitchel ????es not cluim that he has
made no mistakes. It would be foolish to
put forth such a claim. But the point is
that he ha?*, had thi intelligence to profit
from his mistakes. He promises to avoid
the errors he has made and to continue
vie progress for which bis four-year
term has been so notable. That ia a can
'..II . , wort!.y of u mar. who lias
- *"? Fled to bronden in office and who
has always sought to apply the knowledge
'..- i ?? i bei ri gaining in public sin lei to
honorable publie ends.
It is only neeesaary to look back four
year? t/> 1913, when the Fusion mayoralty
n-jminatmn went to Mr. Mitchel after a
bfoSt contest, involving much persona?
! and partisan resentment, to appreciate i
the great growth in popular esteem which |
those four years represent for the Mayor.
He is the logical Fusion candidate this
year because he has "made good"?be-1
cause the community feels that his retire- :
ment from the mayoralty would be a pub-1
lie loss. That is an asset enormously in
Mo favor. Where is Tammany Hall, even ,
in the throes of another acute attack of |
civic virtue, going to find a candidate who I
can measure up to the Mayor in qualifica-1
tiona? The city knows what Mr. Mitchcl !
. a:i do and what he stands for. V.'hy should :
it discar?! him and take chanCes on another
of Mr. Murphy'? stalking horses?
A Damper on the Irish Volunteer*
The "atmosphert " M thoui/htfully pro-j
Tided by the Britiah government to pro-j
Ote the growth of goodwill in Ireland has :
apparently proved too bracing, and sir,
Bryan Ifahon has publiihed en order put-'
I -' ip m\ last to the wearing of unau-;
thoriaed military uniforms and the carry?
ing of arm , I for lawful pOgpoMO.
There toill doubtless b<* ;> gmt howl
from the counterfeit Irish in
thii country) at this latest example of,
British oppreaalon, bul really it ii impoe*
r recent events in Ireland
without w.ai:d?*i Ing that the dangerous
fooleries of the rebellious element have
leen endured for M long in the middle of
o great war.
The government bad the choice of two'
courses -either* to wink at the activities
of the mischief makers or to suppress'
them. In either re or abuse was
Iho inevitable reward, end the government
those to ba' lenient end let out all the pris?
oners taken in the insurrection last year.
It was thought thai this generous course
would bo approved in Ireland; that it I
would, ns it WO ' tplained, create a favor?
able "atmoophere I i?*nt."
The result- were quite contrary to what ?
was expected. The rabble took the act of j
clemency tu B confeMion of weakness, and '
?? ? re encouraged to do so by many of the
leleased prisoners. Thus, one who bad
been sentenced to death for murder and
j erdoned with the rest had hardly reached
his native county when ho began to brag
noisily before tin adoring crowd of how he
and his fellows had forced th>* hand of the
government. "I have been in prison," said
this hero. "Why were we let out so so< n?
Not alone did we fight outside, but we also
fought inside, and threo weeks ago wr
wrecked an Fnglish jail, and if they did,
rot let us out we would come out our
?elves."
The same truculent air was put on by
n "st of the others. The police were
Stoned, recruiting Stations were attacked,
fag.? of the Allies torn down and trampled
on and an attempt, was made to break into
t" jail in Cirk. The Sinn loin leaders pro?
tested but weakly, pretending to think,
these wild demonstrations had been "fo?
mented to discredit the national organiza?
tions," and at the same time sedulously
encouraged the disorderly element with
wild promise''.
Thus Mr. de Valora told the people of
Killalofl "that the British Empire was et a
great crisis, an ! it would not bo impossible
that during that crisis a favorable oppor?
tunity would arise which would enable the
Irish people to win their freedom and se?
cure for Ireland complete independence,
free from foreign control." Another re- .
'.eased prisoner went further, spoke glow
?ngly of the good work done by Germany
and promised his audience "that the Cen-1
tral Powers would win the war and that
this would be right for Ireland."
With all this in mind, is it any wonder
that at last the Irish are to be treated, in
one respect at least, as harshly as the
people of England. WalM and Scotland?'
There will be whining, of course, but there
must be a limit to the indulgence shown to
rebels, even Irish rebels.
Smokes for Sammy
./?aim The thirnjo TrtbtHO)
"My kingdom for ?i cood old home-grown
rmoke!" groans the I'nited States troopar i*.
Franco, quite properly. He can drir.k French *
drinks and flirt French flirtations, but smoko ?
French smokes he cannot. At sight of the tall
red cifrar outside the tobacconist's he cowers
:n a state of profaiur.il mental depression, and
thcro are Frenchmen who fool the ?amo way.
It is not French taste that makes French I
smoke so devilish. It is the French govern
mont. For in France th<> government runs
the tobacco business and in that way levies. .
"contributions indirect." The viler the to- ?
bacco the bigger the profit.
France has other government monopolies.
' If you carry a pail cf water away from the |
ocean, gome official holds you up end re- ,
minds you that the French government mo- I
, nopolines the Fait business. When not MS
j match in five will Ignite it is because the
Third Republic monopolizes the match busi
? Sets, Such monopolies prevent tax dodging.
1 hey gather In the VOiy last copper they set'
ant to. Bol when they deprave smoke it is a
dark day indeed for Pran?oil and fair ?*':imniy.
A good cigar comes incredibly high. A '
cigar snelli te heaven. Reaaly made ?
cigarette? cost a fortune. Tabac (pronounced ,
."1 looks like hair, feels like hay and ;
' tastes like a bonfire. In time one gets edu
eeted down te tabac. If the war lusts twelve
, \ears Sammy will roll his cigarette without
blinking an.l till kit pipe ? pronounceal "peep")
without a shudder, l'unn-7 the first nine '
or ten yars, however, he will cry, "If this be '
smoke, give me gai!"
The Greedy Fish H.-.nc.lers
al,...|aa/. aai 7'aa / '?111'lllra'llFlia I
Mr. Hoover says we must all eat lots of !i*-h.
More of us wouial oMige Mr. Hoover if
some of the middlemen who handle the fish
would have a hi art.
01 course, the middlemen who bring their!
j wares from ?"ape May or Angleiet. can give
tlM express charges and tho cost of Ice as
their excuse for charing 1?. to ]*s cent* a
Sd f"r sea bass in Philadelphia.
Hut how about the fellows who go out into j
the deep to get them? They, too, have the'
rising price of coal and the increasing wages
? i" helpers to consider. Yet they put the fish |
on the wharf beeide the car? i.y the barrel
for 7 centa a pound'
The German Hero's Mark
(?"rom fot tmt?m Oiitlv TeUUraph)
So far, 4K.000 Iron Crosses of the Firs?
Hase and 2.200,1.00 of the Seron?, QUaS have
been awarded te Germane,
Post-War Military Policy
A True Federal Army Should Be
Created, Based on Conacription
To the Editor of The Tribuns.
Sir: In the midtt of the nation*! prepara?
tions for war a highly important phase of Us
military policy seems to have been entirely
!ott sight of?at least, for the time being.
I refer to the military policy of the Cnitod
States ufter peace ahull have been declared
and our troops shall have returned from
Furopo and shall have been muttered out uf
Federal service.
I have noticed in the pspers that discus?
sion in Washington often refers to the re?
turn of the National Guard to state ttatus
by special legitlation after the war, and it
cc-ems to me. that no time coulil be mora
opportune than the pr?tent for the truly
American and forward-looking prea.; of our
land?of which Tho New York Tribune it so '
eoaspiesoos an example?to take up imme?
diately the question of our country's adopt- I
ing a tafo and ?uno military policy, which
will include universal manhood service and
the maintenance of our army at u gggao
.trength at ali times of not lets than TI
arm* shall be entirely under I
control SBi with no state connection v. hut
ever. The j net?! ?niable good to be derived
by our manhood from military or naval train- !
ing", morally, mentally, physically and
ually, will not be realized by the country i
until such u system at training has been in
operation for s tune. However?, there can be
no doubt as to i*s result?, if pn-p'.-rly
handled.
Having made a start in the right direction
due to the nece.-.sities of th?? war in which
we are now engaged?it would be a fatal j
mistake to allow this opportunity t ,
for adopting a military policy by this, coun- |
try which is adequate and commensurate !
with it.? atHnding as u world power and it j
BoeSBS to me that the sooner this matter it!
brought to the attention of the country at
largfl the mine sure will he the accomplish
Men' of this object when the time -hall ar-;
rive. To reat?te our militarji establishment
to its pre-war footing- of a volunteer profes- j
nional regular army and the ineffective I
state control National Guard system would
completely nullify the good start that we
have Liada in our National Army.
On the other hand, the mili'ary education
that WO are about to receive throngs actual
? ?.pcrieiica ought to render the e.stal.li-hment ;
of our military system on a proper military I
basis a comparatively easy task, if the foun- i
dation is laid immediately and th? be
of this establishment wiiely and construe- '
lively guided. JOHN B. M ETC ALP.
Brie, I'cnn., July 17, 1917.
A Parallel
To th" Fditor of The Tribune.
Sir: One hundred and live years ago all
Europe, except England and Russia, was un- ?
der the heel of tho first Napoleon. Hi
Seemed at the height of his power and win
planning for a Bonaparte dynasty.
He proposed to reduce England by starva?
tion, by preventing her imports of food.
II? gathered a vast army and flxpected to
conquer Rosaia and complete his dominion.
Th.-y set out early in June and entered
Moscow, then the capital of Russia, about
September 1, in triumph. The army had been
powerless to resist them, but their troubles
had hardly b"gun.
Within a few days Moscow was set on tire,
most of the city was destroyed and Napoleon
with his forces wat without shelter or food
at 'he beginning of a severe winter. Tho ;
story of that retreat has been often told
Harassed on every side by the infuriated
people, illy clothed and unprotected from the
inclement season, fording icy streams who???
1.ridges had fcjen destroyed, each man
ing to save himself, the wreck of that great
force straggled toward home. It was the be?
ginning of the downfall of Honapartc.
Except that the force.? aligned against Ger?
many arc vastly great.r than those were, is
there not some similarity with the pi
situation, and is there any reason for the
somewhat hopeless tone in which some
writers have recently indulged?
Incidentally it was a peaceful and com- ;
paratiVilp unarmed and unprepared people
who wrecked Napoleon's designs and at pro?
portionally little cost or loss to themaelves.
B. H. SWIFT.
New York. July 2->, 1017.
What "Some Officiais" Imagine
To ?he Fditor of The Tribune.
Sir: The average newspaper man seems
unable to state anything with digits in the
billion column without being entirely run
away with. Today we have The Tribune's ;
ponderous assertion that the German l'-boats '
are sinking three billion dollars worth ?
month of ships and cargoes. As the Germans
?lo not claim to .?ink moro than IM Lig ships
a month, The Tribune's mathematics would
allow a vulue of twenty-five million dollars I
to each ship and cargo. The Tribune livides
this allotment equally between ship and '
cargo, and is at little disturbed by six-thou
rand-ton cargo ships at twelve millions and
n half each as by their six thousand tons of
freight ut two thousand dollars a ton!
New York, July 2%, ?IT. M. WHITE.
[The average newspaper reader seems
unable to distinguish between opinions
quoted in newspapers and assertions made
by them.?Ed.]
Hurry Up I
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Is it possible that some of our Rep?
resentatives in Congress are playing politics, '
irrespective of the welfare of the.nation? It
seems to me that nil mothers and fathers who
have Rons eligible for war service should
write urgent letters to their Representatives
te pa?s the war measures as toon as possible
to prevent an unnecessary slaughter of sons
who are now among the recruits or will be '
a little later on.
Every hour of delay in passing the neces?
sary war measures means greater privation,
greater sorrow and greater sacrifice for the
peoplo of our country. For one I appreciate
the patriotic stand your widely read paper
is taking in this awful European war.
J. T. KIXGSr't'RY.
New York, July 27, 1317.
A Use for Idle Warships
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Fir: In the present need of trantatlantic
freight carriers why not use the one hundred
or more English and I'nited States battle?
ship! lying idle and rusting at their piers
to help transport freight, in conjunction
with the merchant marine? They are not ?
built for this purpose, of courte, but if all
the "nookt and corners" in a battleship were
filled with cargo, and it went along with two
or three merchant ships to convoy them. the.
rnk to the merchant ships would be much
lest and the cargo capacity of the flotilla!
much greater. f. R. s.
Rhinebeck, N. Y., July 23, 1917.
"A Time for Courage"
To the Editor of The Tribune.
.Sir: Allow me to congratulate you on
your very logical and optimiiti?? editorial in
this morning't Tribune.
I agree with you that the really patriotic
way it to be optimittic throughout the dura?
tion of thifl war.
In my mind I can conceive no idea but the
one of the predomination of "Rlghtl"
ROSALIND A. WADE.
* hUer York, Jal/ IK, 1917.
The Crisis in Spain
fill Dr. L. Pardo
The advertised revolution In Spain, whlc
according to diapatchos from Pari? and I.o
don. was a matter of houra, haa obdurate
refused to material!??. It Is a fact, bowe***
that the public and the newspapur? In Ors
Britain ar.d France buliuvtul?and s'il'.
?that u, revolution In ?Spain la Imminent, th
King Alfoneo ia sitting on a volcan?* and th
unless he joins the Entonto !n the war 1
will loso his throne and will heve to join U
formor King Coaotentino "susssohsse"
Switzerland.
Such belief is bused on two fact*. One, tl
lac*' of Been foea opuin in I'ariB und '.
For ativeral days ?larn*.?-- the recent tuubli
in Uurculoiui, wi , la feet, wade mettei
look very bad I . ..uish govornniei
for a while, nut j, weld WM printjil ail ti
? re? ch and I!r. - sad wild lumoi
wer?, spitnd. It *t*t generally believed '-H.
the Spanish SOMOtohip WM lajnponaiblo f(
the lack of telegraphic new?. Hut it il
nucir thing tiu.t ut * the papen i
Argentina, Chile, liruzil and ( ub.i pruitt
their regular cable news from gpaia and th
public south or,' tho United States was acct
rately informed of the jituation. Ti
fact on which the forecast wuu based was th
presence of well-known International sg
tatora in Spain, especially in x?a:
The revolutionary movement. If there wj
? ne, has failed so far. Thi? does not meei
however, that the situation In Spain is no
hazardous anil fall of
just before the troubles st Barcelona too
the lead in the Spanish situation it looke.
as if the Country was on the verge O?
?wallowed by the European turmoil It was
few weeks ego. While the majority of tl
try favored neutrality, nearly all the K :
the political parties had boldly and ??*
taken their poaitions in favor either ?
many or the Allies. The pi*o-(lerimiiis wer'
losing around steadily, owing to the tab
marine campaign. 'Ihen ? big meeting ws
fallid, tu hi. held at the lar/" bullring it
Madrid. The leaden of the diffennt partie:
were expected to express ?heir stand on thi
question ol Spanish neutrality. The
Antonio Maura was MpoSted to dolivei dree
i. crowd of ?>v?.r twenty thousand people t<
the Mg -a"na. Mann, no irithstsnding hi
pa.-t mistake . wh eh excluded him frpra th?
Spanish government f?r nearlj
II ' ' the moat hon
est, feai rd politieiai
an Spain. As outspoken Root volt is, h<
' . ' M ll'H'l
er, that subtle ?.nal highly developed ii
that permita him to sntieipate the direction
?n which the wind of public opinion blows?
an instinct which psycholoi
indispensable requirement for s su?
politician
Maura's ?.reat Speech
Maura spoke at the bullring. A brilliftnt
spesker he is, and his address is still being
commented on snd pra
jn his luiur public life. He hsd so for not eom
matter of Spanish neu
Ks hsd everybody guei I ... and for
nearly a fortaigl ? Spain
?'.?ka'al each other, "What i: Maura going to
tell?" Ha ; yet took r.o p<
either on the side of Germany or the Allies.
It is true, he admitteal, Spain had large
economic interests in common with Prance
and (Ireat Britain. He told the | i
frankly that the country could not, v
seriously endangering its own life, take up
arm? against the Entente. He also told those
who urge'l the country to join
? Spain had n !
friendship from the A There
wore, he said, two qui
snd Prsnee snd England which had novel
loh sd si ? Gibraltar "?id
Morocco. Hut he na'i!. itely that it
Was neither right nor fair for Spain to take
advantage ? ent situation to make a
bargain and exchange her neutrality for the
a.tion of her historic privileges on the
of Gibraltar. Spain could not join
the Allies as S squire for the Kntente powers.
"If Spain did that." he a KClaimsd, "I would
cease to be a Spaniard.''
If, at sny time, the effort of man has been
a influenc ng public opinion, tins
linee ..laura deliv? red
his remarkah n of Span?
ish neutrality has been settled, St least for a
? me to come. Il peech that
permitted the sew Pn i ato, to
stick to the POH*y ?f neutrality without be?
ing furiously attached by the pro?Allied pre?-,
an.I he has been able to rule without either
calling or dissolving Parliament.
Therefor? the international danger has at
least been made more remote. The internal
danger, however, is on the increase. Spain '
i? m what may b l "pre-revolution- a
ary" condition, not on account of the inter- '
national matters, but on account of a most
complicated political and economic situa*ion.
Spain's Commercial Losses
A serious economic unrest, caused by the
.! turbed conditions created by the war, ex?
ist? all over the country. Spain hs
about 10 per ? snd .i large
proportion of her export tndo. Pruit grow?
er?, who had .aburg '
and I.onalon, have seen their fruits rot on the i
trees because Hamburg is closed and England .
has curtailed all Importations. Castello
which before th? war was one of the mo
prosperous sections, has been ruined, and frt
growers who heretofore made a comfortat
living have been compelled to apply to t
government fur financial aid even In tl
form of charity.
In the midst of these disturbed conditio
the military element has taken a strong stai
In defence of Its privilege*?. The milita
question threatened to be very serious, f
which the Gurela i'rleto Cabinet Is to b'.am
I'or u long time the officers of the cnvair
artillery and other branche? of the army hi
DTganlMd hoards of defence for the purpo
of j.ri meting the welfare and progress
thoil members and to urgj tho governme
te nndertaks the reorgunlmtlon and Imprev
m r.t of the army. Such boards had been o
ganlsed with government upproval. ihe i
fantry deeided to follow th? lead of th? oth
brunches i.iul M??hlis?U ' their board with o
BOOS m H.icv'or.a, ? c -hlch was for
long tipM -bo nest of al' radical movtmcn
in .-?i nin. The gerernment became ?uspiciou
and MO let the advice of th?? military ko
enter tho dissolution of tho bourd wad o
.ivre.1., but 'vas not carried out. The fOVOSI
ment then placed tho members of the botU
?ander Mrreet- and the officers sent a vlgoroi
linat what they considered a 9.
crimination and S violation of their rights.
I Dato MlniHlry Yields
This ?ral the re*! and direct cause of tl
lu?* i ai..net flrisis. The Dato gjvernment a|
i the military. Ihu public is still woi
dering "vhether the action of the infantry o
Heers ".'.as due -?imply to syndicalist Infoeni
? i wig fiom the labo?* element to tl
bureaucracy, of which the army is on? of tli
powerful branches, or |f it was I poli
OVfl intended to place a group more ft
? .he army in the government) or i
:".' papers hin?ed, a warning given by th
r.nient that the army wat to be take
into account In the elaboration of an Intel
rational programme
Whatever their motives, the officers create
ta of intense apprehension mid distrus
Th" Board of Defence realized that the el
fects of the prot.'st were liable to go furthe
than desired, ami issued an explanatory state
ment repudiating any ulterior motives an
declaring that until the board submitted it
plan-i for the reorganization of the army an
sent about their demand? was prema
tore.
The alarm, however, spread, and the Social
1 i. who saw in the sttitvdi 0
ihe. oflUeri a nuiiace to the? community, me
hurriedly and leiai d a statement declaring:
Pint-?That there was in the militar
quettion ? political and aocial atpect whicl
. to Investiga?! ??
tul -That, for the mismanagement am
disorganisation of the army the military ele
ment was to blame, since it had been dul;
? pi ici ted m ?-very Cabinet.
Third That In view of the seditious atti
tnds of the army, the people at large nhoub
ire to defend the supremacy of the civi
power.
I". *he responsibility for th<
lltio.ni belonged, not only to thi
. 11.ment, but to every government
thfl monarchy, and, therefore, to th(
1 r?gime.
Fifth That the Socialista thould protest
? certain leactionnry measures, and
' thi possibility of Maura and his re?
actionary groun being put in charge of the
government.
The Republicana, on their part, blamed the
monarchical regions for all the troubles and
boldly di clare.! that no change in the Cabinet
: tolva the question. It was necessary
to change entirely the political syttem
Barcelona and I'egionalism
Bareeloo ? hole Province of Cata
lotl B ig'ing for autonomy as long
us Ireland ha-. It is probably the most pro
I, thfl best developed and most cult
-ection of Spain, and it?i people refuse
to bo ruled by governors and military com
Dt from .Madrid without allowing
itall maus to solve their own problems.
The aspiration, because it has been vigorously
id, has spread to other provinces,
illy in the North and Northwest, giv
ii g birth to a new political idea?regionalism
which the Catalonians are the most
vigorous defender?. Ko wonder they have
taken advantage of the present situation. It
ich conditions, when the central
government loses strength and its attention
ded by many difficult matters, that any
movsment toward liberty and political prog?
ress tikes momentum.
EttegioaallSBt, the military question and the
economic problems are the rock* on which
the Date Cabinet may be wrecked. Neutral- i
ity has passed to the second place for the ?
time being and will not by itself embarrass
the government. It may be revived in the '
future, hut even the most ardent interven?
?s are not very earnest in their belief!
that Spanish help will win the war for the
Spanish intervention would hardly af
feet the course of the war.
The Dato Cabinet is not a popular one; it
is not by itself a strong one. It may last, ,
however, simply because all radical elements '
in Spain realize that after the failure of two
Liberal SabiaetS, if a new crisis arises the
K.ng virtually will be compelled to call
Maura, their bitterest and most irreconcil?
able foe.
Russia's Breakdown
Not a Misfortune by Any Means for
the Allied Cause
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Every one seems to teks a ver;,
mistic view of the collapse of Ru.sia. It
does no! 'this irloom is alto
justifled. In the Brst place, I be?
lieve the United States be b en n ;
of a great beiden which would have grown
in weight a? time went on. We have been
loaning money and selling supplies to the
Czar and his entourage and we can now see
very plainly that the efforts were all prac?
tically wasted. Russia never has been any?
thing more than a geographical expression,
and Germany in loading herself down with
such burilen? as Austria and Russia, in ad?
dition to the hatred of the entire re SU in de r
of mankind, is making herself hop
weak.
When the Kaiser tries to carry out the
policy of slaughtering helpless women and
children all over European and A?iatic
Russia the edge of the sword that he needs
to tight England, France and America will
have grown very dull. It required a hugu
standing army under the ( zar to keep any
kind of peace in the empire, and it will take
an even larger force of ('erman*. vVitn
Moscow, Petrograd and Odessa in the hands
of ?..rmany and the whole interior in a con?
stant state of revolt, ?her.' ara- the men to
be found to meet the armies crossing the
seas from thia country ?
It must be remembered that it is possible
for our force? to cross either the Atlantic
or the Pacific. If we joined Japan in help?
ing the English army march iron. 1'ai.dad to
Constantinople, we should he rendering fully
as great service to the common cause as if
we had defeated the submarines and were
pouring troops into France. R. S. H.
iouth alacksonville, Fla, July .17, 1917,
Giving the Enemy Comfort
The Fffect of Foolish Exaggerations
of German Strength
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir. Freedom of the press in time of war
must be determined by the good of the coun?
try a< :a whole, rather than by the desires of
editors who, in tine sentences and
subtle innuendos. may be fomenting sedition
Snd d.scouragcment in the minda of millions
of readers and so give aid and comfort to
our enemy.
Of such a sort, it seems to me, is the edi?
torial in "The American" of July L'T, where?
in we read that "the Franco-British offensive
has failed with frightful slaughter, and with
I out any gain of the least military impor
| tance," and "so slaughtered and demoralized
then is no possible chance that they can
make another attack upon the German lines,
and would \ e hard put to it from this on to
hold their v\n against Hindenburg's counter
offensive."
And, beside all this, "The American" goes
on to state that "the German armies were
never so numerous, supplies of food and mu?
nitions never greater." Also, that Germany
has "',200,000 reserves in ths training eamps
who had yet to hear the first shot firsd." And
so on to the conclusion that America had
better "rest about for means to bring the war
1 to art end."
From this sort of pessimistic scsre tell* one
! tur;.s with much satisfaction to the tai e and
1 helpful Kader in The Tribune of the 28th.
this editorial is most virile, and will be
| indorsed by every leader of The Tribune who
? has red blood in his veins.
If the soldier spirit has gone out of ths
i Hearst newspapers, it has not died out of the
I hesrta of our young men who have gone and
! are going to the front. J. C. PUMPELLY.
New York, July 29, 1917.
For Four Irish Statt*
A Proposal for a Final Settlement J
a Vexed Problem
'a*o the Editor of The Tribune.
Sin Mr. Hugh A. Law. M. P., |, hl|
latch from London In yesterdsy's Tril??*
neos three possible and one Impo-slbl.
tlon of the Irish question. Th*rt u
i 'her and probably a better solution UW *
rf those he has named, which ?cere,? ?.
Ignored by all writers on the sub's.,.
The several solutions hitherto ttao^,
and the objections to them aro as toUry?**
1. Absolut. Independence, Impoisiy?
.*. Home rule, with an Irish partial.
Dublin. Ro-ais'ed by Lister. ' ';
.''. Home rule with Ulst? t : et Included, a ,
sieted lay ?ill Ireland exeepl I'lstor
4. State legislatures foi Ireland! EntUj
Wales and Scotland. This is tl - ?.im? ??*
'? so far as Ireland Is concerned. Th?
tlon of state legislatures for England, *??
und Scotland Is irrelevant to th? Ir.j, J*
tlon. *????
6. Colonial self-govamment. This U ?*,?.
Ueally tho samo i ? . ?-?* lt?w
further In ?j'v?ng Ireluml control of f.t{*i\Z
ry affairs. It would bo reaiated W
by Ulster and by l'm-lina!. ^
The |>!a:i that I pro, .ne is us follow?..,
A Divids Ireland Into four ?Ute, ??-?
east, suu.h and west. ' ^^
]< Give sach ?tata it? own le-rlslMiea.
""' '" ???rat o.t?
legii laturea in the United State?. Each aiT
?* **? ' '?? In eventlrj.
that | ' laea] affairs.
?' Bave sn Irish parliament, Motto??.
year In Dublin, the next in Haifa? in' *.
third in Cork, to take care of arTsiri thu->
lato to Ireland as a whole, snd not it taa
local atlatrs of the s.-veral states, a-ir \a W.
penal 'luestioiu.
D?HeVO foui sutes reprem?.
ed in the British P
It tho general principia shove outhntdcnli
bo Sgreed on St th? * Irish convenu??,
the details of the of ?uthsritr U.
twaon the three brsBehsj of ?*.ov?rnment-t?,
ilntish Pata meiit and
the state legislatures ? ? referred t?
another convention, to ?. i, om tl.
months hence, af'.er full opportunity ted Im
given for newopapor di ui doss of i otbtm
constitu?:.;n. besed on tl is of Canada, Aus?
tralia and the United Stat< i, ar.d of the po?.
urs in be granted I -held from c-iet
governmental branch. ,V..'i the proper divi.
sion of powei i . ? no mere fno
tio.i between n? -? Ireland th**
there i-, between Ontario and Msnitob? ?
i Canada, or bctwe? n N< w .1 New Jersej
in the I'nited States.
Is there ??? rhy this shtiii
not be tho Rl on of the Irish que
tion? WILLIAM BUI
Gananoque, Cas , 1'J17.
A Day of Prayer
To the Editor .?:' see.
Sir: Aprapa? of Mr. ' I Tracy'j letta,
"A Day of Frayer," in The Tribune tie
morninii, I wool . thai I bei*?
just finished i book by a well-knm
practising physician on the < *fic-t of the
mind in d? H one chapter to
the efficacy of prayer and cites case? that
have been curia) by thi
foiled.
Whatever ? m*i n fioss belli f, or lark t
it, the fact remains that there is a trimet
doua force in thought or mental attitudi
Phyoielaaa acknowledge it and use it. aa
all leaders of men in all times have know
it. One may scor? st Christian Se Unce, o:
the so-called Ne* as I heard ai
orthodox minister do fron his pulpit is thii
eitjr, bet the feet rsssaini that there?
plenty, of pro-f that they got results. Then
fore who ca:i say what the eff<M| may be ?I
an ? re sal OH praying ? raUatsneotulj
that a great wrong nay be r - ted?
A.? fa ? la we are .? ailing* the bes)
of our young men to help i n this pesl
tight. Tiiose who cannot fight are going orel
to help in hundreds of other -.vays with mt
wide open to the gr;. ? they wj|
face. Why should not we must remit"
behind give up one Bonday out of ertrj
month to prayer for our a!..*s snd fer ?M
own boys? Barely the mor.i! ? Tect would bt
trem?'ndous if they at tiie fror.t could knew
that a whole nation was r.< ! i nly working
for them but also praying ' r '.heir safety
and the speedy and rigl * endlOf *' ***
world horror. It would be a beautiful trib?
ute, and nothing but good could come frota ?l
both to those who pray ar.d to those I?
whom we pray.
I sincerely hope The Tribune will tale ?|
-Mr. Tracy's suggestion. *%
New York, July 21, 1P17.
Cut Gasolene in Price
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Ferhaps your corn ?pondent, H- ?? ??!
didn't suspect that the present ?dnatio***?
campaign regarding conservation of fa?.??
is?judging by past performance? in ota**
lines of profiteering--merely te prep?**? ***
public for another rise in the pries of till
commodity. Several years ago I bought fi
much better grade ?f gasolene st one-thiri
the price at present prevailing, yet the eofSH
pany is producing much more of this L"*?*
from each unit of crude.
By all means let the government tin?
gasolene cards and at the sarr.e time .??**?
the price to be cut in half by the camp?""*"*?
I and all my motorist fr'er. Il weflU b? ?*"?*'
ing to have our v. 11 * ?* consuBP*1'**'
reduced to the minimum, v.: 'her that
five gallons or half a gallon, if tbs f*"*?8*
ment considered it absolutely r.ecssisrTa
let the government control the pries, J?*1?
it does railroad rates.
PBO BONO GAmm\tam*S
New York, July M, I&17.
A Movie Critic
To the Editor of The Tribune. ?
Sir: It was with great sata-,fact:on tM
read Mr. Schwab's article in >e?t*"****<.
Tribune on "Fiery Foolery on '??"* iScrt*ewl
"Sickening motion picture trash '**
kind a term for those vile ?erial V^**tm?
and there are not words enough in **"*
tionary to express my disgust with .
"The Double Cross" and "The Fatal &?**??
are bad enough, but let Mr. fcoM? *\
through an episode of "The Grey **** *?
he Will feel like murdering every ti******'
on the screen. ?^
I cannot conceive how scenario writ*"
vent such stupid, senseless, *'c*,nlB'jI*[?,
and it is a puzzle to mo why any *?
minded manager does not taboo tra'hy P^.
ores of that type from his tneatre
leave them to Bowery audiences, **tta
belong. MAK' TRL?^1*
New York. July 27, 1917.
Cheering Wcrds for the r-U***
To the Editor of The Tribune. ?t
Sir: I would suggest through y?sr rwj
that Mr. Hearat havo a very large -".a^
copies of the editorial in this evening? _.
nal" printed in pamphlet form ??d "n ' ?*%
to tho Kaiser. I am ?ure that hiMJ-j
thorn to splendid advantoge in diiw^
thsm smong his soldiers and the aor ?
and a. they will be very valuebl. te ? fc ,
will no doubt reimburse Mr. neat*?
handsome manner. ..??cHOl-l??
HOLLAND tHlSH?*,??*j
Brooklyn, July 27^1917. J