New-York tribune. [volume], November 18, 1920, Page 12, Image 12

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First U Last?the Troth: New??Edl
torUU?Advertisements
U.mt>?t ?f th? Audit Bura?u of C'ltvul?tlon?
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 18, 192s
OwBtd und pubU?h?. da?iy by New Tork Tribtut*
inc. ? New Terk Corporation. Otden Btid, l'rmt
Stat; O. T?nj9r Jlos?M-.?',nc<?-rrrnl?I?>ot; Helen
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Addr???. Tribun? ButMtn?. 154 Nunu Street, New
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infTMBKP. OF THE ASSOCIATKD TRESS
Th? Asaoolatetl rrw Is ?iduatToiy ?wiUtled to th?
tu? for republlcatiou of all neu? dispatch??
??r?d!te<1 to It or rmi othtrwla? rr?dlt?d In tlila paptr.
and alto th? local now? of apontanooua origin pub
;i?P.?-l herein.
All rUhta of r^ubllratten ?f all ?ther matter
bartrln all? ar? nxv-rfad.
A Great Tragedy
Responding to a formal question,,
Bonar Law, in b?_half of the British
ministry, announces that Great Brit?
ain's obligation under the treaty to
protect France is contingent on the
United ?States joining in the guar?
anty.
The vital importance of this an?
nouncement can scarcely be exag?
gerated. It throws a shaft of clear
light into the confused discussion of
world relations.
Looking at facts as they now are,
it is manifest there is but one prac?
tical way to guarantee the peace of
Europe and thus of America. This ;
is to recognize that the Rhine marks !
the boundary between the nations \
genuinely wanting peace and those !
whose desire is doubtful.
Hence the protection of France is j
properly the first consideration of an
enlightened world opinion. A uni-:
versal league or association of na
tions for the development of a better j
future is desirable, but it no more |
insures peace than the Hague con-1
ventions. It is he watch on the
Rhine that counts. Unless the Ver- :
dun motto, "They shall not pass," is
backed by preponderant force there'
is no security to any.
At Paris the duel between Cle?
menceau and Wilson was over this
supreme issue. The result was a
draw. Clemenceau accepted the
league of the covenant because he?
hoped to convert it into a defensive j
alliance and because Wilson agreed j
to press a special treaty of protection i
on our Senate. Wilson conceded the
special treaty because he hoped to \
convert the league into a universal
union and to subr?gate its alliance
features'and postcript. Great Brit?
ain, willing to protect. France if the
United States would help, mediated
between the disputants and sought i
to reconcile them.
The President came home and but
perfunctorily kept his . word?did
nothing to educate our people into ;
perception of facts. Now Great
Britain serves notice that she will
also abandon France. Thus, as a re- \
action from the President's insist
ence that secondary things should
be primary, Western civilization is !
as much exposed to danger as on
August 14, 1914, for now Russia is
with Germany. It is a great tragedy.
The Colby Junket
It would be inhuman not to feel
some sympathy for Secretary Colby
if he departs on November 24 on a
mission of "courtesy, peace and
friendship" to the countries of Latin
America.
During his journey the Secretary
will doubtless meet many distin?
guished Latin Americans. They are
most polite, taking proper pride in
the excellence of their manners.
They will seek to avoid disagreeable
topics, but it will be strange indeed
if some of the Secretary's hosts do
not dryly ask him: "Does the course
of your Administration with respect
to Santo Domingo and Hayti indi?
cate its idea of courtesy, peace and
friendship?"
The Secretary will make public
addresses. As he speaks, even
though not interrupted, he will be
keenly aware of the thoughts run?
ning in the heads of his hearers. If
he indulges in flights of get-together
oratory his tongue must be fluent if
it does not become thick. One may
truly feel sorry for the Secretary as
he seeks by words and softsoap
to lull his auditors into forgetfulness
that two republics have been sub?
jugated.
Secretary Colby should stay at
home. He will not depart with
clean hands. His appearance will
be construed in Latin America as a
monstrous example of hypocrisy.
Not until the two republics have
their rights, with due apologies, re?
stored to them should we stress our
brotherly love to Latin Amei-ica.
The expedition's bad taste does
not need to be dwelt on. During the
campaign Senator Harding sharply
condemned the Administration's
Dominican and Haytian policies. He
is pledged to a speedy reversal.
For an administration representing
nothing to attempt to forestall him
is an affront not only to Latin
America b?t to the new administra?
tion.
Nearly every President of the i
South and Central American coun- f
tries has dispatched an autograph
letter of sympathy to the constitu- !
tional President of the Dominican
republic, who is now in enforced ex?
ile. Our public opinion may not yet '
be fully alive to what is going on, but j
Latin America has followed events
closely. Practically all responsible |
Latin-American newspapers have j
expressed unsparing condemnation
of the Wilson policy of subjugation. ;
Except for the election of Senator
Harding, there would exist a moral
coalition against us. Under these
circumstances to obtrude a high offi
cer of the repudiated Administra- ?
tion on the attention of Latin Amer
ica must have a bad effect.
Your Red Cross
The stress of this year's campaign |
for members ?f the Red Cross is very
properly being laid on the com- ;
munity spirit expressed in this vast !
organization. Here is not simply an j
efficient business machine of chai*- :
ity to which you are asked to con- j
tribute money; the Red Cross is its j
members, and nothing else?you and
every one else who pays the dollar
or more and become enrolled as a
constituent part of this help for the j
stricken and distressed at home and
the world around.
When the Wrangcl forces left
southern Russia the Red Cross i
stayed behind to do what could be
done toward alleviating the con?
ditions that were to ensue. There
is no great disaster or tragedy in the
track of which you will not find its
agents seeking to lend aid. The
American Red Cross is a symbol for
generous help among all peoples,
upon every continent.
But its efficiency is limited abso?
lutely by the heartfelt support of the
individual Americans who are its
members. The money aid is but half
the problem. Unless the great body
of American people give it their en- ;
during support, their open-hearted ]
will to aid at home and abroad, in !
the spirit of a generous and free ;
people who are friends with all the
world, the organization must of
necessity atrophy and die.
We urge all our readers to enroll
themselves this year as members,
paying whatever sum they can af- ',
ford. (The local headquarters are
at 1107 Broadway.) In doing so !
every person can justly feel that:
he is playing his part in the greatest
of all good works.
How Not to Do It!
It is suggested that Mr. Harding
select his Cabinet by February 1
and send the members to Washing?
ton to confer with the present in?
cumbents, so that the change of ad?
ministration may come about ?with?
out shock to the machinery.
In the case of certain departments
this would be an excellent plan?par?
ticularly with the navy. The next
Secretary of the Navy can best learn
how to run the navy by informing
himself how not to do it. This will
be easy. All he need do is to con?
fer with JosephuH, find out what be
has done and what he proposes to
do and then do exactly the contrary.
Similarly conference with Burle
son, Baker and Palmer might prove
highly profitable. Their depart?
ments are packed with valuable in?
formation of what not to do.
The Fight Against Waste
At the short session Congress will
have to struggle again with a mass
of inflated and undigested estimates
of expenditure transmitted by the
Treasury Department. The Presi?
dent vetoed the budget bill passed
at the last session, so the estimates
will be made up in the old hap?
hazard way by department and
bureau spenders. The situation is to
be aggravated by large demands for
deficiency appropriations to cover
money spent by the Administration
; beyond legal allowances.
A dispatch from Washington the
other day put the Administration's
case as follows: "The deficit re?
sults, it is said, from the course of
the Appropriations Committee in re?
ducing estimates radically at the
last session with the idea of showing
economics before election." This is
the na?ve, self-sufficient official view.
' According to it, Congress merely
plays hypocrite when limiting ap?
propriations. If it. cuts down esti?
mates, as it has the right to do, the
estimator will spend the money
nevertheless, which lie hasn't the
right to do. Under this Administra?
tion the authority of Congress has
never been taken very seriously.
Executive officers have spent without
stint and looked to the two houses
to honor all overdrafts.
Why should this Congress now
' allow its admirable work at the last
two sessions in the way of deflating
government expenditure to be un?
done? A law forbids department
and bureau chiefs to overdraw their
accounts, except in cases of actual
emergency. During the war this re?
striction necessarily lapsed. But
since the armistice Congress has
rightly tried to check war waste and
to put the government back on a
peace basis. Yet the spenders re?
fuse to recognize that tho war is
over.
There is a double need of retrench?
ment to-day. Revenue will be
? materially reduced next year, be?
cause excess profits and income tax
; returns are falling. Resides that,
tho floating debt is becoming more
i and more of an encumbrance and
I tho shorter-term Liberty bonds will
soon fall due. The Federal service is
overmanned. Naval and military
appropriations are swollen. Many
of the present Federal taxes are a
drag on business and an obstacle to
post-war economical readjustments.
Congress slashed the estimates for
1921V21. It showed the right spirit; \
but apparently it is going to get no j
more help from the Administration j
now than it did last winter. That i
shouldn't prevent it from cutting the
192V22 estimates to the bone.
Hazing at Annapolis
There are two reasons why the
superintendent of the Naval Acad- ?
emy finds it- difficult completely to i
stop hazing: First, the law is too
drastic; second, the superintendent
can use no discretion, and his action
is circumscribed or controlled by
others.
The law, if strictly enforced, would |
dismiss a midshipman for telling a j
plebe to put his cap on square as j
well as fur compelling him to drink '
ink! It is like a statute prescribing
electrocution for petty theft as well ?
as for murder.
For instance, a plebe is hazed 1
harmlessly to-day. His father and ;
mother, his Congressman and Sena- i
tor demand that the upper class
man be at once dismissed. Next j
year this same pie-be, being an upper
class man, hazes somebody else. The
same father and mother, the. same
Congressman and Senator resist his
dismissal on the ground that the of
fence was trivial! They charge the ?
superintendent with undue severity. |
The press, the people, the Secretary '
of the Navy?"all hands"?get into I
a violent, rage, and the superinten-1
dent is between the. devil and the j
deep sea.
The present situation at Annapo
lis is a gcod illustration. Mr. Dan- j
iels states in one breath that "the j
situation has been exaggerated"; !
that "it is more in the nature of
schoolboy deviltry than hazing."
And then he forthwith froths at the '.
mouth and threatens to dismiss 1,400 :
midshipmen. Harmless hazing re- j
ceives from him greater condemna- !
tion than did the stealing of exami- i
nation papers in 1915! Tims there i
is no head. There is too much med?
dling, too much politics.
The remedy is quite simple. Per?
mit the superintendent and the offi- ;
cers to manage the Naval Academy.
Let them use discretion. Punish
trivial cases mildly. Punish severe '
cases severely. It will not be neces- ;
sary to smash up the proper military !
organization of the regiment of mid- ,
shipmen in order to secure discipline
and respect for law.
Shall the City Dolt?
Just how much of the amazing
fantastics of finance charged against
the Shipping Board will be proved ;
by the full evidence remains to be :
seen. Just, how completely the city
has been milked by the terra-cotta j
clan and the other ornamental gen?
tlemen who knew just how to get
what they wanted under Mayor
Hylan's generous administration
will presently be established.
But enough is already shown of
governmental business, Federal and
municipal, to make every citizen
fall on his knees and offer a prayer
of thanksgiving that more of our
important concerns have not been
turned over to these experts in
waste and blundering.
Just, suppose our city subways
liad been intrusted to the gentle su?
pervision of the Hylan regime!
Imagine a Mayor who delights to
oblige dealing with the hardheaded
folk who sell cars and rails and who
are not in business simply to oblige
or sign letters drafted by the oppo
: sition and generally case, the way to
generous contracts. We wonder
just what a new subway would cost
if built like a schoolhouse?with
terra-cotta trimmings on the cars,
perhaps, and goodness knows what
ether Hylanesque ornaments adopt?
ed upon the recommendation of
mayoralty letters drafted by the
manufacturers of the said orna?
ments. The picture is enough to
make a taxpayer?which is to say
every one?faint, with horror.
No. There may be a reviva! of
government ownership and opera?
tion of lots of tilings a generation
hence, when Mr. Dylan has been
forgotten and every lesson of the
war has been unlearned. For the
present subway? will not be turned
over to the cities?nor railroads to
the nation. And the quicker the
ships flying the Stars and. Stripes
can be untangled from Washington
the better everybody will be pleased.
Nurses and Doctors
Commissioner Coler of the Public
Welfare Department reports a short?
age of nurses and doctors all over
the United States. He says that
50,000 nurses are needed through?
out the country ai:d that in New
York City alone 1,000 additional
competent physicians are required.
Apparently candidat?? are??iot en?
rolling in the schools for nurses, de?
spite the vacancies. Mr. Coler re?
proaches the nursing schools for lack
of energy in advertising that there
is room for a greater number of stu
: dents. They may be at fault, but
there are other reasons more obvious.
? When training schools and hospitals
had waiting lists for , would-be
nurses there were fewer oppor?
tunities for women to earn a liveli
! hood and then the nurse's salary
practically headed the list. Then,
? too, the demand was not so great.
j Public health departments were not
organized to the extent that they are
at present, and the professional
nurse was less a matter of course in
tho sickroom. '
Now, however, the nurse's salary
does not loom up so large, whereas
the work required is as exacting as
ever and the hours are as long. More?
over, the years of Hospital work to
prepare for nursing seem long com?
pared with the requirements of busi?
ness offices. Finally, the nurse gets '
little, if any, pay while learning dur- !
ing the hours of service, both in the \
hospital and out of it.
Many menial tasks ara imposed
upon the student nurse that are dis?
couraging at tine outset. The re?
strictions on their comings and
goings are distasteful. The fear
that their training may encroach on
the doctor's nu hority rather hinders
their scientific development. These
are things that might be improved,i
upon. The pay might be increased
so that the long years of training
will not be too great an undertaking
for women who might prefer nurs?
ing to other professions, but who
cannot defer financial independence
so long. The hours, perhaps, can?
not be changed until the supply of
nurses will permit it, but they should
be lessened when possible.
In the case of doctors, the long
years of study and hospital training
at their own expense, except for an
occasional scholarship, together with
the night and day demands of the i
profession, deter young men with
their way to make. Only those who ?
can well afford it or who have an j
overwhelming desire to enter the !
profession are willing to make the ,
effort. There are too many other j
opportunities less arduous. If the ?
shortage of doctors is as acute as it j
appears to be, it is surely a matter
of grave concern, and it may be that?
the only solution of the problem is
in greater public aid to medical edu
cation.
Calvin Coolidge in French Eyes ??
Translated from an article on the >
American Election in L'Illustration,]
* , Pa ris. )
As for Ms, Calvin Coolidge, lie is in !
some respects the reincarnation of Lin- i
coin. This man, cold, austere, hard with
himself, hard with tho enemies o?' public
order, is the symbol of the law. Gov
ernor of Massachusetts, he clashed with ,
the first attempt of Bolshevism which
showed itself in the United States in the '
form of a strike in the public service in
Boston. He broke it at once by his
marble firmness and his stern refusal to
parley with the strikers.
IIi.7 mode of action recalls exactly thnt
of M. Millerand. He said, "No," and it
wa3 No. Add to this a temperate, flaw?
less style, revealing a great depth of
thought, a high sense of duty, and you
will have one of the most serious and
most attractive personalities of contem?
porary America. His speech of accept?
ance of the Vice-Presidency will remain
one of the models of didactic style.
"Men," said he, "love to talk to-day
canstantly of their natur.-i! rights. But I
defy any one to show me in Nature n
right that has not its corresponding
duty and which does not rest upon a
law. The right can only be observed
when the law is obeyed."
Words which are heard rarely in a
democracy and which suprise some?
what at this time.
Turkeys for the Navy Club
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: We propose giving a Thanks?
giving dinner and entertainment for
the boys at the Navy Club, 13-15 East
Forty-first Street, and we wish to ask
your readers for cash contributions
or donations of any of the following
articles: Turkeys, chickens, sweet po?
tatoes, white potatoes, pies, plum pud?
ding, candy, nuts, oranges, apples, cider,
cranberries or cakes.
We can assure you that tiuch gifts
will be greatly appreciated. Wounded
men from tho hospitals are to bo en?
tertained, as well as the club's regular
bluejacket guests.
Since our arrangements mnst be com
pleted before Monday morning we
shall appreciate hearing from donors
?it the earliest passible moment as to
just what they wish to send.
MRS. WILLIAM H. HAMILTON,
Vice-President the Navy Club.
New York, Nov. IT, 1920.
Hats Off to the Dog
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Another dog lover enters the
chase in defense of one of man's most
loyal friends. How any humane person
can dislike the dog is a mystery to me.
1 have met many on two legs who could
not compare with the four-legged com?
panion and friend.
For a dog is, or should be, his mas?
ter's friend. Treat hnn half way right
and he will give you all his love and
devotion. He will be content with
whatever you have to offer him. If
you are wealthy, well and good. If you
aro poor, it makes no difference. He
loves you just the same. There is a
book called "Greyfriara Bobby" which
I recommend to all dog haters. It. is
a truo tale of a dog's love for its mas?
ter. I have had many dogs in my life?
time, and there is not one whose mem?
ory does not lie close to my heart. All
were loyal, all were true as steel, af?
fect tenate, loving friends. I take off
my hat to the dog.
E. J, M. IIO LIAN D.
Bridgeport, Conn., Nov. 16, 1920.
The Flag of An Ally
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: To demonstrate my appreciation
of the courage and sense of justice of
the Navy Club, 13 East Forty-first
Street, in continuing to display the flag
of our ally, Great Britain, in spite of
bitter protests, I have become a $25
annual member of the club, and I shall
. .be very glad if my doing so will Btimu
, late others to follow my example to
: any extent they may feel able.
MRS. CHARLES H. DITSON.
New York, Nov. 16, 1920.
The Conning Tower
On a Masefic.d Flyleaf
Through the surf-wet sands of Los
Muertos they ran a furrow deep
Dragging the laden jolly-boat be?
yond the clutch of the tide,
And up the shore toward the strag-,
gling tr?^s where the eand is
hard and steep
They bore tho chest with its weight
of gold, three staggering either
side.
Only the moon saw tho hole they dug
and the chest they buried there,
With clumsy mattocks red with rust
and rotted with years at sea.
Oh, the blaze and gleam In that
chest's black hold would make a
sultan stare!
?And it lies whero moonlight stains
the sand with the shade of a
twisted tree.
Would you see the glitter of huddled |
gems, the glint of those bars of |
gold?
Would you learn in that buried log?
book the rover's bloody creed?
Then set no sail on ship to Spain,
nor chart nor map unfold?
Here lies the chest of the "buccaneers,
heave up its lid?and read.
George W. B. Hartweu..
"They knew no moro about driving a j
rivet," Mr. Purtell told the Congres-j
sional Select Committee, "than a pig
does about playing a Jew's harp." The j
perfect comparison. Only the most for- ?
giving and broad-minded pig would ever j
think of playing a Jew's harp.
Th? Diary of Our Own Samuel Pepys
November 16?Read a poem of Eugene !
Field's, "Thirty-nine," not, much good, '
and so to the office, where all day, I
a rainy one, at my writing; and so j
home to dinner, our new maid, called !
Olgott, or some such name, doing well i
enough to please me, and very pretty
she is, too. Wrote some letters and i
played on my flute, and on my concer- ?
tina, and read some chapters in "The ?
Age of Innocence," and so to bed.
17?A poorish day, and lay late. To
breakfast, but had no eggs, but said \
naught about it, it being of no great j
moment. Yet it would seem not to be
much trouble, and, since I am willing to
pay for them, not much expense. To
the office, deeply depressed at life and
the gray weather, and there all day,
shunning companionship. Fear of im?
pending ?loom on me, so I did join a club
to play tennis indoors, hoping it might
dissipate my vapours.
All our misgivings as to whether we
are a Great Author have evaporated.
Thirteen years ago we covered, for The
Sun,, a professional matinee of "Nellie,
the Beautiful Cloak Model." As a lead
we wrote some verses and credited them
to Miss Edith Daniell, a personable
young stage woman in tho audience.
And on page 471 of Carolyn Wells's
"The. Book of Humorous Verse,"?just
published and a darned good compila?
tion it is, too --those' verses appear,
credited to Edith.
NOVEMBER
The year's in tho husk,
The rooks are crying,
nine ia the dusk,
Dyingr, dying.
O'er frosty mold
The peewit'? calling:
"The year is old.
The Jcaves falling."
The rime ia white
On v.1 inkled bark :
Soon is night,
The long Dark.
The poeta curse,
Hcrlvenlng
Magazine verse
About tho Sprang. Bisk.
Overheard in a bus yesterday;
"Looks like one of those English hags."
"It is. 1 got it in London.''
"It looks like an English bag."
"Yes, it is. I got it when I was in
London."
"It certainly looks English."
"I bought it in London."
"It looks like it."
"Well, I bought it in London."
The conversation that ensued con- '
cerned the choice of a play for yester- |
day's matinee. The chances are that
neither of the women had read Mr.
Lewis's "Main Street," but if they had,
our gueS3 is that they would wonder
how anybody could endure the common
placeness of Gopher Prairie, Minn.
From the Author of "If It on Don't Write
fiction"-?
Sir: Mr. Mencken is the critic who re?
cently reviewed my Opus No. 1 and briefly
dismissed i', as a "?leprossing book" by a
professor of journalism in some "obscure
school of journalism." Tho rules of fair^
play permit; a critic to be as depressed about
a work as he pleases. But when Mr.
Mencken insinuate? (from Baltimore) that
a writer who for ten jears has earned a
living in New York aa a free lance isn't
qualified to make a few remarks about Grub
Street, he footfault-), by heck ! he plays off?
side, fouls, and hold? with both hands.
< rsa.
When they get ready to stage "Miss
Lulu Bett," by Zona Gale, we should
like to choose the cast. Miss Gale, of
course, should have a part; also Marie
Tempest, Marian Storm, Louise Closser
Hale, William Macleod Raine, and Robert
Frost.
"Pleas?-," begs a blunt subscriber to
the 4- !'?? "accept my check for thirty
six months' subscription to The Ameri?
can Printer?you can't do business
without it."
Condition of the Koads
National Old Trails?West, rough;
east, rough.
Golden Belt?Rough.
King of Trails North, rough; south,
rough.
Pike's Peak Highway?Rough.
Jefferson Highway -North, rough;
south, (Mo.) rough, t Kas.) rough.
Meridian Highway Kansas, rough -
Kansas City Journal.
' Out where the motorist starts to suffer,
Out v.here the roads are a little rougher,
i That's where the Weit begins.
F.-P. A.
Sinn Fein vs. U. S. Sailors
From The Victory at Sea, by Rear-Admiral Sims
(Thess tttraets are from Chapter II, !
Pages 8S* to 87. Th? volume is pub- !
lished by Dottbleday, Page & Co., 1BS0.) ?
Darin? the nearly two years which j
tho American naval forces spent in Eu- \
rope only one element in the population ,
showed them any hostility or even un- j
friendliness. At the moment when these
linea are being written a delegation
claiming to represent the "Irish Repub*
lie" is touring the United States, ask?
ing Americans to extend their sympathy
and contribute money toward the real?
ization of their project. I hove great
admiration for the mass of the Irish
people, and from the best elements of
these people the American sailors re?
ceived only kindness. I have therefore
hesitated about telling just how some
members of the Sinn Fein party treated
cur men. But it seems that n?rrw, when
this same brotherhood is attempting to
stir up hatred in this country against
our allies in the war, there is a cer?
tain pertinence in informing Americans
just what kind of treatment their brave
r.ailors met with at the hands of the
Sinn Fein in Ireland.
Openly Pro-German
The peoplo of Queen3town and Cork,
as already described, received our men
with genuine Irish cordiality. Yet in a
few weeks evidence of hostility in cer?
tain quarters became apparent. The
fact is that part of Ireland in which the
Americans were stationed was a head?
quarters.of tho Sinn F?in.
The members of this organization were
not only openly disloyal; they were
openly pro-German. They were not even
neutral; they were working day and
night for a German victory, for in their
misguided minds a German victory sig?
nified an Irish republic. It was no se?
cret that the Sinn F?iners were sending
information to Germany and constantly
laying plots to interfere with the British
and American navies.
At first it might be supposed that
the large number of sailors?and some
officers?of Irish extraction on the
Ameri'can destroyers would tend to
make things easier for our men. Quite
contrary proved the case. The Sinn
F?iners apparently believed that these
so-called Irish-Americans would sym?
pathize with their cause; in their wild?
est moments they even hoped that
our naval forces might champion it.
But these splendid sailors were Amer?
icans before they were anything else;
their chief ambition was the defeat of
the Hun, and they would not under?
stand how any man anywhere could
have any other aim in life. They were
disgusted at the largo number of able
bodied men whom they saw on the
streets, and they did not hesitate to
ask some of them why they were not
fighting on the Western front.
Quarrel Over Sweethearts
The behavior of the American sailors
was gootl, but the mere fact that they
diii not openly manifest a hatred of
Great Britain and a love of Germany
infuriated the Sinn F?iners. And the
eternal woman question also played its
part. Our men had .nueh more money
than the native Irish boys and could en?
tertain the girls more lavishly at the
movies and ice cream stands. The
men of our fleet and the Irish girls
became excellent friends; the associa?
tion, from our point of view, was a very
wholesome one, for the moral charactei
of the Irish girls of Queenstown and
Cork?as indeed of Irish girls any?
where -is very high, and their com?
panionship added greatly to the well
being and contentment of our sailors
not a few of whom found wives amon??
these young women. But when th?
Sinn F?in element saw their sweet?
hearts deserting them for the Americar
boys their hitherto suppressed angei
took the form of overt acts.
Occasionally an American sailoi
would be brought from Cork to Queens
town in a condition that demand?e
pressing medical attention. When ht
would regain consciousness he wouU
relate how ho had suddenly been se
upon by half a dozen roughs anc
beaten into a state of insensibility
Several of our men were severely in
jured in this way. At other times smal
groups were stoned by Sinn Fein sym
pathizers and there were many hostil?
demonstrations in motion picturi
houses and theaters. Even more fre
quently attacks wero made, not upoi
the American sailors, but upon th
Irish girls who accompanied them
These chivalrous pro-German agitator
would rush up and attempt to tear th
girls away from our young men; the;
would pull down their hair, slap then
and even kick them. Naturally Amer
ican sailors were hardly the type t
tolerate behavior of this kind, an
1 some bloody battles took place.
Acquitted by a Jury
This hostility was increased by on
very regettablo occurrence in Queens
town. An American sailor was prom
enading the main thoroughfare with a
Irish girl, when an infuriated Sin
Feiner rushed up, began to abus
hia former sweetheart in vile lar.
guage and attempted to lay hand
on her. The American struck thi
hooligan a terrific blow; he fell back-,
ward and struck his head on the
curb. The fall fractured the assailant's
skull and In a few hours he was dead.
We handed our man over to the civil
authorities for trial, and a jury com?
posed entirely of Irishmen acquitted
him. The action of this jury in itself j
indicated that there was no sympathy
among the decent Irish element, which ]
constituted the great majority, with
thia sort of tactics, but naturally it
did not improve relations between our ,
men and the Sinn F?iners.
At the Cathedral
The importance of another incident
which took placo at the cathedral has
been much exaggerated. It is true
that a priest in his Sunday sermon de?
nounced the American sailors as van?
dal.?? and betrayers of Irish woman?
hood, but it is also true that Roman
Catholics of that section were them?
selves tho most enraged at this absurd
proceeding. A number of Roman Cath?
olic officers who were present left the
church in a body, the Catholic bishop
of the diocese called upon Admiral
Bayly and apologized for the insult, and
ho also punished the offending priest
by assigning him to new duties at a
considerable distance from the Amer?
ican ships.
But even more serious trouble was
brewing, for our officers discovered that
the American sailors were making elab?
orate plans to protect themselves. Had
this discovery not been made in time
something like an international inci?
dent might have resulted.
Much to our regret, however, it was
found necessary to issue an order that
no naval men, British or American, un?
der the rank of commander, should be
permitted to go to Cork. Ultimately
we had nearly 8,000 American men at
this station; Queenstowr, itself is a
small place of 6,000 or 7,000,- so it is
apparent that it did not possess the
facilities for giving such a large num?
ber of men-those relaxations which
were necessary to their efficiency. We
established a club in Queenstown, pro?
vided motion pictures and other enter?
tainments, and did the best we could
to keep our sailors contented.
The citizens of Cork also keenly re?
gretted our action. The great majority
had formed a real fondness for our
boys, and they regarded it as a great
humiliation that the rowdy element
made it necessary to keep our men out
of their city. Many letters were print?
ed in the Cork newspapers apologizing
to the Americans and calling upon the
people to take action that would justify
us in rescinding our order. The loss
to Cork tradesmen was great; our men
received not far from $200,000 to $300,
000 a month in pay; they were free
spenders, and their presence in the
neighborhood for nearly two years
would have meant a fortune to many
local merchants. Yet we were obliged
to refuse to accede to the numerous
requests that the American sailors be
permitted to visit the city.
W ithdrawn to Queenstown
A committee of distinguished citizens
of Cork, led by the Lord Mayor, came
to the Admiralty House to plead for
the rescinding of this order. Admiral
Bayly cross-examined them very sharp?
ly. It appeared that the men who had
cimmitted these offenses against Amer?
ican sailors had never been punished.
Unless written guaranties were fur?
nished that there would be no hostile
demonstrations against British or
Americans, Admiral Bayly refused to
withdraw the ban, and I fully con?
curred in this decision. Unfortunately
the committee could give no such guar?
anty. We knew very well that the
appearance of Americans in Cork would
be the signal for a renewal of hos?
tilities, r.nd the temper of our sailors
was such that the most deplorable
cet.sequences might have resulted. We
even discovered that the blacksmiths
on the U. S. S. Melville were surrep?
titiously manufacturing weapons which
our men could conceal on their per?
sons and with which they proposed to
sally forth and do battle with the Sinn
Fein! So, for the whole period of oui
stay in Queenstown, our sailors were
compelled to keep away from the dan?
gerous city. But the situation was
not without its humorous aspects
Thus, the pretty girls of Cork, finding
that the Americans could not come tc
them, decided to come to the Ameri?
cans; every afternoon a trainload woulc
arrive at the Queenstown station, whert
our sailors would greet them, givint
them a splendid time, and then, in th?
evening, escort them to the statior
and send a happy crowd on their waj
heme.
But the Sinn Feiners interfere?;
with us. in much more serious way;
than this. They were doing every
thing in their power to help Germany
With their assistance German agent:
and German Bpies were landed in Ire
land. At one time the situation be
cp.me so dangerous that I had to tak?
experienced officers, whose service:
could be ill spared from our destroyers
and assign them to our outlying ai:
! stations in Ireland. This, of course
proportionately weakened our fleet ant
| did its part in prolonging the war.
A Natural Reprisal
'??'rom The I.oa Angeles Times)
German merchants and manufactur
; crs have formed what they call the
Industrial Red Cross and its purpose
is to overcome the hardships caused
: by strikes. The members are pledged
' to serve personally as strike breakers
should-? occasion make it advisable.
; Every man is enlisted and his experi
; enees" and capacities are catalogued.
Students and office men are enrolled
rud in case of a strike in any plant or
industry the strikers can be quickly
replaced by workers of some experience
and qualification. The unions by their
warlike policy -toward industry have
' made something of thi3 nature neces?
sary. The unions fui?.to encourage co?
operation and amity with the employer.
; The strike was the one weapon they
rsed to compel acceptance of their
I demands. They used it without argu
I ment or reason, and now it has ceased
to be effective.
Slightly Inaccurate
(From The Portland Presa)
"The triumph of the workers' cause.
in Russia is a historic milestone in the
progress of the world, and its influence
for good lias circled the earth and shall
direct the course of the future," pro?
claims Eugene Debs from hi? cell room
in Atlanta. Outside the fact that the
Soviet cause hasn't yet triumphed and
that the only influence outside it has
had has been bad, the statement is all
right.
An Excellent Imitation
(From Th? Philadelphia. Inquirer;
There is nothing makes the ulti?
mate consumer madder than to read
a statement by a coal man in which the
public is blamed for high prices be?
cause, believing there was a shortage,
it "swarmed into the market and bought
coal at any price." If there has been
no shortage, who is responsible for
making the public believe there was?
Where Was Gompers)
i$ to Why) He Negh
Round Up Brindeil
Query as to Why He Negkcitj, '.
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Mayor Hylan was given fc;,,,
flee by the people, and for the pnr/'
of representing them and guaro
their interests, and we have $?<;? ,_?,'
has happened. But what of Samat? (J '
per?, who is elected to his hira 0?
by the workingrnen?
What has he done for the union ??5
who have walked the streets on strife
and been used as a club to increase?.
cost of our schoolhousec, aB(j ,
buildings, while union leaders fc' ?
filled their own pockets* Wn0 s'. ??
call him and other labor leaders to - '
account?
When and how shall th? way l,
pointed out to the workinzraan L
which he can have his ? yes open?M? a
adopt a means of cleaning hovte u?
shall all hope will be ?jone for ?v
voters and people through th? ^
work started by the Lockwood to?
mittee?
A REGULAR TRIBUNE READER.
New York, Nov. 16, 1020.
TTie Youngest Soldier in the W?. I
To the Editor of The Tribune. f
Sir: In the Magazine and Review w I
The New York Tribute on Su ?- I
September 28, 1919, page 2. you h?, g
an article with the caption "Tin i
Youngest Soldier in the War." Crec.-1
is given to France for this honor.
I have before me facts showing thi-fl
we can bring this honor a little nuit:I
home and that it is due to cur 0*31
country. The soldier in question ?t?l
born June 22, 1903. On June 25, up I
at the age of fourteen years three ?Jjt. 1
he enlisted in the Quartermaster'!
Division in New York City, from wh.: I
I obtained his rele-i*?? t? hia 0WB ^.j
quest on July 14, 1917
I also have before me a copy of M?
discharge papers from the Ca?ad;?
Expeditionary Force, ?.howing that fkil
soldier enlisted in the 1st Depot. Bit
talion, 1st Quebec Reg ment) at Maa
treal, on the 20th ?.ay of October, 191*
when he was still two day :
being fourteen years and four month?
old. He served 1:1 Franc? and in
discharged by reason of de-mob. i i Katies
on February 20, l?Mo. gil discharp
certificate gives his age en the d?ti
of discharge as fifteen years ett?
months; height, six feet. This sole;??
after coming back to the United Stafq
and regaining his health, enlisted ?.??
and is now in the Roy;,; Nortawtil
Mounted Police.
HENRY A. STEINBOCK
New York, Nov. 1".,
South Russian Relief
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The American tral <
tee for Russian Relief has
ceived the following pitiful appej.
from Constantinople:
"Over 40,000 fugitives fron
Crimea, among thei
must be urgently helped. Our
are nearly nil."
The disaster which has ovt
the loyal Russir.n forces, v.
righting Bolshevism in Sou'.-'
for so long against overwhelming Jtid?
and the helpless civilian ref-jcer-? w
have been driven from their home1! ?
terror of the advancing Reda, hu
forced us to make a special appeal il
this time.
Warm clothing, and especially money,
which can be cabled ?t once, are most
urgently needed, and- anything which
is sent to the office of our committe?,
at 621 Fifth Avenue, will be n?ost jrrati
fully acknowledged and promptly util
1 ized.
We should never forget these onfor
I t?nate Russians have been fighting for
our allies and for the ideals for tridd
we entered the war sine..- 1914 without
a respite, and the forces now over
whelming them arc precisely thoFe
which, first in Germany, then in Rus?
sia, destroyed the peace of the world
and threatened the very basis of civil?
ization.
JULIA CANTACUZENE SPERANSKY,
(n?e Grant.)
Now York, Nov. IG, 1920.
Made by Our Wounded
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: I noticed with interest a letfe?
in your issue of November 12 ?ignee
:"Just a Woman and Mother," pleaditf.
that our boys who fought be not for;
gotten. Could you convey to this kind
lady the information contained in tw
following notice and express our bo?"
that she will come to the club ar.d
, make hers?::' known to fome of ub t'3
are trying to "carry on"?
There is a sale taking place this es?
tire week at Lord <fc Taylor's, on tie
fifth f.oor, of articles made by tbi
' wounded men in our city hospit?1*
To-day, the opening day of the sale.
we took in nearly $50", every penny ?f
1 which goes directly to the men wfo
made the articles. Lord ?4 Taylor k??<
: of course, given the space and the B?
Cross donates the materials use
the "Test We Forget" commit?
arranged the ::ale.
We want every one to buy one '
mas gift from these disabli
have sacrificed so iis
JULIA TERRY
Short Kills, N. J., Nov. 13, 1920.
Thirty-three Years a Commuter
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In The Tribune of November -
the G. P. A. of the L. I. R. K- d?"*6.1
the unhappy experience of that tvi^
with rebates to commuter/. The write?
has lived in Flushing about t-'1?'
three years, never heard of such ??
thing, and is of the belief that e\e'j
ticket h? ever saw .bore the equi'al*25
of tne present legend that "if no:
presented, regular fare will b? w
ie-ted, which une er no circom?**-,e*
will be refunded." When did ?*?
tli.ngs happen which Mr. Woad*?"
deplores? Ar.d will some wall know?
commuter tell how and where he co>'
lected some money which the r?-?ra
company was not obliged to pay?
will probably pleas? the G. P- A. ?c
will certainly greatly interest 30?? ?
your readers. A. ? ?*
N*W York, Nov. 18, 192?.