The sun. [volume], November 07, 1918, Page 6, Image 6

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tmunsDAY, novemder 7. ioib.
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TELEPHONE, BEE KUAN 2200.
Tuesday a Bad Day for Wilson
Autocracy.
After a great fight and a crest vlc
tory for the safety of democracy In
America short comment Is welcome.
The Sun does not Intend to enlarge
much upon the obvious. The response
of President Wilson's fellow country
men to his partisan appeal of Octo
ber 25 perhaps the most glaring tat
tlcnl blunder In a career ot exceeding
political adroitness was swift, un
mistakable and terrific In Its Impact
upon his personal ambitions.
Ho asked In the name of the flag
for partisan control of tho represen
tatives of the people. The flag smote
him; smote him not as President,
but as a partisan leader.
He demanded as party leader the
undivided mastery of legislative proc
esses, pleading that in grim times like
these scruples of 'taste must not be
allowed to stand In the way of plain
speaking. In the same spirit of grim
actuality his fellow countrymen gave
him day before yesterday some of the
plainest speaking which ever reached
the ears of a party leader In the
White House.
His partisan control of both the
Senate and tho House J overthrown.
The supremacy of the little Southern
oligarchy of Inexpensive politicians
which with his knowledge and con
sent has dominated, In the Interest of
their own pockets and their own cot
ton, the entire national machinery
of taxation and expenditure and cco
iiomlc welfare and official establish
ment Is broken to smithereens.
His power to command for all
purposes In the exercise of his war
responsibilities the patriotic support
of his fellow countrymen of all par
tics has not been touched by Tues
,days responsive vote. His favorite
doctrine of Presidential mastery, out
Side of constitutional limits and in
domestic affairs, set forth so openly
in his earlier writings as a political
philosopher, has encountered, at his
own invitation, a crushing veto by
the majority of the democratic mill
ions of American voters.
This Is the main lesson of the elec
tion, tho outstanding fact of the Re
publican victory.
But this Is not Quite all that hap
pened to the President on Tuesday.
Tho Council of the Allies, In confer
ence at Versailles with his Individu
ally chosen but constitutionally un
confirmed diplomatic agent, has told
him something else, very dellcntely
but Tery plainly. The associated
Governments In the war to make the
world safe for democracy havo told
him that such matters of world Im
port as the future fabric of marl-
time International law and the ap
praisal of the Just penalty to be lm
posed upon Prussian autocracy for
Its crimes against international law
are to be settled by the concerted
action of the duly accredited repre
sentatives of all the Governments
concerned, and not by Individual dec
laration In any quarter, however ex
alted or pregnant with wisdom. The
Senate Is a party to the making of
treaties of peace.
That the reminder of these facts
should have come from abroad, and
In a manner so politely considerate
of President Wilson's Intellectual
zeal for settlement by Individual de
cree, Is not the least significant of
Tuesday's momentous events.
tThexe Is the Lawmaker to Lead In
This Reform?
The State administration which
comes Iito being on January 1 should
make the task of revising and sim
plifying the primary and election laws
of New York Its Immediate care.
The Stnte convention for tho nomi
nation of candidate for State office
x a a i
should bo restored In n form that
wonld protect the rights of parties
and voters.
The ridiculous provisions of the law
which weighed, down the Republican
party with the candidacy of Lieutenant-Governor
Schoeneck after he
wanted to quit the ticket and every
body else wanted him to quit should
be repealed.
Tho form of ballot should bo
changed to meet the need of the elec
torate, and not to gratify the whims
of theorists in government.
Tho fact that tho voters are able
to make their will kuown does not
meet tho requirements of tho case. It
should bo easy for them to mark their
ballots, and not hard, as It now Is.
There are scores of Assemblymen
and Senntors of both parties capable
of drawing simple and effective stat
utes for tho regulation of political
parties and the protection of tho bal
lot, and every one of them knows that
we need such statutes.
Aro all of them dovotd of the not
considerable quantity of courage nec
essary to put this reform through?
AI Smith's Help to Mr. TTIleon.
One of the odd twists of the elec
tion, as it turned out, was the very
great help Mr, Al Smith proved to
be to President Wilron and the very
heavy load President Wilson wan
to Mr. Al Smith.
Mr. Smith's friends left no stone
unturned to get for him Indorsements
from President Wilson, tho Cabinet
and others high in the Washington
Government, on the theory, of course,
thut this would help to take off the
Tammgny curse. On election day,
however,' Mr. Wilson and his Ad
ministration were a fatal liability to
Democratic tickets In the country
generally, and almost. If not quite, a
fatal liability to the Democratic State
ticket here. Mr. Smith's marvellous
personal run In Greater New York
and In other cities of the State, on
the other hand, unquestionably saved
to Mr. Wilson some districts which
otherwise would have been swept
from the President in New York as
happened elsewhere north of- Mason
and Dixon's line.
Indeed, It seems only fair to say
that If It had not been for Mr. Smith
President Wilson's defeat In the
Congress districts, shocking as It was
to the faithful Democrats, would
have been stupefying.
Gratitude Due to Senator Lewis ol
Illinois.
The Hon. James Hamilton Lewis's
resolution expressing In advance tho
United States Senate's unqualified
aproTal of anything the Executive
might do In the matter of war meas
ures or peace negotiations will prob
ably never leavo the committee pigeon
hole which It now Inhabits. After
tho fourth of next March the Hon.
Jiu Ham will not be In n position to
call It forth for further Senatorial
consideration.
Yet when Senator Lewis carries
into pale gray retirement the glory
of his whiskers and raiment and the
quick If unconventional Intelligence
of his amazing Intellectuals, he can
depart for other scenes with tho con
sciousness that the republic Is under
lasting obligations to him. lie will
go, but he will not be forgotten.
For this same celebrated resolution
of abject confidence and unconditional
legislative surrender, Introduced In
the Senate by the Hon. James Hamil
ton Lewis about two months ngo, will
always be of historical Importance. It
wis the bugle call of the campaign
for Executive autocracy. It was the
forerunner of President Wilson's
own demand for unrestricted Execu
tive mnstcry--the appeal which got
its answer from the country on Tues
day. It helped, nnd it helped greatly,
to enable the American people to un
derstand exactly what Mr. Wilson's
Invitation signified.
Therefore tho Administration's
mouthpiece in the Senate deserves
well of his fellow countrymen for this
phenomenal service of Interpretation.
And on other accounts ho will be
missed in Washington.
Michigan's Satisfactory Decision.
Michigan's voters recorded a sane
and wlso decision In their selection
of a United States Senator.
Thoy chose Truman H. Newberry,
now a Lieutenant-Commander in the
navy, to represent their State in the
smaller chamber at the national capi
tal. They will not regret their act.
Mr. Newberry's experience as an ex
ecutive officer of the Government and
as a member of tho naval forces has
eqnlpped him with technical knowl'
edge that will be of the highest valuo
to tho country In the legislative de
partment. Naval and merchant ma
rlno problems of supreme Importance
must be solved In the period of his
first term in tho Senate. To their
solution Mr. Newberry will bring a
thorough knowledgo of tho country's
needs, nnd disinterested, patriotic un
derstanding of Its necessities.
The character of tho man who will
succeed William Alden Smith has
been welt displayed In the campaign
that preceded the balloting on Tues
day. From the beginning of the pri
mary contest Mr. Newberbt put his
duty as an officer of the naval forces
ahead of his personal and political In
terests. Ho jmnlned at his task,
doing his paft for American victory
in tho war, without regard to the
progress of the strugglo in Michigan.
Seldom has there been a more grati
fying exhibition of devotion to n high
ideal of citizenship than that which
Mr. Newberry has given to his fel
low citizens.
The electors of Michigan havo re
sponded intelligently nnd convinc
ingly to tho effort to reduce them to
the status of puppets In public af
fairs. Tho attempt to Impose on
them a Senator hand picked in Wash-
tngton has been frustrated. The as
sumption of subserviency on which a
project of cunning politics wearing
unworthily tho garb of servlco to tho
state was erected has been exposed as
unfounded. AH American Institutions
are more firmly established all over
tho United States to-day becauso of
tho outcome of the contest In the
State of Michigan.
Mr. Ford has been, elected to stay
at borne and devote his energy to the
useful and Interesting work from
which his worldwido fame has arisen.
The outcome of tho balloting should
not dishearten him; he would not
have made a good Senator, and In
Washington he might have Impaired
the reputation he now enjoys.
Colonel Roosevelt.
There has been soma Impatience In
some quarters with the heartfelt and
outspoken utterances of TntoDOuc
P.OOHSVELT on the general subject In
volved In last Tuesday's election. In
the light of the result, we think thero
will be a general recognition of the
great service which this former Pres
ident of tho United States has ren
dered at this time, In his charac
teristic way, to the Institutions and
tho people he loves.
Colonel Roosevelt's reservoir of
red blood is unexhausted. His reser
voir of American patriotism Is In
exhaustible. now Northern Italy SaTed Its Art
Treasures.
With tho triumph of Italy and the
reoccupatlon of the territory which
had been held for the last year by
the Austrlans, there will return to
the northern towns and villages be
sides the stream of refugees a col
lection of priceless art treasures. In
this portion of Itnly Titian, Cima
nnd Giovanni da Pordenone were
born, and all left here fine examples
of their worn; at Udlne and Belluno
wero Important schools of Renais
sance art. There was great pride,
even among the peasants. In these
traditions of the past, and thero was
scarcely a mountain town which did
not have In Its church or ancient
pain co a sacredly guarded work of
an old master.
When the Austrian Invasion began
It was feared that these treasures
would be either destroyed or carried
away. The Germans attempted to
give the Impression that they had
secured-much loot in this region when.
the Government recently announced
that It had on exhibition In Berlin
"a valuable collection of Italian
paintings nnd sculptures captured by
the armies In their advance Into
northern Italy last fall."
This boast, however, amused the
Italians. They knew, better than the
Prussians themselves, the value of
what the Teutons had carried away.
The Italians of each town nnd vil
lage had such a keen appreciation of
their treasures and such on affec
tjounte regard for them thut they
saved, often nt the peril of -their
lives, everything of real artistic
worth. This work of salvage, In the
face of tho panic nnd terror Inspired
by the Invasion, was one of the little
kuown roinnntlc Incidents of the Cn
poretto disaster.
As soon as it became evident that
the Italian line was wuverlng the
threatened region was surveyed by a
representative of the .Minister of Pub
lic Instruction, and trucks, materials
and men for safeguarding works of
art were placed at his disposal by the
army. He was to keep in touch with
the enemy nlong a front of 400 miles'
and remove objects of art when It
was apparent that a town was to fall.
In the meantime the citizens of all
threatened towns prepared their art
treasures for transportation. "It of
ten happened," said Dr. Felice Fer
rero, "that the trucks would be de-'
parting from one side of a town with
their precious burdens just as the
Austrlans were entering from the
other side."
At San Vito a painting by Palma
was rescued, at Vlttorio several Ti-tl.-.ns
wero saved, and at Odcrzo a
masterpiece by Previtali. When tho
rescuing party reached Belluno It
found the collection In the museum
packed but no trucks. "Tho high
command," says Dr. Ferrero, "how
ever, supplied tho trucks at once, de
spite the pressure of the moment"
While tho rescuers were carrying off
a painting by Bellunello nnd Me
moirs in tho original manuscript of
Pietro Galvi from Tlevo dl Cadore,
Titian's birthplace, the Austrlans
were already In the village. The
work of rescue extended as far be
hind tho lines ns Padua. The Aus
trian airmen caused much damage to
the city by dropping bombs, but not
until there had been removed to n
place of safety the famous painting
by Veronese from the Church of
Santo Glustlna, the nltnr of Dona
telia tho grent statue of Gattame
lata nnd tho entire collection of the
city's museum. So successfully was
tho rescue work carried on that
within a week every art object of any
great value was safely removed from
the Invaded or threatened territory.
The loot of which tho Germans
bonsted were the collection In tho
Udlne Museum, some paintings from
the villages along the PInve nnd a
triptlc attributed to Titian. The ar
ticles taken from Udlne were only an
Inconsequential part of the museum's
collection; the paintings were the
least valuable of the Plave villages'
treasures, while tho'N genuineness of
tho triptlc has never been proved.
These nrtlcles were left behind be
cause of the desire to save others of
great value. Dr. Feiisero says:
"It Is quite possible that the stolid
and materialistic Prussians of Berlin
were deceived by the very limited and
mediocre collection presented, and it
may be that even the officials them-
THE SUN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1918.
Wis thought that they had obtained
plunder of real value."
It Is a genuine satisfaction to know
that tho treasures of tbeso Uttlo
northern Italian towns did not fall to
the greed of tho Invader and that
they will remain In the cans of the
people who havo so zealously pro
tected them for centuries.
They got rid of Kitchin.
On the "face of the returns Richard
Watns Parker, the present Represen
tative In Congress from tho Ninth
New Jersey district, has been defeatel
by Mayor Minahan of Orange, an In
cident of tho election that will be
deeply regretted, regardless of Mr.
Minahan's personal qualities and fit
ness for membership in the House.
Representative Parker Is a useful and
capable legislator of long experience,
whose Judgment would be highly val
uable in the Sixty-sixth Congress. It
is to bo hoped that the soldier vote
may overcome the plurality now re
corded against htm and continue him
in the House.
Probably wo should have carried the
House of Representatives anyhow, but
the assistance of President Wilson
mndo It a sure thing for the whole
Congress.
This week has been devoted in part
to the collection of phonograph records
which for any reason are not being
used by their owners. This campaign,
conducted by a voluntary organiza
tion, somewhat resembles the drive
for books to supply reading material
for soldiers. The benefits the soldiers
will, derive from the success of this
endeavor are both too numerous and
obvious to recount. So Instead of per
mitting records to Ilo Idle, take them
to the Public Library or to tho head
quarters of the committee in charge
at 21 East Forty-first street.
The armistice terms accepted by
Austria are denounced as 'unjust" by
certain German newspapers. How ed
ifying is the present German passion
for "Justice"!
As Mayor Walker of Blnghamton
beat Lieutenant-Governor 6ciiokneck
at the polls, tho ingenuity expended
in devising schemes for the elimina
tion of Schoeneck from the 8tate
Government now appears to have been
wasted. The voters have a way of
solving such problems with directness
and despatch.
Massachusetts apparently respected the
wishes of President Wilson In electing
David I. Walsh, Democrat, to tho
United States Senate. Drspatch from
Boston.
We supposed Sam McCall and
Thomas W. Lawson tiad something to
do with it.
One of the German commissioners
sent to Marshal Focii to get armistice
erms is the former Foreign Minister
Paul von Hintz, who represented the
German Admiral Diideriuiis when that
functionary attempted to bully Ad
miral Dewet in Manila Bay twenty
years ago. On that occasion Von
Hintz was told that if Germany
wanted war with tho United States
the empire would be accommodated.
Now tho war has been provoked and
Von Hintz Is In at the end ot it: an
end that must have recalled to him
the calm confidence of Dewet In days
when German might regarded itself
as Invincible.
It will soon be necessary to speak
of the German army as "nowhere in
France."
THE DUST THAT HARMS.
That Blown From Streets Rather
Than That of the Air.
To the Editor or The sun -Sir; it
Is a matter for congratulation that the
health authorities are taking notice ot
the dust content of the air. Experience
has taught that the number of dust par
ticles In the air is of less Importance
than the character; moreover, I am ot
the opinion that the flying dust moved
by wind, and remaining; suspended
for .i few minutes to an hour, Is more
of a menace to health than the floating
dust which -remains In the air until
brought to the earth by means other
than Its own gravity.
Disregarding the dust particles that
cannot be discerned by a one-sixth Inch
objective and they form the greater
proportion the flying dust particles In
ordinary weather are often In excess of
6,000 per cubic Inch. During very dusty
days the proportion may be ten times aa
great.
Much of this Is picked up from the
streets. It lodges In the hair, In the
clothing and on exposed foodstuffs.
Among other details of Its content are
borre dung, garbage, leaf dust In sea
son, the eggs of In-sects. the fragments
of fly anatomy, and bacteria from ex
crementltlous matter. Fine dust will
penetrate crevices throush which the
wind will not drljo water. Human feet
are constantly tracking It from the side
walks to the dwelling rooms; Indeed
most of the dust carried from the out
side to the inside ot dwellings is tracked
Into them.
Now, during moist weather, all the
wind blown matter of organic character
Is In a putrescent condition; Indeed, It
may become a pretty good culture
medium. Whether or not It Is a means
of the actual spread of disease Is hardly
n proper matter for the opinion of a
layman. That it may spread disease,
however, is beyond question. During
the past two weeks the air has been
unusually full of dust that has remained
suspended for a long time. A dust
counter was not necessary to determine
tho fact; the very dirty horizon fur
nished all the evidence.
In New York city tho authorities keep
the streets pretty clean, and the same
Is true of Mount Vernon. But In each
city the sidewalks and not the streets
are the chief source of the dust tracked
Into the houses. Sweeping the sidewalks
merely transfers the dust from one part
to another; washing the walks when
the streets are hosed carries most of It
Into the sewers. Now It may be that
the putrefying organlo matter of street
dust Is not harmful; certainly the ab
sence of It will not communicate disease,
The superintendent of the Starlne
Hospital at Washington once said that
the cold wave was the greatest natural
resource of the continent. I think he la
right; ahd my experience In the ex
amination of the dust content of the
air has convinced me that the northwest
wind which brings It Is the greatest
scavenger In existence.
J. W. Reowat,
Mount Vernon, November 8,
SEVENTEEN RULES FOR THE
INDUCTED MAN.
A Brief bnt Comprehensive Codo of
Conduct and Common Seme.
TO the Editor or The Sun Sir. This
l advice addressed directly to the Amer
icans Inducted Into military service:
Whon your local board Inducts you
as a member of the greatest crusade
you become a derelict of your former
life, apd It becomes your Immediate con
cern nnd duty to salvage) yourself and
your dependents. In so far as you had
the foresight and ability you have al
ready seen to the security of your former
business and your family ; there are still
details ot importance for you to dis
charge. These details concern your
health, your morale and the further well
being of your dependents. They con
cern your efllclency and therefore con
cern your country It Is the purpose of
this letter to state these details in
chronological order:
1. If you need and cannot provide
legal or other assistance before leaving
time, go to your local Red Cross offi
cials. It Is the high purpose and duty
of the Red Cross to tumlsh any assist
ance to any soldier anywhere.
2. Execute for your wtfo or other de
pendents such power of attorney, check
ing account, credit and other business
facilities an you may provide. Leave
at home the postal and telegraph ad
dress of your destination.
3. Take with you an overcoat, rub
bers, a raincoat and a flannel shirt or
sweater. Take towel, soap, tooth brush,
hair brush, shaving kit, a change of
underclothing and an Individual drink
ing cup. Take also a rug or an old
blanket, gloves or mittens. Leave be
hind your Intemperate or other bad hab
its and any Idea that you may do as
you please when you please. During
your service you will, however high the
rank you reach, do what some one else
pleases. You will learn to do it with
a bang, like a football player. You will
also learn, like him, to like It Leave
behind your careless habits with matches
and cigarettes. In scattering trash for
aomo one else to pick Up, and your ha
bitual abuse of the things you use. In
(he army you will pay for tho fires you
start and the damage you do, and you
will pick up the trash you scatter.
4. On the train obey th rules of
"safety first." Do not thrust head or
arms out of window, ride on platforms,
or board or leave a car In motion. In
sist on fresh air In the cars day 'and
night. It Is better to be cold than over
heated, while foul air spreads disease
germs. Do not srtuff yourself with rich
food and "soft" drinks. Do not use any
one else's drinking cup, soap, towel or
brush. Do not track mud into your car.
It may contain pneumonia, germs 'and
form dust that you Inhale.
5. When you board your train board
the "water wagon."
S. You may expect discomfort and
hardship Incident everywhere to the
travel of troops. At your destination
you may have to march in the rain,
snow or bleak wind, or be left under
such conditions watting for connecting
transportation. This may happen night
or day. You may miss a meal or two
or have no water. It Is a good thing
to take aa a rererve a bottle of water
and some plain good food prepared at
your home. Tour train is subject to
delay and connections may be missed.
You have provided as best you may for
these things ; grin and bear them.
7. When you arrive at your destina
tion write home as soon as possible. The
K. of C, Y. M. C. A. and Red Cross
provide you with writing facilities. Ver
ify your post office and telegraph address
for your family.
S. Take out your full army Insurance
at tho first chance.
9. Make out allotments for the sup
port of your dependents at the first
chance.
10. Find out your army serial number
at tho first chanco and memorize It
Write lo - your family and give them
this number; make no mistake: get It
correct Advlso your family never to
write any inquiry concerning you with
out giving your full name, followed hy
this number. It Identifies you absolutely.
11. Be entirely submissive and re
spectful and obey orders. Do not sub-
i mlt to any hazing, horseplay or harsh
an8 tyrannical treatment Do not "take
matters In your own hands" ; demand
to see your company or higher com
mander. No person can refuse you this
right. In tho army you always have
lawful means of redress.
12. Concentrate your whole mind and
body on your dally and hourly task,
master tho details, omit no connecting
step In your progress. If you try, you
can Inform and teach yourself a mul
titude of things. Keep on the alert ;
be always ready to start. Be a self
starter and therefore more valuable, but
do not start anything, except in emer
gency for a good and sufficient cause.
13. Be on your guard against spies
and German propaganda. Believe no
111 rumor concerning the service. Take
the name and address of the Individual
from whom you hear It and report the
facta to your Captain. Make no sud
den and easy friendships, and Indulge
In no talk or dispute about affairs ot
the service. Do not get Into the habit
of contradicting erroneous statements of
strangers or of setting them right,
because that Is what they want tor a
hostile purpose.
U. After the hardships of travel, the
exposure to crowds and Incident to the
change ot locality and bablt, you are
likely to feel droopy or out of condi
tion. Report this at onco for medlcil
examination. This Is not merely your
privilege ; It Is your duty. You may
bo In the earliest stage of a communlea.
bio disease, and the sooner it Is known
the better for yourself and your com
panions. 15. Do not attempt to revive or Inl
tlato any claim for exemption hy false
or misleading statements. Tho result
may be disastrous to you.
16. Do not attempt to eecuro a false
and fraudulent allotment. The penalty
Is severe.
17. Do not bo downcast because you
are starting out as a private when you
know you ought to be a Captain and
your wife can fairly see you as a Gen
eral. Never wa high position seeking
the man to All It aa Is to-day the case
In tho army. Make It your ambition
to climb to the rank you can All. It the
war laits you will reach it You are
on the road. An Arut Omen.
New York, November 6.
Frocras af Kultor In IMgram,
from th4 B(ffta JlallaiU.
The lUt ot substitute far everything
Imaginable la the Invaded territory of
ntlsium growa lonr every day. It now
Includes "coftfn" from pulverised and
roasted hone chestnuts aa well aa "flour"
tram the powdered pith of aldet trees.
Coming Instance.
Private Bmlth nepublloa are ungrateful.
Private Jones Yap; they're planning to
give us farms whan wa get home.
GERMAN TOYS.
X 'Dealer Warns the Public to Be on
Guard.
To the Editor or The Bun Sir: We
have seen your articles on the German
toys that recently arrived In New York,
and also many other reports ot this lot
ot toys, nnd while we highly commend
the Butler Brothers' disposition of their'
goods. It might be a good Idea to In
vestigate where the larger part of this
shipment went, for we will venture to
say that the Butler Brothers' part ot
the lot Is only a part of the goods that
arrived In New York.
Most of these goods were consigned
to two or three commission houses In
New York city, from whom we dealers
purchase all such goods. Wo havo had
orders with these two or three houses
ever since before the war Btarted, as
have nearly all dealers alt over the
country.
We cancelled all such orders some
time ago nnd advised such houses that
under no circumstances would we accept
these or any other German goods, and
we presume that this same action was (
taxen oy mosi, u nut an, iuy ucaieis.
Even after these orders were cancelled
we were again asked If we did not want
to take them at "before the war prices,"
but replied that we would not take any
thing "made in Germany" at any price
or even as a gift
We also know as a matter of fact
that this has been the universal action
of the dealers; but while this is com
mendable, wo feel sure that further ac
tion Is necessary, and that Is that the
dealers should not only refuse to accept
or take any of these German goods but
they should refuse to purchase any goods
at all of such houses as handle the
cussed German goods.
There are a good big lot ot such goods
there In New York to be disposed of
somehow or other, and where are they
going? Onto the market. Into the water
or up in smoke?
We have seen a salesman from one of
these two or three houses in the last
week who told us that he would give up
his Job and resign if his house asked
him to eell any of thees goods. Strange
to say, all of the two or three Import
houses have German names or so-called
German American. A Tot Dealer.
Hartford, Conn., November 6.
THE SIMPLICITY OF A TAX
ON CHECKS.
Tho Spigot ot a Barrel That Molds
303 Billions Yearly.
To the Eorroa or The Sum Sir; Let
me add a word or two on the proposi
tion of a tax on checks recently dis
cussed In your Journal. a
The Clearing House e'xehanges of all
the banks In the United States In 1917
are reported at approximately 303 bil
lion dollars. This amount has passed
through the banks entirely in the form
of checks and drafts. It does not in
clude payments in metallic or paper cur
rency. One per cent on tho above
amount would give an Income ot above
$3,000,000,000 ( a year. This tax on
checks would flow Into the treasury
day by day ana Is the easiest of all
taxes to collect Ail that is necessary"!
Is that the payer or signer of the check
shall fill out a folder attached to the
original check for one per cent, of the
original check, payable to the United
States Treasury. No bank to be allowed
to honor or cash a check except with
that one per cent, folder attached to It.
A tax of one per cent simply means
an addition of one per cent to the
price of every kind of commodity paid
for with money In the form of checks,
which addition Is insignificant All
taxes raise the prices and cost of com
modities, but this check tax Is in that
respect on the whole more equitable
than any other tax. It may be expected
that all business transactions would
adjust themselves automatically to that
check tax. The laborer and working
man who does not keep a bank account
will not bo affected by It. Neverthe
less It is Just as desirable that he be
reached also with a tax. A Just and
easy way to reach him Is a tax on a
ftw articles of consumption like tea,
coffee, sugar and alcoholic drinks. This
kind of tax reaches everybody, but
people who keep bank accounts and are
supposed to have more wealth than the
ordinary laborer would be taxed In ad
dition through the above suggested
means.
This tax should take the place of the
Income tax up to the amount of 110,
000 Incomes. Business of 310,000 an
nual profltR will probably In that way
pay from 3 to 10 per cent tax upon
the profits, because In order to make the
profit there would have to be a turn
over of from three to ten times In the
amount of gross Income.
Incomes of over tlO.OOO would then
be subject to the surtaxes, payable only
once a year, but could very well be ar
ranged to be paid twlco a year, which
would be easier for the taxpayers.
There are millions of farmers and
small business men who do not keep
accounts as Is necessary for tho pre
sent method .of Income taxation with
Its multiplicity of perplexing deflnltlons,
All persons, Crms and corporations wllh
less than 110,000 profit would be freed
from the necessity of paying accountants
for keeping their books. The tax would
also have the effect of checking specula
tive transactions on exchanges.
This check tax Is so easy of collection
that It might be continued as a stand
ard form of taxation after the war,
merely reducing the percentage from
one per cent, down to whatever revenue
the Government desires to obtain from
It If the amount of one per cent. Is
not sufficient. It could be raised to 1M
or 2 per cent, all of which Is one of
the simplest forma of Income taxation,
giving a dally and continuous flow of
revenue to the Government L.
New York, November 6.
On th fete Side.
Gontnl turned Lear out of doora.
"Kings ara going out of etyle," she
lirlefly explained.
The Soldier Speaks,
I'm plastered thick th fllthr mud
And aoaked with ley rain.
And crowded In a durout where
I'm ordered to remain.
The hole la full ot thlnsa that crawl,
I'm d&afened with the (una.
And yet I hear an' armistice
la talked ot with the Huns.
A truca with theaa barbarians
Who ateeped the world In gore,
And choked the sea so thick with dead
The wavea pollute the ahoral
A truce to let them real and grind
The aabra'a edra anew,
And gain the tlma to call racrulta
To swell their aavara crawl
The flfhtlng man nho chumt with death
And faela the vital tear
Ot ehrapnel, and the thin, cold klu
Of ateel, keen lipped and bare,
And aeea a atream of liquid Ore
On living bodlaa poured,
Knows but one kind of truca the quick
Surrender of the anord.
MlNNi IsriNS.
HULBERT URGES CITY
TQ RUSH PIER PLANS
Got Concessions of Boads
While URificd Under Mc
Adoo, lie Soys.
TERMINAL SHIFTS1 VITAL
Importnnco of Immediate
Preparation for After War
Trado -Emphasized.
Exactly why immediate authorisation
by the Mayor, the Blnklng Fund Com
mission and the Board of Estimate
should be given to the Dock Commis
sioner's plan for coordinating ana in
tensifying pier facilities at this port was
pointed out by Commissioner Huflbert
hlmfelf yesterday.
"The success of the plan," he said,
"depends upon the cooperation of the
railroads having terminals here!". If this
city administration really desires IB
provide for the great commerce certain
to flow Into the port of New York im
mediately after the coming of peace then
steps must be taken at once to Induce
tho railroads to mane the necessary con
ould be
cceslons and changes which
helpful to all industry and commerce.
Peace Is coming rapidly, is almost hero.
In the life of this administration It Is
likely that the railroads will revert to
private control. In that event it seems
obvious that the old competitive, selfish
methods will go back Into effect, and
that It will be very difficult for the city
to get what It wants from the roads.
"Now an matters stand all the roads
entering New York arc under the au
thority of one boss, William O. McAdoo,
Director-General. ,It would be compara
tively simple to make whatever arrange
ments are necessary through this ono
boes, Mr. McAdoo. By virtue of his au
thority he could Influence or direct the
railroads to adopt a fair and generous
policy toward the city's trafllc and trans
portation needs. Through him wo could
get the railroads to surrender plera use
less to them and to employ much more
Intensively than they aro doing piers
that they must retain. We could bring
about the removal of Sound steamers
from their North Hirer terminal to a
much moro accessible and suitable ter
minal at Twenty-third street and the
East River. These things are obvious.
Need for Quick Action.
"The point is that If they are to bo
accomplished by this administration
something must be done at once. When
the railroads get back to a peace footing
and are released from Government con
trol It is unlikely that they will be an
easy to deal with as they would be at
present I earnestly hope, therefore,
that Mayor Hylan, Comptroller Craig,
Rie Sinking Fund Commlaslonera and
the Board of Estimate will see the ne
cessity for calling a conference at once
with A. It. 8mlth, Regional Director of
the United States Hallroad Administra
tion for the Eastern District, and with
his aids."
So far as making arrangements with
the railroads Is concerned Commissioner
Hulbert's ideas come to this: He be-
lleves that If the United States Railroad
Administration would apply the principle
adopted In coordinating the railroad pas
senger ticket offices to the unification of
activities on the forty-six piers now oc
cupied by 'the railroads on the water
front of New York city a number of
piers would be released to meet the com
mercial necessities of water borne traf
fic, at the name time effecting a sub
stantial saving In rentals and cost of op
eration, while attaining a maximum of
efllclency at the minimum of Inconve
nience. These conclusions have been Submitted
to Director-General McAdoo and Re- tne fall of the Hohenxollern dynasty. T
glonal Director Smith by Commissioner Ve no doubt that America will be glad
Hulbert and those officials have defl-1 eriough to compete In the world's mar
nltely approved his plan. Really all.fcets with German production when that
that remains .is the O. K .of the Mayor. production Is not controlled and sub
tho Comptroller, the Sinking Fund Com- ' s!dl,c(i bv an autocratic oower for the
mission ana the Board of Estimate, pneo
that O. K. is received the Commissioner
can go ahead and work out tho details of
tho scheme.
Heady to Go to TVarlc.
Mr,. Hulbert has worked out In dol
lars exactly what he proposes to do.
It was a programme for four years, but
there has been so much delay already
that tho 191S programme may have to be
carried forward to the 1919 programme.
This Includes the following Items:
A.4ih1 value of property required
for pier at StaplMon M5.(w
Coil of Improvement i,o ooo
Aesi-psed value of property for new
plera 5, 3 and 4. North River ,SS,UM
Removal of encumbrances and cost
of ImproTMiient . . . ;,ot!.PM
Com of platform at Dyrkmsn elrect. 40 (mo
Ae.r'eM value ot property for new
pier, South Brooklyn JiS.CM
Coet of Improvement 410 000
Two pler north of Day Ridre ave.
nue. Brooklyn SOOOM
Removal of vanl East Twenty-fifth
treet to Whale Creek lo an
Renilra to Eat Twenty alxth afreet
Pier and ehed ISO 000
Repairs to Eaet Twntr-txth atrert
pier and abed M em
Jamaica Bay unloading platform.... sj'cn.)
Drerijinc Mill Baeln 3.0.0M
Dredrnr at Graveeend Bay S5 000
Total IT.TK.COO
These Items nro the first steps of the
Hulbert Improvement scheme and repre
sent obviously, tho first things that
must be done. One In "Mo r,.iT .
would take up a further extension of lm-
provements wnicn would Include :
New aheds at East irth, lth. Slth
and Slat streets StTSOfO
New pier and ahed Eart Twenty.
tniru atrect ..
Rowevelt wrret ferry Improve
mcnt
3rand etreet ferry improvement'.!!'
New nlera at East Sixth uh v.i
roo.oco
115,000
seventh atreeia ICO, on)
,rw i'ici rAiruaiuil at aaai jsirnth
etwt
Bulkhead mansion Pevantr-ninrh
to Eithtieth itrwt. Eaat River....
Battery landinr, new platform....
Broidway ferry, Brooklyn, improve
ment Jamaica Bay dredrln?
Three new nlera at Stapleton)
Staten Island
New pier. Bav Ridre avnu m'nA
T:,tno
lo.Mtt
1,000
160.000
t.MO.000
Slity-elxth street. Brooklyn 1M,0)
Total for second year IS iy C"
In tho third jear Commissioner Hul
bert would spcml a little more than JS,
000,000 upon absolutely necessary re
pairs and construction, listed as follows :
New pier, North River ami Forty-v-riiht.L:trv-,.u"
.T0.
street
New pier. North River and l'lJth
Ko.000
jam.", my 'drVdiin'r::':::: TiZ
New modern plr, replartnr 4 and
46. Eait River jiyv)
Two new nlera. Sooth nmnvivn'
111.000
New pier. Harlem River and Tord-
ham road
New rler, Harlem r.lver and'aw'h
street
New pier, Harlem River and KMtli
atreet
New pier between Bay nidre avenue
and Slxlyalxlh atrtet, Brooklyn..
, ... . .....
XWal for hlri w- S3 49 944
The fourth year a Improvements would
riVhi? ?MnL'T,m0,re .'""V1"'. 'nce
S. ,k, . i.. ,,Z. " ao"-
This phase Includes:
Wldeninr and estendtnr pier st
North River and Forty, fourth
street it nu ' , -.....- iun, .
Jamaica Bay dmlrint- JJJJ American corporations.
' ' 1 "Thero must be an active and co
Total for fourth year li.(8ifno Rtructlva effort made to not only bw
To these Items must be added tho coat 'll0 funds to effect these purchase, upi.
of dumps to be taken over for dock pur- proper banking lines of cruise, 1 i
P,?"B.bZ, ,he, Department from the American bankura should aid In eve-
?ieieS 1 nf Department nt a cost of possible way In finding the Amen-..
S800.000. And the grand total for the Purchasers and in encouraging them t
whole plan would thus be $20,113,118. jbuy."
PALMER TELLS PLAN
.' JO MAKE FOE PAY
Would Uso Funds From Enemy
Properties' Sale to Meet
Damago Claims.
THANKS BANKS FOR AID
Says Germany's Strangle Hold
oh Essential U. S. Indus
tries Is Brofccn Forever.
A. Mitchell Talmer, Allen Property
Custodian, laid bare his plans for the
unconditional surrender of Germany's
huge Industrial and world trade organis
ation In the United States last night In a
speech at tho Quarterly Club dinner in
the Metropolitan Club.
Mr. Palmer explained that he already
had In his custody between 1700,000,000
and 3800,000,000 of German owned con
cerns, and te said that this amount soon
would bo swelled to 11.000.000,000. He
thanked the banks and bankers for the
aid they already had given the Govern
ment in taking over this property and
raiurt for more aid in the direction or
t financing purchasers for these vast prop
erties, many or wnicn ne m
placed on the auction block within sixty
days. .
He admitted the vast dlfflculty that the
Government would have had in handling
the more than 30,000 separate trusts In
volved In the vast task of taking utr
the.Oerman owned concerns It the banks
and trust companies had not aided, and
he made a strong plea to the bankers to
help convert the Teutonic Industries Into
100 per cent. American Institutions.
He explained it was the hope of tbe
Administration to make the seised Ger
man Industries pay the damages in
curred by Americans throush Illegal
methods of German warfare from the
sequestered funds now In his hands.
"I earnestly hope," he said, "that I
will bo given the power to use this money
to pay the Just claims of American oltl
xens against the German Government
duo to Its Illegal warfare. Why shonld
Americans have to wait for years for the
payment of these claims when so much
enemy money la available' to pay them at
once?
"Whatever accounting Is to be made
when the war Is over for enemy prop
erty taken here during the war," Mr.
Palmer continued, "so far as that ac
counting affects investment in American
Industry, will be for the money value
thereof and not for the thing Itself.
Without attempting to prophesy what
may be dono with the proceeds, for this
must remain to bo settled by the treaty
of peace. It is safe to say that the busi
nesses that the Germans built up In
America will be lost to them forever.
"No other course would be compatible
with the safety of American Institutions
No other course would mako the Ameri
can field of Industry and commerce 'safe
for democracy,' for the German autoc
racy Is quite ns apparent In Its economic
exploitation of the world as In its gov
ernmental domination of central Europe.
"No greater favor could be hown to
Germany than by carefully managing
and conserving these enemy properties
against the time when, at the end of the
war, upon accounting for properties of
any kind, the former German owners
could take up tho Invasion of American
Industry and commerce on the very
salient which they had erected before
the war.
Dcmnndi Industrial Dlaarmnmrnt,
"Germany mutt bo made to under
stand that her plan has failed In the
Industrial field as well as In tho mili
tary. Industrial disarmament must
come along with military disarmament
Autnc-rnrv In lnrtnntrv miiat full with
, purpose of extending that power the
, wnrlrt nrnnml
"The cooperation and naslrtance of
over 500 banks and trust companies
throughout this country and In Its in
sular possessions have made possible the
quick and accurate handling of nearly
1500,000,000 of property during the first
year of the activities of the Custodian
If It had not been for such cooperation
It would have been necessary for the
Custodian to maintain an enormous of
fice, with a clerical force running into
the thousands and storage vaults of
great magnitude.
"There is greater need for coopera
tion now. I want the bankers of tli.-'
country to help me crush the stranirl
hold which Germany, through Its hV
ers and agents, has had upon mo.U "
the essential Industries of this countrj
I want to Americanise every German
owned Industry In this country. I want
to see every factory, every workshop
and every manufacturing plant that H
enemy owned placed In the hands of 100
per cent Americans for all time.
'Iln tho next few weeks wo will soil
approximately $200,000,000 worth of
enemy owned concerns In thl country at
public auction. They Include great
woollen mills In New Jersey, large drug,
chemical and color companies, laon
works, machinery plantsiand a magneto
company. More sales will follow. Them
will be no letup In the Amerlcanlsatlon
' of tne Gcrmun owned concerns In this
country.
Part ot World Control rian.
"Iong before tho war tho Gerniin
Government, through Us agents In thH
ctuntry. sought to control practically
every Important and essential Industry
This was part of Ita plan to colotilte.
subdue and control the world. It plantod
a great Industrial and commercial army
on American soli, and that army had
become so large and so powerful that
when tho war broke out In 1914 Ger
many believed it would be strong enough
tu keep America out of the war.
"Germuny planted that army In every
State of the union, and Its tentacles
stretched out acrcs the Pacific to Ha
waii and the Philippines, In tho Atlantic
to Porto Hlco and the Virgin Islands,
down to Panama and up to Alaska,
without any part of American soil free
from its touch,
"Thls great German Industrial org,tn
liatlon exploited our great resuun i
and husbanded them for Its own use am!
power. It kent secret from America t:.,-
processes and patents which might n:ne
1ay. be ue!eJ ?K.alnst 11 nna bullt "P
dustry after industry, totalling postm
12 000,000,000 In money value and bill-
Ions more In potential political v.ilue
"It Is tho encroachments of German
y.TO)bank controlled business In this cojmr
JO0i!tni,t hoth American bankers and Amu -lean
Industrial leaders must coml i'
84.000 ( They are already Intrenched here m
!wi0,,no 'orm of German ownership of ch.ii-
, i'"i"ii6 unares or American corporation
American bankers havo a real re.i
blooded part to play In ousting them
The Allen Property Custodian Is en-
"eavoring now to show them the wa
It cannot be effectively done by a pasMu
Irterest In the financing of America.
n-rchnsftm nf ihom 1 1 - - . - I .,
1 .sassM ; r, I i
WA
1
mm Pi -
Ml .'IV!
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