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6 .w. . , ! of peace averag half the colossal iElie eWeTeftaiVat 2tUl PrlcC f &ctnal fighting, actual blow " , Ing billions of dollar of explosives AND NEW TOHK PnKfS. ., Iu.in t.lll.n. f ,ltlra SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 10. 1018. MEMBER OF THB ifJSOCIATD.PHESS. The Associate Pree ( elulTlr titled to lbs uee fcr republication ot oil news Mipltht credited to It Of not ntherwlie credited In this pipr and also the local news publUbed herein. . All rlihta ft republlcatloa of special ,riepatches herein are alao reserved. entered t the Poet OSke t Now Tork as) Heeond Claai Mall Matter , utwctipUaM fey Moll, PMfpvUd. Oa Six .One Year. MeoUia. Uoeth. DATt-Y A SUNDAT...I10.J0 M " mtiv ..I.. iaaa 4.00 ..o HUNDAY ouly ClKiMlw Rats, DAILY A SUNDAr...10.00 DAILY only S.00 HVNPAT only., 8.00 totva nim. DAILY SONPAT.f.fi-S2 DAILY tmlr..... 1S.M ttVNDAY only . 1.&0 iO $3.00 . 2.M J1.00 .! JO m TUB EVKNINO BUM. Per Month M this evenino sun, Per yar. THB VJB.I.SO 8Wr.lf nJ.PT IM All check, money orders, Ac. to bo inede payable to TuitBCR. Fubllthed dally, Including Sunday by the (fun Prlatlac and Publlehlns Association, 'ISO Nassau Herourh of Manhattan. N. Y. Vrotldent, PrankA. ilontey. W aaaauat.; VtM.pretldent. Ervln Wardman; Secretary. It. II. TltharlnftOB: Treae.. Wu. T., Dewart, eUl of ISO Nassau etreet. Ixindon oBce, 40-41 Fleet street. Parle office, S Itueede ta Mlchodler. ctt ,Hua da Quetre Septembre. Waahlnstan offlce. Muneey Building. Brooklyn offlce, Itoom 202, Eagle Build Ins. SOa WaablBcton atreet. It mut IwLnlM irka faror tu vUk tnaav rertttt aai tlltitntloni tor patlicofloa c to Vac rtlMlti trticlit ftvnti laey ataft 4m til eatit tent uampt lor met yryo. TEL.EPHOSB. I1EEKMAN 2M. McAdoo's flan to S'op War and Excess Profits Taxes. In Secretary McAdoo's recojnmen datlons to Congress of an Immediate cessation of taxes on tho excess profits of Industry and business, even on war "profits, tiero Is more economic wis dom (ban will be apparent to the .casual glance. There Is as well n ftoree eenae, essential In ell practical problems but conspicuously absent tfrotn exono prominent tax layers of the present Congress. W say the immediate cessation of snch bjxoo because what the Secre tary proposes Is that they shall not apply to any business done nfter the ZlA day of December, 1018. Taxes of tiat kind would bo parable next year fOBl oo tho business already done In jt&g year of 1018, now near Its close. It ( to be observed, furthermore, thnt i( these recommendations arc fulfilled .ordinary Industry and business will be jSoBbly benefited, as follows: Corporations, partnerships and Indl Yldtrale that have been making un usual profits already have set aside from their earnings the taxes they expected to pay under the prepostcr pm Kltchln schedules recently enact ed. Not only are tLece tax fowls In Jwnd, but, because the actual taxe imyable on excess profits of ordinary, not war business, will now be lower than they estimated, all those moneys will not be paid out to the tax collect or. Again, Instead of having to pay next spring these lower taxes, he tax payers will be uble to distribute the payments over the coming year. This will give them the use of some of their tax funds during months of trying re adjustment In which ready cash will lie a precious thing to have. In this economic crisis, therefore, Industry and business are treated by Secretary McAdoo as tho foundation not merely of Federal taxing and rpendlng but of the Income of the nation, the earnings of the workers, the bread and butter of the individual. It was always economic madness to hunt Industry and business, as the Kltchlns would hunt them, Into th! last ditch. To drive a knife into the heart of the bird that laid .the golden pgg was always a p?r!' first to tho Treasury, then to all. Now r- .ry McAdoo lights the lamp of e tor American Industry and business, which, for the time being, are anxious mariners on a fog wrapped sea. And It Is tho horse sense of McAdoo which sees that In this swift and vio lent readjustment which has burst npon the Industrial world the ques tion of tho moment is no longer In ordinate "war gains, no longer excess profits on war business or peace busi ness; the question Is Just plain profits any profits at all. The problem with which this country Is now faco to face le not how to pay taxes on huge profits. It Is how to keep busi ness from going on the rocks. Of what earthly use could be rev enue statutes providing for taxes on eocCess profits with no excess profits left In the country to bo taxed fur war or nny other purpose? Secre tary McAdoo's brain was not confuted on that subject. The real problem, tho crucial problem to sustain ordi nary business was In his mind's eye as quirk as a flashy And yet we ven ture to sny that If Secretary McAnoo has cut some of the ground from un der the feet of the spenders he has not cut enough. Tho man to whom all the bflls come naturally Is concerned over whether there will be at his command the, revenues with which to pay the bills. STora the point of view of his own official responsibility he would rather hove too much than too little. Nev ertheless, It feeema to us thnt Ills es timate of what need bo spent between now and the end of next June In cleaning up the war Is higher than the controllable facts Justify. Iu estimating anew the war cost for the fiscal year at 518.000,000.000 those divine attributes which the be Mr. McAdoo appear! to allow an nv- llevera In a living Qod always ascribe erase of more than $1,000,000,000 a to HlmT Fimdly do we hope--fervently month for the next seven and a half do we pray hat this mighty scourge months. But the wholo twelvo of war may speedily pass away. Yet, months of the flcnl year were to ny- If god wills that It continue until all eragc, on a war basil, $2,000,000,000 the wealth plied by the bondman'H n month $24,000,000,000 a year, two hundred nnd fifty jears of unre Then, with no superlative destruction nulted toll shall be sunk, and until every of material any longer going on, why drop of blood drawn with the iah shall in the name of economy should the be paid with another drawn with the remaining seven and half months swerd, so still it must be said. The .w uwa whb ufl av awuo v u ee v of steel shell Into bits, casting bill- loni of dollars of oil manner of nat ural wealth Into Uw bottomless pit? Why even a third? The war has stopped. With the war has stopped the need of tire vast spending, which Itad to go on as long as there was fighting, which need not go on, must not go on, when there Is no longer fighting. The way to stop this now needless spending Is to etop It Then do It! Ambassador Jtuserand'a Portrait of the American 8ltUer la France. Yesterday came the ofllclal.- an nouncement that the last of tlio Oer- 011111 troops were beyond the French ' .. A few weeks ago when Americans frlendi of Vnnc Bn(J Krenchmeil In America were Joining at our City Hall In the celebration of Lafay ette's blrthdny, the French Ambas sador to the United States delivered an address from which we extract this striking tribute to the American soldier: "A VBlUst army, the prataa of which Is on every Hp; a youthful, good hu mored, cheery eriny, whoie every sol dier U welcome in the castle and in the hut, and U offered just as heartily the beet cake or the last crust; an Immense army that ceaaeleasly stows for month after month you tend over to France double the number of men Napoleon bad at Waterloo. Many French names written on your map recall (our pres ence herejitthe time of your fleht tor Independence, chief among them that of LxrATETTE. Many American names will In after time recall tha splendid part you are taking In the deliverance of France and of the world." Wc recall now with a pleasure which the renders of Tiie'Sun will share this eloquent utterauce of the statesman and scholar and constant friend and proficient student of our people and their Institutions, who holds much tlio same relation to us with regard to Franco that was so long add so felicitously maintained by Viscount Bsyos as the representative of British understanding end good feeling. Presidential Thanksgiving at the Close of Wars. A citizen whoso piety. may bo too far In advance of his patience sends this criticism : "To the Editor or The Sck Sir; It is evident that President Wttsorf be lieves, bo far as any supernatural con trol is concerned, that men and nations are allowed tn this world to act accord ing to their own free will; for In his addren to Congrese no reference what ever waa made to the Deity as having act or part in the cessation of hostili ties, or Indeed In any relation whatso ever. Thifl, I think. Is the first ad dress of that kind wherein such omis sion baa occurred. Am I right? , "T. E. W." "Nrw Toek, November 14. The United States had no President until six years after the close of the Uevolutlonary war. On April 10. 1763, the eighth nnnlversnry of the battle of I-c-dnton, the cessation of hostilities between Great Britain and the Colonies was proclaimed to the Continental Army. General Wasii inotok's orders read: "The chaplains of the several bri gades will render thanks to Almlchty God for all his mercies, particularly for His overruling tha wrath of man to Ills own glory, and causing the rage of war to cease among the nation.-!." Thanks to Providence for the peace following the war of 1812 were not expressed by President Madison un til March 4, 1815, ten weeks after the Ghent Treaty. Then, setting apart tho second Thursday of April as n day of thnnkfglvlng, the President recommended that the people "unlto their hearts and their voices In n free will offering to their Ilenvcnly Bene factor of their homago of thanksgiv ing nnd of their songs of praise." President Poi.k's proclamation an nouncing the signing of the treaty which ended the Mexican war con tained no reference to tho Deity. Several months afterward, on Decem ber 5, 1848, In his fourth annual mes sage, President Polk declared thnt "the gratitude of tho nation to the Sovereign Arbttcr of All Human Events should he commensurate with the boundless blessings which we enjoy." President Lincoln Issued no procla mation In the few days that camo be tween Lke'b surrender nnd his own death. In his second Inaugural ad drees, delivered five weeks before Ap pomattox, when the end of the Con federacy was In sight, ho said: "The Almighty has Hie own purpose. Woe unto the world because of of fences, for It must needs be that of- fences come; but woe to that man by I whom the offence cometh.' If we shall suppose that American slavery la one ot those offences which. In the Providence ot God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time. Ho now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war, an the woe due to those by whom the offence came, shall we discern therein any departure from Judgments of the Lord arc true and righteous altogether." It was In this immortal Address that Lincoln remarked boldly thnt both parties In the war "read 'the same Bible and pray to tho same Goo; and each Invokes His atd ognlnst the other." He felt, as he said a few days later In a letter to Mr. Wixo, that this part of the ad dress would not bo popular: "Men are not flattered by being shown that there Is a difference of purpose be tween the Almighty and thit. To deny It, however. In this case, I to deny that there is a God governing the .vorld. It La a truth which I thoULlU needed to be told, and oa whatever of humilia tion there Is In It falls most directly on myself, I thought other might af ford for me to tell It." In President McKiwxY'a procla mation for thanksgiving and prayer, Issued on July 0, 1808, nfter the vic tories at Santiago, he culled upon Americans reverently to "bow before the throne of Divine grace and give devout praise to God, who holdeth the nations In' the hollow of His hand nnd worketh upon them tho marvels of His high will." Mr. Mc Kixlky, In his proclamation ot Au gust 12, 1898, announcing tho signing of the protocol nnd tho suspension of hostilities, did not deviate from for mal diplomatic terms, but In his proc lamation for Thanksgiving Day he Invited tlio people to give thanks to Almighty Goo "for the glory of our victory and the hope of a righteous peace" Thero are precedents enough for that which "T. E. W." considers nn omlsslpn. President Wilbos's Thanks giving proclamation Is yet to come; and after that there Is tho day of the signatures that will bind tho world In peace. New York' First Mayor. Of tho six men who have been elected to the office of Mayor of the present city of New York two only survive Major McClella: nnd May or UYLAN. ItOBEKT A. VAM WYCK, who occupied tho City Hall from Jan uary, 1808. until January, 1002, IS dead In Paris, where he went soon nfter bo was defeated In 1001 as n candidate for the Supreme Court. Ills rejection at that election, which brought "Low to tho Mayor's ofllce, was the personal condemnation vis ited on him by the electorate. Tho organization he bad served was ousted from power In the city, and lticiiAr.D Croker, lie boss, quit in de feat, to live In Ireland, visiting this country only occasionally. An autoc racy not less brutal than the Prus sian wns smashed at the polls and Its leaders driven from power. The opportunity consolidation of fered to Mayor Vas Wyck was un usual. A man of different mould would linve made an enduring nume for himself through statesmanlike handling of the problems that pre sented themselves to the Mayor and the Board of Estimate. The charter was an experiment, but Its awkward provisions might have been twisted to good service. Tho city had then u bl-cnruerul legislature, consisting of Council and Board of Aldermen, n bi partisan Police Commission made up of four men, and a Board of Public Improvements to which broad powers were Intrusted. The men appointed as commissioners by the Mayor were re movable at his pleasure for six months ; the original Police Commissioners were Tom Hamilton, of the lato Frederick S. Gmns's following, and V. E. Phillips of Brooklyn, Repub licans, nnd 11. J. Yoek of Brooklyn ami John B. Sexto.v, Democrats. All of them were pnrty men first, and Hamilton and PuiLLirs wero removed by Mayor Van Wyck because their partisanship did not match his. He named Jacob Hesr nnd H. E. Aiiell to eucceed them. Then came the days of Deveht, "the best Chief of Police New York ever had," In the Mayor's judgment, the abolition of the bi-partisan board by tho Leg'slaturo, and the Institution of tho (-Ingle headed commission wo now have. Fred Gums never forgave Mayor Van Wyck for his treutment of Hamilton ; whatever possibility of Tammnny cooperation with the city Republicans thero had been perished. To get Deveby out of power was the object of the Republicans, and the Police Commissioner was made re movable by tho Governor, ns ho now Is, nnd Ineligible to reappointment. Had Deveby been appointed Commis sioner the Governor would have re moved him, but Tammany found n way to keep him In authority nt head quarters. Colonel Mike Muwhy was transferred from the presidency of the Health Department to the commls sloncrshlp of police; lie nnmed Dev ery as his First Deputy, nnd In that capneity Deveby ruled the force until Setii Low came Into power and Gov ernor Odell released Colonel Part ridge from tho State Department of Public Works to take tho Job. "The people do nut vote to put n mnn Into olfice any more," said Mayor Van Wyck In the gloomy duys of hie canvass for the Supreme Court; "they vote to keep somebody out of ofllce." They voted to restore Van ; Wyck to private life, with the title , Iceman Indelibly Imprinted on his rec ord, and he quit the country for Paris. So far as the city that hurt ! done him honor nnd then rebuked him as fow men have been rebuked was concerned, ho ceased to exist on January l; 1002. His successor, Mayor Low, was beaten for reelection, but held In honor by his fellow townsmen; Mc Cletxan wns elected twice, and now wears the uniform of the United Stntes Army; Gaynou died In offlce; Mitch el, rejected at the polls when he rnn for a second term, wns killed J doing his part for his country, and THE SUN, SATURDAY, tributes were paid to his memory t such a few men of his years have earned. The New Tork of to-day Is not the New Tork of Bob Van Wyck's time. As to Muiiles. ' We answer In tills consplcuouo place the subjoined Inquiry because1 our correspondent appears to share' an erroneous belief that has won wide acceptance: "To the Editor or T Ben air; To settle a dispute will you kindly let us know If the 'mutzle Is eir? "Can we now speak our minds about the political gang IX Washington with out being 'disloyal' or 'unpatriotic! "I have heard a great many people expreas themselves In no uncertain way during the last few days, but they talk mostly In whispers, as If still afraid of the 'masters' In Washington, D. C. "If It has not yet, when will the day of 'American freedom' arrive? T. J. J. "Nbw Yobk, November 15." Plainly, "T. J. J." believes that In tho period which has elapsed since April 0, 1017, American citizens have worn muzzle designed to prevent them from discussing public affairs fuly nnd freely. So far as The Sun has observed, nobody has worn such a muzzle. Spe cifically, The Sun has not worn a muzzle, a fact to which Its readers can give testimony and of which lta files nre tho enduring evidence. Po litical arguments have gone forward without Interruption, except as they have been Interrupted by tho absorp tion of Interest and energy In the supreme task of winning victory over the Germans. As no restraint has been laid on orderly political ratio cination, there aro no restraints to be removed. If anybody has the Cutlon that "American" freedom" covers disloyal utterances, words designed to bring about breaches of the peace, and the like, he Is utterly mistaken as to the significance of the phrase, and neither to-day nor so long as sanity rules us will they be tolerated by a nation now fully awake to the meaning of its existence. The astounding change from autoc racy to democracy witnessed within the lost week in Germany is scarcely less noteworthy than the equivalent transformation which occurred eleven days ago in our own beloved land. If the German mind retain the old discipline, anarchy can be brought about only by making It verbotcn to pay attention to a verboten sign. It is exceptionally interesting to re call that In the sixteenth ccn'.ury Hekrt IV. of Franco proposed a con federation to preserve world peace, known as the "Grand Design." Its plan somewhat resembles that now under discussion of a central con gress with delegates from each signa tory. But both because of the rivalry between his contemporary rulers and his own personal animosity, nhlrh nl ways brlBtled Into war, toward the Hapsburgs, the "Grand Design" of the French King failed utterly. Resembling tho American legend "From log cabin to Whito House" Is the one of which democratic Ger many can now boast: "From harness maker to Premier." Tho German officer who remarked that Holland is W:miki.m's Klba should remember that Klba was but a stopping stone to St. Helena. Crown Prince joins his father. T netet. Perhaps that la the Ideal punishment for Wimiexm. Many r-ersons aro curious to know whether tho members of the Xatlonal Council of Women of Germany ever protested to the German Government against the brutal treatment of the women of Belgium by the German soldiers. The kaisers nnd the kings depart nnd many doings tickle us, but where In all this upset world's our friend the Grand Duke Nicholas? Help to build huts to house tho new watch on the Rhine 1 THANK COD! Thanksgiving and Prayer to the So. prcme Being. To TitK Kditob or Tub Sun Sir: I'm afraid a good many of us In the excitement Incident to receiving the wonderful tidings and good news forgot to thank the Almighty Father fo.- that which He alone could and did make poa!blc peace coming out of what was the most chaotlo condition the world has ever known. Of course we all felt thankful for this, ami perhaps now the people arc In a moro wcrloua frame of mind. Could not the I'resldent set aside this Sunday an a day of prayer and thanks giving for this, not forrettlng those nho have given up their- lives that the world might be free? Kvery one should go to church on that day If not In the morning surely In tho evening. Many of our dear ones have helped i bring peace about by giving up their ! lives, and there are many, many others J who will have to be helped over tho rough spots when they get back. Let not a single person forget or neglect to jSle to the United War Work Campaign, lor If ever the boys needed , thrae organisations to look after them ' It will be In the coming months prepara- tory to their coming back home. Let us give thanks In these two ways ' from now until the end of the drive. One Who Has Much to Be Thankful Fort. Ntw VonK, November 15. Crowns Immortal. The world ta Jarring to the thud , Of Europe's falling thrones, j And crowna are rolling In the duet With klnia and crumbling bonei; Tha blood stained crown of Truisla torn I From WUhelm a craven brow ' And Ituasla's tragic diadem . Are uaeleu baublta now. Uut every town and village 111 America to. day llooiln ot a crown of Kara that time Can never steal away, Immortal aa the morning llcht On Freedom's mountain cragi, The golden atara of racrir.ee Upon their service Can. UlNXl ItTIM. NOVEMBER . 16, 1918. LOVJS THE CLAIRVOYANT. Important Life Saving Warnings Con veyed by Mystic Intelligence to the Supremo Spirit of the Spheres. I To tub Editor or THa Bus Sir: No I one of your readers ha ever broached the subject, of premonition. Out of many experienced by me a few will be entertaining. At Pocono Falls, a summer resort twenty miles away from Delaware Water dap, where In 1890 I stopped wlth the Intention of remaining a week, a queer thins happen j. A good sized hotel, with gardens run ning down to the river, and a number of charming gtrli to no boating with, prospects seemed propitious. When 1 was young It was nothing for mi to find delighted young ladles to walk out with and go river roaming. And, surely, thtee of them accepted my Invitation for an after supper row. Walking In the garden, all moon lit by this time, toward the7 fhote1, while they wero given (o laughter and rollicking bantering, out of thin air a voice shouted In my ear: "Leave right away I" "Why bo silent V they asked me. "Oht nothing. Uut I Just now re. member that I promised my brother I ! i " next train right to-night" Ith" popie- mu,t ultimately agree with Jt to heavy delay. j dd 1 tho Spectator. It has cited the one out- A combination of causes is responsible. Tho next evening at tho Gap, before ! landing modern attempt by free states m tho fint place the International situa supner, the newspapers were distributed. lo llvfl together under a league. We . t0n has necessitated tho transmission Sm.ngrh.U hotel0 wat 'burtd era Constitution whlc, re- althou,,, ,1,1s ph ase of rft. s.tuatn Is downl Oh, and Henry was there with I "'Art cle of Confederation rap dly his daughter I" Ac. Uulckly I read th. I "avf ur llb,rtl" "nd mad, " n.0"'" ' president of tho Western Union ex paper. There two hours after 1 had ?,!9'r ".me.nJ Crfat1 "pubUc- ' plained, has occasioned a deluge of bust left tho wooden structure had been de- . Uut 0,8 1'e1!ral Constitution In tho first ' ne messages, as concerns are relying stroyed by fire .sentence of Its preamble says: "We. the ' upon thi cables to a great extent to aid , Tho voice had come from my guard- V'op?-" ,n oth8r word:' t0 fCCUr8 1 f1,em 1,1 tha "sumption of their foreign ,ar ! I effective government and peace, sover- business. an angei. , . . . ,,ri,.,, mouicn such, for Instance, . , l , I T , j, I , At the time I was fleeing from Mr. go directly to New York, but I stayed for two weeks at New Orleans. La. 1 was right in the ml-carerm, bustle. However. Uiero was such a surfeit of crowd, noise and scarcity of suitable ; looms that I determined to take the -It.rnoon express to fit Augustine for un uw way to w depot I suddenly felt faint. I turned' to the left and entered a glided bar-, Z,i,.TTmi.wlto not banU'' th0 maivallm of whom I met at the hotel. We talked. B0VerelBnty. Iyet U3 be(rln wltn tlle An. . . . - - - to be a groxd affair to-night and ou'll be my guest." Of course I accepted, At noon tho next day newsboys ihouted: "Ultra! Train wreck!' I read: "The 5:40 express wrecked In collision half way to St. Augustine. Twenty pas sengers killed," Ac. Some unseen potency had saved ray life. 1 am keeping the most weird premo nition I had for tho last. It occurred tn Europe. , In 18S7, on leaving Paris to visit my sister In Hwltxerlund, I made a detour and ransacked Holland and Uelgtum. At Rotterdam I felt Inclined to avoid a first class hotel and try a third class ono facing a side canal. Of course the depot guard directed me thero. i ihought It was safe to go. When 1 remaln only for a day or so I leave my trunk at the railroad station for sev eral good reasons and tako only mj heavy large satahel. I reached the hotel, a plain house a thousand years old. The door led to t dark, long hall hlch I traversed to tut to the office. There a bulky woman at. The room was uncanny, half In utter darkness. She showed me up a dilapidated staircase to the second floor, then to a bedroom. "Wo do not give meals here. Pny ow for the room," she bruiqucly In formed me. The uncajinlness Increased. Who le was In tho house I did not see .ny other soul. I entered the room; i '..xl slxcd, rlchl) appurtenanced with cxt- vagant lounges, I gilded armchairs, larj; gold rimmed mirrors anil a curtain, d old fashioned doublo bed hidden from view, as tn days long past. In fact, the room was fitted out for a princess to bleep In. t sat on the gold framed lounge, looking toward the curtain, hiding the tied. It moved I Then all of a sudden, distinct as though from a living pcrton, 1 heard: "Go away ! Go away I was afraid lo investigate tho Invisible bod. "Go away!" Insistently I heard this, Ave times at Intervals. Why, the stoutest heart would have 'tared aghast. I quickly consulted my time table. A train left at 4 p. M. for Brussels. "Go away!" I tell you, this tlmo 1 obeyed. sjatchtl In hand, I bolted down the etalrs. Yes. In the office there were Ave burly, wild faced men, two with rteupons I rushed past, not heeding the woman's voice to detain me. through tho uncanny narrow hall to tho street. I'hero I ran ha. ling a passing rab. 'To the depot. Quick! I must catch that train!" Just In time! I escaped u meustrous adventure In Rotterdam. There are a score or more housed In my memory premonitions that had been tho doing of powers scientists nro unable to tabulate In their works on materialistic phenomena Louis M, Eilsiiumius, Supreme Spirit of the Spheres. New York, November 10. A Quotation From the President. To the Editor or The Bun Sir; Now that the voters of America have elected a Republican Cnncre.-a I tako tho lib - erty of quoting from the speech of Pres- Went Wilson to new citizens at Phlla- delphU as follows: It w tut a hl.torte.1 hc-lnnt. no rtn,.ht tht thi. -ri-at eounirv :. rnii,,! the "VnlteJ Pttc." and yet I am very thankful that It hn tha word "united" I In Its title, and ths man who iccki to.', I divide man from man, group from group, Interna from Intereit, In tho United States i la unking at Its very heart. The recent election demonstrated that some people think a man can be a good American even If ho lu a Republican. Iconoclast. Jehhet Citv, N. J., November 15, "o Grain for (lermnn Hecrl To Titn Editor or The Sun Sir.- If we nro to feed tlio Legging "Kamcrads" It should be stipulated that none of our li.r-iln BlirMtM h ItUPil flit- tho n. 11,1 n , ture of beer or schnapps. Many of the attributable to their supcrswllllng. Tljelr r.,,.,fr.,nil.. n ,,,.,-,. I...1...J -nu. superferoclty was superstlmulated, The water wagon for them. Mint Julep. New York, November 15. Yellow I'cier Treatment for Inlluenm. To the KniTon or Tun Sun ffir,- A rolored physician of Richmond, Vu., has hud universal success with Influenza by treating It as though It woio yellow fever. Whiskey was also prescribed. Paul Morris, U, H. N. New York, November 15. uarnin r. ningticy on n Cloier Union Than That of Mere SoverelgnUet. To the Editor or Tai Bur Sir; There Is an amazing article In the last Insue -f tho London flpecfofor on the proposed league of rations. After stating that Ul future happiness of mankind do- pends on whether the Allies take tho rlsl't or the wrong path on this matter. thl great leader of serious thought sub- mlts an outline of agreement which tho nations should sign at the peace table, One reads and wonders. The pro. posed agreement Is substantially a copy of the Articles of Confederation adopted by tho thirteen States during tho Ileo lutlon, If there is a clearer example of governmental Impotence than our old Confederation, I don't recall It The thirteen States had to abandon It to save their liberties. Can It be that the Spectator, always so generous to Americans, never heard of Independence Hall and the conven tion of 1787, and of John Marshall and Alexander Hamilton? Did Its writer ever read the Federalist? Hut after oil is tho Spectator any moro wrong headed than others? It Is Pcnc and so uncovers Its enor. All .tlrJXZDZl not' Mr. ' ' fo ' ! I 111 no tun iiiiiiiiuaiiLts uuu lu 1 - ... " , ' . - . i . . .!..,. .as mnsratulatorv cablegrams over tho jnerc was a uircerence oil : pl"'" nbout lhat " South, but ' ""l l"? Wtt fl"a'ly nnd elcrnaIly , "U"V ,? T I '".lii " a"d Peaca a" iM . . - ,, , , . , frontle8 and tne no ,. IanJ , whlch diplomats spy on each other and lie. pct-beiium programme will sa,o repetition of this horror that gio-Saxon world and perhaps France, No ,... ..m sv,i . .( Is the word. Dabwin P. Kino a let. New York, November 10. IDLE THOUGHTS. Political Speculations on the Conduct of the President, To the Editor or Tub Sun Sir.- Sup pose that Woodrow Wlleon, Instead of writing his letter of October 25, 1918, one of which I received by mail, advis ing the election of a Democratic Con- ireas, had appointed ex-I'resident Taft President Carlton yesterday, "chiefly as or ex-President Roosevelt Minister to the result of natural causes over which the Court of Et James's, would Wood- ,e have no control. There Is a regret row Wilson not have stood higher ln the ' Jable 'ack f fa.clm'es ln forcf. ,n estimation of the people of the United States and of the world? And much higher now In his own estimation? An' would not such an appointment, had he not written that political let ter, have come nearer electing a Demo cratic Congreas in the last election than i.i. n- i. .,.,.1.1,, u , hls letter did? It csrtalnly could not have done worne. And would not such .arui lines here. In fact we are so heav an appointment, for one at least of his,; ily burdened with messages from Europe have measured up nearer to the broad that wo cannot arcept any more at minded appointments made by President nrcnt. We hope, however, that the Lincoln under somewhat similar condi tions? 'Wiuliam H. Forbes. Frankmn, Pa., November 15. THE EMBATTLED FORCES. Efficiency Against Character to Decisive End. the To the Editob of Tub Sun Sir: Now . that the great war has ended historians and philosophical writers will attempt, as Ruckle says, "those large nnd com prehensive studies by whose aid alone wp can ascertain tho conditions which determine the tread and destiny of na- Hons," and I would submit aa the met tlioushtful and clear expri'binn on t! subject which ha come to my notice the statement of Dr. Samuel I- i:mer- i son, profefcAiir of history at tht. Knlver- which men cooked and kept warm wlth slty of Vermont, as follows: "I think out any knowledge of the coal lying , It Is not too much to nay that this world I beneath the surface of the earth? war may be best described as a conflict between the forces of efficiency on the ono hand and of character on the other, and the event proves how well character met and withstood the ordeal." Daniel, U Catjt. New York, November IE. OUR BOYS ARE HOME' COMING . , ,. ... . ... , . I etroIcum V ,l,b' ro, a,,d ' Poo Stewart Sang the Sonir. ; To the Editor or The Srv Sir: A ' poem, "Our Roys Are Coming Home." ' printed In The Si'.v of No ember 13 without Identification of Its auUior, was 1 written on tho day of the fall of Rich- I niond. IStir,, by locke, "Petroleum V. . Vaabv." for n baiiu'iet held In celcbra - Hon of the event that night at or near Tiffany, Ohio. Ho took the poem t0 my ( limn-,, ... .w ...v....... .v, ..... j j earn director of muslo In tha Cleveland i public HChools, and asked him to write tho music for It and to flng It nt tlio ; banquet. ' Father wrote music for tho words and , R at that banquet, where he was seated between General Sherman ami i Senator Sherman of Ohio. Nnsby was on tho Toledo flluf.v. The K0" wa,s "c;l"d and VopnUr for a time, but has not been put Into print. ! Father has the original manuscript ot tho words and music In his possession now. Ho Is 80 years old, but was lns- j ing tho hong from the music only a ' short time ago. Gaumem-i; Stewart Mi lmner. New York, November 15. Try It With a Familiar Air. To tub Editor of The Sun- Sir; In reading the editorial page of The Sex ' nf Novcmbor 13 I was fctruck by tha ! vortes "Our Boya Aro Coming Home." 1 wonder It nny of your readers did as I did? I stood up and sang It through to tho tuno of "S.and Up. Stand Uu for Jesus." What better victory , bltM lho au,hor' AM t. vert Dat Reaper. New ROCHEU.E, November 15. A Cry for (lood Liquor. To Tim Editor op The Sun str: Now thnt tho war Is over Is the-i- nny i,-u- ion why the embargo should not be ...I (V lrll. ..I. I., tnken off Scotch and Irish whltkoy? Tho fcort of fctuff that Is being nerved Is enough to mako a prohibitionist of a j mail. USQUEDAl'011. New York, November 16. ARE OVERWHELMED i "Western UfllOIl BOIUSCS 10 AC- cept Prlvato Messages Un til Congestion Ends. OTHERS WARN OP DELAY Storm Wrecks Land Lines and Influenza Depletes Oper ating Forces Abroad. A congestion of messages such aa the cable companies never beforo have ex Dertonced has forced tho Western Union Telegraph Company to refuse for the Mm. ,in tn nnvot mv more private cablegram, for transmission to Kurope. The Commercial Cable Company is ac - centlng messages, but only foi future transmission, and the French TelegTapn Cab.. Company Is accepting them "aub. -. ,."i , i. uuiea victory aim iiiiuiii tlves of soldiers ln tho foreign service regarding the welfare of the latter also are numerous. To make matters worse tho cablo companies are all more or less crlrpled either by curtailment of their mechanical facilities through one cause or another or by tha depletion of their working forces duo to tho Spanish Ictluensa epidemic. The Commercial Cable Com pany, which claims to have all the wire facilities It needs to handle tne j situation, has been particularly hard hit , by tho epidemic. Sixty per cent, of the employees In Its cable station at Watcr vllle, Ireland, alono are said to be laid up with influenza. The Western Union, on the other hand, complains chiefly of an impairment ln Its mechanical equipment, A heavy storm ln the vicinity of Moncton. New Bruns wick, played havoc with the company's wires on Its supplemental route via Syd ney. Nova Scotia. From 7 o'clock Thurs day morning until yesterday afternoon not a slrfglo cablegram could be relayed over this route. " Late yesterday It was announced that ono wire on the route had been cleared. "Our facilities have been reduced to tho lowest point In several months," said --.-I' ui uiio m u nut o mi iiiuiuinniQ amount of traffic over our wires. Every body is starting In business again and la endeavoring to reestablish commercial n latlonships. Then there arc the Gov ern ment messages and the newspaper cablc-srama, which must bo handled liome way or other. ' "e nave aiao naa irouoio wun ae- i Uvfrv n. ... Tri..,, ,,.,..,,. ,,, congestion will, ba cleared up over the week end." At the ofllcefl of the Frc. -h Telegraph Cable Company. 25 Rroad tt, t, tho fol lowing announcement was pa nod up: "Owing to nn abnormal trafllc conges tion the French Telegraph Cable Com pany can accept mersageH subject only to heavy delay until further notice." OUR WASTE OF WOOD. Wo Cut Flno Trees and Let Fallen Timber Decay. To the EotTon or The Sun Sir; Your correspondent David A. CurtH expresses concern its to the failure of tho world supply of coal nnd wonders what will happen when It Is) exhausted. Has he thought of the countless aires dnrlnr i It Is moro than a century since coal was first used, as It was exported from Newcastle, England, at tho end of the ! thirteenth century, but It was not ex- tenslvely mined In this country before canals and railroads made tho trans portation easy. Before that time open tires nnd stoves In which wood was burned were alone used. lu many countries of the world there Is no coal even now. In Russia the great stove-like ovens that heat the houses during the long winter are sup plied with wood only. If wo were not so wasteful with our wood wo might have still an amplo supply for our i houses, hardly perhaps for qur many fuctorles. Thousands of cords of "dead ; and down" timber 11, decaying on the j ground, and we cut down lino oak and ' hleknrv trees tn hum Th. i burn up tho ties that nro no longer good rnougl for the track but make HHuiii.uMu iiivs iur iieuuiiK. I tirougn- 1 out the antliraclto coal resion black j mountains of fine coal mixed with slate that has been .-ejected from tho breakers j are at Mio mouth of every mine. This j coal could bo comprusscd into brlrka ; and used for fuel, but It docs not yet , command a prlco that would pay for ; the labor. . p0r tho present there seems little danger of the failure of the -oa! supply 1 in this country, though the nrlcr to tho , con-rjiner. thinks to tho Interference of the Fuel Administrator. Is Ktendilv in crcaslnrr. If wo could get a few German and Austrian stoves to warm our houses we would save an Immense amount of fuel, but wo should copy their methods of preserving and cultivating timber. Q. H. D. Hazlbtok, Pa., November 15. A HISTORIC SCENE. Scenario Snggestlon for Alert Motion ricture Producers rouucirs. To T1,B !-p-Tor or The Sun Sir: In . .- "me im-iurci houses for months showing Secretaries (Daniels. Raker and McAdoo In political' action Tiiuiures uimooi invariably r. 1 '.-cued wh stony silence but S t'ho ) theatres evidently considered It politic to show- l sugKcst that we havo for a' I t i .a . ... cnuiige uuring mo next week or bo pic tures of these same gentlemen recelvlnn- .. ..... , mi. tne news ot tne labt eieclivns. If Mr, wreei was on tuinci to take pictures. They might get some applauwe. Republican. New York, November 15. HOLBERT PIER PLAN SHUNTED BY CRAIO Comptroller Injects West Sid,. Schcmo Into Conference With U. 8. Officials. ALL DONE IN SECKKcy Dock Commissioner's Efforts to Build Up Port's Trad-Get- Setback. Dock Commissioner Murray Htjiht-t , plan to save New York's commerce not a bad setback yesterday when e'emn- ( troller Charles L. Cralg managed to ill. 1 vert th attention of ths Board of 1ii J-. 1 naum Admlnlstiatlon to his own WS gid Improvement plan. The rrsult ef mixing up tne two pians was oeiay of iwuicc, miu sifiita -tit . ininuiK I 1 rV" ths Mayor and Comptroller are prha', hostile to Hulbert's Ideas and woull Mi the plan If they can. When the secret conference of n. terday, which was made up of Mayor, Comptroller Craig, tnemb-rj of the Board of Estimate and of the S;n.-. Ing Fund Commission and of A II Smith, Regional Director of RaiToad for the Eastern district; C II. M.irit. ham. Regional Director for tho A ' Bheny district, and H. 13. Walker, f rector or coastwise steamsh'ps g through with discussing the Hulbert aim the Cralg plans It decided to meet aga December i. This means that Ct.-t aloncr Hulbert's desire to get Immc.l'jti action toward Improving pier facii i and relieving congestion Is to l i . appointed and that the entire Hu'oe plan Is to b carried Indefinitely lnt , : future. Crtfr Dran In Ilia Ovrn Plan. The Cralg plan for settling the WeF Side problem by building a tunnel cor. talnlng six tracks from Flfty-n.n' street oouth to Canal street nnd by em erlng the tracks northward from Fiftj ninth street so that Riverside Park coul. be extended to the marginal way had n business before the conference called fi yesterday. It was dragged In by ir.a' strength by lu own author. The tree' Ing was called to consider the Huloer plan. The Comptroller's plan, pjcrtf Into the situation oxerntght, natural' sidetracked the Hulbert plan for a go part of the conference. Apparently the Comptroller naw not. Ing unethical In turning the meeting t. his own plan rather than hold'ns thi meeting to the purposes for which It i, called. Obviously he desired to get th ear of A. H. Smith, the railroad bos, ir these parts, and about the only wav t'ia he could get Mr. Smith's ottent'on wi on the score of the Hulbert pier idea Mr. Smith himself said yesterday after noon that he had come to the City Uj to discuss; piers. A curious feature of tho conferen waa Its secrecy. ' When the confer gathered member of the pres, a st. nographer and secretaries of some of tr officials were In the Mayor's recepti' room. The Mayor himself was uptow it that hour, 4 P. M. So Comptrol'. Cralg took the head of the tablo ant announced t-.t, Oiu reporters and every body not connoted with the boards mus take th air. An Amailng Development. This seemed nmaalnp In v ew of th fact that nothing ln city administrate' Is of more public concern and Intere than port !vIopment : nothing mnrf likely to produce Interesting matter di to the public Subsequently an lnqu " addressed to Mr. Craig as regard.! re , sons for such privacy brought ircir- r nt rentment from the Mayor who i stood otherwise silent while Cra'g ' 'ho talking fralg's explination . that the meeting was s "conferenre ' . that "probably the Railroad Ad r tratlon representatives preferred jn vary." What happened crime about tn th i Comptroller Cralg, having the fl"t as chairman of the meeting, got v!" West S'de scheme before R-gloinl ' rector Smith, the very A. H Smith. . recalls) easily, that Cralg fought s,.. I terly when Smith was president -f . w York Central Railroad, an Ml' e 1 may reassume not improbably in l not too distant future. This en" tod- n diverting Craig appealing for t!e tentlon of the man whoso lr.tere.M ' had so rancorously attacked a ve.ir arr Tho Regional Director was ..!! t have smiled from tune to time ! .r'i . the conference, but he contm'vei self to nothing. Nor did Reg ":;.U !' rector Markham commit hlmse.f v thing. Nor did the Steamship P.-- t give the slightest Inkling as to the wa he felt about matters. He left er early, anyway, not too pleased at :ia Ing been kept waiting an hour b tv Mayor and the Comptroller. Ilolbert Ctli n Chnnn-. After the generalities of the i , downtown tunnel ami upt-'w.i way plan for West S!do tp-.pri-w had been touched upon the rnme to Murray Hulbert's p!er s i e and for half nn hour or more th,- 1 Commissioner talked nt full speen i to drive Into tha minds ot his O'i'. j. the necessity for getting someth.rig ' at once; trying to make them ! -stand that New York's com - er - I standing still or shrinking uh-'e ' other Atlantic ports Is grow Ins and bounds; trying to make t,. -that great shipping and Hfar", teresta are planning to move a a.:' less the city wnkos up port .! ment matters, and pleadinj: fo: i : action, action Instead of dela 11. all of tho details of a well w..rK- ' plan beforo the conferees otnp' ..- the nocesslty for removing t!.r -steamers from their present Nor.'i 1 terminal to nn East River tern .: " trlng at the foot of Eust Tweu".-- v street. He argued heatedly ami i slatlenlly On the whole he was met o'.i - - w ith littlo sign of support, Craig ' ' nar In tnls Bnd tllnt- pnrt'. ul.i ma'ter or removing tho Sound t-i pnrasing nis oujectior.s as re.-re-the views of business IntereM Mayor, who didn't get to the n -' until after 5 o'clock, seemed ! I particular Ideas about anything. Tho whole discussion ended w ponement until December i, ur everybody was Instructed not obout what had happened or w been said In the powwow. sloncr Hulbert, who came ou: secrecy red faced and prettv .' looked as If he would liko t talked, hut he raid that it . agrcod that Cralg was to rev w tails of the conference for t-o of tho press. TRADE BRBIEFS. The Norwegian budtet f r l:i amount t0' 75.O0O,f.0O. Lt year f -" I a J.UII1I.1IIIII. in rnlll'aur nmtrA A : . .i..m. - - - ZVVZ aZ ' " all voted s.701.000 for i po. The rub'jer InduMry l r . attention In tha FIJI Iir u -Zealand Yarms hae plant. 1 tallone there that have piol. ' tlea of rubber reported to be high grade. There are 'thuusji. i ' In the Bill Islands that are wci; to this tnduetry. J