Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

The President of the Tennessee, Kentucky, and Northern Railroad is a woman, Mrs. Phoebe E. Clark, of Nashville, Tennessee. She was, "Leslie's Weekly" states, elected VicePresident of the road in March, 1914, and a few months later was chosen President to succeed her husband, the late George A. Clark. Her administration of the road is said to have been most successful.

The Jews of the East Side of New York City, "Everybody's Magazine" informs us, are producing an extraordinary number of artists. "Fifty per cent of the students in the principal art academy of New York are East Side Jews," it says. Among the names of the Jewish artists cited are those of Jo Davidson, Jacob Epstein, Sterne, Halpert, Walkowitz, Jerome Meyers, Weber, and Kroll.

A letter printed in the "Private Correspondence of Lord Granville" gives an amusing account of a visit by Charles James Fox to Paris in 1802. He was invited to dine at the house of Mme. Cabarrus, a celebrated beauty. "The moment he came into the room a black-looking, oldish man [the famous Chevalier des Boufflers] ran up to him with open arms and kissed him. This put poor Fox completely out. . . . He said that at first he looked round to see if he could jump out of a window or run downstairs again; but sat down resigned. To his great surprise, after a few moments the conversation became so extremely amusing, so brilliant and clever, Mme. Cabarrus looked so handsome and was so good-humored, that he was delighted, stayed the whole evening, and has returned several times since. He said he had no idea Frenchmen could be so pleasant as these were."

The late Joseph Fels, philanthropist, tax reformer, and millionaire business man, once described himself thus: "I am two men. With my right hand I can skin a man for five cents while with my left hand I can give away five thousand dollars." This characterization not inaptly applies to many shrewd self-made men, hard in making a bargain but open-handed when a good cause appeals to them.

66

"Gladys," remarked a somewhat irresponsible young girl, according to the New York Times,” “I am very much afraid my bank is in a bad way." "Nonsense!" said the other; "why, that bank is one of the strongest financial institutions in the country. Where ever did you get that idea?" "It's very strange," replied Gladys, still unconvinced. They've just returned a check of mine for $30, marked 'No Funds.""

[ocr errors]

A candid hunter tells in the "National Sportsman" about his case of "buck fever "-though he was hunting birds, not deer. "I began to shake and see birds on every side," he says.

"I finally managed to bring my gun in his [the bird's] direction and pull the trigger, only to see him walk away.... Bob got three, and I shooting as hard as I could and killing nothing. I got separated from Bob and ran across another hunter. Determined not to be outdone by Bob, I bought a rabbit and some birds from him. When I got back to Bob, he had two birds more, but I was satisfied!"

Irish good nature is being strained by war conditions. An advertisement in a weekly Irish newspaper, the "Kilkenny People," announces an advance in prices by the Blacksmiths' Association of Kilkenny, and adds, with the emphasis of capitals:

NO SMALL JOBS DONE GRATIS IN FUTURE

Evidently the times are past when the thrifty farmer could say, "Tim, ye're not chargin' me for that thrifle of a job, are ye?" The blacksmiths of Kilkenny are out for their rights in these days that try men's souls.

66

"Eternity is the distance between a hungry boy and supper-time," says E. W. Helms in "Reflections of a Corn-field Philosopher" (com positor please note that it is not Corn-fed Philosopher"). Other aphorisms' are: "It is not wealth but the arrogance of wealth that offends the poor;" "Opportunity never knocks at the door of the unprepared;" "The only way to get a thing done is to neglect everything else;" "Most people overvalue the acquirements they do not possess;" "The only way to reform a man is not to let him know it;" "Misfortune is the bosom friend of the man who 'didn't think;'" "If you would enjoy the taste of pie, live mostly on bread."

In "A Last Memory of Robert Louis Stevenson," by Charlotte Eaton, this curious incident is recorded: "What do you consider your brightest failure?" the novelist was asked. "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," "he replied, without a moment's hesitation, adding, "That is the worst thing I ever wrote." Yet in a standard book of brief biographies this is the one booktitle given under the name of the author.

In a contribution of vers libre to the September" Atlantic" Mr. H. G. Dwight observes, "I have stood on the bluffs of Scutari," "I have wandered among the lonely pillars of the Parthenon," "I have sat in the ruined theater at Taormina," "I have climbed the North Cape," and as a climax utters this astounding sentiment: "But I like Newark Bay." And his imaginative description of the allurements of that prosaic stretch of water almost makes the reader like it too.

"All trunk lines between Chicago and Denver," the "Railway Age Gazette" states, "have abandoned the sale of wines and liquors in the dining cars."

The Outlook

SEPTEMBER 20, 1916

Offices, 381 Fourth Avenue, New York

For the third time within a little over two years Mr. Gregory Mason, of The Outlook's staff, has gone to Mexico as its representative to study Mexican questions and the Mexican people at close range. He will go to the capital, Mexico City, and to the central part of the Republic in order to answer in his articles in The Outlook such questions as these: Do Mexicans hate Americans, and if so, why? Do Mexicans respect other foreigners more than Americans? What about German and Japanese influence in Mexico? What is the position of the Church in Mexico to-day? What is the condition of education in Mexico now? What is the political ability of the Mexicans? (Mr. Mason hopes to watch and report the methods in actual municipal and State elections.) Do Americans in Mexico want annexation, intervention, or what? How about the land question in Mexico? Is Mexico bankrupt and ruined? Has Carranza accomplished anything? These are only a few of the questions upon which Mr. Mason's articles will throw light. They will also include a readable account of personal experiences and incidents. Mr. Mason goes first to Yucatan, partly to look into the controversy over the sisal monopoly, partly because Yucatan occupies a peculiar position among the States of Mexico.-THE EDITORS.

THE STORY OF THE WAR

THE WEEK

[blocks in formation]

attacked lies to the southeast of the Danube River. It is quite probable that Rumania somewhat neglected this section of her frontier because of her anxiety to push through the mountains into Transylvania, where, as we have already noted, she has established herself beyond the mountain passes, has taken three important towns, and is facing the Austrian forces which hold a position along the River Maros. No doubt, also, Russia was evidently looked to by Rumania to send forces south from Reni to attack Bulgaria through the Dobrudja. Germany, under the leadership of General Mackensen, however,

struck in this quarter with great rapidity and
energy.
Mackensen has taken Tutrakan and
Silistria, both almost on the bank of the
Danube; the first seems to have been an old-
fashioned fortress easily pounded to pieces by
the big guns; the second is a place of impor-
tance. The future of the campaign in this sec-
tion depends upon Russia. She seems to have
every opportunity of moving whatever forces
she can spare south through eastern Rumania,
and thus to attack the Bulgarian and German
forces with these purposes in view: to combine
with the other armies of the Allies, to drive the
enemy back of the Danube, to cut the rail-
ways, and eventually to march upon Con-
stantinople. Bucharest is to some extent
threatened by the advance in the Dobrudja,
but though the distance from the present
German and Bulgarian position to Bucharest
is not much over forty miles, the Danube
River forms a strong defensive line.

The second new move in the Balkans during our week was what looks like the beginning of a large advance by the French and the British from Salonika. The French appear to be moving north along the line of the Vardar River—that is, in the general direction

of Nish, and ultimately Belgrade; while the British seem to be moving more to the eastnorth along the Struma River, which is practically the only other available line of advance. Meanwhile it is said that the Bulgarians have evacuated the seaport of Kavala. Altogether there is a strong probability that before winter comes the push on all the fronts in the Balkans by the Allies will embarrass Austria greatly and may very probably end in the reoccupation of Servia.

On the western front the gains of the week, both by French and British, were valuable. The capture of the town of Ginchy by the British forces was a fine bit of work. The French all through the week made gains, and particularly on September 12 took important positions which are of great value in the probable early attacks on Combles and later upon Péronne. They took fifteen hundred prisoners in one day. The fighting in all this section during the week was severe and the fatalities large.

There had been no very important development on the Russian front up to September 13, although advances have been made in the Carpathians, and apparently a strong advance movement is preparing in the neighborhood of Kovel and Lemberg.

The long-expected resignation of the Zaimis Ministry in Greece again renews the prediction that Greece is about to enter the war on the side of the Allies. The reports of the week indicate that her delay is due to the refusal of the Entente nations to promise at this late hour what Greece wants to have if the Allies win.

THE CARMEN'S STRIKE
IN NEW YORK

The memorandum and recommendations issued by the Public Service Commission and Mayor Mitchel in New York City last week, while they do not settle the strikes on the surface, subway, and elevated roads, will serve to clear the air, to give the public information as to the complicated issues, and perhaps to offer a basis for possible agreement between the contending parties. This basis has been definitely rejected, as we write, by the officers of the Interborough Company, but that does not necessarily mean that out of it may not grow negotiations which may avoid further injury and inconvenience to the public. The unions have accepted the proposal of arbitration, but with some conditions.

Every fair-minded citizen will agree

with the statement in the memorandum that "to-day, as on the 6th of August, the clear legal and moral principles governing the situation remain the same. Each side believes it is standing for its rights, but the rights of both sides are subordinated to the rights of the public, and it remains as true to-day as then that the public's right is a right superior to the rights of either the men or the company."

The specific recommendations made by the Mayor and the Public Service Commission are, in brief, as follows:

The strike to be called off immediately. The condition of affairs that existed before the break in negotiations to be restored.

Arbitration to be used to determine whether the Interborough individual working contractsthe rock on which the union and the employers split-constitute a breach of the peace pact of August 7.

The same means to be employed to determine whether the Interborough obtained signatures to these contracts by fraud, misrepresentation, coercion, or intimidation.

That

It will be remembered that the strike in early August on the surface lines belonging to the New York Railways Company was settled temporarily by an agreement which has been summarized in The Outlook. agreement included the consent of both parties to the arbitration of questions that might exist between them, and there was an implied recognition of the union by the Company. The Interborough Company, which controls. the subway and elevated lines, was not a formal party to this agreement. But, as the memorandum of the Commission points out:

Mr. Hedley informed Mr. Fitzgerald and his associates that as the same men governed the policies of the Interborough as governed the policies of the Railways Company, they might proceed upon the assumption that the principles and policies embodied in the Railways agreement of August 6 would be regarded as controlling in the case of the Interborough. It was definitely agreed to by both that the principle of freedom to organize, the principle of freedom from intimidation or coercion, and the principle of arbitration should govern.

Hardly, however, had the public begun to rejoice at the settlement of this strike when charges and countercharges began to be made by all the parties concerned, each alleging on the part of the other bad faith and acts contrary to the spirit and letter of the agreement. These charges have led to the existing strikes, and most emphatically they

[blocks in formation]

are accusations which ought to be arbitrated under the original agreement. On both sides a spirit of antagonism and a desire to fight rather than to conciliate has been manifested.

CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF THE STRIKE

The chief cause, among several, of the existing trouble concerns the action of the Interborough Company in circulating two years' contracts among their employees for individual signatures, and the insistence of the company that it will not deal with the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employees, which is a National Association in which the several unions con. cerned are united. The Interborough declares that it is willing that its men should belong to a union of their own which has been formed under the name of a Brotherhood, but declines to deal with any "outsiders," although the agreement of August specifically provides that the men in dealing with the companies may do so through any representative they may choose, and they have apparently chosen the Amalgamated to represent them. On the other hand, the Amalgamated Association leaders insist that the "Brotherhood" is not a union at all in the proper sense; that the contracts obtained from the men were signed under misapprehension or fear of dismissal, and that in refusing to arbitrate the validity of these contracts the Interborough Company has forced the fight.

The Interborough, in a statement issued immediately after the Public Service Commission's memorandum, declares that over ten thousand men have signed the contracts and that the Company will protect the rights of those men under those agreements and will not "submit to any person or body of men the question whether those agreements should have been made." The Company denies all charges of fraud, threats, coercion, or intimidation. The Amalgamated Association, on the other hand, considers that the Interborough, and perhaps to a less degree the company controlling the surface lines, have entered into a campaign of war to the death to union organizations, and that their utterances plainly show this intention. The surface line employees, in addition to their interest in the Interborough questions, make specific charges on their own account, and in turn are charged with breaking their August agreements.

As to the actual history of the strike, it

115

may be said that, fortunately from the point of view of the public, it has been far from complete. There have been considerable delay and inconvenience, and on the surface lines a shortage of cars, and in some of the more remote and detached districts of the city the inconvenience has been serious and irritating in the extreme. There has also been violence, but not on a large scale, and, compared with some other great strikes of this character in other cities, so far the number of serious attempts at violence has been small. Strike-breakers have been used, but not to a large extent; one serious accident, in which two persons were killed and twelve injured, was caused by a trolley car manned by incompetent strike-breakers. The subway and elevated lines have carried on their service without serious breaks or interruptions. Generally speaking, the public has been patient, and only quietly indignant at the situation, which has, however, given the people of New York a partial demonstration of the terrible condition which would arise should a strike on its main arteries of travel be completely effected.

There is at least a possibility of sympathetic strikes in occupations, such as those of the longshoremen and teamsters, which are of use by the transportation companies for the furnishing of coal and in other ways. The number of men who may be called out on these sympathetic strikes, if their unions decide so to do and secure the consent of the National unions involved, is estimated at from forty to seventy thousand men. Meanwhile some of the unions have urged their men individually to show sympathy with the strikers by declining to ride in any of the cars-a difficult plan to be carried out under transportation conditions in New York City.

LAFAYETTE DAY

Lafayette, the French nobleman, general, and patriot, is, next to Washington, perhaps the most distinguished military figure of the American Revolution. What our forefathers thought of him is strikingly indicated by the fact that there is in every State of the Union either a city or county that bears his name. When he visited New York, at the age of nearly seventy years, in 1824, he received a reception such as no other foreigner has ever, perhaps, received on American soil.

A year or two ago a committee of American citizens was formed to celebrate Lafayette's birthday, the 6th of September, and a

notable celebration was held week before last in New York under the auspices of this committee. A distinguished group gathered in the fine aldermanic chamber of New York's beautiful City Hall in the afternoon. Judge Alton B. Parker presided. The words of welcome were spoken by Acting Mayor Dowling, and addresses were made by Mr. Sharp, our present Ambassador to France ; Mr. Bacon, our former Ambassador to France; Dr. John H. Finley, who is Commissioner of Education of the State of New York, and a recognized authority regarding the effect of French civilization on the destinies of this country; and, finally, by the French Ambassador, his Excellency J. J. Jusserand. Ambassador Jusserand is peculiarly, among foreign diplomats, entitled to and possessed of American esteem. He has been longer in Washington than any other foreign Ambassador or Minister. His charming wife is an American. He himself has written in English some remarkable books regarding the fundamental sources of American social institutions, such as "The English Novel in the Time of Shakespeare," "English Wayfaring Life in the Middle Ages," " Literary History of the English People," and finally, and only recently published, "With Americans of Past and Present Days."

Mr. Bacon, whose speech we print in full elsewhere, and Dr. Finley, whose effective poem written for the occasion will be found on another page, both pointed out the close relationship which has existed and ought still to exist between France and the United States, the two greatest democracies of modern times. "Here, in Lafayette," said Dr. Finley, "is the incarnation of the perpetual youth of France! Disinterested in purpose! Thinking not of cost or sacrifice if the cause be just, even though it seems to be lost! Ever beginning again with unquenchable spirit !" And he added that in this country and at this time "our supreme task is to make that spirit universal, as it is in France to-day." In his response Ambassador Jusserand expressed his own gratitude and that of his country for the aid and sympathy which have come to France from a large and influential section of the American people. He referred to the American ambulance and hospital workers, and spoke of the young aviators, like Victor Chapman, who have gone from this country to the aid of the French Republic as American aerial Lafayettes. He concluded with a play of words

upon the title of one of Dr. Finley's books, which is a charming..example of French wit and French sympathy. "Dr. Finley," he said, "has written a distinguished historical work on the achievements of French explorers in the Mississippi Valley. The title may be taken in a scientific sense or with a touch of sentiment. I like to ascribe to Dr. Finley a feeling of sentiment for France when he chose for the title of his book, The French in the Heart of America.' I can only say that when the war is over some Frenchman, gratefully mindful of all you and your compatriots have done for France, will write a book which he will entitle America in the Heart of France'!"

6

On the evening of Lafayette Day a banquet was given by the France-America Society in honor of Ambassador Jusserand at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Every one of the important Allied countries was represented at this banquet by either a consular official or a military or naval attaché. Ambassador Jusserand spoke again and read messages of thanks to the Society and its friends from President Poincaré and Prime Minister Briand. Mr. James Beck, the distinguished American lawyer, who has made an international reputation for his analysis of the illegal criminality of the invasion of Belgium, made a notable address. He has just come back from France and England, and visited Verdun during the siege, and, among other places, the great cathedral at Rheims. most beautiful details of this monument of Gothic art, he says, have been irretrievably ruined. He drew a moving picture of the faith of all Frenchmen, who, even down to the most humble soldier, believe that they are fighting in defense of liberty, independence, and democratic freedom, which was, indeed, the fight of Washington and Lafayette.

GIFFORD PINCHOT FOR HUGHES

The

Next to Theodore Roosevelt, probably the best-known Progressive in the country is Gifford Pinchot. As the representative and leader of the Conservation movement during Mr. Roosevelt's Administration, he not only became widely known to the American public, but obtained an expert knowledge of the administrative side of Government business. His fine honesty and courage, combined with a notable kindliness and human sympathy, have won for him National leadership, which he still possesses. His public attitude on the

« PredošláPokračovať »