The World.

The World.

JOSEPH PULITZER.

April 10, 1847 * October 29, 1911.

17

The year 1918 opened with Columbia, clad in her armor of justice and the unsheathed sword of democracy in her hands, standing on the shores of France, with the stalwart boys of Pershing's first overseas expedition about her, beckoning the uncounted millions of her sons to follow. At home in America armies were training in cantonments or preparing to flock to the colors. The World, inspired by the. spirit of its fouiider. Joseph Pulitzer, who on May 10, 1883, dedicated it as "an institution that should always fight for progress and reform, never tolerate injustice or corruption, always fight demagogues" and always remain devoted to the public welfare, stood shoulder to shoulder with the leaders of the Nation. It demanded that the sword of Columbia be upheld with the might of the country. It fought for every expedient calculated to win the war; battled inch by inch the subtle propaganda of the enemy, and encouraged our fighting men already across with the promise of millions of sturdy young Americans to follow. Jan. 1, James M. Tuohy, The World's London correspondent, cabled hopefully that Britain was still gaining in power and Germany nearing her limit as they entered the New Year. The World published greetings of Secretary of War Newton D. Baker and Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels, asking the highest effort of the country to win the war. The World struck the keynote for America's coming most momentous year when it said editorially: "The vast majority of the civilized people of the world have only one wish for the new year-Peace! All of them are war-weary. All of them are looking forward eagerly and hopefully to the day when this ghastly conflict will end and organized murder and calamity will cease. The outcome is now in the hands of the democratic peoples. What remains is to make certain that Prussianism has perished from the earth, and that is the task for resolute democracy for the year just dawning."

THE WORLD'S EUROPEAN STAFF DID VALIANT SERVICE.

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The World's columns carried the opinions and declarations of the greatest minds of Europe, contrib uted because of the known fact that newspapers all over the country watched this paper as an aid in interpreting public opinion for their own constituents. On Jan. 2 Stephen Pichon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, sent through The World's Paris representative a greeting to the American people. "On the ere of the New Year," he said, "the democracies who have bound themselves to defeat Prussian imperialism after it has reduced Germany to servitude, in its attempt to subject the world to a slavery, can regard the future with the certitude given them by the exact consciousness of their forces and the justice of their cause. In a lighter vein of whimsical conjecture it is interesting to look back to the files of Jan. 4 and read The World's special cable from Paris quoting the French seeress, Mme. de Thelme, successor to Mme. de Thebes. She prophesied that "the beginning of next autumn seems to me the most favorable time for the conclusion of peace. Peace negotiations will be carried on in a town in the Rhine valley." In the anxious early days of the year there was a doubt in many minds whether after all America would succeed in getting enough of her troops across to turn the tide. The splendid staff of The World in Europe did valiant service to the public in keeping it informed through their despatches to this paper. They often obtained the news at the risk of their lives on battlefields. Arno Dosch-Fleurot of The World's European staff cabled on Jan. 19 from Petrograd that Kerensky was accused by the Bolsheviki of being in a plot to upset the Government. On Jan. 20 he sent the momentous news that "The Constitutional Assembly had died in birth," as he had prophesied it would. The Bolsheviki ended the Assembly by armed force. On Feb. 19 he cabled again boldly from Petrograd that "the Bolsheviki revolution would not have taken place, a separate armistice would not have been signed with Germany with the possibility of a separate peace, if it had not been for a whole series of mistakes on the part of the Allied Governments in relation to Russia, including the failure to give their war aims. And on Feb. 25. confirming this, The World's Washington bureau sent the news of Russia's acceptance of the German peace terms to be signed at Brest-Litovsk. The United States was for war, not peace, as the foe threw off the mask in the terms offered Russia, The World editorial columns pointed to Germany's peace offer and Russia's acceptance as an object lesson to the Western Powers. On March 3 Arno Dosch-Fleurot telegraphed The World's London's office saying: "No Associated Press man in Petrograd, so I am filing full and urgent morning and evening stories. Intend to stick to end." So through the year he continued at his post. He cabled from Stockholm May 26 that the Socialists must share with the Bolsheviki the blame for Russia's tragic failure. Early in June he wired that a Russian republic never was intended by the Bolsheviki and that Petrograd workmen constituting that faction did not believe in democracy. Their purpose in upsetting the Czar was to set up an autocracy of the proletariat. The cables bore his discoveries to the outside world bit by bit in impartial and illuminating despatches. Finally, on July 14, this correspondent confirmed what the reading world had begun to suspect from his articles. Lenine and Trotzky had shared in the betrayal of democracy at Brest-Litovsk. Aug. 18 he began chronicling the Bolshevik reign of terror, the turning of the sobered masses away from the Bolsheviki. To Arno Dosch-Fleurot in the previous year had fallen the great fortune as a newspaper man to be in Petrograd when the revolution came to pass. In concise English he cabled the marvellous story, the vivid pictures, of the quick and almost bloodless victory of the Russian people over the Czar's Government. The Administration and Diplomatic Corps at Washington got more information from the columns of The World than from their own delayed despatches.

This year again fell a great opportunity to him. It was to be the first of American journalists to reach Berlin after the signing of the armistice. On Nov. 24, 1918, he cabled from Berlin via Stockholm: "I arrived in Berlin at the moment when the chief of the unsettled political questions were crying for solution, namely, National Assembly or no National Assembly; democracy or rule by organization of workers; rule by the majority or a dictature of the proletariat according to the methods of Lenine.' The next day he cabled that Philipp Scheidemann, leader of the majority group of Socialists and former Minister of Finance and Colonies, had told him that "Our National Assembly will probably be called in February." In Washington officials of the State, Navy and War Departments commended the enterprise of The World in sending Mr. Dosch-Fleurot to Berlin, the first American correspondent to visit the German capital after the signing of the armistice. His pen pictures of conditions in Germany and his analysis of the political situation were the first-hand information to reach Washington.

STAFF MEN WITH THE TROOPS AT THE FRONT.

To Lincoln Eyre, The World's Paris correspondent, fell the privilege of cabling a short sentence on Jan. 27 that sent a sigh of satisfaction, after months of preparation and waiting, sweeping across the

homeland. "Pershing's force is a real army now, fit to give battle, " it read. This young man's despatches through the year echoed the heart enthusiasm and longing of the folks at home for their boys 'over there" to acquit themselves as Americans always have. He told the straightforward tale from day to day. It was told in such a way that American fathers and mothers felt that their sons were fighting nobly and dying, when die they must, as they would have them, like free men. On Feb. 3 he cabled that the American troops were eager to advance and the Germans were getting jumpy. Feb. 4 he told of the artillery duel between the American and German gunners two days before, the Yankees working like veterans and inflicting more harm than the foe. March 11, of the heaviest gun fire yet hurled upon the American lines in the Lorraine sector and how well our boys bore it. On March 12 he wired: "We have taken our revenge,' " and on March 21 he told how the American boys stormed the trenches near Luneville. On the latter occasion Eyre, following with the troops, found two gassed Frenchmen, gasping and nauseated with gas where the Americans had swept forward. He took them in his car to the American Medical Corps hospital. On April 25 he cabled telling of the valor of the New York men, racked by powerful gun fire for a month in the trenches at Luneville. On the 30th, in the front lines with the American forces, he wrote of the bravery of our men and the fury of their fire on the battle line in Northern France on the line that barred the road to Paris and Amiens, in the Valleys of the Somme and Luce and near Ypres. His stories caused hearts to beat high all across America. He touched the same chord when on Aug. 8, with the American forces north of the Ourcq, he told how the Old 69th, miles ahead of the procession, led, the victorious way across the river. He depicted it in such terms as made every true American wish he had been there.

MARTIN GREEN'S STORIES OF THE WAR AT THE FRONT.

The Evening World sent Martin Green, a staff correspondent of the paper for seventeen years, to the battle front in December, 1917. Mr. Green went from New York by way of England, crossed the channel from Southampton to Havre and was in the trenches with, the 1st Division of the old Regular Army in January. Before going to the trenches Mr. Green visited the line of supplies back of the American forces in France and he was the first correspondent to send to a New York newspaper a comprehensive story of the dock, railroad and storage building and operations of the United States Army abroad. This was news of paramount importance, as the American people up to that time had no idea of the vast and expensive preparations for feeding, transporting and equipping our soldiers in France which had been made necessary by our participation in the war..

Mr. Greon was in Paris on the night of the great air raid of Jan. 30, 1918, the first attack on Paris in two years. He covered the American battle front from the Swiss border to Picardy and sent to New York the first stories of the activities of the 165th Regiment of the Rainbow Division-the old 69th, He and Lincoln Eyre of The Morning World were the first correspondents to visit the old 15th New York-Col. William Hayward's negro regiment. The Evening World was the first American newspaper to publish the fact that American troops were in the fight at Chateau-Thierry, the news coming in a special cablegram from Mr. Green, who was the only American newspaper correspondent in ChateauThierry on May 31 and June 1. Mr. Green also sent to The Evening World an exclusive story of the battle of the Oise, which stopped the German advance on Paris in March.

The good work done by other European correspondents of The World fell not a whit behind that of It was work marked by painstaking Dosch-Fleurot, Eyre and Green in importance to the American people. investigation and lucidity of expression, by the weighing, with the foreknowledge that they were the eyes ind ears of a great people for whose understanding of events and destiny making actions they were responsible. Cyril Brown cabled from Stockholm Jan. 13 that Leube, member of the German Reichstag's Foreign Relations Committee, had said: "Germany's only answer to Lloyd George and President Wilson will be given with the sword.” March 17 he cabled that Germany had reached her limit in human material, women doing the work of men in keeping the army up, and in a series of articles following he laid bare to our eyes the conditions in Germany, going constantly from bad to worse. He did the military department of the United States a signal service.

He occupies the position of dean of the James M. Tuohy is head of The World's London staff. paper's European correspondents. He has filled for years the difficult and trying position of interpreter, He has had to handle them for the infor readers, of British sentiments, purposes and happenings. formation and instruction of a large part of the American reading public in such a way that, differences in temperament, political organization and race taken into account, they should not be misleading. His work as a clearing house for much of the mass of Continental news crowding constantly in upon his office, his discrimination as to what was vitally important and not German propaganda, and what was Quick to send cheering news, but never worth while to the American people, was excellently handled. fearing to state boldly the truth so far as he could learn it, of happenings of importance to America, no matter what, his work was uniformly good throughout the year.

An instance was his sending on Feb. 3

of the story of how England, unprepared for war in the beginning, had worked wonders in getting men and munitions to France. March 30 he cabled that the French and British Governments had decided to appoint Gen. Foch Generalissimo of the French and British Armies on the Western front; on Aug. 20 that the American War Administration's policy of letting the Germans know what they must expect met with warmest approval in London. A brilliant list of special writers, experts on war and European politics, assisted the Loudon and Paris staffs of the paper. Notable among them was J. C. Segrue, who cabled Fred S. Ferguson, with the from Berne Jan. 10 that the food shortage in Germany was a tragedy. American Army in France, wired March 3 of the killing of five of Pershing's men by the GermansPerry startling news then, but minimized by the casualty lists that later saddened the home people. Robinson cabled March 26 of the British line still unbroken, firm and continuous while the Germans on All the world a fifty-mile front threw 600,000 men against it in efforts to force it back toward Amiens. The London office hinted on March 28 of nomentous held its breath to see if it would hold or break. decisions made at a meeting in Paris of Secretary Baker and Gen. Pershing. Lieut. Col. Repington, formerly of the British Army, late in March, following the "Kaiser's Battle" from He pointed out on the 29th that the Germans were still sixteen day to day, analyzed it for The World. miles from Amiens and that it is not possible for them to remain where they are and claim a strategic victory. They have not gained one." This was a prophecy of their having to give up the ground gained in their tremendously expensive westward push. Later it was to be fulfilled when the God of wars began "trampling out the vintage" where the grapes of wrath were stored-the beginning, as it proved. of the On April 6 Col. Repington cabled that "Get on or get out" end of Germany's world conquest dream.

was the Kaiser's chance, finding his armies in a big pocket and his "great surprise" no longer such, his legions open to counter attacks, checked everywhere at Arras, on the Ancre and the Somme. Joseph W. Grigg cabled on May 1 that "America's khaki-clad tide now flows into France in a volume not heretofore approximated. May 15 he wrote of the dread of our gunners in the hearts of the German host of the Picardy front. On the 26th he told how our war machine swept forward like clockwork to the capture of Cantigny. This efficient work was followed on June 14 by the announcement that the British Goy

ernment had accorded to The World the high privilege of having its own correspondent attached to the headquarters of the British Army in France.

"The World is the first American newspaper to receive this distinction," the notice said. "Up to this time American readers have been served from the British front only by press associations or by the British correspondents of London newspapers. Henceforth The World and its readers will be served at this important post by Joseph W. Grigg, an American, long a member of The World's staff, who has already rendered fine service at other posts in France. Mr. Grigg's first despatch from the British front is printed to-day."' The cable told how the enemy was planning to attack the British along the whole line while the French battle raged between Noyon and Montdidier.

WORLD MAN TOLD WHEN GERMANY'S STAR BEGAN TO SET.

Then on July 19, when the Germans began to lose, Grigg told how Foch's quick blow, the splendid success of the French and American attack on a 25-mile front in the Soissons sector early on the 18th spoiled the foe's plan to strike the British. Col. Repington, writing of how the failure of the enemy in the Champagne upset his offensive, prophesied the beginning of the end. In the days immediately following Repington and Grigg detailed how the Allies smashed in from Soissons to embattled Rheims. Big guns flamed up all along the British line. There was a two-mile gain below the Marne by Americans and French; the capture of Soissons; the Germans were in flight in the Aisne-Marne salient;, the Germans burning the villages as they retired, and (on the 23d) the Allies squeezing all sides of the salient. The foe's reserves were swept back three more miles and the Germans were withdrawing in the whole region between the Marne and the Ourcq. So on through the year.

The World maintained a bureau of information which co-operated with the various secret service agencies of the Government in supplying information concerning enemy aliens and organizations and persons suspected of treasonable or unfriendly acts against the United States. In this connection The World's Biographical Department and the files of its Legal Department were found to be of great value and were consulted almost daily by representatives of the Army and Nary Intelligence Bureaus, the United States Secret Service, the Department of Justice and the inspection service of the Postoffice Department.

During the year The World printed special_articles by men of unusual importance, including Leon Trotzky's "The Bolsheviki and World Peace." It was the first authentic publication in America of the doctrines and aims of the leader of the Bolsheviki as he himself wrote it. On June 27 The World printed a document smuggled out of Germany by Lieut. Gen. Baron Von Freytag-Loringhoven, the third personage of the German Military Hierarchy. It showed that Germany still glorified war after three -years of it. The article was written for military and Junker consumption only. Ex-President Wm. H. Taft on March 9 dictated a telegram to The World from Pittsburgh as to the plans for the proposed League of Nations to Euforce Peace: "The successful working out of the plan of the League of Nations to Enforce Peace depends primarily on winning victory over the Kaiser and his Potsdam gang on the western front. We cannot make progress by further debate with Germany and Austria. Blows are the only arguments now possible to win permanent peace.

On July 1 The World presented the second instalment of Dr. Wilhelm Muehlon's book, "The Devastation of Europe." He was formerly director of the great German munition company, “Krupp's,” and his daily notes on events rising out of the war composed the book. In his first instalment he told how the Kaiser personally forced German leaders to swear to support the war after he had given Austria carte blanche in the affair of Serbia and promised to support Austria through thick and thin. In the second he told of events directly following the war declaration and invasion of Belgium.

July 22 the first instalment of the papers by Dr. Arthur Davis, American court dentist in Berlin, was printed in The World. It told of the parsonality of the Emperor and the views held by him as to inen and world events. These articles attracted a great deal of attention. For instance, when he quoted the Kaiser as saying that after the war he "would stand no nonsense from America." Aug. 4, opening another year of the war, Marshal Joffre sent a message to America through The World. "The fifth year of war opens full of hope, thanks to the generous intervention of America, "he said. Aug. 25 The World published the first of a series of articles by Andre Cheradame, who for a quarter of a century had devoted his whole time to the study of Germany and her plans. "The snake of German intrigue is still very much alive," he wrote.

One of the most interesting series of cabled articles printed in The World during the year were those by Gen. P. M. G. Malleterre, military critic of the Paris Temps and La France Militaire, who wrote of the progress of the war from the French military standpoint. Gen. Malleterre was seriously wounded in the first Battle of the Marne, having a leg amputated, and had to resign his command.

SIGNAL ACTS OF PUBLIC SERVICE BY THIS NEWSPAPER.

On Feb. 23. following The World's suggestion that the home folks be given a chance to see the new 77th Division of the National Army-afterward to fight so heroically in the conquest of the Argonne Forest, which no army in history had ever tried to take from an enemy who got it first, even Napoleon preferring to go around-10.600 of the Metropolitan Division's boys paraded through the streets of New York and were cheered by their relatives and friends.

Following the campaign of The World advocating "Daylight Saving," and its success in getting the Senate to take it up, the hands of the clocks all across America were put forward one hour on March 31. The World was the only paper in New York State to publish, that day, the report made by the Serbian Socialist Party to the Russo-Hollando-Scandinavian Committee in Stockholm describing the conditions in Serbia imposed upon that country by the Austro-Hungarians and Bulgars who overran and occupied it. Answering to the desire of Americans whose sons were fighting in Europe that Germany should have no excuse for mistreating American prisoners of war, The World began printing on April S a series of articles by Richard Linthicum of The World's staff on the alien interment prison camps in this country, following his investigation of them, to ascertain how the United States was treating interned civilian enemy alieus and its military prisoners of war. His investigations showed that no country had ever set such an example of decency and humanity, and that aliens interned in this country were glad, for the most part, that they were not in Europe.

In announcing his decision to free Charles F. Stielow, the date of whose execution was fixed seren times, and Nelson Green, his brother-in-law, serving a minimum term of twenty years, or life imprisonment, for the murder of Charles B. Phelps, an Orleans County farmer, and his housekeeper, Margaret Walcott, the Governor of the State of New York awarded to The World a full measure of credit for the investigation resulting in his action. He sent the following telegram to Charles M. Lincoln, Managing Editor of The World. from Albany, N. Y., May 9: "It is but simple justice to say that had it not been for the material presented to me by The New York World, obtained after great effort and considerable expense, I should not have felt justified in ordering the investigation which has resulted in the release of Stielow. I appreciate the service which you have rendered and am grateful for it. (Signed) Charles S. Whitman." On May 10 The World started an investigation to find out whether work on street cars as conductor

ettes, &c., was harmful to women. The result was that the environment and morale of women so employed was greatly improved.

In July The World, with the co-operation of the Committee on Public Information and the Director of Military Aeronautics, told for the first time the story of the amazing development of the Air Service of the United States Army. William P. Beazell of The World's staff was the first civillan to be permitted to visit the camps where our aviators were being trained, and his articles, widely published throughout the country, received the official commendation of Major Gen. William L. Kenly, the Director of Military Aeronautics. They described the work at the ground schools, the primary schools, the pursuit schools, the bombing schools, the schools for aerial observers, the schools of aerial gunnery and the balloon schools. They gave the American people their first understanding of the fine calibre and highly specialized training of the men who have been warring so splendidly in the air against the enemy. In October Charles S. Hand of The World staff investigated the financial affairs of the New York Telephone Company to ascertain if an increase in tolls proposed by Postmaster General Burleson would be justified. The results of the investigation were set forth in a series of articles prepared by Mr. Hand for The World. They revealed that profits gained by the company during the last three years were more than $14,000,000 above a fair return of S per cent. contemplated by the Public Service Commission when it reduced rates in 1915. The World's disclosures of excess profits enjoyed by the company prompted Mr. Burleson to announce that rates would not be increased but reduced where possible.

Under the stimulus of The World's exposures of fraudulent war charities, the District Attorney's office and the Bureau of Advice and Information of the Charities Organization Society made progress during the Winter and Spring of 1918 in driving out grafters and swindlers from the field of war relief. To this work The World gave cordial co-operation. It was The World which first discovered the fact that the Dowling Ordinance designed to regulate war relief entertainments was inadequate for the purpose and that further legislation, both State and National, was needed to meet the problem adequately. ENCOURAGED BUILDING OF SHIPS IN EMERGENCY.

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The drop of Viking blood in the hearts of Americans resulted in the fame of American shipping being known in every port in the world in the glorious days of the old clippers of the Forties. This inherent love of the sea surged triumphantly to the front when The World announced on July 1 that 93 ocean-going vesseis flying the American flag were expected to take the water on July 4. A great Independence Day splashing was planned by the Shipping Board. "They will have," The World's story said, “a carrying capacity of 465,186 tons. Forty-one will be steel vessels and fifty-two wooden. How staggering are these figures may be conveyed to the lay mind only by comparison. They exceed by 74,350 tons the launchings for the entire year 1901, the record pre-war year in American shipping. total tonnage under the American flag two years ago was 2,412,381, and much of it was not in deep sea service. Much of the credit for this great triumph was due to the incentive given the shipyard workers by The World's introduction of the sporting element into shipbuilding. On May 14 in the steel construction shipyards of the New York and Philadelphia district of the U. S. Shipping Board The World started a rivetting contest conducted by James Robbins, The World's ship news reporter, by offering a weekly prize of $100 to be given to the crew that drove into the hull of a ship on the ways in a ninehour day the greatest number of rivets. The news of the great splash of July 4 was immediately preceded by the story from overseas of how the Americans swept through the enemy lines north of the Marne, and the story from Charles Michelson, head of The World's Washington Bureau, that "the millionth American soldier" had landed in France on June 30 and the Nation was to have an army of 4,000,000 men by Jan. 1, 1919.

Not only did the art staff of The World do good work in illustrating the war and the daily life of the Nation, but the w 1-known cartoonists of the paper enforced the lessons of The World's news with telling effect through ɩne year. An instance was when, on Feb. 17, Rollin Kirby's cartoon intuitively pointed out what was later shown to be true, It was a picture of Trotzky and Lenine walking arm in arm with Kaiser Wilhelm, and all three smiling. George W. Rehse of The Morning World gave a silver lining to many a cloud of tragedy with his intensely human and funny "Metropolitan Movies," and made hundreds of thousands laugh amid their tears. In January The World arranged for the appearance in its pages of the war-fun pictures of Capt. Bruce Bairnsfather. The World secured the exclusive rights in America to. reproduce the pictures of this famous British cartoonist, of whom it has been said that his sketches pointing out Lumor in the trenches were worth more to the Allied cause than an army division.

MONUMENT TO MITCHEL.

With a view to the creation in New York City of a suitable, worthy memorial to Major John Purroy Mitchel, the former Mayor, who lost his life in a flying accident, The World inaugurated last July a More than movement to raise a fund by popular subscription, and to this end gave an initial $1,000. $30,000, either in cash or pledges-a vast majority of the sum in cash-was obtained by The World in a few weeks. This money was subsequently placed in the hands of a Citizens' Committee, which now has the memorial project in charge.

In January The World printed a series of articles by Louis Seibold of its Staff, on the growth of the Non-Partisan League in the Dakotas and several Middle and Mountain States. The articles showed that the movement which was originally projected as as an agricultural one, to ameliorate the condition of farmers believing themselves the victims of the milling and other forms of corporation persecutions, finally developed into a political undertaking. The League obtained a membership of more than 200,000, who paid $8 a year in dues, secured control of the State Government of North Dakota, operated a newspaper, and flooded the country with organizers seeking recruits.

In May Mr. Seibold wrote articles for The World on the coal conditions, showing the effect of the Government activities for increasing production and plans to equitably distribute the limited supply indicated for the winter of 1918-1919; also the effect of thte Military Draft Law on the labor supply. The articles showed wage and social conditions, and prices for coal for commercial and domestic purposes. that the Government had eliminated twenty-two States from participation in anthracite supplies, these States being in the South and West, contiguous to sources of other grades of coal and substitutes for coal. In June Mr. Seibold wrote articles upon his investigation of the liquor traffic, showing that the Prohibition feature of the Food Regulation Bill had increased the value of the holdings of distillers, brokers, wholesalers and retailers more than $900,000,000 in less than a year, giving prices two years ago and current quotations. The articles showed that while the use of liquor was restricted in the United States. immense stores were exported monthly for the use of the troops of other belligerent countries; also that there remained in bond and in the hands of dealers 265,000,000 gallons of distilled spirits, wines, etc., which Food Administrator Hoover predicted would last the country three or four years.

In November and December Mr. Seibold wrote for The World a series of fourteen articles on the cost of the war to the Government and the people and revealing the extent of profiteering at the expense of the people. The articles showed by comparative figures the increase in the cost of several hundred articles entering into domestic consumption, where the greater part of the profit went and how the Gov

ernment compelled the return of a percentage of these "unusual profits" through a system of war and excess profits tax. The articles also showed that while wages had been increased by war conditions salarles had practically remained stationary during the war period; that retail prices had increased more than 85 per cent. in five years and that the purchasing value of the dollar had steadily decreased from 89 cents in 1915 to 54 cents in 1918, because of war conditions operating to take out of the producing fleld 20,000,000 men, increasing the volume of supplies of all kinds for the benefit of the military allies of the country, and led to the expansion of the paper money with consequent depreciation in purchasing value. The financial, industrial and economic conditions of other belligerent countries was set forth and compared to that of the United States.

THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST TICKET SPECULATORS.

Acting on information furnished by The Morning World, and on complaint of Louis V. De Foe, its dramatic critic, District Attorney Swann, early in September, began investigation of the nuisance of theatre ticket speculation, an evil in New York which has assumed intolerable proportions and which almost... continual attempts through restrictive legislation during the past fifteen years has been unable to prevent. The immediate cause of The World's crusade against the theatre ticket speculators was the extortion practised on the public in the instance of "Yip Yip Yaphank!" at the Lexington Theatre. This entertainment was written, staged and acted for charitable purposes by the enlisted men at Camp Upton, who received no other compensation than their Government pay. Their purpose was to raise funds to build a Community House at the Camp. Investigation by the District Attorney's Office, conducted by Assistant District Attorney Edwin T. Kilroe, revealed that the speculators had been exacting and obtaining from the public bonuses as high as 300 per cent. of the box office price of tickets. Further information secured by the District Attorney's Office through subpoera of the books of theatre ticket speculators, and through the testimony of theatre managers, and speculators, disclosed that the New York theatre-going public is being squeezed for more than $500,000 annually by speculators, that hotels derive a rental exceeding $250,000 annually from ticket broker agencies and that in some instances productions of plays are underwritten by the speculators who buy out all the favorable seats in theatres for periods of eight weeks, compelling the public to pay extortionate prices for seats which cannot be obtained at all through the box offices. The evil long had been known to exist, but the investigation proved it to be even worse than had been supposed. These investigations resulted in the drafting of a new ordinance by Assistaut District Attorney Kilroe to put a stop to the abuse. It provides that no seat shall be sold by a theatr producer or manager in excess of the price printed on the ticket and limits the speculator's bonus to 50 cents, plus the war tax. Penalties of fine and imprisonment are provided for violations. The ordinance, which received the approval of the Corporation Counsel and the State Bill Drafting Commission, was introduced in the Board of Aldermen on Nov. 19 by Alderman Thomas A. 19 by Alderman Thomas A. Williams of the 13th Aldermanic District, Manhattan. It was referred to the Committee on General Welfare, of which Aldernian Charles H. Haubert is acting chairman. The World continued its crusade against the ticket speculators while, the investigations were being made and the new bill was being framed and due to its determined efforts and the vigorous aid of the District Attorney's office, there was every prospect that the new ordinance would become a law and the long standing line of ticket speculators would be abated.

TAX LIEN EXPOSURE.

Last August The World exposed the nefarious workings of the Tax Lien and Tax Title Laws, whereby thousands of citizens have been deprived of their realty holdings because in many, instances they have failed to pay a negligible tax. Thereupon Mayor Hylan asked Nathan Hirsch, wealthy cotton merchant and Chairman of the Mayor's Committee on Taxation and the luvestigation of Mortgage Loans, to conduct an inquiry. Mr. Hirsch asked The World for the aid of Van Ness Harwood, a staff man, who had written the articles. This was granted. Samuel S. Breslin volunteered as counsel, and the three began a campaign. With the help of District Attorney Swann, Magistrate Charles W. Appleton, Commissioner of Accounts Hirschfield and Police Commissioner Enright, results were speedily accomplished. Some of these were: The return of thousands of parcels of land to the thrifty poor at cost, the utter disruption of the tax title buying business, the postponement of the Nassau County sale whereby 30,000 lots were to be sold for negligible taxes; the arrest and conviction of several bogus land operators; the deeding by other operators of hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of land to persons who had paid for it and could not obtain deeds, and the preparation of laws which will make such conditions impossible in the future. These laws will be introduced in the Legislature this winter. The crusade is one of the best illustrations in New York in years of what publicity can accomplish.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE SPORTING DEPARTMENT.

Sports in The World also played a big part in keeping home activities alive and instituting ways and means to aid in giving wide publicity and in raising money for the Red Cross and the United War Work campaign, as well as encouraging the purchase of Liberty Loan bonds. George Daley, the Sporting Editor of The World, was largely responsible for organizing and conducting the Fourth Liberty Loan drive at the Jamaica and Empire City tracks, through which followers of racing subscribed $2,380,350, and so contributed largely to carrying the loan over the top. The World suggested and was largely responsible for bringing about the special race between Billy Kelly and Eternal, which was decided at the Laurel racetrack in Maryland and from which the Red Cross profited $20,000. The World suggested and arranged the golf match between Walter J. Travis and Findlay S. Douglas over the links of the Garden City Golf Club, which raised $3,000 for the United War Work campaign. Bert Igoe of The World sporting staff, through his writings and cartoons, stimulated the various drives and drew a cartoon which brought $250 at auction for the benefit of the Red Cross. It has been the policy of The World sporting page to make constructive suggestions from time to time in the effort to keep racing, baseball and other sports up to the highest standard.

THE WASHINGTON BUREAU.

Throughout the year The World's able and efficient Washington Bureau chronicled not only the daily happenings in the capital of the Nation, telling, with its fingers on the pulse of the Government machine, of the war and domestic measures, but also interpreting the foreign news that in this critical time flowed through diplomatic channels to the American Government from all corners of the world.

The religious department of The Morning World, on Saturdays, has extended gradually until it now occupies from three columns in the summer to a page on special occasions and is increasingly recognized by the churches as a medium through which activities receive notice. Prominence is given to the development of religious work out of the ordinary and of more than local interest.

THRICE-A-WEEK WORLD'S BROAD FIELD OF SERVICE.

The Thrice-a-Week edition of The New York World appears every other day except Sunday and is intended chiefly for the country and for towns distant from New York. Its circulation is probably more widely distributed than that of any other American newspaper. It is read largely in every State and Territory in the Union, in remote Alaska and Hawaii, in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, in fact wherever the English language is spoken. A striking feature of the Thrice-a-Week World is the