The Washington herald., 1912-09-15
G. K Cesterton Delivers Himself Of Sayings That sagge Kate

and cruel men viii 90 about segregatins
the feeble minded. The mass of the M
ton would count such work dirtier than
the hangman's. But In both cases the
nation would agree generally with the
theory on which the thing was based.
that there are witches and that there are
hereditary imbeciles. II we want 10
avoid I'm the second case any such he'll ~
we had in the first. we must insist that
in regard to the degenerate as to the
witch. the danger lies not In the strict
ness, but in the looseness Of the defini-
ton. It isn't that the phrase covers moth
ing. but that 1t covers far too much"
Now. wonder what you mean by
that" followed along.
was terribly interested in his ideas.
and didn't mean to interrupt. but do
hate paradoxes. and they are so fashion
able here. You haven't any idea how
much In vogue they are. I know the Eng
lfsh used to be considered a solid. plain
spoken race. but they aren't any more. At
least. not the brilliant ones. The way they
describe thing now Is to dash all around
1t in beautiful. scintiliating circles. and
then drop down upon It with brilliant
metaphorical swoop.
A cHEsTERToN MENTAL FLAW.
G. K. took pity upon me.
II mean that. just as the old woman In
the cottage might have been silent from
disappointment and hated children from
bitterness. and yet have been marked as
a witch. SO the testing Of the feeble mind
ed is too loose and leaves out many Of
the complexities Of life A lad of seven
teen may be an irresponsible moon calf.
It may be hereditary. but 1t may be an
sorts Of things-sometimes shyness, some
times genius, sometimes just a pose. Near
Iy all of US can remember a time when
parents and school teachers thought US
not only very stupid. but quite hopelessiy
SO, and thought 1t justly; and almost
every one of US knows that he Is still
on some point startlingly below the men,
tai average. Take me. for instance-I
have a good memory for form and physi-
cal proportion. SO that could draw from
recollection: have a good eye for dis
tance and direction. but in the third sense
of proportion-the sense Of the passage
OF time-I am almost an idiot. can de-
scribe scenes and Incidents of my recent
life accurately, but whether they hap
pened week or a year ago I haven't
an idea Yet I know 1 shan't be segregat- I.
ed. and know why 1 shan't be-
He paused, and I hesitated as to
whether I should ask why or not A
difficult position, you see. He might ex-
pect me to inquire and he might resent It
II I did; SO I decided to discreetly sit
tight and wait And I chose the better
course.
IT shan't be segregated" continued Mr..
Chesterton, shaking his forefinger at me
because this modern cam
paign Is from the first a campaign
against those who are weak from impov-
erishment. Give the people good condi-
tons. improve their environment. and all
will tend toward the highest type"
Here again the rapt look came into tho
eyes
MYSTERY TO THE SHAVIANs.
He's a strange mixture. Something Of
something of a religionist,
something of a dreamer. a philosopher, a
a scholar. a Jester and an ar
tist. No wonder the Shavians don't know
how to place him. and other sects are
equally puzzled
left him feeling quite depressed about
England. for I'm fond OF the country.
But, bless you. it wasn't the first time
L We worried ABOUT ner, because all tneSe
reformers insist upon pointing out what
a dreadful future is in store for her.
And 1t isn't only the reformers either. It
just seems to be the fashion to say
"England's going to the dogs!" and yet
you know, the dear old lady appears to
be holding her own pretty well!
Anyhow, his coYntry's grave condition
Of observation-disclosures didn't trouble Mr..
after he had mentioned II ap-
parently, for the last saw of him he was
playing with the three sturdy little Brit
ons and looking like a particularly mas
sive Gulliver among the Liliputians.
Now that 1t is all safely over I can't
help wishing I had had the Corsicas-1
mean Observation-Disclosures closeted to-
gerher talking against time.
I'm positive everything Gilbert said
would have disagreed violently with
Cecil and there would have been ructions
as sure as fate and taxes. imagine they
would have just interviewed each other
for the millionth time and ignored me al
Copyright. 1912. by The New-York TribuneJ