New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-11
CULT OF THE AKED.

Why should thc organizer Of the
white goods strikers single ont for Spr-
cla condemnation a lady bountllul
who. acting with more zeal than know
edge. did in the opinion Of the critic
more harm than good 10 IN" work i'm:
girls: What If she did not take the
organizers advice and carefully pre-
pare herself before making public
">tatcmcrt." Wasn't she in good com
pauy:
\ little knowledge may bc q danger
oUs thing but certainly is Il most vol
uDlc one. The noble company of tho
half-bakcd have established themselves
H. our most active experts on all mat
tors Of political and business policy. ~
social and industrial reform and ~
moral and intellectual regeneration.
We are 80 used 10 seeing any school
girls "happy thought or any dyspcP-
ties disordcrcd vision held up 10 ~ a~
inspired truth which il were an uuuIl-
dunahlc sin 10 doubt wc are So u>ci
to seeing any iguoramu~ loudly ac-
claimed for cock>urc judgments on in
lricatc problems whose solution ha~
taxed the wisdom OF the ages that We
are Shockcd and puzzled 10y This lie
hand for ripe knowledge ~ Il prccc-
dent 10 the preaching of reform About
tie only person we remember who
seems 10 have paid attention to that
need before attempting 10 rccast so
cicty j. Mr.. John -. Rockefeller. ir.
whose determination f. know the prob
lem of social hygiene in the hope Of
doing some good in lifetime was 80
remarkable rs 90 excite comment in all
quarters on his sanity. modcsty and
patience.
\ few days ago - high pric~tesS Of
industrial revolution made an expert '
examination of Cauncrics and told how
Speeding up" in one factory made girls
pare 10000 apples Il day for - cents
The manager in reply says that ;bc
most pairing machine can be- made TO
do is about 1000. for which the pay
IS 81 80. She described The shachs
where The workers lived. but the man
eyer says they don't live in them at
ALL the expert having charged 70 the
factory some ucighboring sheds used
a camp 10y Il contractor on n state
road But this expert was no more
half-bakcd than many another. \
statesman. being dissatisfied with the
administration of Justice, begins 10 ralk
about The mistakes of the courts 10y
careleSsly misstating the gist of the de
cisionS ne CriticiseS. Another states
man. wishing 10 effect some spectacular
economies, DrOuOunccS a public officer
rs useless as II fifth leg 10 Il dog.
without stopping to learn what the 81
liccr really does. The task OF making
moving picture theatres safe is under
taken. when the happy thought Of
making the movement serve the pur-
pose Of moral reform inicCts n ''u-
sorship provision into the ordinance
and spOils the whole thing.
Thus it is in every avenue Of public
ondcayor. AZ every hand We are the
victims Of the Cult of The Half Bai y.
\ fine enthusiasm. noble aspiration
equipped with plenty of self-coniidenc"
and an indifference 70 facts can do
more 10 hinder reforms than all their
ayowcd enemies Perhaps that is the
price we pay for large popular interest
I'm better things. Bul il hardly seems
Il necessary price, unless we are 10 ac-
ccpt sensationaliSm as the normal
method OF reaching The American in
telligCncc The interest ia social uci-
tcrmeut has turned many young mcl
and women into the field who use their
emotions more than their lntelects.
And unfortunately they find opporiu-
nity for the publicity Of their half
Liked reuoris and prcachments out or
all proportion 10 their intrinsic value.
They are making IL mare and more
difficult for those who wish 10 deal