Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-07-29
ANSWERING Mr.. KIRK.
Honolulu. Hawaii.
Editor Honolulu Star.Bulletin.

Honolulu, Hawaii
Editor Honolulu StarSBulletin.
Sir: Always wait for further orders
thus warns us certain Mr.. Kirk in
your issue OF Thursday, July %. Ac-
eording to that, I ought not to have
written this, being out Of orders rs
we'll as ont Of further orders But on
the other hand, IL Mr.. Kirk has the
right to publish one OF his literary
products, which Is to me, as the
French say, just about as clear as cof-
fee and cocoa, then have most as
suredly the right to ask Mr.. Kirk for
an exclamation.
The fact is, Mr.. Editor, that. being
only able to read and understand such
Anglo-Saxon as is written by humble
and insignificant authors. for instance
Kipling and Roosevelt. I feel at my
wits end as far as this specimen Of
Mr.. Kinks journalism Is concerned.
In the first place, positively and
most emphatically refuse to act ac-
cording TO his maxim. Always wait
for further orders. 1t is un-American
and absolutely out of place in the
mouth of man who has some brains
of his own. Why. If all the world
would act on this principle, there
would not be much. of anything going
on, for one could never be sure that
after those first further orders there
would not be another batch Of still
further orders on their way, and so
on till infinity. And suppose that az
ter those initial orders no further or
ders were forthcoming at all, what
would you do? Just simply wait, I.
suppose, till certain extremely hot
place would freeze over.
Now do not want to interfere with
Mr.. Kinks pet ideas, and il in his arti-
Gle he had stuck to his subject might
have forgiven him. But, Mr.. Editor,
he has not. II you read the first three
paragraphs you will find that the
author is expanding on the enormous
truth, that man is subject to the laws
of nature. But, suppose, that Is rath-
er generally well known. Any man
knows that when he runs full speed
toward a precipice and does not check
himself until after the very edge is
reached he will certainly make very
rapid journey toward lower regions.
acknowledge that the man who would
dispute or alter this law would be
ready for the madhonse, but am not
so sure whether he would be the only
fool / think there are thousands of
fools in other lines of work.
Now, If any one told me l was sub
ject to that law or those laws, would
not feel berated or angry at all: |
would probably think this is a funny
question by funny man. According
to Mr.. Kirk, this proves that am not
an. average person.; hea does not men,.
ton, however, whether above or. be-
low par.
The next paragraph, Mr.. Editor. is
better read backward than forward. It
surely must be q romantic state Of
affairs to be down in the good old ship
of state, in one of those high swells
of society. Unfortunately, however,
this effect is again spoiled by the next
Heretofore, the author
gave an exhaustive treaty on the rela-
lions between man and nature in gen.
eral and waiting, eternally waiting for
further orders in particular. One
would expect him to continue in the
next paragraph. But no, he suddenly
and Unexpectedly, without any reason
whatever. switches over to discus
sion of the relation between civiliza-
ton and the frequency of changes in
the public opinion.
Mr. Kirk seems to be of the opinion
that The more frequent the changes,
the higher is the degree of civilization.
/ am rather inclined to disagree with
him in this point also, but again / do
not wish to interfere with somebody
else in his private affairs. One ques-
ton, though: Where Is the connec-
tion between this paragraph and the
previous one?
You see, Mr.. Editor, 1t is really OF
minor importance If one misses the
right conception of that metaphor
dealing with the public opinion and
the tuning fork, provided he hits the
main idea. But out of this article Of
Mr.. Kirk / get two ideas, rather two
main ideas, and no collecting link.
There is also mentioned the fact
that the day of the parchment law
has passed into living reality. but that
is altogether above my comprehen-
sion, and what has It got to do with
waiting for further orders? / refuse
to tackle it; Mr.. Kirk just merely an
ncunces it, anyway. It has probably
not been that way before.
The above lines are intended as a
hint for Mr.. Kirk when he writes his
explanatory article to the one in ques-
ton