The Washington herald., 1915-09-13

He also makes great many enemies. Though
he seldom attacks any one directly, his censorious
words are often repeated and reach the people
sured, and. though his friends appreciate his good
qualities. he is pretty generally disliked and by
many he is avoided
Another of my acquaintance never uses
violent exaggerated expressions. On the con-
trary, in his speaking, he is always considerate
One result is that, not only his words pleasant
to hear, but the tone of his voice is almost in
variably quiet and agreeable. / don't think l have
ever heard him one of the many words in our
language that contain ill-feeling not only express
ing it, but developing it in the mind 1t is great
object lesson to hear him discuss people and ideas
that he does not approve of. Unconsciously he
opens up his mind and shows that it is serene and
healthy. like well-kept and wcll-aired room
There is one amusing quality often betrayed
by men who do good deal of swearing, their self
satisfaction. They think they doing something
creditable They are merely OF course, yielding
weakness very conspicuously Indeed, most of
them in imitation OF their elders for the
purpose of being manly. Nearly all swearers de-
vclop in themselves the habit OF self-torment
Their swearing adds fuel the fire of their resent
ment and anger. There arc few men who can use
resentful words, of which swearing provides ex-
tremc examples without becoming bitterly resent
full
We often hear that thoughts are things In
more than the merely literal sense words arc
things, too. Often ideas damaged by the
words they are made to use Just there is
good deal OF public concern about free speech In
this regard we have more freedom than we had
a few years ago. Indeed the freedom is almost
sensational. Subjects, taboo a few years ago, are
now openly discussed But it looks as if we might
be on the verge of reaction. The reason is not
that the freedom is in itself dangerous, but that
it has been abused by the unwse use of words
AS matter of fact, any subject can be talked
about without giving offense if the words are con-
sideratcly chosen What is offensive in freedom
OF speech is not freedom itself 1t is the bad taste
that is likely to go with the freedom, the ncon-
slderateness. the bravado, the expressions of the
intellectual or moral superiority that are always
seeking for release through subtle disguses
One OF the most Objectionable men have ever
known is an advocate of the new freedom He
takes pNasurc in shocking people with his talk.
He thinks that he is displaying breadth and frank
ness and daring. as well as superiority to crippling
conventions. He is merely using words that in
N
press and develop vulgarity Nearly everything
he says could be expressed with equal frankness
without offending any one. The more he uses the
offensive words the more he becomes a slave to
the bad qualities that lie beneath them. In his
imagined assertion OF freedom he is finding
slavery.
In arguing, the considcrate use of words is al
ways attractive. Indeed it tends to inhibit all i'll
feeling and to put an end to the argument For
most OF our arguing is not really for the sake of
ideas or of truth. 1t is for the qualification of our
own egotstical selves, for the sake of winning.
showing ourselves superior. For its maintenance
1t relies very largely adroit misuse of words
on clever, insinccre hair-splittngs on unfair re-
statements of remarks from the other side on
covert substitution, the of those words that
contain and develop il-fccling. One amusing con-
sequence of argument where the ill-feeling be-
comes strong is that the disputants often find
themselves arguing over points where they actually
agree Sometimes they exchange positions, like
two prizefghters lodging around ring
Words great convenience and tfey are
also great nuisance. The confusion of tongues
is by no means Biblical alone. 1t must have ex-
listed long before that tragic and yet comic disas-
ter and it exists today In some ways we should
be far better off if we never used words There
are those who think that in this matter of con-
fusion learning helps. But it may be the means
of making confusion more confounded. Many of
the greatest abuscrs and the most pitiiul victims
of words the inteectuals, so highly cultivated
that they beyond the realm of everyday SYM
pathy with its profound implications and its sim
pie and wholesome relations The truth is, it
seems to me, that the matter is not intellectual at
all. 1t goes deeper into the realm of the warm
human feeling that alone can be a safe guide in
communication with one another Words that
express and inspire -fecling, no matter how re-
fined clever they may be, have no legitimate
place in the world. Words that express and in
spire good feeling are the only words we ought
to use
What Shells Cost.