Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-12
They Ought to Not Havo Did 1t


After Secretary Josephus Daniels gets
through educating the sailors and teaching
them how to eat in the officers mess, it
might be good thing for him to form a
class among the Senators and Representa-
tives to teach them how to use their native
language. The story is told about dis
tinguished man who was nominated by one
of the political parties for the Office of Vice
President He had been carefully trained
to what he should say and how he should say
1t in his speech of acceptance, and as long
as he stuck to his prepared address his
hackers were much delighted with their work
until, laying aside his manuscript for bril-
liant thought he shocked all the purists pres
ent by saying in a burst of native eloquence:
my friends we mustn't do as them Romans
done"
Everybody knew exactly what he meant,
but 1t was insisted that 1t was not good
form.
On another occasion, as the story goes, the
same outspoken and perfectly honest man,
when asked If he had seen Mr.. Blank, said:
mo. haven't saw him and I haven't saw
anybody who has saw him"
Again, the form was not good, but the
meaning was clear
Many of the best people in Mr.. Daniels
STATE say IN Orulndry conversation, L uOno
it." "he done it," or "they done it." or you
done noble" and there is no mistaking their
meaning; but the form is not good whatever
the sense Neither is the style OF quite a
number OF the Senators now at the Capitol
when they say ION tomorrow shall address
the Senate such and such a question"
"As gave notice on yesterday wish to
say" and so on. OF course their meaning is
plain but their style is bad and Secretary
Josephus might very well devote some of his
spare time between his classes aboard ship
to the sailors who are trying to steer the ship
of State.
Looks Plagiaristic
Speaking of Josephus, his educational ac-
tivities are not confined to the schools for the
sailors. Following the example of his main
guide, the Secretary of State, he makes many
addresses on religious and moral subjects
Last Sunday, for example, he attended serv-
ices at the Church of the Covenant, OF
which DR.. Charles Wood, former PhiIadeI-
phian, is pastor.
In O. particularly able discourse the min
lister spoke OF character as the thing most
worth striving after rather than a career,
and the Secretary was evidently so much i'm
pressed with the sermon that in the after
noon. in an address in the Westminster
a
monished his audience that, after ALL charac-
ter rather than career is most worth atrlv-
ing after.
The idea was not original with the Secre-
tary, It was probably not original with the
minister. There are great many self-eyi-
dent propositions and the absorbent mind is
the best sort OF mind when 1t has to be used
in expounding noble thoughts.
There will be abundant opportunity next
spring and summer, IL there should be an
extra session OF Congress, from which there
appears to be no escape for a resumption OF
activities on the Chautauqua circuits The
Secretary of the Navy has not yet ventured
upon this sea of opportunity; but his class
leader, the Secretary OF State is prepared
to fill almost any engagement that is offered
and he needs the money. 1t Is not known
what he win talk about. but he might very
well take up the Presidents assurance that
the existing business depression is purely
psychological
How Bryan Could Help the Country
That would be going rather too far, per-
haps but there are many signs OF returning
prosperity. Mr.. McAdoo's offer OF s50.OOO,OOO