Norwich bulletin., 1917-03-03
Sunday Morning Talk
CHANGE PLACES.

A mayor of our greatest American city remarked that an official in such a position receives so much more blame than praise, try as hard as he may to do right, that he could not see how anyone prizing peace of mind should care for public office. lie whimsfeally quoted the opinion of James Whitcomb Riley that ''he who does his best gets more kicks than all the rest" Similar testimonies from similar sources might be multiplied As a matter of fact, our public and semi public officials too, often must take for granted any commendation for efficient service, while a blunder is pretty sure to be heard from within 10 minutes.
 The impulse to criticize arises from deficient imagination Men have no power, or, at least, take no pains to see the obstacles against which the other man latOrs. The handicaps in our neighbor's situation are lightly ignored We demand results of others that we should be the first to declare impossible were we ourselves under the necessity of producing them
 In his first inaugural, President Will son, after outlining the task of the executive, uttered the words: Who shall live up to the great trust? Who dares fail to try? I summon all hon. est men, all patriotic, all forward looking men to my side. God helping
 
 but Sustain and counsel me"
 As to how well the great trust has been lived up to. opinions are bound to differ But no one can deny that plenty of difficult and perpiextng questions have arisen. It is probable, moreover that the President and his advisers have handled the various sit nations as well on the whole, as the window, or sitting a cracker box at the corner store. It is so easy to find fault, when one has no responsibility beyond that.
 The carper should stir up his imagi- nation. He should try to put himself in the other fellows place. Before he condemns t51e legislator jet him consider that individual situation. Let him. think Of the pressure brought to bear oD most public officials. Let him think Of the conflicting interests of constituents, any move that is made displeasing someone. Let him picture the confusion 0f rec tape and selfish interest amidst which your alderman or senator must think clearly and act wisely.
 None Of the vacations in which men win bread lack their peculiar tempta- tions. The battle must be fought out along lines generally unsuspected by the casual observer. Consider the diff faculties oe the merchant the problems of the doctor, the oppositions of the lawyers and the minister. If we un- derSroOd the burdens or any or these people, we might be less ready to cry failure when things go badly.
 It would be the most heaIthfUI thing in the world for many of us to attempt the task of another worker, and under the same conditions in which he works. There are mistresses of households who ever remain hard employers be- cause they have never tried the work their servants do. Let them take. for instance, the cooks place for a sim gle week, to learn what the job re- quires of regularity, ingenuity and in- dustry. At the end of their term of service they might be less fussy and unreasonable. So it is in every range of employment. It would be we'll like wise, if the servant could understand the responsibilities and perplexities of the employer.
 Sympathy is the prime human sol- vent. It keeps us reasonable and charitable. If we could only put our selves in the other mans place and see from his viewpoint If we could only be as generous to our nefghbor as we are to ourselves! A sleepless night, toothache, piece of. bad news-such facts excuse Hstlessness and slack achievement in our own case. Why not make similar charitable allowances for our bIundering neighbor? Noth- fore better, world than that charity that "suffereth long and is kind"
 THE PAR5ON.