Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-01
THE TIGER THAT WALKS
LIKE A MAN

tdE following description is given of a
striking personality seen at close
range by a shrewd observer:
He came from his study his arm
around his wife's waist. and looking down
upon her from the height of his Won
derfui carriage with such loving eyes.
while on the other side, walking close to
him and hanging on his arm, were his
two daughters, like two playful children.
laughing and talking to him.
This is not a picture of Philadelphia
! sang politician. whose brand of public
j eervice SO often is masked by the camou
nage OF family virtue. 1t is a descrip-
! tion of no less parsonage than gentle
old Admiral Won Tirpitz, who wept tears
~ joy when the Lusitana was sunk and
wanted all the boys and girls in the
schools of Germany to celebrate, with
song and festival, the murder of enemy
children.
II Is important to discriminate be-
tween private gentleness and public
ferocity when they meet and mingle in
the mind of an individual. Time and time
again the people have sold their birth
right OF self-government for a mess of
sentimental pottage. Not many years
ago a man ran for the vice presidency
and was elected, having first flooded the
rural districts of the country with copies
Of campaign biography which showed
the humble log cabin, like Lincoln's.
where he was born. and told of his hard
and virtuous struggle with poverty The
sentiments expressed did him credit and
evefything in the book was noble and
exhilarating. The only trouble with it
was that it wasn't true. There had been
no log cabin and no very hard struggle
with poverty.
This was an exceptional case. But it
shows how keen is the professional poll
ucian's appreciation of the high market
value of well-advertised personal virtue
The appeal is more dangerous when it is
SASSu oI tTutn
A reasonable doctrine. this, if the poll
tician could be trusted to carry into pub.
lie affairs the standards of service which
he is proud to say are maintained in his
own home. But no sooner do these child.
loving gangsters leave the charmed circle
of the fireside for the days work than
their whole aspect changes. Deceit, fraud,
plot the getting of money under false
pretenses. chicanery of contract-grabbing
-fn word, the whole gamut of evils
which reached its logical development in
the Fifth Ward murder-this is the life
which is INDUCED in or condoned by
these men who, at home, are as gentle
and considerate as that old murderer.
Won Tirpitz
II has been said that humane tiger
would be a bad parent. The tigress that
spared the lamb would starve her cub.
The tiger who walks like man, in our
U@a4AASAs iAAt, VIII at Sucn SlfllleS
% support his right to plunder. But the
eases are not similar An exact parallel
would be that of the tiger which killed
little tigers to feed its own young. The
children Of this city have suffered death.
Uness. hunger, cold, because politicians
were taking good care of their own chill
dren at the expense OF public welfare
Every constructive movement to i'm
prove conditions in housing. sanitation
ehild-labor street-cleaning, has met with
QrGanization opposition that seemed to
Mply It was little short of criminal to
eefsest anything that would help the
spIs'
m tiger has fine side to his nature
~ home circle. The gangster is
~ and considsrate, but not in public.