Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-10

StIO oItbANlLE represents the uOlll-
L nant idea of our civilization. To or
ganize is to be respectable, and as every
one wants to be respectable, every one
dreams of new schemes of organization.
1t Is difficult to think of any class
that has not been organized Of late years"
Thus writes George Moore; and further: g..
ITO organize something-or, put 1t differ
emily, to educate some one-is today every
mans ambition. So long as 1t Is not HIM
self, it matters no jot whom he educates."
A DIVERTING book might be written by
I nearly any man of middle life who has
not forgotten how to use his pen on Or
ganizations to which l have belonged.
Perhaps still more diverting one might
be compiled on organizations, membership
in which / have thought it wise to decline:
provided always that the writer would dare
tell the truth That difficult matter, to tell
the truth! There was hobble.de-hoy
urchin of twelve, in whose freckled red
headed makeup, contrary to all known law
Of precedent fact, there was no dash OF
humor He was solemn youngster, wide.
eyed and abominably honest His observ-
ant eye was attracted one day by the odd
ity of the appearance of lady who had
been young at some doubtful period not
too long ago. AS he neared her he observed
that the oddity in her face which had at
tracted his eye was markedly crooked
nose. Being interested, he asked her, 'po
litely!" he afterward affirmed under moth.
erly correction, How did your nose come
to be crooked?"
"And do you know, mother, first she
gasped. as though she was going to faint
and then asked me where I was raised?
and said, Only just here"
DUT the Gownsman has digressed from
- one painful subject to another, from
organization to the dsmnable art of telling
the truth, which latter art he is credibly
informed once put successful practitioner
of it for a period of twenty.four hours in
Jail, where he richly deserved to be. With
crcumspection, therefore, let us step back
to organizations. There are organizations
'to the which" we cannot escape belonging,
the State which bids us bear a load if we
would be free-strange paradox! And
there is the church and political party
both, in these days, largely matters of
birth, not choice. To be or not to be
Presbyterian? Never a Hamlet of us all
is troubled with the question. And in what
high disdain do we hold man who has
been Republican and has dared to cease
by his own volition to continue ever in that
noble elevated and patriotic condition.
There is even a certain extenuation plead
able in the case of a man whose father was
Democrat before him. 1t is like being
born Methodist or Hicksite, not SO
much a thing to boast about to accept
with the other vicissitudes of life.
DUT II there are organizations which we
- cannot escape, there are others into
the entering Of which the ordinary man is
| supposed to exercise at least a species of
volition. Matrimony, for example, though
the Gownsman processes himself here
somewhat in doubt. Can one help being
married, for example, either before or
after? And then there is the family. It is
incredible into what families some men
contrive to be born. But here wise
providence steps in: for no matter what his
family, every man-and especially every
woman-is sure to be proud of it.
"The La Fools of the North, the La
Fools of the South: we come not of the
La Fools of Essex, but of the La Fools of
France, as honorable and ancient family
as ever bore arms, and ours is a coat of
motley, lineally derivable from Joseph's
coat Of many colors for the La Fools have
ever been of many colors."
| All this with becoming acknowledgment
| to ancient Ben Jonson.