The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-19
DoRoTEY DIX TALKS
Conscientious Directors.
By DOROTHY DIX
Worlds Highest Paid Woman Writer

Conscientious Directors.
The newspapers report that Con
scientious objector" who didn't want
to defend his country and was draft
ed into it's service against his will and
and refused to submit to any author
ity, has been court martialed and SEN
fenced to be shot.
How 1 wish that army regulations
could be carried into private life and
that the conscientious DIRECTORS who
infest almost every family and make
life a burden 20 all about them could
also be taken out some nice, pleasant
morning and slain! 1t would be the
beginning of a perfect day for many
a household that is now the scene of
nothing but a perpetual protest.
Sometimes the conscientious objec-
tor is a man. Sometimes the con-
scientiouS objector IS woman; but
he she or it is alwavs a bilious, dark
green pessimist who goes on the
principle that whatever is, is wrong,
shouldn't be permitted to do, and that
every idea and every plan is fa1la-
cious and bound to be a failure unless
he, she or it originated it.
The conscientious objector con-
ceives it to be his or her sacred mis-
sion in life to be wet blanket on
every occasion; to give courage cold
feet; to dampen enthusiasm and take
the crimp out of it, and to drown am
bition. When he or she has done this
and left you limp and lifeless and de-
spondent. the conscientious objector
smiles the complacent smile of one
who has done his full duty and may
rest for the time being from his la
bors.
The conscientious objector works on
no plan. He has no theory to substi-
tute for the one he opposes. In war
the conscientious objector refuses to
light to defend his country, but he
doesn't offer any suggestion as to how
a country is to be defended without
nshtins. He will not obey orders in
the army, but he formulates no bril-
liant plan for controlling an army
without discipline.
ana IT'S the same way in private
lie. The conscientious objector SIM
ply registers protest and nothing
more. He is sure that whatever you
are doing is bound to end in disaster
ana that you are doing it the wrong
way, out he never offers you a better
plan or any theory of action that is
more likely to succeed. The con-
sclentlous objector pours over Won a
hooo OF destructive criticism, but he
never hands you even a straw of con-
str ucliVe criticism to which you might
chng and save yourself.
When the Conscientious Director
IS man he is generally in business
by himself, for his partners soon find
out that they have used up SO much
energy In combating his objections to
every scheme they devise that thev
nave no steam left with which to forge
Then. not having much else to do tha
conscientious Director has time to
turn his attention to the country az
large and tell how it is going to the
ooSs, and point out the mistakes that
PRESIDENT Wilson, the war board. Red
eral Petain and General Haig ana the
Bolsheviki are making.
None or them is doing things as the
Director thinks thew
should be done, and the mere fact that
ne himself has never been able to
t hiase even a bare living does not
hinder him from sitting in Judgment
on the mlghtlest achievement of great
men and announcing authCritatiyeIv
that they are laundering.
1t Is in the bosom of his family
however, that the Conscientious OBJ
Jector Goes his perfect work. He is
standing Veto on his own hearth
stone, and he objects on principle to
everything that every individual in tho
mouse wants to do. Half the time he
really doesn't care whoop about the
matter He has no reason for oppos-
ing II whatever. 1t is just a constitu-
tional affliction with him to saw .no,,
to everything. 0
know dozen households in which
the wife and children keep every plan
as secret as they would a CONTEMPLATED
crime from the husband and fathsr
wait and tell him after you have
done it and he won't care. but If vo,,
tell him beforehand he will he smrs ~
object and refuse to let you do it," ia
the philosophy they have learned fron,
Director 'oos
OF course they outwft the Conscien-
tious Director. but he has spoiIed for
them the finest flower of their n1eaS
ure, for anticipation always has rea-
NATION beat city block and 10 he
deprived of the fun of talking over
9etorehand the thing you are going to
uo - 10 nave very large pin inserted
In your little balloon.
The female of the spec;es of ~.
CONSCIENTIOUS Objector is even more
deadly than the male, because sba a.
always around the premises ana
eternally on the job. Women are ax-
lISiflsts. Ihey raise everything to the
nth power and when ono pivas 80
mind to Icing a dark blue ness;rn;s.
she can make indigo look like a faded
color. Also when she objects she "a
ooJect TO more things than anv Other
human being o'iier
me female conscientious obiectors
form the class who begin everv rs
marx TO their children with don't"
2onnhle don't do this, don't do that.
Don't do anything that YOU are doinc
or are not doing. It's purely automatic
with them to object and the child
knows 1t and doesn't even make a pre-
tence of obeying. and then when the
Time comes when the woman really
needs 10 assert authority over the
The conscientious objector is a kill
Joy in her home. If her children want
TO go to any place of amusement. no
matter how innocent, she is ready
with thousand protests She oh |
lects on account of the weather. She
objects if they are to go in an ante
mobile, or if they are to walk. She oh |
to, -. =. |