Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-05

WYE HAVE lived through events without
w precedent and we have matched the
precedented with the unprecedented and we
shall continue TO do So We are not only
making history: we are making example for
future time to point to and, let us hope, TO
follow our place among the nations has
suddenly become the foremost not because
have suffered as others have suffered or
given. others have given, but because a
great idea. an idea involving a large gener-
osity. a splendid disinteTestcdness, whether
by accident design, has taken possession
OF Us and inspires In the world u new hope for
the future. Wncrefore your Ciownsman, like
many others. is overwhelmed with mortifica-
ton at the frequent lttleness of our temper
Of mind. our quibbling and pettifogging, our
pickering and small talk. our Congcnital dis
satisfaction with whatever is, whatever has
been. whatever is promised. A sense OF
proportion might cause us to recognize that
10 be an American in such time rs this Is
an honor above the price of party; that to be
q sharer in the events which have taken place
is to be a partaker in the radiance of an i'm
perishable glory. We feeding have
fed. the hungry; We are protecting. as we
have protected, the weak against the strong
hand Of wrong; "intermeddling"
| grandly to give the downtrodden an uplift into
a freer world And our hand has been
against the Colossus of tyranny which, with
| the help of other hands have toppled
proportion to all this. for what do the
triyialties Of procedure count, the niceties
Of outworn precedent, the question of who's
| who In this instrument Of our national will
or that?
yYrHY not be ainiable. good-humored,
w kindly? Great things are doing, why not
! be a help TO them. not captious obstacle?
| There is much that is going right, despite
all that is going wrong. II is going to bo
| winter it is true; but inevitably thereafter
It will again be spring, and winter may be
| enjoyed by those who keep warm the cock
| les of the heart, as spring may be made
| miserable by those who complain even in
! the sun After all. we get in this world
| pretty much the things which We go out
| to seek, though there are often surprises
| In their coming. For all things are accom-
| panied by their shadows; but which is the
| shadow which the reality it is often diff
| cult to tell. Possibly our momentary tes-
| tiness is mainly a matter of nerves. We
! have been keyed up high, now, for nearly
| five years our feelings have been wraclled
| our emotions stirred. our fountains of in
| dlgnation, admiration, patriotism, generosity
| drawn to the very dregs And now the
high tension is in measure at least, re-
| laXed and turn back on the little things
| about US which had forgotten under
| the sterner stress.
| Tut why not try amability? Why not
| d start out today TO discover everything
| that is at least extenuating in conduct which
! at first flush We think are going to dis
| approve? Why not find out whether after
-
| which has prompted this act, that or the
! other? Why not look for the fine quiXotic
| idea that has led some one with whom we
| habituaIly disagree into what we conceive
| TO be his folly? II is surprising how the
| habitual search for what is admirable and
! praiseworthy lifts the searcher and clarifies
| his colloquIal judgments OF men and affairs,
! as contrastedly the habituai search for
sinister motives and ignoble purposes bends
| a man double like ragpiclIer whose pack
| Of dirty linen bears him down. And should
| ~, l.Fa al IN,1N
you hate you cannot tell do not think out
| ingenious reasons for your hatred to match
| with other ingenious reasons thought out by
other ingenious haters but listen to the good
things that may be said. The Gownsman
doubts not, even of DR.. Fell, how able a
gentleman he in. after all, and how valued
IN friendship by those who know him /; and
even II he does hail from Texas though you
still may not like him, not having your
self discovered him, at least be amiable
about H.,