The Washington times., 1920-07-28
Today
Some Are Prosperous.
Youth Is Courage.
They'll Laugh at Us.
Who Has Friends7
By ARTHUR BRISBANE
Copyright. iSss.b

In the last three months the
United States Steel Corporation
earned more than forty three mil
lion dollars, nine millions more
than in the same period a year
ago. We still have some prosper
ity with US.
Why does Steel stock drop. with
such earnings, and with nearly
billion belonging to the common
stockholders stored away In cash,
bonds. and other liquid securities.
In addition to owning the iron OF
the United States?
Answer: These are get-rich-
quick days. Steel pays per
cent, lots of things pay 8. The
time may be coming when some
will regret that they sold their
steel to buy lots OF telegraph" I"
Gentlemen that began gambling
In wheat and other grain a little
while ago. for instance. are think
ing 1t over today. A loss OF twen-
ty cents q bushel for those that
gamble in a million bushels At
time and more brings thoughtful
ness. Gambling to put up the price
OF food should bring something
more serious than thoughtfulness
John r. Voorhies, still at work
IN public office, celebrates his
ninety-first birthday. He says It
all In q few words: 81 always
think that / can DO the next days
. work. and l find that / am able
to do It, that's ALL"
You are young just as long as
I you are not afraid OF tomorrow.
The joke of today was once
solemn earnestness. When the
wind died out in the yacht race.
sailors and others threw pennies
into the ocean, the idea being to
pay Old Neptune for a wind. One
humorist dropped into the ocean q
million-dollar check. That was all
joke.
1t was not a joke to the Greeks
who thought that Boreas, God of
the North Wind, sent the storm
that wrecked the Persian fleet to
show his gratitude for the beauti-
ful Greek dancing girl, Oreithyia.
1t was not joke when a great
ruler ordered the Adriatic to be
flogged because it had displeased
him, or when the Gauls, ancestors
OF the fighting French, rushed
against the rising waves with
drawn swords.
We laugh at what once was
solemn earnest. How will the fu-
ture laugh at US for the earnest
ness with which'we throw our lives
and all our efforts into the pitiful
pursuit OF pennies?
A lady offers her child, two and
q half years old, for $3.50. She
needs the money for another child.
The human being appears to be
looking up as a commodity. You
can buy a pretty good second class
chow dog for $3.50. Ordinarily you
could get human child for moth
ing.
Nelly Roland, "once q star"
hanged herself, leaving this word:
~ have no friends" Many with
out knowing it, might say the
same. Aristotle often exclaimed:
my Friends, there are no friends -
And the young soldier whose horse
had won the race said to Cyrus.
the great king: 81 would not put
any price upon my horse, and |
would not exchange him for
kingdom. But l would exchange
him for a true friend, if | could
find one."
Life is made easy by the fact
that 80 many are able to accept
gossiping intimacy for the friend
ship that is SO rare.
You and your friends that make
up the population of the United
States paid in taxes in the past
year more than five thousand mil
lion dollars. You realize the DOW
er Of numbers when reminded that
five billion means only $50 for
each inhabitant.
If all human beings really work.
ed and saved, not through selfish
ness, but through conscientious
ness, how light burden would be
even a great war that raises the
cost OF government to five billions
. year?
The, State of New York paid
more than one quarter of all the
five billions of taxes paid in this
country last year. Some New
Workers will say, Outrageous to
make one State pay % per cent
. OF the national expense"
! Other States will say, Arrange
70 deposit all the money of the
ountry with me, establish most of
~ big banks and headquarters Of
thc biggest corporations inside
borders, send 80 per cent Of
richest men in the country to
and spend their money in my
and III be glad to pay one
lrter Of the taxes"