The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-29
ON SECOND THOUGHT
By JAY Z. HOUSE
fyrea Fhiiadsaphia Pshne Lsdsss.D

1t appears that Mr.. Proctor, who
underworld the Leonard Wood presi-
dental campaign, was really serious
when he said he expected to get his
money back. He has gone to law in
an attempt to collect a portion of it.
1t is to be regretted that Mr.. Proctor
has stultified his record as an easy
mark" by an exhibition of poor sports
manship.
In any event. his action at law is in
advisable. He has practically cut
himself off from politics. Hereafter,
when the boys are looking for easy
money. they'll go elsewhere for it.
Mr.. Stillman, we learn thru his at
torney and from the public prints. has
no desire to be anything but fair and
generous. We have no wish to engage
IN controversy over the Stillman af-
fair. but we think he proved that con-
clusively when he publicly acknowl-
edged the paternity of three of his
children.
Those who, saw Mr.. Debs in Wash
ington say he seemed nervous. He
would be. Naturally enough Mr..
Debs is anxious to get back to his
! work. He wants to rejoin the great
army of producers of which he was
SO distinguished a member His pc
| Rod of enforced inactivity has upset
him.
1.-TWO in the Eighteenth Row.
SirI greatly admire the stand you
/ have taken against the exorbitane
! prices and unfair Sadvanta ges of the
| theatres. But why, pray, just the For
rest, when we had just the same
treatment at the Lyric Saturday night
! a week ago? We paid $3.50 for seats
which were so poor We could hardly
see and then found that the choicest
seats were empty, which fact spoiled
| the pleasure We would have had in a
] good play. 1 sincerely hope you have
/, some effect on the situation.
| ELKINS PARK.
Isn't it entirely possible that the
! prevailing methods of theatrical mer-
/ chandising have something to do with
poor attendance? We have passed
up" at least twenty plays this season
because we care neither to sit in the
eighteenth row nor to pay the extra
charge exacted by the ticket agencies.
1t is entirely plausible to believe there
are thousand of other potential thea
! tergoers who feel the same way about
/ it. The party is over: the people have
| quit sowing their money If there is
/ u thought in that for theatrical man
agement, 1t is welcome to it.
4 1T is nothing to US. We have nc
| But if We had, we'd thing 1t over.
- This Is Pretty Good
4 The editor of the Public Ledger ha.
(; received the following communication
1 which we have asked leave to print:
Sir-May 1 ask if the column in the
! Public Ledger edited by one Jay L
House is intended to be humorous.
We Know it Is often coarse, seldom
interesting, never instructive or con
structive and has all the marks. o
4 rawness. One would never accuse
Mr.. House Of appearing cultured
Sometimes it would seem that he aim,
/ to be humorous: but the effort is Sc
! pronounced that the effect is lost. II
lis generally supposed that he intended
{, to be witty when he said he did not
| care two whoops in Gehenna for what
| anyone thought of his column. Since
you print Public Ledger presumably
for individuals to read, it would be te
/ his credit as well as your advantage
IL he not only. cared two whoops but q
I good many whoops what individual.
think Persons who depend upon the
public, which is no more nor less thar
i individuals, cannot afford to Sicken oil
:, disgust that public.
+ BEATRICE NJ. Mcdowell.
We feel We can clear up some of the
doubt which an apparently persisten
reading of the column has lodged II
the mind of the editors correspondent
We do not aim to be humorous. We
do not regard the phrase, Tive
whoops in Gehenna," as wit. 1t ex'
presses the entirely serious attitude
4 of a sadeyed. man who. because of g
protuberant Adams apple, always ap-
4 pears at a disadvantage when he wears
a tab collar.
i We have letter from one who
signs himself "A Reader Since 1850,
! in which there is an interesting sug-
I gestfon. In order to give the writer
of it time to get another job and not