The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-09
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY.JAY E. HOUSE
(From Philadelphia Public Ledger.l


University and Penn; and everything
else being equal, when we pick new
fight we give older friends the first
chance to get in on it.
What we. wanted TO know is the
psychology of the prohibition guzzle.
With the idea of providing a promise
from which our learned friends might
advance to a conclusion, we made
simple and naiveT confession concern
ing certa-n personal tendencies. So
far we have been unable to wiring re-
tort from either school; but the editor
of the Lewistown' Sentinel is less re-
pressed, less reticent. He says our
confession is one OF weakness and in
dicateS a lack of manliness.
Now, we care nothing for bFocaded
words or perfumed ideals of conduct.
We burn such fagots of thought as
come to us upon the altar of fact. The
thing that allures US is cause and eff
feet. If we are weaker and less man
ly than in Reproduction days, what
is the psychological explanation of
that fact? If prohibition tends TO
make men weaker and less manly, is
prohibition good thing or bad
one?
We are making argument neither for
nor against prohibition. But We
would enjoy the reaction of the editor
OF the Sentinel to that mouthful-
''There," remarked the gentleman
ct the adjacent desk as the young and
ambitious pugilist. with whom he had
been closeted, departed for the outer
world, there goes the greatest fighter
I ever heard
We did set considerable store by the
letter from President Harding which
appeared not so long ago in this col
unn. As the only columnist in the
world who HAD printed personal let
ter from a president of the United
Stats we were considerably set up.
But Strick Gilliland, who was in town
yesterday. took most of it out of us.
Strick has been to- the White House
for lunch.
From One of the Gladstone Boys,
Sir-You are interested in Marshal
Foch and tobacco. I give second place
to none in honoring the marshal for
bringing the Germans to themselves.
We think he should visit the tomb of
General Grant before he returns to
France and gather among other les
sons to be learned there, not to ar
rive at premature end thru the use
Of tobacco. Long live the marshall
would suggest that he take the tobacco
habit with him on his return till he
reaches midoeean. tie a long sinker to
it and drop it into the waters.
You would like to<know how the
crusade to save the country from to-
bacco is coming on. The w. C. It. U.
is our great national house-cIeaner.
About forty years ago these women
We're convinced that the house should
be cleaned of beverage alcohol. They
have made history. I must fall back
on Patrick Henry to answer your in
quiry:. Il know OF no way of judging
n ~ T.n.k
VIII surely find a grave in Potter's
Field alongside that of booze. The
women before mentioned have scapt
respect for self-constituted public
guardians of nicotine blight.
J. G. F.
Reference by ]. G. F. to "seIf-con-
stituted public guardians" prompts us
to make inquiry. Why, exactly, do
they wish to take tobacco from those
of US who enjoy it? What is the idea
We'd love to know. A great many
men-offhand We should say an i'm
pressive majority of mep-use to-
bacco in one form or another. A
good many women smoke. Others are
learning to do So To all of these to-
bacco is at once a comfort, a pleasure
and solaee- Why do those who dol
not use tobacco wish to deprive others
of an inestimable privilege?
Categorical answer, of course. will
be that tobacco is injurious. But who
knows and who says so? All that is
known to a certainty is that in this
tobaeco-ridden country the average
span of human life grows longer gem
Grafton by generation. We live longer
nowadays we are more vtrile and
more youthful. We are infinitely
more healthful. Fifty years ago a
woman was aged at fifty and a man
at fifty-fiye. Nowadays people are just |
beginning to live at sixty. If tobacco |
really were injurious, this nation
would be physically wrecked. We
leave it to ]. G. F. as to whether it
is or not.
OF course, General Grants prema-
ture death at the age of sixty-three
years is deeply regretted. None has
expressed himself more feelingly upon
that point than this humble writer. 1t
is interesting TO learn, at this late date,
that it was caused by tobacco.