The Washington herald., 1921-10-21
TACT, GOLDEN RULE
PUT INTO ACTION,
SAYS DOROTHY DIX
Oil of Human Kindness
That Lubricates the
Wheels of Life.
By DOROTHY DIX.

A school girl asks me IL I will
tell her what tact is. and how she
can acquire it
golden rule put into action 1t Is do
ing unto others as you would have
them do unto you. 1t Is saying to
otner people the agreeable little
thlngs that you would like them to
say TO you. 1t Is showing unto
others the courteous little atten-
mons that II would please you to
oeath to have other people show to
you. II is Keeping of the grass OF
other peoples little prejudices and
peeuliarities as you would like
10 have them keep off OF yours.
Iact is the ultimate expression Of
so1d breeding, good manners. and
good feeling.
lactful people are those who at
Nays make you feel comfortable
"hd pleased with yourself. They
never irritate you nor antazontze
you They never wound and mortify
you They never argue. They never
intrude their own opinions. unless
~ Is necessary. and when they do
tney never try to force them upon
nehefs as you are to yours. but
tney express them in a way that
ieaNes no rancour. and makes you
reel that Intelligent people NAV
olsagree on their point Of view
"itnout calling each other names.
There are two ways. the right
way and the wrong way. of doing
even the right thing.
Haven't you had people give you
thlngs in a way that made you
want to fling them back in their
races, and haven't you had people
refuse you things so graciously
tnat you actually felt grateful for
what YOU didn't get? Haven't you
had people invite you to their
,ouses in a manner that made you
eel that they were doing il under
ompulsion, and because II was an
olsation they could no longer es-
Jcape. and haven't you been asked
10 other places in a way that made
You feel that your hostess was
simply pining for your society. and
that she would consider IL an honor
and pleasure to have you be-
meath her roof? That's the differ
ence between tact and lack of tact
Haven't you got an Aunt Suzanns
40 never gives you a five dollar
q
ture down your throat with IL. and
telling you how she has to deny
herself to give to the poor? And
haven't you had Mrs Blank say to
you. Il told my daughter she really
MUST invite you to spend a week.
end with US, you get out so little?'
Tact is the magic that enables Us
to do even unpleasant things in a
pleasant way. 1t sugar coats its lee
lures 1t takes the sting out of Its
reproof. It does not dwell upon our
weaknesses so much as il insists
upon our good qualities until II
inspires US to develop what Is best
in US.
Tact makes US remember. 1t keeps
us from discussing the divorce evil
in the presence of some woman
whose heart has been broken by
her husbands faithlessness- 1t pre-
vents US from talking about wash
tubs. and picks. and shovels to the
new rich who have just purchased
an expensive family tree whose
roots go back to William the Con-
aueror. II keeps Us from calling a
lame man Limpy. or asking a blind
msnd II he sees,
Tact laughs with people. never at
HEM 1t jokes the owner of a ten
Thousand OOlldr car ABOUT MS OiQ
bus. but it never derides a moor
mans tin Lizzie. Tact never tells
funny stories about fat women to
a lady who weighs over one hun
dred and twenty-five pounds. or
celebrates the birthday of one past
twenty.
Tact is the press-aGent that
singles out the one thing the in
dividual can do. and turns the spot
light on him or her while he or she
gives a star performance. II is what
makes you put the soft pedal on
your own favorite topics. and give
others the cue for their own moao-
loRues- 1t Is what makes you ask
a mother about her children, or a
business man how the grocery
trade is getting along. or an actor
what he did last season. or an
author about his new book
Tact IL the kindness that notices
vour new frock. that is interested
in your new house. that remember,