The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-04
ON SECOND THOUGHT
By JAY e. HOUSE
lFrom Philadelphia Public Ledger)

THE Debs mystery is still I'M
solved" writes Norm Hapgood. "Peo-
pie write me about it and ask me
orally about it every, day, and really
hate to give the answer"
To US the promise laid down in the
quotation from Mr.. Hapgood contains
two amazing propositions. One is the
assumption that he can clear up the
Debs mystery. If here is such mys-
terry. Mr.. Hapgood has tackled a
number of problems. but he never has
turned in q correct answer to any OF
them. The other is his professed re-
luctance to speak. Norm will have a
very difficult time convincing those
who know him that he hates to talk
If. however. we are permitted to
intrude a rude, uncultHred view, 1t is
that there is no dark mystery about
it. We fancy the president and the at
torney general have decided to retain
Mr.. Debs in his present connection for
does Norm intend to do about it?
Business of Winning a Hat.
Sir-I am perfectly willing to wager
a big hat, equal to our friend War
ren's, that you will neither print this
nor make any acknowledgment of it
in your daily column. Saturday last
the community center Of Bryn Mawr
had a lawn charity, included in which
was a polo game. The high social
set OF the Main Line was in full evil
dence along the entire length of the
polo field. As long as there has been
so much comment on cigaret smoking
among womn publicly, it has occurred
to me that some of the high critics
ought to have been at this polo game
to witness what. they hardly would
see on the back boulevards of Paris:
f11~aL to- , ~ xf-T-
members from the flapper of fifteen
to the matron whose young sons were
around her, all smoking cigarets, for
the full benefit of the villagers fully
and openly, as they sat around on
chairs, in addition to giving a most
daring display of the last fashions in
turned-down hose. Really, the sight
was most damnable one from the
standpoint of decency, and such men,
bers of the Main Line high and mighty
ought to be called down for their
wanton display. 1t was nothing else.
have been in nearly all the great
Fairgrounds of Sne world, and honest
ly. between you and me. that was what
might be called the full limit.
G. B. e.
The way we heard it, G. b. e. gives
the back boulevards of Paris very
much the worst of it. Within the
week we have talked intimately and
confldentially with a gentleman who
has just returned from them. c. B.
Els description of the revelry along
the Main Line is pallid stuff when
compared to his glowing encomiuns
OF boulevard life. And so our advice
is that nobody should stay away from
Paris on the theory that the Main Line
stuff is just as good.
In any event., the column strings
with the Main Liners. We have nc
patience with the theory that those
who are educated, cultured and lib
orally padded with mazuma should
on that account, deny. themselves the
delights of democracy. Our notion iE
that, taking them as they come, the
rich are as good as the poor. Why
| should they be denied the privileges
OF this free and unlimited country
A great many women smoke; the
habit is spreading like a prairie fire
we make bold to predict that within
tive years the one who doesn't will at
tract attention. Why shouldn't they
| smoke If they care to? What is
wrong about it and whose business is
it? The daughters of the working
men roll down their stockings. We
know that positively. because we ride
daily on the transportation furnished
by a public utility. Not long ago, in
| a police ma gistrate's court we saw a
| daughter of the people who had gone
further: she had stripped to her
| camisoIe. What right has G. B. E. OF
anybody else to say the rich shall not
be accorded the same privilege?
The column constitutes itself the
champion of the rich. They have
been ground to slavery under the
iron heel of propriety and conven-
| tionality. They are striking for free
dom, and in their battle for it they
| can count on at least one champion.
Meanwhile, G. B. E. may send the
| hat to 1924 Chestnut street. The size