The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-17
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BIZ JAr z. HOUSE,
(Fron Phiiadeiphia Public Ledsas.D


tempt to cut wages there will be no
strike. He also says the railroads can
reduce rates, maintain the present
scale of wages and multiply profits
merely by the exercise of efficient
management.
Mr.. Plumb always intrigues us. He
was the author of the plan to give the
railroads to the employees precedent
to paying the employees for running
them. 1t was a fine plan and would
have landed Mr.. Plumb an excellent
position carrying much authority had
it been successful.
In the connection, our contention
that men trained in railroading know
nothing about failroading will be re-
membered. We have always believed
somebody. entirely ignorant of trans
portation problems-say Mr.. Plumb
should run the rails.
The column declines to follow the
lead of certain of the Washington cor
respondents who are weeping because
President Harding is beset by office
seekers. We contemplate the specta-
doesn't wish to be bothered by office
seekers he shouldn't run for office.
Anyway, if a man wants a govrn-
ment job and feels competent to fill
it, what is there wrong about asking
for it? That is the way we got our
job. The chances are it's the way you
got yours.
Here's Mark at which to Shoot.
Sir-Haye we a dog story? I'll say
we have, and we never miss chance
to get it off. Years ago we/owned a
dog, a wonderful dog. Dalmat1an by
birth. She was a great household pet,
but forbidden the sofa; it was not q
davenport then. Frequent punishment
made her wise beyond her sex, SO that
it was impossible to catch her on it.
Like a man, there was always a look
in hr eye that gave her away as hay
ing touched the forbidden thing. One
day we laid hand, our own hand,
upon the sofa, and found it still warm
from her body, whereupon she was
again vigorously reproved. The next
time we came into the room quietly
to catch her she was blowing on the
sofa to cool 1t. H. c. N.
A number have written to ask why
we do not move to the suburbs in or
der that we~ may have the Airedale
with US. We may say to these that,
for nearly two years now, every reck-
.oning as to the future has been based
on the contingency of restoring David
to his folks. We have looked at hun
dreds of suburban houses. Two or
three times we were tempted to- pay
an exorbitant price for one, not be-
cause we really wanted the house, but
because it would reunite the family.
The foregoing paragraph should not
be construed by realtors as an adver-
tisement for a house. The realtor who
thus misinterprets it runs the risk OF
being tossed from a third-story Win
dow.
: Sir-Noting the occasional, not to
say frequent very natural jibes at Mr..
Shakespeare, I am wondering If you
ever read what the equally late Walt
whitman said of the dramatist- In
one of his sheart-to-heart talks with
the also late Horace TraHbef-you
see. all in this story are dead-he pre-
dicted - that Shakespeare would be
placed on an upper shelf. He did not,
like the late Mr. Wiggin. authority on
cyclones, set date for his move; but
somehow I have come to the conclo-
sion that Walt merely was expressing
a desire for good company and wanted
Shakespeare beside him. J.. j.
We print ]. Us emulation with
some trepidation. We don't know
whether "panning'' Mr.. Whitman, even
by inference, is permitted in this
vicinity. It was all right in the middle
west Whitman and the sultan OF
Turkey were two persons comment
upon whom aroused no resentment, no
matter what its character. The
temper of the people along the A.
lantic seaboard as regards Mr.. Whit
man may be altogether different.
In the middle west one other, sh Ill
we say lay figure? yielded itself readily
to the uses and devices of the column
ist That was the marketing shark.
Nobody knew or cared anything about
the Inan-eating shark. A columnist
could "pan" it to his hearts content
without evoking a protest.
May We again say that we point
no jibes at Shakespeare. Shakespeare
is for those who like him. What we
said was his plays bore us stiff. Being
bored stiff is one of the inalienable
rights guaranteed by the constitution.
Republicans, we fancy, will be a
good deal discouraged when they learn
that George Creel has predicted their
overwhelming victory may turn into
disastrous defeat.
Mr.. Creel no longer Is connected
with our government. His peacock
feather is limp and uncurled. But he
is assured of one distinction: No Re-
publican will ever be able to do what
he. did-and get by with it.
GEORGE Matthew A dams |