The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-08
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY z. HOUSE
(From Philadelphia Public Ledger.)


Mr.. TumuIty quotes Mr.. Wilson as
saying: Il am sorry, but l DO 20 not not
country" We pretend to no intimate
knowledge of Mr.. Wilson's habits of
speech. But we noted, in our one
chance meeting with him, that he
Ieanned but lightly upon the lhree- EN-
dash for his physiological effects.
There was a time when it was con-
sidered unethical TO print the word
damn" in a newspaper or periodical.
But it now is almost as common in
literature as it is on the stage or in
the home.
Babe Ruth's wolrd series check is
being withheld by Judge Lands
Neither the Babe" nor the New York
sporting writer's have as yet made out
cry, but the silent agonies of the sport
ing writer's constitute pitiable spec
tacle.
1t is likely. however, that the Babe"
will have something interesting to say
when he grasps the significance of
the news, which should be within the
| next three or four days.
Well, Reliability Is Our Watchword.
Sir-In yesterdays column you say:
1--WE never have been asked to write a
line which conflicted in any way with
| our own sense of truth and fairness"
1t isn't necessary. As your employer
knows, you can be relied upon to de-
nounce labor unions, free speech and
the right of Russia to elect her own
| system of government without prompt
| ings from anybody in authority on
the Public Ledger.
A Friend of the Rev. DR.. Grant
What puzzles US is how come they
know it in advance. When we met
the Boss Man for the first time in the
Blackstone Hotel in Chicago all he
asked was, do you think you can
make 'em read your stuff?' And
when we replied, "Out in our town
they say it's the only thing they take
the paper for" he said, You're hired"
But as to Russia's present system of
written a line about it, one way or
another. 1t seemed surplusage to do
| so. 1t had never occurred to US that
the vicious absurdity of it all would
fail to penetrate the intelligence of
any Am erican citizen.
| ''UnIess the semi official news that
comes out of Washington is false, "
says the esteemed New York World,
Mr.. Harding and Mr.. Hughes are
plunging to a terrible mistake" Well,
isn't that exactly what the esteemed
World expected them to do?
And wouldn't the World be ire
mendously disappointed if they didn't?
Offhand, we can think of nothing so
well calculated seriously to annoy and
exasperate the World as a successful
maneuver on the part of Mr.. Harding
and his administration.
1.-THE government should take over
and run the street railway lines"
writes a correspondent. "Carfares
should be eliminated. Why should a
person have to buy a ticket for riding
! up or downtown" Why, indeed?
! The thing is preposterous.
But the idea doesn't carry far
enough. All charges should be elm
mated. Let the government take over
! all public utilities, the dry goods,
clothing,~ drug and grocery stores, the
meat markets, the tailoring shops, the
| jewelry and fur establishments, the
! hotels and restaurants and all other
commercial enterprises which are a
tax on the public. Why should a per-
son be compelled to pay for the things
he eats, wears or has fun with? What S
| a government for?
| A time ago we advanced the idea
that the government should pay each
adult citizen a stipulated salary, and
| that. in addition, a stipulated allow
ance should be made to every child.
At the time we thought the idea a
grand one, but we are not sure the
plan to have the government furnish
everything free of charge is not
superior to it. It has obvious advan-
tages.
For one thing, it would save the
citizenry the trouble of going to the
paymaster's after their pay checks.
And they would be spared the annoy
ance of making and waiting for
| change.
/ IRENE CASTLES GRIFFON
Tho Story of Trying Experience as
Related I'm the New York Tribune.
By Irene Castle fireman.
A few days ago, at about 3 o'clock
in the morning one of my little Belgian