The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-30
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY E. HOUSE
tFrOm Philadelphia Public Ledgess3

l /
Mr.. Frank Bacon's 'Lightnin' con-
tinues to provoke discussion and
to inspire its press agent in the
performance of physiological ges-
lures. Since "Lightnin " is just one
of them things. the marvel that it ran
three years in New York engrossed
the attention of many. We have a no
ton about it. 1t is that "Lightnin's"
tremendous popularity was due to the
fact that the fat part was that of an
elderly gentleman who not only drank
too much but who was also colossal
and picturesque liar.
There never is any great rush to the
theater to watch a good man in the
practice of the rites of his profession.
; But give the people a character who
swears fluently, lies gracefully or hu-
morousIy. and who, oft and again,
losses off a beaker of hard liquor, and
they are willing to lay down their last
dollar at the box-office. Mr.. Bacon is
very artful and very human as Light
min BilP' Jones, but it was his worth
iessness that appealed to.us-that and
his picturesque lying.
If you don't care for the foregoing
analysis of 'Lghtnin'," you have the
option, as our favorite volume puts it,
of detouring by way of Ligonier and
Otterbein.
If we are any judge of treaties, and
we may or may not be, the more or
less esteemed Germans got what the
little boy shot at. 5
At any rate. Mr. Harding's master
full manipulation of the matter stills
for the moment the fear that Ger
many would make US pay for the war.
The only obligation that rests upon
this country now is that of supporting
Europe until it gets ready to go to
work.
We note. as a trivial incident of the
days work, that prominent among
those who are insisting that Mr.. Hard
ing appoint woman to sit in the dis
armament parley are a number who
voted for Mr.. Cox.
May we again recommend to Mr..
Harding our own personal formula,
that of asking, where was you at in
the eIection?" They fade away when
one asks them that.
Others Get the Same Reaction.
Sir-You said a column-full yester-
day. but it isn't only the rising genera
ton who are dancing round the bon
fire" In the vulgar parlance of my
youth. "Everybody's doing it'-forced
into it by the 'Volsteads' of the coun-
try.
I was brought up in an atmosphere
of lips that touch liquor shall never
touch NINE" married and brought
into this world two temperate and
lava biding citizens, but when prohf-
bition seemed a sure thing we laid in
a supply of stimulants (refrain, please.
from publishing our address) and have
forgotten all the teachings of our
youth.
We seek spots where the nearest
beer may be found and keep it con-
stantly on ice, and all this we try
to justify to ourselves by claiming an
encroachment upon our personal lib
erty.
In my heart of hearts I condemn
this stand, for it weakens our whole
morale-note the slang for instance.
from a woman of maturity who GUS
tomarily used pure English and the
audaoity with which she addresses
strange columnists.
But the worst is yet to comet This
mornings Public Ledger carries a
headline menacing our old age, if we
are driven too far, and adopt similar
tactics in response to their slogan. "A
Smokeless United States: w. c. T. U.
Starts Drive" For tobacco odors
nauseate me. AGE FIFTY.
Immediately subsequent to the al
legged death of John Barleycorn we
wrote: "A fevered peace will chain
IAACAAA AOA tlAAAcT anu tiSil lhey Will
away again to take another curse off
man." thus anticipating the process
sion. But we are not alarmed by it.
1t isn't going anywhere in particular.
1t will have its effect. AS 4 result
of it. more women will contract the
habit of smoking and the public, as a
whole. will again be stirred into re-
volt against every kind of regulation
and restraint.
Other than that, a blue" law,
whether it be merely proposed or con-
summated, has no effect. A citizenry
schooled and skilled, as is ours, in the
art of evading and c.rcumventing stat
utory restriction, can always beat it,
Zone night she wanted to unlace his
shoes," observes the incompatible
Fannie Hurst in her "She Walks in
Beauty" and even shine them, would
have, in fact except for his fierce
catching of her in his arms, and for
some reason his tons.ls ached as he
kissed her."
To us the new note in Miss Hursts
work is alluring. but there are those
who view it with trepidauon. They
fear it foreshadows the abandonment
of her earlier field, that of gynecology.
We fancy it is rather that she is ex-
tending her physiological range. Her
art, as it were, broadens.
We shall, however, follow the
gentleman's further experiences with
his tonsils with keen interest We
shall want to know whether he finally
had to have them out