The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-30
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY E. HOUSE
(From Philadelphia Public Ledger.l

Four or five persons have spoken to
US about Colonel Harvey's speech.
Two or three wished to discuss it with
us. We declined the challenge, on the
ground that Colonel Harvey's speech
is nothing for the plain, plug Ameri-
can to get ''het up" about. We don't
think it makes any particular differ
enee to us; we suspect it is relatively
unimportant to the average citizen.
In some fashion the world will pro-
coed to its appointed destiny. In the
end its various problems will be solved
along the Lines of plain common
sense. We reason thus because they
always have been SO solved. That is
the lesson of the ages.
But If we are permitted to edito-
rialize along the lines of the coloners
remarks. 1t was exactly what every
citizen of the country had the right
and reason to expect. In his Des
Moines speech last year President
Harding said in effect: 1T don't want
to bolster. up the league; 1 want to
I scrap it, He told the world in the
| fewest possible words what his policy
would be. Some concern was ex-
pressed over that impulsive utterance.
1t was feared it might affect Mr..
Harding adversely at the polls. In
stead, Mr.. Harding was endorsed by
the most tremendous majority in the
history of quadrennial elections. Col
onel Harvey's pronunciamento is in
exact line with the policy President
Harding enunciated in Des Moines.
We have no opinion as to whether it
| is a good policy or a bad one. But we
| rather liked the colonePs speech be-
cause it was audacious, frank and
open. He got down to brass tackS
He didn't cloud the issue with diplo-
matte subtletieS. Anybody can under
stand it. Since most of us are utterly
unable to understand the professional
| language of our statesmen and diplo-
mats, that brand of plain talk has it's
appeal.
! There are those who believe Colonel
| Harveys references to Mr.. Wilson
were in bad taste. That may very
well be true. We don't intend to sit
as arbiter in that controversy. We
| think better of Mr.. Wilson than Colo
mel Harvey thinks; Mr.. Wilson never
kicked US downstairs and out into the
street. 1t is likely that no other pub
| lie man ever slipped as far as Mr.. VIII
son slipped in given>space of time
But we have the notion that as time
heals the amin osities engendered by
his reign Mr.. Wilson will beat far
back along the pages of history. Mean
while Colonel Harvey has said in pub
| lie exactly what a considerable ma
jority of the people of this country
are saying in private. One of Colonel
Harveyis characteristics is that of say
| ing it tof their faces. 1t may be a
weakness; we don't pretend to know.
no reason to become distraught over
the ColonePs genuf1ections. Eat mod
erately, battle regularly, exercise suf-
ficiently, keep your feet dry and every
thing will be all right.
With Reservations
Sir-Would it not be fitting, in a
proper celebration of Fathers Day,
that the poppy should be the flower?
There is. we take occasion to say
to Mr.. Booth Harrington. considera BILE
dissatisfaction with his most recent
novel. alice Adams" Every one
with whom we have discussed it feels
that Mr.. Harrington neglected, or re-
fused, to tell all. After depicting a
! certain pitiful phase of Sman-town life
in merciless fashion, Mr.. Harrington
| took his heroine, still unwed and I'M
sought, gently by the hand and di-
/ rected her steps to the stairway lead
ing to a college of stenography and
| typewriting. He didn't even accom-
pany her up the stairway, which is,
as everybody knows, no way to treat
heroine.
| We have no shred of Mr.. Tarking-
|
But we can tell him what the people
would have to have him do with
Alice Adams. Having entered the
| business college at the portals of
which he deserted her, Alice COM
pleted the usual six months terms in
| four and graduated a trained and eff
ficient stenographer. AS such she en-
tered the employ of one of the de-
partmental heads of a great industrial
concern. The presidents stenographer,
Iarr 60
duty, Alice was drafted to do the
| "Old Mans work. He was SO struck
with her beauty and proficiency that
| when his stenographer left him to
marry and make a home for herself
Alice was advanced to the position.
| There she met the "Old Mans" idle
and rather worthless son, who was
fast going to the dogs. The son fell
violently in love with Alice and be-
gan to WOO her in impetuous and per-
| siStent fashion; but she would. have
| nothing to do with him. Pressed for
a reason, she told him it was on ac-
count of the idle and useless life he
was leading. Stung by her refusal,
| the son started in to learn the bust
| ness from the ground up. After he
had wheeled Stag for six months he
was promoted to the shipping room
and. having won his promotion, he
again presented himself to Miss
Adams. This time, after some back
ing and filling. Alice accepted him.
They were married the following June
and went to live IN a pretty little
lcottage near the works. thus saving
carfare.
If Mr.. Harrington will make the
changes herewith suggested, he will
make a book for the ages.
N~xxL A Ir~,~