The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-12
ON SECOND THOUGHT
By JAY .. HOUSE
trron Philaaelphia Publse Ledssf.l

A reader files an objection to the
phrase, Rear Admiral Grayson knows
all there is to know about Mr.. Wilson
and can't whisper a syllable of it"
Now we rather faneied it when We
coined it and, for us, time has not
dirnned its luster. We like it because
it expresses the exact truth ABOUT q
given situation. 1t is not Intended
is merely that it recognizes the fact
that Mr.. Wilson is human with we'll
defined human frailties-
No pen picture of any man is inter-
esting or valuable unless it brings out
qualities. Rear Admiral Grayson
knows Mr. wilson's frailties and his
purely human qualities, but he can't
say anything about them. The pro-
prieties and a sense of obligation for
bid it.
When we said Rear Admiral Gray
sons forthcoming volume would be
as vital and valuable as "Thaddeu5
we over praised it. In point of fact.
it will be no more vital or valuable
than an ELSIE" book.
The suggestion made by Life that
something should be done for the
young Armenian who cen IL
''croaked" a Turkish gentleman in
Berlin meets with hearty and en-
thusiastic response in this quarter.
But we are undecided as to the form
and substance of the testimonial.
Will some reader kindly suggest a
suitable gift? A license to shoot
other and additional Turks would be
fitting and appropriate, but in the
disturbed state of European AFFAIRS
nobody has authority to issue it.
81 know from my own experience"
Mrs. Ellen O'Grady. Of New York, is
quoted as saying. that the greater
part of juvenile delinquency is due to
the influence of melton pictures"
Mrs OGrady probably knows nothing
of the kind The reason is. nobody
could know it with any degree of GER
tainty.
Twenty years or so ago there was in
this country a tremendous hue and
cry against the cigaret- So much
emotion was engepdered that certain
state legislatures passed laws forbid
ding the sale of the coffin nail" as
it was affectionately called. The ci-
garet was depicted as a deadly mar
cotic which Slapped the health and in
tellect of the young. men who smoked
it. Numerous cases wherein young
men had been thus wrecked were
cited. but the authenticity of none OF
them was ever established.
ASduW Illlt, III ItSpOllSe 70 the DlL-
ter fight on it, the eigaret habit grew
by leaps and bounds and encompassed
both sexes. A war came on. great
many, perhaps a majority of the
young men called to arms. were ci-
garet smokers. The failure of those
who could not negotiate the rigid ply
steal test was not attributed to the ci-
garet. The cigaret crusade was blown
out of the water by an explosion in
its own boilers.
The trouble in this country is that
we are always engaged in saving
somebody. The well meaners are
again in full cry. The motion picture
crusade succeeds the cigaret crusade.
But the column continues to cling to
the notion that the boy who can be
led astray in a motion picture theater
probably isn't worth saving.
=. And you all know how we love the
pictures"
So far as we are concerned, the
Washington correspondents may also
lay off the presidents golf. The game
of no man who shoots around los per-
manently intrigues us-we don't care
who he is.
The disposition is to kid" the New
York alderman who had never heard
if Einstein, but the hilarity over the
incident largely is simulated. There
are, roughly speaking, 107,000,o00
people in this country, and 1000 of
them may have heard of Einstein.
OF the 100000, possibly 100000
know what he is trying to do, what
ever it is.
st don't know whether this law is
good or bad" Governor Miller, of New
York, is quoted as saying. ST have
said that the way to find out whether
or not the people really want a bad
law is to enforce It instead of vio-
lating it."
Old stuff, governor, and nothing
to it.
The people never are in agreement
as to whether a law is good or bad.
But once law is written in the stat
utes, no legislature has the courage to
expunge it.