Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-04-23
WHY NOT TRY P0LITICSi

WI NNt u u tVii is' -
should the man of large business
interests retire when he reaches tho
sunny age OF life?
Two widely varying answers have
been given to this question recently by
observers who also arc men Of note.
Edward BOX, for SO many years the
presiding genius ot the Ladies Home
Journal stated in his autobiography
that mon should not work until thcy
dropped in harness Mr.. Rok bclicvcs
| in practicine his prcachmcnts; wit
moss his recent retirement.
The other observer. Dr.. Woods
Hutchinson. recently published an
article in the Cosmopolitan Magazine.
/ in which he stated that Tho pace that
Iills Is the crawl" The physician ad-
vocatod that men keep the harness On
F.! urtu taps is blown.
Dr. A. NJ. Goldwatcr. Or the Medical
Review Of Reviews. sent scores Of in-
quirics 70 prominent business mon re-
Gently. requesting them to state which
view they believed to be the correct
one. Mir Boks or DR. Hutchinson's. The
answers almost unanimously favored
the physicians belief
There IS popular saying among Our
energetic men who refuse to be dis
lodged from their positions Of response
biity merely because they are ap-
preaching three -score-and-ten that
rest means rust" In support Of their
contention they cite the examples or
several noted captains Of industry who
died by the wayside shortly after hav-
ing stepped from the business process
sion. Mr.. Box. Of course. could cite
examples of men VINO had died in har-
ness. and could reason that rest would
have meant recuperation for them.
and glorious old age.
1t is generally admitted that the man
who has been accustomed 10 much
activity should enjoy the privilege Of
slipping the harness bit in later
years. providing that he finds some
hobby which viii keep the mind from
rusting. and going into a state of decay.
But is there any hobby which can
keep a keen mind busy? The couec-
ton of old china has been an avocation
Of many an English gentleman; like
wise stamp-colIecting has occupied their
minds. and similar harmless pursuits.
But our men who have managed
large affairs will not stoop to daily in
such exciting pastimes. There is golf. |
of course. but that is mere recreation. /
Then why not politics?
In the past we have almost made
that arena a closed one to all but
those possessing the lawyers sheep
skin. But would not man who for
years had dealt in economic facts and /
not economic theories. make a more ac-
ceptable legislator, other things beng |
equal. than the attorney. whose only |
qualification is the fact that he can
mako flag waving speeches in which the 4
glory that was Greece, and the grand !
eur that was Rome" is pictured? In /
this day and time we do not need ora
tory. We need more common sense ana /
less d.magogy in public matters
The average Legislature today. like
the average gathering in Congress. IS
composed almost wholly Of lawyers.
Now we have nothing against that pro
fession. II is IN honorable one But
would it not be wen to have a heavier
sprinkling Of business men in such
body? Would not legislative body.
composed Of three-fifths business men,
say, and the other two-ffths of legal
lights" be a good combination? Would
the banker be out of place when bank
ing legislation was being discussed, or
the manufacturer when matters affect
ing trade came up? We might have
also more physicians in ofice-they