Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-07-03
EDITORIAL.
FOURTH OF JULY INTRoSPEC
TON

FOURTH OF JULY INTROSPEC.
TOMORROW is the nations birth
day. Infant though he is, Uncle
Sam has become fairly stable in
FAINT, and of some Importance in the
world. On this occasion it may do
us no harm to pause and take a look
at ourselves, as nation, and give
thought to what we observe.
Henry Louis MenckenA of Balti-
more, has been a severe critic of
America for years, but he observes
that the country has been utterly in
different to his gall-dipped shafts of
criticism. But he is not disappointed,
for he expected nothing more, he
says.
81 fail to see single change in
Americas philosophy" said Men
cken, discussing the effects of his
voluminous writings during the past
10syears.
1.-THE only change in America will
be change from one imbecility to
worse,' he continued. 'Since l
have never labored under the moral
obsession of trying to do good, |
have no feeling of disappointment
or futile effort.
81 criticize American life because
/ enjoy doing it and because | find
it profitable
'In writing, as in living, the only
justification is the fun you get out
of it.
az am now bachelor of AZ. l
have discovered that it is possible
to get enjoyment out of women, all
cohol and ideas.
81 get little enjoyment out of wo-
men, more out of alcohol and most
out of ideas. Therefore, | have be-
come q connoisseur of ideas and de-
voted myself to criticism of the alb
surdities.
.'But l never expected to make
other people adopt my opinions"
Here is Mencken's opinion of
American life in this year of Our
Lord, 1922:
SIT is one of my frmest beliefs,
reached after due prayer, that the
government of the United States,
in both its Legislative and executive
branches, is corrupt, ignorant, in
competent and disgustlng-a from
this judgment | except no more than
20 lawmakers and no more than 20
executioners of their laws.
S'It is a belief no less piously
cherished that the administration
of justice in this republic is stupid,
dishonest, and against al reason
and equity-and from this except
no more than 90 judges.
sit is another, that the foreign
policy of the United States, its habit
ual manner of dealing with other
nations, whether friends or foes, is
hypocritical, disingenuous, knavish
and dishonorable-and from this
Judgment | consent to no exceptions
whatever.
"When live in a country like
that" continued Mencken, sit is a
physical impossibility for me to avoid
enjoying myself. Can you imagine
more enjoyable occupation than
walking into such menagerie, polk
ing a stick into the cages and then
listening to the animals roar and
howl?
Opinions are dependent on a
mans liver, his gall bladder, the
asinine ideas he inherited from his
parents and the points of view he
adopted in boyhood,'' says Mencken
Very probably my own dislike for
democracy is the result of always
seeing my father in the position of
boss-he gave the orders; other men
obeyed
81 have felt able to express my
views because l have always been
free from any financial pressure
If ! had to worry about buying
the baby's shoes from the weekly
pay envelope, my attitude might
have been different
Il am wholly, devoid of public
spirit or neral purpose. The only
thing respect IS intellectual hon
kkssy of which, of cour 3e, intellectual
turage is a necessary part"
To Henry Louis we might say this
The United States of America has
gotte non very well in the lac years
/ since it came into being. Born of a
struggle, and consisting at first of a
thousands of people, il has be-
the greatest nation Of the world
\ Q 100000 of people, the mas