The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-20
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY =. HOUSE
(Frona PhiladelpAia Public Ledsse.D

win you please publish this"
writes a lady whose letter bears the
New Brunswick postmark. 1t may
make clear a few irreconcilable facts.
Unfortunately it doesn't If it did, we'd
be delighted to print it. All it makes
clear is the personal opinion of the
writer, which appears to be founded
more on faith than on fact Rule
No. 81 provides that when personal
opinion is to be expressed the reporter
who writes the column reserves the
option of doing it
1t is true the lady's theory of the
New Brunswick mystery is intriguing.
1t is her idea that the crime was COM
mitted by tramps This solution OF
the mystery is in direct variance with
our own, which is that the. crime was
committed by cigarettes. But we are
not like some people: the fact that
we have a theory about a thing doesn't
prevent us from printing the theories
of others.
But what we set out to say before
wandering off INTO the green and
overwhelming fields of persiflage was
that there are no irreconcilable facts
in the case Every fact of major or
minor Importance so far unearthed in
the connection blends perfectly into
one major conclusion. The conclusion
may be wrong. If it is logic and rea-
son have slipped a cog. Cigarettes did
it, and that fact ultimately will be
established. --3a--
For the moment we relax our vigil
ance in the New Brunswick matter.
For a week or ten days now we shall
be off the case. Graver and more
important matters enlist our atten-
ton We've got to sktrry around and
see if we can get tickfts to the Yale
Princeton and Army and Navy games.
With that responsibility resting upon
us, we've no time to fool with crime.
Probably it won't work. but in par
Ious situations we neglect none OF the
precautions 5a-
"I realize now what you have done
for me-" said Babe Ruth in a speech
to the New York sporting writers the
other night, land what you have tried
to do for me. II I don't make good
on my promise, then I'm a bum"
Well, if the Babe doesn't realize what
they have done for him, we can tell
him: they've ruined a pretty fair ball
player.
AS to the Babes taeit admission that
he is a bum, Wen leave that lay. We
seldom indulge in personalities and
never engage in argument with a man
unless we feel that we are in position
to refute his contention.
We are desolated to confess that the
letter of the gentleman who sought to
discuss with us the delectable topic of
mushrooms has been swept off the
desk and lost in the limbo. Since we
recall neither the name nor the ad-
dress, we are unable to vouchsafe to
him the courtesy of a personal reply.
But we do tai Ike occasion to say to him
that at our house the mushroom is re-
garded as a gift from Heaven
Our own Mr.. Hergesheimer appears
to be reverting to the primitive. In
The Bright Shawl" the lady chokes
the gentleman to death instead, of
shooting him, Ills the modern Gus
tom.
We do not particularly fancy the
reversion. To be choked by lady is
ing run over by a Henry car. p hnr
At any rate, the new Mrs Hohen-
the ex-kaiser's stories.
The thing we liked best in yester-
days news was the story to the effect
that Police Commissioner Enright had
asked John d. Rockefeller, Jr.'s bible
class to help him solve the autobus
problem in New York. That. ac-
perfect news item.
OF course, it will appeal only 10
serious-minded readers. Those who
prefer fluff and froth might have to
read further. ..-~
On the Highest Authority.