The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-05
ON SECOND THOUGHT
By JAY z. HOUSE
(From Philadelphia Public Ledga..l

The most interesting stuff on the
desk are the various reactions to the
suggestion for National Laugh Day,
kindly favored US. DR.. Frank Crane.
Is wholeGheartedly in favor of It, and
warns Mr.. Kane that the idea isn't
safe with him. as he is likely to steal
it at any moment.
AS a bystander, we suggest to DR..
Crane the idea of collaboration rather
than that of assimilation or absorp-
ton It is Mr.. Kane's best idea: let
DR.. Cranes CONTINUATION to the task
be that of projection. With the pos
sible exception of H. Addington Bruce,
DR.. Crane is the funniest writing man
We know anything about, and he has,
possibly, the largest audience of
bromidians in the English-speaking
world. We, therefore suggest that
DR.. Crane be appointed Commissioner
General of National Laugh Day, with
instructions to act.
Mr. Will H. Hays thinks the hum
be appealed to 'by the efforts we
are making to create the proper kind
of clean comedy films" st agree
with you," he continues. ION the inn
portance of a sense of humor and
ability to look on the bright side of
life to the people of this country, and
also agree that the moving-picture
industry has f1ourished so successfully
on account of its appeal to this trait
in the American public"
There is. at any rate. food for
thought in Mr.. Hays reaction. One
of average intellect can puzzle over
it a couple of hours without learning
exWctly what he means. After we
had done so we decided that Mr..
Hays, whatever his faults, isn't one
who knocks his own business.
As becomes one of serious mind and
grim purpose, Irwin Cobb is not irrev-
ocably committed to the idea. "on
why mott have Chapped Lips Day,
when nobody would be expected to
laugh at anything at all?" 1t is, we
apprehend, men of Mr.. Cobb's tpye-
men who have no sense of humor-
who will prove the greatest obstacle
to National Laugh Day.
AS might have been expected, the
celebrated team of Henry and Bill is at
odds on the proposition. Henry thinks
it might be worth trying, and says he
will issue a proclamation designing
day, If Mr.. Kane thinks that will help.
Inasmuch as National Laugh Day is
not predicated on the idea of rescuing
the human race from it's thralldom,
Bill is suspicious and pessirnistic. Bill
says National Smile Week, recently
propagated by Judge, was the gloom
Lincoln. 81 had to write an editorial
about it, he adds, land it was lugu-
brfous to the point of saturation."
Whatever is done is all right with
US. We can be counted upon for tacit
support as long as they don't expect
US to get the inspiration for laughter
from comic film. We'd rather quit
the movement than see a clean, COM
edy film.
He says He Write 1t "Demoniac.'
Sir-PIease ask your friend, Cullen
Cain. about the Use of the world"do-
mestic" in the attached chipping from
his article on the Leonard-Tendler
fight. P. S. NJ.
the fight we thought the word one of
his happy inspirations, unusual, of
course, but apt to the point of genius
Domestic fierceness'' is an impeccable
phrase.
Naturally enough, this column is
against the striking shopmen: Once,
during our incumbency of a position
came unsafe and was closed to the
public. The railroad corporation up
on which the duty of replacing the
bridge devolved was hampered in the
matter of securing men and materials
and the work of rebuilding was in
progress for several months. The shop
men held US responsible for the delay
and voted against US at the succeed
ing election.
Under the circumstances, you
couldn't make US believe there is any
thing wrong with railway management
no matter what it does.
There is, of course, no basis of fair
ness or justice for our pretudices in
the matter. But the probabilities are
that there is no basis of fairness and
justice for your prejudiceS either.