Evening star., 1923-03-25
Doubts if There Is Better Way
To Live Than by Law and Bible

where the truth OF a proposition wa.
| to be found.
! Il Ir 4.
I have no desire and less ability tc
stop the printing Of books nor would
I. If could. ban the reading of news
papers. Even mistaken Judgments
which men form nowadays upon cur.
rent information are better for man.
| kind than the blind following OF
learned men of the past But this fact
tI deplore: In these turbulent and
troublous times we jump too quickly
at conclusions. It would help II we
would again read John @. Saxe's
poem. Tho Blind Men and tho Ele.
phant." 1t illustrates we'll the unset
tied American mind with reference
to many things which are really vital
| It Is sufficient to recall that the bllnc
man who got hold of the tai! had
phant from the one who got hold oi
This leg.
In this perfervid age and in this
era OF universal publication OF
theories and opinions when the prln'
cipal business Of most Of us is to
reform the morals and customs of our
neighbors to conform TO our own pc
culiar ideas. more people are seeking
to mold public opinion in America
by acting upon the principle that the
end justifies the means than we are
aware Of. An entire industry may
have its status fixed in the public
mind by the broadcastins OF condi-
tions that happen to exist in one OF
| its plants. Opinion is at once fixed
by feeling Of this tail. Every one
straightway knows just what the
elephant looks like. My great man
would have gone into the woods and
thought the thing out for himself and
! suspended judgment until he was
quite sure that he had seen all OF the
elephant.
| Bad as is the practice Of forming
snap judgment. IL is not the wors,
evil disturbing the peace. quietude
and good order OF society. 1t seems
we cannot get It into our heads tina,
the republic contains within It's
written Constitution all OF the ele.
nents necessary to a free and en-
lightened life. so we must form
societies TO guarantee the freedom OF
the American people. TO enforce the
laws Of the American people. to take
charge OF the governmental agencies
!, OF the American people. And this
would not be SO bad II we would
utter our pronouncements in &C
icordance with the principles O. our
government. Then they might do nc
I harm. But these volunteer societies
pass resolutions condemning or de.
rrand!ng laws about which they
know nothing and have given no
! conscientious thought. Many a pub
lie man has found himself assailed
by some organization espousinr prin.
! c:ples entirely dissonant with the
principles on which the governmen,
was founded.
/ | suppose there is no way TO pre-
vent persons with electric intellects
from throwing their little lights upon
governmental problems. great and
small. They have a right TO do sc
and they will exercise IT, But ] an,
wondering whether they have devised
or hold hope Of devis!ng Il better way
for an American 70 live his civil life
than in accordance with the Consti.
tuition and laws OF hts country; his
economic life than in accordance with
the golden rule, and his moral and
religious life than in accordance with
the Bible. We cannot break up these
| societies nor prevent the formation OF
new ones. They are typical OF the
age. People flock to the new who are
| Indifferent 10 the old. But surely
| these organizations. il they are sin
cerely desirous Of doing justice either
! TO man or cause, Will withhold
their public pronourcements until
they have looked the elephant all
! over.
! Copyright. 1925. By Thomas r. Na-shsI,)