San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-23

NAV wonder how it can perform any
service at all--why it is not merely a
medium of disservice. For its constl-
tuent parts are created by men who
have no part in applying it, and are
Interpreted, administered and executed
by others, who may not know what was
in the minds of its creators.
One might think, however, that with
all the logical chances for miscarriage
of common sense, an absurd situation
reported recently from Chicago could
easily have been avoided. The dispatch
had to do with the doings OF Wilbur
Glenn Voliva, of whom the public has
heard several times during the last few
years. Now Wilbur himself is queer
fcllow-an observation which does not
depend upon his religion, as there have
been Zionists who did not fly eff at
a mental tangent as Wilbur seems prone
to do. Strange actions and utterances
are not limited to the adhcrents of any
one religious faith.
Wilbur, practicing what seems to
have become one of his favorite pasti1ncs
when he is not declaring that the earth
is flat and that the sky is frozen down
tight along the horizon to keep people
from falling off-said some uncomph-
mentary things about a former men,
Der of his cult, who himself was a
preacher. Consequently, the overseer
of Zion became the defendant in a suit
for criminal libel.
There is nothing queer about that, one
may truly say. But consider the acct
sations in detail The plaintiff alleged
that he had been called names by the
defendant Principal among the names"
to which the plaintiff objected, if the
dispatch reporting the trial gives an
adequate account of it, were "liar" and
tom cat
Now, the use of the "short and ugly
word" might we'll be regarded as
grounds" For if a man is called a
liar" somebody, hearing the accusa-
ton, may think that he is one-and his
reputation would be impaired to that
extent. For it is entirely possible for
man to be a liar. But the Scriptures
say that all men are liars.
Likewise, if woman is called "cat,"
she might reasonably ask for damages"
For common usage has given that term,
as thus applied, IAN unmistakable con-
notation. Is there anybody on top side
O creation who wouldn't know exactly
what attributes were imputed to wo-
man of whom it was said, "She is
catw
But Wilbur Glenn Voliva, ovcrseer
of Zion, in the course of the "cussing
OUT which he administered to the form
or member OF his cult, called the latter
a tom cat" And what did "the law"
do about it? "The law" accepted the
allegation. That particular name" was
not thrown out Of court. The jury
was permitted to consider it-and the
Jury, considering it. decided that Wilbur
had, indeed, committed criminal libel by
applying to the plaintiff that most alb
surd epithet. Although no reasonable
person could think that possibly the
plaintiff was "tom cat" and despite
the fact that the term has no COM
monty recognized meaning even in the
rhetorical sense, "the law" decided that
the plaintiff had been li5ellcd
The situation would have been no
less absurd if the plaintiff had been
called "bulfrog." Steam whistle" or
anything else that prowls, yowIs OF
makes any kind Of unpleasant noise
Possibly, however, the jury was of the
opinion that Wilbur deserved punish,
ment "on general principles" and de,
cided to declare him guilty so as to keer
him out of mischief. Otherwise, "tht
law" would seem to have absorbed SOME
of the irrationality for which VoIivs
has made himself notorious.