Evening star., 1923-09-03
Mis- napf

greater the chances for his accom-
plishment. ~--
x* u
The pedantic grammarian never be-
came a poet nor an orator. The writer
lie awake at night worrying because
In the passion Of his soul he had made
false syntax, is foreordained a failure
In writing up a storm or giving dra-
matte fire to a description of a battle,
ne has no fire in his soul. Not that
good literature must be careless of
syntax, but 1t may be defiant of it.
Who ever analysed a Tourner sun
set to construct his perspective and
apply the rule to his glory? What
captain of industry" would make a
good bookkeeper, or what bookkeeper
OF twenty years experience at the
desk, could strike out in major initia-
tive In founding new business, or
tunneiing mountain of unknown
obstacles?
Has not Secretary Weeks put, his
finger on the very crux of the failure
in practical life, made by SO many
college graduates" Ask Mr.. Edison
or Henry Ford. Practical successes
sneer at college education, not be-
cause they despise knowledge, but be-
cause distractions based on hypo-
thetical conditions. give no elasticity
to perception of practical facts, as
found in practical life.
Theories never win wars said
said Secretary Weeks. They do
serve. however, as a foundation for
action"
There is correct grammer in good
literature, of course. but that is only
the foundation of expression.
There Is perfect mathematical per-
spective in every Turner, but who
cares, when the beauty grips the
heart? graduate Of Annapolis
Naval Academy, after serving in the
Navy until he had reached retirement
took up the study of drawing. in a
certain art school. The instructor
upon seeing his first efforts, without
any inklfng of the students previous
experience: condemned it with the
remark: That has no more soul than
geodetic survey"
The study had all the exactness OF
curves and measurements OF a coast
map-and nothing more. The student
had been making maps for thirty
years or more, but he had atrophied
his artist soul.
James McNeill Whistler began with
the same mechanical-work-b -by-ruie-
etching. He used to make sketches
on the margins of his copper, which
were independent of technical rules
full of individuality. He broke away
from mechanism and became a world
famous etcher and painter.
Rules are most useful when they
have developed into instincts which
are followed subconsciously, and
which keep in the subconsciousness
rather than hamper the initiative OF
the individual who is alert TO gather
all the Immediate conditions affect
Ing the moments problem. That is
what makes Napoleon. a Whistler
and a Shakespeare, rather than a
pedantic stick"
Washington enters Labor day with
practically no man unwllngly out OF
job. Philadelphia employers sent tC
, Washington recently a call for hun
dreds of laborers but a labor agency
wired back most emphatic denia,
OF the possibility of any supply avail.
able In the capital. At the same time
the agency was securing adjacent
cities to supply local demands.
Wages for common labor are As tc
80 cents an hour, Skilled labor oil
building construction get from S12 tc
S14 a day. There is unusual activity
in building for this time OF year and
a prospect that il will continue brisk
late into the winter. If not all winter.
The only class of help of which
there is a surplus is clerks. both
mercantile and governmental. rh.
government has dropped hundreds o1
clerks from numerous offices thi.
summer. There is a. great demand
for skilled stenographers. and that
will increase the opening of Con
gress roaches-December l.
lCoprrght 1879 hI p.Y CnlIinsl