San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-30

TO understand all is to forgive
ALL" says one of the most beautiful
of proverbs.
1t is a pretty poor nature, and a
pretty empty life. to which this does
not prove itself more and more true.
As we 60 along enlarging our SYM
pathies, increasing our affections.
broadening our outlook upon the cen
fusing little strip of half knowledge
that we call life, we are recediug
rather than advancing unless for
giveness and understanding come more
and more easily, and unless we can
truly say more and more frequently,
OF the acts and omissions of our fell
low men:
at seems dreadful. But think I
can understand how he happened to
at isn't Mary's fault" we expfein
to Marys' youthful friends. "You
girls can't remember. But her moth
er was just as unwise in her own girl.
hood ="
"Yes, and Mary's mothers mother
before her," says the voice of some
elderly woman, in. extenuation. II
don't know what else one could ex.
pectl'
Lady Beuntiful No Longer
Fashionable.
Characteristic arrogance in this
REPRESENTATIVES, in that-all the
Smiths slow-witted-all the Joneses
hot-tenpercd-and so the regrettable
quarres and scandals.
Regrsttable, but we understand
at least. 1t is one of the hopeful
signs OF our generation that we are
beginningto look more and more into
the explaining causes. into the sources.
OF whatever goes wrong in the world.
and when we find these sources and
causes IT s true that we always I'M
derstand.
And so t has gone out of fashion
to put chicken and some sugar and
blankets and flannels into basket
and picturesluely leave it at the hovel
door on Christmas morning. There
IS a sweetly sarmin: charity (mostly
to ourselves) in the act, but there is
no understanding.
Nowadays we look back Of the
howell. We TAX of tuberculosis and
sanitation and the working wage. and
presently-if there is no more Christ
mas morning basket at least there
is no more hosel at which to leave
it, either
Spiritual side of Poverty.
The next step in understanding will
come when we can Law a little less
stress upon the actual material as
pects-teeth and shoes and wages and
housing. and begin to handle the spi-
ritual, mental and psychological sides
OF poverty. crime and dependence with
half as much efficiency.
when we begin to put little
? character, brains self-control and
goodness into those Christmas has
kets. and TO give. instead Of chick
ems and blankets. thrift and amhi-
zion. then we will see results indeed
I'D For TO pour charity. apd even TO
pour housing and prohibition and
wage laws about the heads Of un-
thinking, lazy. helpless mendicants, is
simpiS' TO waste time and money.
- Far sadder than the cold and empty
room is the cold and empty brain.
Z Far more serious than the bodily stu
por from actual drugs is the mental
tOrpor of the men and women who
are drugged by mixture of lifelong
vices. diseases and stupidities beyond
the power of thought
This is not simple thing to sec.
1t is so much pretter and more
gratifying 10 buy the dear little ba-
bies flannels. and get job for the
poor father who really wants to work.
only it is bad season for his kind
Of work, and he was laid off. and he
can't do days labor because-and be-
cause-and because-
So Easy-SO Hard!
II is easy TO send groceries and
clothes and money. and feel warmly
that one has done well. II is so hard
to look at the slatternly mother, hold
ing her innocent baby in her arms.
and the hungry eager children
schooled ia beggary and in the dra-
matte display of gratitude from birth
and to say:
Learn little cleanliness. and a
little energy, and little thrift.
Change your minds. and your envi-
ronment will change just as quickly.
Nothing from outside can help you
for more than n few hours" d.
I think of this when | think of the
Harris case. 49,,
II seems that there was a little