Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-02-03
MY FAVORITE STORIES
Rv Irwin Cobb

Bill Hanley is almost as we'll known at Re-
publican National conventions as he is in his
native state of Oregon, where, between running
two of the biggest ranches to be found in all
the northwest, he exercises his gifts Of organ
ization and leadership in politics. Some years
ago he had working for him a ranch hand
who was popularity regarded as a halt-Wlt
Hanley figured, though that the man had ex-
actly the sort of mentality which suited him
for ministering to the wants and WhlmS OIL
young calves and kept him on the payroll
There came day when the deficent-minded
one disappeared while at work on range IN
desolate Rawhide Canyon, sixty miles from
anywhere at all. When he failed to return
the theory was advanced, and accepted, that
the missing man had frozen to death in a
storm.
Months later, Mr.. Hanley, coming out of his
office on the main street of the town of
Burns, was astonished to behold the supposed
ly deceased approaching him. AS they clasped
hands he said:
Jim, I'm delighted to find you are still
alive and well. They told rae you were dead
didn't believe it at first, but l kept hearing
it so often I finally decided it must be true
I'm glad to know it was all a lie"
Huh" grunted the restored one, "Why
Mister Hanley, l knowed it was lie the very
first time l heared it"
Our country was enjoying one Of its regular
Japanese war sCares. | forget, now, whether
it was the fifteenth or the sixteenth Japanese
war scare. But, anyhow, it was the one or
the series we had here about seven years
ago. A congressman, representing Kansas
district felt that a crisis impended-in fact,
that a couple of crises impended. One crisis
was the imminence, as he saw it, of hostlll-
ties with the little brown brother from across
the Pacific; the other was the prospect that
he might have strong opposition in his I'M
pending race for reelection.
With a view to circumventing both these
periIs he took prompt steps. On the floor
of the house at Washington he made strong
speech pointing out the need Of preparedness
especially on the Pacific slope, and having
done this, he took the train for his district
with a view to sounding out hio constituents
upon the abvisability and wisdom of the
measures he so strenUOusly had advocated on
behalf Of the nation at large.
However, upon his arrival home, he was
Dained to note that the voters seemed strange
Iy apathetic as regards the prospect of an
invasion by the Mikado's armed forces. By
a personal campaign the Representative un-
dertook to arouse his people to the serious
ness Of the situation. In a hired buggy he
went forth to sound the alarm and, inciden-
tally, to work VI enthusiasm for his ankle
ties. as manifested at Washington.
The first prospective convert he encounter
ed was an elderly farmer, who listened as the
statesman expounded his views and then
slowly shook his head, in seeming dissent.
but look her, john" protested the Con-
gresham "If this war comes it may be
necess airy to call every able-bodied man in
America to arms. You even may be called.
wouldn't you fight the Japs if they set foot
IN the soil of this country?"
Il reckon ] wouldn't do that" said the
farmer. From what I kin understand, most
every Japanese is what they call fataIist."
What have their fatalistic inclnations