Evening star., 1924-12-07

~ LID Samuel Johnson hated
America, and said the mean
est things about us. How
is it," he once wrote, that
we hear the greatest yeips
for liberty among the American driv-
ers of negroes? They are a race OF
conyicts. and ought to be thankful
for anything short of hanging. l am
willing to love all mankind except
an American"
DR.. Johnson was the wittiest and
meanest Englishman to engage il
abuse of Americans, a disposition
which has Influenced most of them
since the seventeenth century. Do we
resent it? On the contrary, / think
we like 1t. Note how we took the
late war off their hands, when 1t be-
came too big for them; also, how, at
present, we ran after the Prince of
Wales. Personally, l should like TO
see our meanest and most capable
writer visit England, and, on his re-
turn, do his best in a book.
X X Y
After you have gone to bed to-
night, and the house Is quiet, devote
five minutes to think ing of the mum
ber of times you neglect your own
best interests every day.
God help us, we all do ii regularly.
And there isn't the slightest reason
why we should.
/ often think even the devil wants
US to do better than we do.
| have never believed the story of
religious people that God is an aveng-
er; on the contrary. I think of Him As
constantly getting us out of trouble
into which we have foolishly wan
dered.
x x
In reading ! constantly encounter
the charge that the people are a vast
herd of foolish creatures who do not
take as good care of themselves as
they might; and the charge is largely
true.
/ belong in this herd: so do you-so
do the writers about the herd.
The degree that you prosper in al
worthy ways is the degree you get
out of the herd.
If you are in the herd, you know II
Get out.
Those in the herd know they have
bad habits, and defend them; the
greatest folly man can be guilty Of
That is what the Socialists do; and
a man of any worth whatever should
be ashamed to be a Socialist.
There is a little excuse for some
follies; l have heard 1t said, for ex-
ample, that after d man has learned
to smoke, it is better to smoke mod
erately than endure the shock of quit
ting entirely.
Socialism is pure folly. and every
one knows it. including the Socialists
themselves: they all think they are
smoking moderately until they car
quit the, bad habit entirely.
x x x
An old saying has sense back OF 1t;
that it persists Is evidence of value
Every man has a good deal of ability
in rejecting nonsense and in seeing
"a point
l have often observed bored people
in a crowd, listening to the foolish
babble. But let some one say witty
or wise thing. and note how quickly
those who have been bored will take
notice We all talk of those things
which go in one ear and out the 9TH
er, but occasionally one brain will
originate something that will ruft1e
another.
Here is an old piece Of wisdom you
may be able to grasp; found 1t rath-
er disturbing, being compelled to ad-
NIT personal application:
Give to any man all the time h
wastes, not only on his vices, but or
useless business. idle or deterioratine
amusements, trivial letter writing
random reading, and he will have
plenty of time for culture"
And culture is no more than col
lecting the most intelligent and use
full sayings of men and acting upon
them. In every community culture Is
available; some one will remember
the wise savings, and distribute them.