Evening star., 1925-09-17
KNOW THYSELF1
By Dapid BeIasco.

The sporting world has been stirred
recently by what. on the surface,
seemed drastic disciplinary measures
applied to the worlds premier bats
man. Failure to give complete ODE.
dience to team rules and managerial
direction was the charge.
The writer holds no brief for either
principal in the controversy through
lack Of definite information as to
the incidents leading up to the crisis
But there Is much to be said against
the modern tendency toward what is
described as Temperament" among
those who. despite talent. after all
are hired employees of some one who,
In exchange for expected loyalty and
maximum of effort. pays out huge
sums of hard-earned money.
Sel1shness and self.interest are far
better words than Temperament" in
describing this condition. 1t is the
| great modern fault. Be the employer
the head of a great corporation, a
theatrical producer or the owner Of
a base ball team, 1t is fair to assume
that he has reached the status of the
employer solely through his ability to
do certain things better than others
have done them. Otherwise he would
be the employed and the employe
would be the boss"
"Stars" Make Trouble.
Granted the truth of this finding.
then the employer, putting aside his
right OF direction through his con-
troll OF the pay roll, has the right to
expect his employees VIII take orders
from himself. and his representatives
without question and without setting
up the. judgment ,iof the individp6t
against that of the employer. : :
But is this done? In the majority
of cases, yes. But there is q con-
stantly growing tendency on the part
| Of the stars" Of the business, tteat.
rical and sporting world. to, take the
position that personal opinions and
desires are more important than the
instructions Of employers and their
representatives.
How many stage caresrs have been
blighted by this thing we call item.
perament" only we of the stage world
know. Success, public adulation, the
applause (Which often Is for the set.
ting, for the work Of the author and
for the manner in which the director
has caused the lines to be said)-all
have their part in turning silly minds
into what the psychologists call the
superiority complex The same
applies in sports and In business when
a too-great self-satisfaction replaces
the humility and understanding which
make for success.
Some Notable Exceptions.
Turn with me for a moment to the
| other side of the picture. E. II. Soth-
ern, foremost exponent of the
dramatic art of today. is the same
modest, unassuming person l knew
back In the late SOS when he was scor-
Ing his first successes. .r
Walter Johnson. the greatest base
ball pitcher of modern times, is as
sweet and unassuming in character
today as when. a bashful youth, he
came up to the major leagues for his
tryout. +x
Chauncey NJ. Depew, whose bust
ness, political and social successes
would have turned the heads Of many
less balanced men, never for mo-
ment permitted success to swerve him
from kindness, courtesy and consid.
GRAFTON for his fellows
Temperament" in the final analy-
Sis is selfishness and ego. Both are
| qualities we all must Danish from
! this workaday world of ours If the
true happiness is to come to us all.
They are poisons. insidious and de-
stroying-and the only antidote is
honest self-contemplation and stern
resolve to merge self into the battle
| for the common good.
Copyright. 1925)