Evening star., 1926-12-07

"The tobacco habit Is becoming un
thinkable," says Guy Fitch Phelps. In
a leafiet entitled "Ten Reasons Why
No One Should Use Tobacco. 5us'
issued by the Board Of Temperance.
Prohibition and Public Morals Of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
In the first place, let us admit that
the Methodist Episcopal Church, OF
any other church, has perfect right
to have a board Of temperance. pro
hibition and public morals, If it wants
to. 1t also has a right to stick its
nose," as the saying is, into any mat
ter that attracts it, so long as 1t does
it legally.
Perhaps a few more boards of the
same nature might not be a bad thing
in a country that seems bent on dupli
eating all the factors that led up tc
the decline and fall of Rome. Half
dressed and painted women on the
streets, adoption of masculine habits
by women, the increased use of furs
amounting almost to mania. the EN-
phasis placed upon sports and amuse
ments Of all sorts, the building OF
huge stadia-
Are not all these things to make
the thoughtful pause? 1t is extremely
difficult, when something Is going on
and it is very eXciting-to look at the
affair calmly, and yet play the role
of jeremiah, too. Perhaps these
boards serve the same purpose, in q
modern sort of way.
Take this tobacco pamphlet, for in
stance.
It's "ten reasons" will appeal tc
those who do not smoke, and will be
generally branded as bunk" by those
who do. Reasoning, as a general
thing, does not correct habits. Mer
do what they want to do in the end
and they want to smoke. Ten times
ten reasons would not stop them.
X X X X
The present writer believes him
self in an unusually good position te
write about tobacco, because about
six months ago, after a lifetime o1
abstinence. he deliberately took UP
pipe smoking.
AS a result Of these investigations
more or less scientifically made, al
least in spirit, he believes that nc
amount of inveighing against the
habit will ever do any good, for. It IL
now too firmly rooted in the minds o1
men as masculine.
What Is said against tobacco may
or may not be true; it makes no diff.
ference to the man who likes tc
smoke. The present writer has
failed to see that tobacco hurts mer
who really like it. 1t may, he be
lieves. to a certain extent even tran
QuiliZe their nerves. It's inimical ele
ments are uncommonly slow in theil
effects. This is why the average
man takes with a grain of salt" the
TRADES against tobacco. He knows
too many healthy brutes who smoke
all day long. Their health, however
is their protection and salvation, and
Is in no sense an argument against
the weed"
The leaflet referred to says
Among those who have been free
from the defiling and disgusting to
bacco habit the following may be
named: Abraham Lincoln, John Rus
kin, John Burroughs, Theodore
Roosevelt. Charles E. Hughes, Chief
Justice William Howard Taft. Robert
L. Owen, Georges Clemenceau, Wood
row Wilson, William Jennings Bryan
Gen. Nelson A. Miles, Clifford Pinchot
DR.. Charles w. Eliot, Henry Ford
Judge Ben Lindsay, Sir Horace
Plunkett."
A good list, surely-and yet ar
equally fine list Of smokers might be
compiled. AS matter Of fact, the
names Of every European who ever
lived before Columbus discovered
America might be added to the list OF
non.smokers!