Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-05

comical situation, even If we were the
butt Of 1t. we could smile with him.
although it might hurt us to do it.
We like a Joke. too, none better.
But what does he?
Usually he picks upon some per-
sonal flaw. something which we can
not help, and proceeds to poke fun
to put us into an unseemly position
before friends, and then actually has
the temertty to enjoy himself.
Here is a standard joke among such
individuals:
John and Bill are good friends"
whatever that term may mean. John
lives at a certain boarding house. He
is an exemplary young man, and has
his landlady's o. X. Bill, on the other
hand. has never seen the landlady.
John goes home to his rest, and
about 5 am. there comes q mighty
ringing at the front door bell. Mrs.
L., the worthy landlady, answers 1t.
There stands Bill-whom she has
never seen, remember.
Does John live here?"
politely aske Bill.
Yes. sir" she replies.
"Nell, he is wanted down at the
police station" solemnly states the
other, to the CONSERVATION of the
woman.
And Bill thinks this funny,
There recently lived in this town a
good, kind hearted man, who has gone
to his eternal rest.
One day a high government official
who knew him by reputation only,
had his secretary call the man up
and invite him to be his guest that
afternoon at the ball game. He was
to meet him on corner.
And what did this good man do?
So used was he to kidding" as
normal course in life, that he sus.
pected the sincerity of the invitation
and, before he would meet the Off.
cial, found 1t necessary to cruise up
and down for half an hour in an
automobile in order TO convince him
self that he was not to be made the
victim of some friend with q per-
vertao sense of humor,
The great ma jority of people there
fore, it may be said. seem to take up
kidding" IN selfdefense 1t is not
natural to them, 1t does not even seem
sportsmanlike "a term which the kid
ders hurl on the slightest provocation),
but they do it because II seems the
only way out Of an unpleasant situa-
ton.
What is more, the youth OF America
is being trained in it. Every high
school, every college, Is a training
ground. Perhaps this is well, too, for
the youth, when he becomes a sue
cessful business man. will meet the
same thing in his luncheon club.
Kidding" is essentially un-Chris-
tian. since it negates the Golden Rule,
and also provides for meeting fire
with fire" utterly unlike the provision
made by the Master for turning the
other cheek.
Joking, therefore, whether of the so.
called practical or kidding" variety,
stands convicted on all counts. There
is scarcely good point about it, or
any good it accomplishes. 1t makes
for rancor. hurt feelings and i'll will,
and consumes time in business. where
time is golden, indeed.
Business organizations that permit
Kidding among employees during
working hours are sponsoring inef-
ficienCy.
The practice is a waste of man
power. and watering of the milk of
human kindness.
Most to be p:tied. undoubtedly. are
those serious souls who allow them
selves TO be lured into kidding" others
in self-defense.
They have adopted what they de
spise, and do what they would not do.
They are living exemplifcations of St.
raul's words. Il do not do that which
would, but that which 1 would not
do, that 1 do