Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-27

n HAVE asked distinguished sociolo-
gists why we are the champion di-
vorce nation of the world, emf
i nent statesmen why we are the
most law-defiant country of the
globe, wardens of our penitentiaries,
famous detectives, CriminologiStS,
judges and lawyers why we have such
an appalling amount of Juvenile crime.
I have cross-examined noted divines as
to why we as a nation seem to be
pandering to jazz, lewd shows and
cheap magazines to the neglect of good
books, good magazines, good music,
and I once witnessed a famous novel
ist fleeing from the United States for
the wilds of Albania in order to escape
from our terrible restlessness and dis
content as a people. And for a week
have been putting questions to all
sorts Of eminent people trying to get
the best possible explanation of what
appears to be an epidemic Of student
suicides.
But it remained for a noted Amer
lean physician-Dr. Joseph Collins--to
give me this amazing explanation of
our social troubles as a Nation:
Our great national malady is that
we are a Nation of adult infants. We
have spent billions of dollars on col
leges and libraries, but we have neg
lected to train the emotions of our
people. IL the emotions are wrong, the
finest body or intellect will be wrong.
We have stuffed information into
young heads whose emotions concealed
dangerous homicidal completes. We
have started boys and girls out in life
with emotions that are diseased and
distorted. and we have wondered why
they have ended up in the electric
chair or the divorce court or have
committed suicide, or have been
merely unhappy.
Author of Best Seller.
DR.. Collins is a Observation-Disclosures
ing man. with q Van Dyke beard, an
erect military way Of holding himself
even when he seems to be relaxing in
q chair, and the way of the expert
diagnostician Of taking you in length
wise and sidewise until you almost
feel like you were on the operating
table.
A little while ago DR.. Collins wrote
book entitled, 1.-THE Doctor Looks at
Love and Literature which has
proved tremendous success and is
listed among the best sellers. The
book is a further viewpoint on DR..
Collins--he is more than just a cele-
brated physician. He has a passionate
love OF learning, culture, music, liter
allure, and as he has kept his hand on
the pulse Of the Nation through the
thousands Of people he has treated he
has seen deeply into the basic cause
OF some Of Americas social troubles
I'VE have neglected to bit and curb
ana groom our emotions and that is
why we are a Nation of infant adults
Our emotions have been with us for a
longer time than reason has. From
our emotions come our urges to do,
and bad emotions viii lead the best
intellect or the soundest body astray.
Until we set our emotions straight as
q Nation we win never cope success
fully with divorces, Juvenile crime
Jazz mania or unhappiness.
Roger Babson, the noted business
analyst / said, told me something
right along the line you are talking.
One month before Steinmetz died he
was asked by Mr.. BabSon, as they sat
talking far into the night, what he
thought would be the next great in
vention in the world. Steinmetz re-
piled that such an invention would
not be one that would enable mankind
to harness more horsepower or extract
more wealth out OF the earth, but one
that would show how to harness the
human emotions so as to produce emo
tfonal happiness. He considered the
emotions the key to q happy life. In
order to be happy we must feel happy.
and this feeling of happiness comes
from emotions that are properly
trained"
Exactly" replied Dr. Collins.
But, Dr.. Collins, what evidence is
there that we are a nation of infant
adults? Would you be good enough
TO tell me just what an infant adult is
and offer what evidence YOU have to
convince me that we are a nation of
infant aduIts?' / said.
Emotions Unframed.
IAN infant adult" replied DR.. Col
Inns, lis one who has reached matur-
ity OF physical development but has re-
manned like O. child in his responses to
the obligations and demands Of life.
He doesn't tackle life like man. And
let me say that all the qualities that
we admire in the real man, such as
kindness, courage, persistence, indus
try, moral responsibility and the like,
are the consequence OF healthy and
trained emotions. I can't impress too
heavily the idea that it is our emotions
that control us. They have been with
us for millions of years. Intellect is
only the birth of the last few thou
sands of years
And yet we have thought we could
control the emotions by developing the
mind. The emotions are more power
full IN determining our conduct than
he mind, and our process of intelli-
gent education should consider first
the emotions. for If they are wrong
the man or woman is wrong, no mat
ter how fine that person does in tntelli.
genoe tests or scores in athletic con-
tests
And the evidence Of our childish
nees?" / insisted
rs very plentiful" replied DR.. Col
Inns. Let me list it.
Children are VIGOROUSLY gregar7
ous-they shun solitude. Are we not
nation OF rotarists. Of big crowd
spectacles?
Foreign visitors are highly amused
al American men gray at the temple
and thin at the neck who when ask