Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09

OST of the things when
M people say they see are actu-
w ally seen. There is no i'm
1 L agination about it. The pes
simist who sees things going
to pieces is not deluded: he is correct
ly reporting what he actually sees.
The optimist, who sees things soaring
up TO the height of perfection, Is an
equally good reporter: he Is not TOOL
| ing us or himself; he sees what ne
says he sees.
But the trouble is, too many people
are doing all their seeing within too
narrow limits, and while their reports
! of what they see are true, they are
not comprehensive There Is nothing
more likely to be misleading than a
| field of vision 50 narrow as to leave
out part of the points. 1t is like see
ing the elephant in so limited way
| as to report only his tail or tusks. The
animal appears quite differently In a
comprehensive view.
Now all this has an important ap-
piicatiOn to the state of mind in Wnlch
many people find themselves today.
There are perhaps more minds focused
on economic problems than ever be-
fore, more people thinking, or perhaps
it is more truthful to say they are
wondering about the conditions which
have befallen human affairs.
X X X
1t is probably true that though we
are all looking and wondering, we do
not see very much as yet; but II IS
still a mighty fact that the minds OF
the people are focused on their af1alrs
Formerly we left it all to the govern
ment or destiny; but now the govern
ments have failed us, and destiny Is
not a thing to take without co.opera-
ton. And there Is milliontold more
chance of seeing when we are looking
Than when we are not. That is the
attitude of people today; they are
looking and presently they Will see.
Some people see certain Things
going to pieces. They see correctly
Certain established customs, meth
DDS. processes, institutions, traol-
lions, which we have been accus-
toned to lean upon, are undoubtedly
going to pieces. and they are gong
to pieces irrecoverably, too.
1t is that last element, the irrecoV-
erability, that strikes fear 10 many
people. They thought that nor.
malcy" meant the recovery OF the oio
things. the establishment OF the oio
wav. the restoration of the old haDl-
ma, leaning.posts. Most people
thought of normally in that way, as
Yesterday come back. But yesterday
is not coming back.
The old world is dead, dead, dead
It is beyond recovery. God himself
will not restore it. and Satan cannot
That is the abe of the new alpha
bet; namely, the old world Is dead.
Not dying, but dead. The things you
see going to pieces are its funeral, its
decay.
If people would only learn this
BIC, it would save them from a great
deal Of confusion. But the point Is
this: those who say that everything
they see Is going to pieces are telling
the truth, because their eyes are 10
cused on the things which belonged
to the old era. The old era Is dead
and is being buried. bit by bit. Every
day another fragment Of it falls into
dust.
Now If that is all that you see
and it will be all that you see IL it
Is all that you look for-no wonder
you have the feeling that everything
Is going to pieces.
But if you turn around and see
what is coming swiftly up behind your
back, as you gaze apprehensively into
the past you will get the other half
Of the field of vision: you will see the
things that are to be.
Perhaps you have seen the oak take
color in company with other trees in