Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-11
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRAcEWELL.

they wake UP to the fact that the race
has been to those who had certain
amount Of self1shness in their systems.
Some years ago q certain magazine
publisher Of moderate success declared
In one of his articles that he had q
contempt for money.
Then he suddenly made q right
about-face, under the prodding of some
astute person or persons unknown. He
declared, as vehemently as he had for
the other side, that he was going out
to make money. He detailed the un-
doubted vantages of wealth. He be-
Of enlightened selfishness.
n Il n
The first step in meeting the selfish
person Is to get firmly fixed In mind
the idea that his fault must be for
given him since there is no hope for
cure.
To feel perpetually wronged because
some one you know and like displays
selfishness is to put ones self in the
position Of the neurological figure who
was perpetually rolling q stone to the
top Of q hill.
Just as there was no hope for him
ever getting to the top, so there is
little that any one may cure the selfish
ness Of the selfish person.
1t can, however, be mitigated.
The first error most people make in
handling such cases is to ply them
with gifts, in the futile hope that their
selfishness will be filled up at last.
Human character, however, Is no
bucket or well with solid bottom. Its
depths are limitless as the sea, its de-
sires Unsuitable, its cravings without end
AS is said Of a certain popular con-
lection, the more one gets, the more
one wants. Most selfish people are
sold Solidly on the common business
proposition, that there is no standing
still either for a person or n firm, that
both must go forward or backward.
With selfish persons the motto works
itself out into grabbing process, in an
endeavor to milk the old cow dry. The
first principle in dealing with them is
to get firmly fixed in the mind the i'm
possibility Of securing their gratitude.
r.
A kind uncle who loved his small
niece tried surfeiting her with gifts
until one day. upon the presentation
of a fine ring, she said, Thank you
where's the necklace?" Then he quit
He had learned the FIRST lesson. The
second is more difficult. 1t requires
some real head work, since it becomes
necessary to train the other in deeds
directed to others.
This. with an inherently selfish per-
son. is no easy feat. 1t is necessary
however, If one Is to make any Roadway
in his treatment. Let it be understood
that he Is not being trained to be gen.
erous, but simply to become selfish In a
different way, for remember that there
Is no real cure. He must be forgiven
for his other good points, If he has
any. II he hasn't, he might as well
be given up as a bad job.
When a selfish person is induced to
give gift to another, or do him some
service, he comes as near as he ever
will come to being unselfish, for he
instantly transfers part of his selfish
nature, and puts it into the gift or the
service.
The gift having come from him, OF
the service having been done by him
he Is involved in them to the extent
which his nature requires. He can
now be interested and happy, because
1t is himself. or a certain part Of him
self, he is interested in-as always.