Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-08
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

Our honest commencement orator
would be right, although no doubt he
would receive the same Censure as pour
ed down en- the devoted head of that
Prof. Rogers who told his students to
| be "snobS."
| 1t is one thing, in this world, to be
honest, and quite another to be sincere
without offense. He who would advocate
, Q plain, workable principle of everyday
living, as 1t Is demonstrated in thou
sands OF lives in every generation, may
be sure that 1t will be repudiated by
some, applauded in secret by many,
and openly by a few.
There Is many business man who
would tell you, in private, that If he had
| his life to live over again he would be-
| gin by making this principle of the
young Napoleon the first which he
would attempt to put into effect.
| In other words, he would do nothing
but what he would let every one know
that he regarded it as quite something.
Now what is this but complete honesty?
Every young man thinks that what he
does Is pretty important, and so it is
for him.
That Is the point!
That Is why such course, If gone into
with decent regard for other people,
is not conceit, In the ordinary sense,
but rather divine self-ccnceit, which
Is altogether something else
Ones ego Is ones most precious pos
session, and any one or anything who
or which tends to exalt ones ego is do
ing one great service.
| Every one knows how helpful 1t Is, in
any organization, If there is some one
in authority who takes an honest liking
for ones work, and makes it his pleas
/ that not 81 Il
! for.
| Indeed there have been several pronli-
nent gentlemen in American industry
! to say that few men ever get anywhere
without such help, and that the great
| est successes are men whose native
abilities have been recognized by lust
such helpful men.
To speak we'll of ones own lob and
work-what is that but to speak with
respect Of it?
He who goes around with his ewes
modestly on the ground, afraid to call
his own work good, is being humble to
no good end.
He will find many to speak about II
for him. alas, so he might as we'll set
the pace, and then perhaps only halt
| as many knockers will arise.
Let 1t be added that this action can
not be added, in deliberate fashion
after one has been at work for many
years.
It is too late then.
1t must be a veritable part Of ones
nature, from the beginning 1t can be
cultivated however, by the most inadept
person. and that is about all one can
say should be done.
There will always be a residuum OF
modest men and women who. knowing
the value of this advice, still cannot
bring themselves 10 adopt it.
God bless themi They are, indeed
the gentle in heart, and they will need
Gods blessing. for they will find them
selves taken. all too often, at their own
humble valuation.
Begin early, then, II you intend to
profit by this advice. Start in at once
with your first job, and talk it up. See
everything in glowing colors. Let the
duty of handing the boss" a rubber
band be not just handing a man a
band, but rather an important job Of
helping the Executive achieve q great
work that day. Without me and that
rubber band" tell your young friends
"the whole thing might have been lost.
1t might, at that. There is nothing
like thinking and speaking we'll of ones
self, within bounds and reason. Great
men always do it; and II it is good fol
them it ought to be good for the rest
| Of us.