Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-04-09
ARE WE a NATION OF SOFT HEARTS
AND SOFT HEADSg

4 RE we ENTHUSIASTICALLY minded Americans
q wholly absorbed BY the pursuit OF the all
mighty dollar as some foreigners would have us
believe or are we a nation OF soft hearts and SOFT
heads Very, very often we might plead guilty to-
the charge of being soft hearted and also now
and then to the charge Of possessing soft head
when we see how the public sympathizes and
weeps over some desperate, degenerate cl1nl-
inal.
However at this particular time we are con-
Isidering the meloWness OF the national heart
This consideration is due to the pleasing treat
lment that Il Detailing young Bvran lntledf
THAT 13-yeal-old hero who took off his clothing
except his underwear and gave the discarded
clothes to younger members of the party when
a bus load of school children were caught III
Colorado blizzard five Of them freezing to
death Byran, III all justice, has been pro
claimed hero by common and simultaneous
lconsent of everyone and now people from TAR
land wide are uniting in doing him honor.
President Hoover has invited the lad to
| be his guest in the White House when he has re-
covered sufficiently from his terrible expert
ence to be able to travel. One is not surprised at
President Hoover's action as he is passionate
lover of children and one Of his absorbing am
billions Is to make better world for children
to live in. One of Colorados United States sen
ators has asked Byran to visit him III Washing
ton after finishing his visit with the President
An airplane company has extended an invitation
to the brave boy to fly as it's guest from Colo
RADIO to New York city and return. Hundreds
Of letters were received by the boy while lying
in a hospital, some Of them containing gifts o
money What an experience for a lad who
: few short days ago was unknown outside OF IN
own little circle of friends but who has nov
stepped into national prominence and capturet
: the heart of the nation by his willingness TO sac
rifice himself in desperate attempt TO save tn
lives Of his little companions.
!, There are certain people who believe that til
! human animal is SO constituted that he is NOR
! or less a puppet, that he will always react III
/ given and known manner under certain impulse
or conditions In other words, pull certain set
!, Of strings and the human jumping jack will a
= ways respond in well defined lines 1t appear
: to us that these people have wholly lost sight {
u the greatest factor in the entire question, an
that is the factor of spirit, or will power or d
y termination or character-call it what one WI
that lies deep within and is very part OF OF
II person and makes him what he is while who'll
N lacking in another one. Take two persons undo
le exactly similar circumstances-as for exampl
lie in that blizzard bound school bus; one or mo
$, of them turn out heroes some Of them martyr
Or others are selfishly concerned only in savil
: their own precious selves. Their kind are four
TX in all times of great disaster the heroes and Il
t. towards.
oo Byran's noble deed is a glowing examp
TX that there is something more to the human al
NAL than mere mechanics There is a spil
Sc there an individuality that lifts him above t
at plane of the puppet and gives him responsible
to and the power to choose his own destiny