The Washington times., 1931-08-20
True to Type
UNENS' INSTEAD OF IDLE
TO AVOID INSULT
PROPOSED
RY GILBERT SELDES-

and suggests that at least the unemployed be called
49, & people boEeeo b 70 nn oe oe te we NEM
but of course if in Russia we would not con-
fess that there any.
Defense by Insult
Not only the implied insult to the willing worker
makes the term idle" objectionable 1t is the att-
tude of the who the word which is dangerous
To say "ide" today, after century in which the idle
tramns s to throw ourselves forby back into the past
and to let minds dle the pleasing prospect OF
the full dinner pail
So long as we say idle" we defend ourselves, our
Government political parties industrial leaders,
from any responsibility, throwing it on the anonymous
and pathetic shoulders of starving men and women
"Unemployed is long ugly word, but Its lmphcatlons
are correct.
Consider for a moment, parallel situation During
the the question of responsibility was AUTOMATICALLY
solved for u.s. the enemy and the enemy alone was re-
sponsble, and only intellectual entertainment was
in devising the exact mathematical ratio between Ger
many and Austria; the Germans had more fun because
they had more enemies. But as the Treaty OF
Versailles was signed and Germany was compelled to
admit complete and sole responsibility the process OF
revision began No accepts the principle OF ex
cusiveness the abyss of wargut wide enough and
deep enough to enguf all the world.
1 suppose there people now who believe that
the poor the unskled workers. the ignorant, are as
guilty their masters in the present depression The
poor bred too FAST doubt and demanded good
wages and an american standard of lving-upon
which the ruling classes prided themselves, to which
they turned bulwark against revolution But IN
spite of appearances, some common sense does exist
the innocent and that the guilty. who are suffer-
ing less, cannot entirely wash their hands OF the
misery they have-no doubt unwilngly-caused
No Personal Devil
Another parallel from the war ought to be warn
ing: the hue and cry for personal devil usually the
Kaiser side, and Sir Edward Grey in the eyes
Of the Germans was sy t single oaioGas r1O aSned
powerful enough to launch the terrific forces OF
war So, today, no speculator deliberately playing
the market could have done more than create a Wall
Street panic; he could not make depression (Which
was, in actual fact in existence before the crash
camel. The desires and ambitions of the whole world
created this mockery of it's hopes. But the world is
ruled by human beings; the pace of getting money
is set at the top the unwngness to do with little is
sharpened and aggravated by the vast possibility OF
having too much.
The Government which failed to protect, the indus
for; the least they do is to treat with
spect their victims Among other things they can
doone has been suggested and been met with strange
cries of anguish-tha is, put the victims to work. So
far, it is all the victims ask. So far.
A Pearl in Trouble
News of bloody revolt in Cuba is distressing not only
because it is another item in the long catalog which
marks the collapse of order throughout the world but
because Cuba specifically destined by nature
to and gaiety. l speaking of the Cuba which
the tourist SEES the island which rises so sweey and
so surprisingly from the Atlantic waters which
is so Spanish without the hardness and African
agery of Spain so European, and American, all at
1t is tropical and brisk, homelike and gay
Tourists to Venice home with story which is
always the same yet they stick to it passonatey It is
the story of the gOndOer who hailed them their first
day and insisted that he and he alone must them
for the duration of their stay The most useless thing
in the world is telling them that the gondoer had no
particular fondness for them, that he animated by
the grossest and crassest of economic motives These
benighted tourists insist that the gondoer took them
under his ample wing, that he treated them lovely
children, that he friend and that the money didn't
matter.
Adopted by a Taxi
The same thing happened to me in Havana, and un-
derstand the emotion. chauffeur named oddly Dra-
chino, plotting American with nickel front,
our for four five days. He parked outside the
hotel and refused all other offers; he entered service
and would not be ousted And he the feeling that
he cared for 1t is perhaps the gift of Free amused
and not too IMPOVERISHED Latins to do this, to put the
question of money out of sight
Other pleasing things happened in Havana. We got
into traffic Jam the docks confusion of and
carriages in narrow and winding Streets without
officer in view. Every possible human sound in
the balmv air, song. And it may have been the
which inspired the policeman when he did arrive,
for he stationed himself at commanding point and be-
gan to conduct orchestra of vehicles waving his baton
now wildly, calmly and in few minutes the dis
cord of traffic dissolved in heavenly harnonV.