Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-10
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRAcEWELL.

If you want to please or insult him. you
will have to stick to the approximately
1000 which make up the average vo-
cabulary.
What fearful execution can be done
with the 1000, to be sure! No more
are needed for any one to make the
most unjust statements, based on nc
more than a dislike, or a misunder-
standing, or a nasty disposition. Then
the words which he might appropri-
ately apply to a criminal he swings
against the face of an honest man
pleased nightly that they sound quite
as bad against the innocent as against
the guilty.
Surely, that is where words fall
down. In perfect world, words would
crumple up and evaporate from the
mouths of those who misuse them. In
the perfect state, nothing will be quite
so revered as the principle of simple
justice. Then, any injustice in words
cannot be stated. In that delightful
state it will be, in truth, only the truth
which hurts, because untruths will not
be able to come into being.
Let us look for a moment into that
state and see how it would work out
A gentleman, we will call him, for that
word means something or nothing, like
all the rest. starts to utter a Sneerine
statement against one of his acquaint-
anceS.
His mouth opens, but not sound
comes forth. God has cut him off
and he can make no sound. He at once
knows that what he was about to say
is false. The listeners know that God
has taken His hand in it and has
blockaded the evil mind and tongue
Thus appraised our gentleman decides
to say something decent which thought
no sooner thought, issues forth as a
clear stream.
Malicious gossip of all kinds would
be stopped at the source. The corroding
influence Of too close contacts among
neighbors would receive a balm OF
healing. The person who wished To
deny, with solemn announcement, a
truth uttered against him would find
his lie withered in his mouth.
This dream is too good to be true.
AS things are now, all any one has to
do Is to reach into the dictionary and
take out whatever words he chooses,
then marshal them into sentences. If
pressed for time, there are number
Of high pressure words which will stand
by themselves and which are guaran-
teed to get a rise" out Of the victim.
the more undeserved the more surely.
1t is sad thing, this big effect of
little word. Maybe some radio in
ventor will be able to devise a method
of causing a terrible heterodyne whistle
to be set up as a result of the emission
of false words, lying words, fretful
words, nagging words, words misused
because of lack Of facts, words unjust
in implications.
True words, on the other hand, would
be accompanied by sweet music, which
would make even mans favoriteS more
charming still Always we must wake
from these dreams to the reality of the
stern life Of words under whose rule
mankind has lived and worked for so
many centuries.
Words are free, and because they are
none of us should pay too much atten-
ton to them, especially when we do not
like them. Schopenhauer had the right
idea: When two persons laugh at you,
or say something spiteful. choose to re-
gard them as two fools in a comedy.
Then their words will not hurt"
Perhaps If words were difficult to
secure, instead of being free, fewer of
them would be spilled in conversational
nothings or let loose with vindictive-
ness against those who deserve only the
most pleasing combinations of sounds
as their rewards in this life