The Washington times., 1931-09-14
True to Type
MEN-AND NOT MICE
GET TOGETHER TO
BELL THE CAT 3 .
Ry GILBERT SEl-DES


systems and for theaters and psychoanaysis am,
consequently not an enthusiast for enthusiasm, and
cannot understand the motive which drives people into
Causes.
Against Cats .. ...
The latest one to reach me, by way of a publicity
mimeograph, is the Cause of Belng the Cat. These
Men, however not Mice who concerned with the
problem their full title is The international Cat lnves
tgating Society," and they have bill of complaint against
cats which is formidable:
Naturally in the cities they turn to garbage
60 into the parks to hunt birds and small game being
their prey. They do tremendous damage in the parks,
according to statistic which have been compiled by the
various Park Departments The city stray cat is filthy
through no fault of it's own, bat because it is dumb
beast had laws to license cats the stray cat would
be eliminated"
It is pleasant to see the name of Coral Cables Fla
recurring in the news after many years. Coral
Gables has local law compelling all cats to wear bells
This great help to birds but garbage cans have not
yet been taught to themselves at the sound of
tinkling cat However what Coral Gables does today
the country does tomorrow; if not tomorrow at least
within hundred years.
What's the Motive?
Whether cats carry disease / do not know; whether
there is cat menace do not know My personal reIa-
tions with cats have always been friendly both Sides
and prejudiced in fact chiefly interested IN
discovering how people get worked upaoout cats or
ment what is behind the Cause? Behind the old
Temperance Movement there lay religious feeling and
in many disastrous personal experience but wha
is it that makes people furious about eating liver the
issue of postage stamp and the beng OF the harmless
necessary cat?" What superior energy what
of boredom is the driving power behind movements
and drives? do not know-and am distrusttul
A Notable Diplomat
have just been reading an exceptionally fine book
about England in the period of her greatnesshe prewar
period. It is Harold Nicosons Portrait of Diploma"
ts the biography Of his father, Sir Arthur Nicolson
who Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs
just before the AS diplomat and writer Harold
Ncolson is in happy position toward his subject
than most official biographers he writes with more wit
and freedom and he is extremely intelligent In addition
penetrating study of the diplomacy Immediately pre-
cedng the Great War; he has, in single paragraph given
psychological explanation of British diplomacy:
British statesmen he says ARE usually blind d to
inclinatiOns While not knowing what they are doing or
what they want to dO they realize quite clearly what
negative and proclaim it. in place Of the very firing
calculations which any positive policy would entail This
want to do and our unconscious realization that in the end
we shall have to do is inevitably interpreted by foreign
observers indicating hypOcrisy-Or even worse"
Applied to America
Put American statesmen where Nicoson has
British direct the criticism to domestic affairs instead
of foreign, and the application becomes perfect. The
plight of the President his advisers Congress, Cover
nors and legislatures at this moment knowing that they
want to do nothing definite about unemployment-be
cause they do not care to make those very firing cal
culations which any policy requres-their plight is
really pabe, because in the back of their minds lies
the terrible fear that in the end they will have to do
something. They want all of them, to 60 down in
history, 100000 men will possibly be at work Gov
ernment projects four months from now, leaving g.,
O0O 900 Observation-Disclosures usual"
Nicolsons book is study of what happened to those
British statesmen who did not want to make effort
who preferred negatOn to constructive thinking What
happened is not secret The happened, and dis
aster and the wreckage of regulations. Sir Arthur
Nicolson, who had positive mind, who demanded
thinking in precise terms and wanted diplomacy to be
firm and clear and explicit, escaped from the general
ruin, He resigned before it was too late
Are You Sincere?
The sophisticates may mock at sincerity but love will
ask for nothing At least, gather that sincerity
is the prime virtue because it appears in almost
advertisement in the matrimonial gazettes. Here is
"a splendid, good looking young man who wishes to
hear from sincere ladies with means = ." Another
Is "a sincere sensible and conscientious young bachelor
of the brunette type" Another of the brunette
type dispenses with sincerity but he is exceptional for
his ideals and principles above the average
plays the guitar" A bachelor of athletic build not
only has strict Of honor and fidelity, but is
absolutely unSelfish, honorable and sincere"
Of highly respected family, who is, however, good
mixer, prefers ladies F" who sincere"
If sincerity fails there is always the tall, blond
young man, who makes $12 day and GOWNS nifty
Tees Ruf fVon ounk