Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-06
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES Z. TRACEWELL.

| the sake of argument. that logic is
necessary, but we submit that in the
average walks of every day both truth
| and illogic are far more necessary
| These twain virtues are the only
counter moves which will COMPUTE the
legal mind as such. II you wake up
| to the fact, some time in ordinary con-
versation, that you are being worSted
by logical processes, which seek to gain
admissions. and then to use them for
the seekers ends, call to the rescue at
once the twins honesty and illogic.
Be a little Napoleon In the strife,
know that God Is on the side OF the
heaviest battalions and that no bat
taliOns whatsoever were ever MADE
with bigger and better guns than those
possessed by honesty and lack OF logic.
Perhaps some one may question the
necessity for lack OF logic But to be
illogical, however, no matter how an-
surd 1t may seem to the logical mind.
which prides itself on its petty legal
logicality, is the very crux of the mat
ter OF the counter attack.
THAT may be So" you say TO him
quietly. but that would not suit me,
because my heart tells me TO do some
thing else"
This is being illogical to good pur-
pose. 1t Is inseparable from honesty,
both Of statement and purpose. Hon
esty. complete intellectual honesty,
which hides nothing, because 1t is able
to face the illogical and not be
ashamed OF it-ah, there Is the truth!
real intellectual honesty. knows that
It's greatest aid, especially in time OF
trouble, Is this same lack OF logic.
The legal mind, trained TO add to
and call 1t 2, is utterly confounded
by the mind which is able TO admit to
itself-and others-that neither one is
a whole one, but only half a one. al
though each Is supposed to be, and IS
called by all men, precisely and ex-
actly one.
The legal mind, having got this "ad-
mission" as it calls it, from the honest
mind. proceeds to lay down the ir-
REPUTABLE proposition that the distorted
mind before 1.-THE craven, illogical
and warped mind before it--must insist,
then, that one-half added to one-half
does make, constitute, aggregate and
equal one, whole, undivided, bona flde
one!
The honest mind, seeing whereat the
other drives, meets the situation with q
complete triumph OF the honest and
the illogical. He points out that 1t
makes no difference at all, except In
the nina OF tn2 crOSS-eXaInlIlcT,
whether the mooted ''one" OF the equa-
ton Is one or one-half. or whether, In
deed. it makes anything at all.
The truth is, the illogical mind keeps
on, the whole proposition has changed,
by reason Of the very persistence Of the
logical mind, and that now success, for
that mind, has taken the place of
truth, which should be the eternal
means OF research, and OF justice,
which also is high aim Of man.
Why, even as the two spoke, the
smile Of a little child, or the memory
of a little thing dead and gene, has
arisen in beauty and light to confound
the logiclan and the illogician. alike.
The Western sun streams over the
ground through the tall trees. The
scent Of lilacs is borne on the freshen-
ing breeze.
Now come such things as courts OF
law have no place for. lovely, gracious
things which make legality and its
precious logic smell musty and dirty.
even as compared with this scent and
fragrance OF reality. Hence. We minion
OF logic, and learn in humbleness
greatef logic, diviner truth. even that
of gentleness, which will stand ye in
good stead at that last great illogical
thing, when man-made logic fails and
is no more.