Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-09
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

answer to any form Of sentence hurled
In ones general direction
perhaps we should modify the above
by the substitution of the good word,
Immoral" Those who have no moral
sense at all, and live, though human
beings, in the blind instructive way Of
the brute creatures, are correctly said
to be Immoral"
Moral character, as a topic of con-
versation, has become terribly old
fashioned. You must go to church, If
you want to hear morals talked about.
In most polite conversation they are
banned.
The nicest-looking people can sit
talking about this one and that one
until the listener realizes, some times
with an inner gasp of amazement, that
with the talker there is utterly no dis
examination against one or for another.
The modern polite talker plays no
favoriteS-to terrible point, indeed.
AS far as listener can judge, such
people are lacking in any sense OF dis
elimination whatsoever.
What they seem to want, above all.
Is amusement, and the wicked person
whose antics can divert their minds is
much to be preferred to the silly old
fashioned bore who happens to believe
how utterly absurd. my dear!"-in the
(
Il 4
There is another way in which many
people fail in proper critical judgments,
especially in the matter of books.
They don't read enough!
No one can expect to know unfail-
ingly good book from a poor book,
and especially from an indifferent book,
II he has not read enough to know good
from bad.
Good and bad againl You cannot
get away from it, either in morals or
ball games or base ball games.
A great body of people, such as a
nation. all members living under some
what the same conditions, has fixed
body of beliefs, experiences, dreams,
hopes, expectations, fears. which en-
ables the body of people to really use
the said body of beliefs, experiences.
dreams. hopes, fears.
Since human beings are basically
alike, despite their many differences. it
will be found that critical opinions In
matters of taste are amazingly similar,
provided that all shall have had the
same opportunities for knowing the
good and bad creations OF the past.
What Is this but another way of say
ing that only those shall pass judgment
who know? 1t is the same with bust
ness matters. only comparatively
few people in the United States had
any right recently to voice an opinion
about England and the gold standard,
because only a few honestly knew any
thing about the matter.
The rest of us were children in the
matter, although we might handle
money every day of our lives, buy
| houses. automobiles and even dabble
| in stocks and bonds at times.
-
Always be suspicious Of people with
very positive opinions. The more a
man knows, the less sure he is likely
| to be; the less many people know, the
more determined they are to make up
for their lack by great show OF
knowledge.
1t is the story of the loudly barking
dog over again. If you watch many
dogs, you will discover that those
hounds which bark the loudest COM
monty sneak away when danger
actually comes their way, but that the
dog which says little-but means what
/ he says-is right there with barred
teeth at the crisis
| The wise man. in the heat of con-
versation, seldom rushes to the de-
| Tense of works Of art. They do not
need it! They can get along very
well, although maligned for the time
being; later. their champion may say
good word for them in season, as he
may, sure in the faith that good and
bad are not exactly the same, after all