Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-11-12
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES e. TRACEwELL.

"It win be noticed that use the
word truthseeker,' not 'truthholder.'
What Is the truth2' asked PLATE.
His pertinent question has come
down through the ages and points. not
| to the truth itself, or TO the tntruth,
| but to the goal of the honest seeker,
the man who wants to know, and who
at the same time Is quite sure that
neither he nor any enc else possesses
the golden key.
ITO seek the truth, In any matter, Is
one thing. AS to who actually has the
| truth, it would seem that it still re-
centuries Of human living and human
disputation on every subject under the
sun.
"It seems to me that the search for
the truth is CT vastly more Importance
than the actual attainment of the
truth, for the attainment is doubtful,
since truth Is no more static than life,
but the mental attitude which accom-
panies the search for the truth is the
same in all ages. now and forever.
X 4 X
'Tt is this mental attitude which IN
trigues me above everything else. As I
pride myself upon it more than upon
any other feature of myself as human
being it is natural that have thought
about it often.
"It seems to me that realize It's i'm
portance partly because so often fall
from grace myself In this respect.
believe, I am entirely different from
those of the opposite temperament of
mind, or at least some Of the more
apparent members Of that tribe.
"They are always right. They know
they are right. It never occurs to them
that they could, by any chance, be
leaning too heavily on hopes.
THE other type of human being, Of
which group am proud to be a men,
Der, often catches himself believing
something or other simply because he
wants to believe It. He does not brush
his piece Of self-detectiye work away,
either with a -clenched fist, or an ugly
word, or clever bit Of overlooking. but
first and foremost he admits to him.
self just what he has caught himself
in, that is, being untrue to the truth,
as he is given to see the truth.
\ + X 4
at Is not, therefore, what one says,
but how one thinks, that counts.
1.-THE mental attitude is everything.
proach to q difference of opinion, is
what counts, If ever the truth about
anything in this world is to be reached.
Remember, do not say that it is
going to be reached. Personally,
doubt 1t. Especially do doubt it. after
having listened for four months to such
an amazing variation of opinion as to
men and methods.
1.-THE truth about the truth, as see
It, is that the search for 1t is important,
not that it Is settled truth, or un-
changeable truth. 1t Is the fact that
1t Is search, that 1t means the use of
mind, that it calls for fair play, and
above all for a searching OF hearts.
THE searching of hearts-what a
grand old phrasel Every man who tries
to think, because he wants to know. is
the equal Of every other man In the
realm of truth. He may not know as
much. he may not be able to think as
well. but his mental attitude is the
same. And such an attitude is far diff
ferent from that Of the man who al
ready knows 1t all, and who, Of course,
knows he knows It all. He does not
need to know, because he already
knows. He does not need to think. be-
cause he evidently gathers knowledge
without thought. He Is the sort Of man
I win never talk politics with again.
Why should I? He is like the fortune
teller. who, according to the sign. sees
all knows all Four years from now I
hope to talk politics, but 1t VIII be With
a few friends only.
(signed) "TEMPLRToN JONES"