Evening star., 1932-07-08
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

Nothing so serves to strike forth
mental sparks as the antagonism of
politics, and we should all remember
this in the countless discussions which
will be heard from now on in the
homes, Offices, lunch rooms and other
places.
So long as political discussion is car
ried on by individuals who have a de-
cent respect for the opinions of others,
the great ends of healthy competition
are served, no matter what political
views the disputants hold.
Politics is but one phase of life
among human beings. Life is the main
thing. And in that life one of the
most important persons is he who an
tagoniZes
Perhaps the opponent has not re-
ceived the praise which he deserves, in
the ordinary life
1t is easy enough for any one to
realize the Importance of the enemy
in warfare.
It is not quite so easy to accept the
differing opinions of others in the
everyday warfare of words which goes
on constantly in all walks of life
Yet active opposition to something or
other is one Of the best StabiliZers in
the world.
AOoS pSOplC HCCu plCIlLy VI IL.
ceive plenty of it.
Sometimes one is inclined, especially
If of a peace-loving nature, to resent
the vast amount Of difference of opin-
ion which floods the world
Couldn't people ever agree on some
thing, without diSputing about it. with
out arguing about 1t, without becoming
red in the face?
Truth, it appears, in any line, is not
SO easily arrived at as all that.
Wherefore we have greater respect
for truth.
If any person whomsoever could make
statement, and that statement should
be the truth, the whole truth and moth
ing but the truth. the average man
might begin to lose his respect for the
precious majesty of its divine inspira-
ton.
No, truth in any form, on any sub
Ject whatsoever, requires a meeting
OF minds, as the lawyers say.
Out of much disagreement comes
agreement: from conflict comes peace ;
from unhappiness alone comes true
happiness.
Truth may or may not contain all
Of these elements, but Of one thing
the searcher can be sure and that is
that he will have to do a great deal
of work to find any of 1t.
Words are the great instruments of
truth finding. They are the pick and
shovel workers, the men in the ranks.
the philosophers in their garrets.
Words are things which mere ami
mails do not possess.
Animals, in some of their habits are
superior to mankind, but truth, with
them, has no existence They know
nothing of it, because they do not
know the words which represent it.
Perhaps it is just as well for them
that they do not, since they have not
been gifted in the necessary ways to
take proper advantage Of such gift
Mankind has these gifts, as well as
the supergift of words. With conscious
thinking, plus the gift of tongues
(words), man Is able to g ct some
where.
Active antagonism is the key
Oral controversy is the means.
Wherefore it is incumbent on the
man who believes in the necessity of
the search for truth TO search out an
tagonislns and to engage in verbal dis
pute.
This presupposes that such man
will have in him the seeds of honesty
He must have more than honesty
however, if he wants to get anywhere.
He must have tact.
This latter is a quality more often
associated with women, perhaps, than
with men, but it is not confined to
one sex alone, nor does 1t necessarily
find its best usage In the more polite
forms Of living.
Tact is something which every
human being can use every day in the
week, and at no time more effectively
than when engaged In political dis
cussion.
During the intense months Of po-