Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-01-18
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES z. TRACEWELL.

The truth, however, large or small,
ancient or new, Is not changed by word
of mouth. but remains what 1t Is, de-
spite what any one may say about it..
1t has a power which gives him who
disputes it an uneasy feeling. He Is
not sure that he is right.
In everyday conversations, wherein
great deal of mental conflict may be
expressed with all the outward appear
ance Of perfect good will. it is scarcely
possible for an honest man to hear the
truth and not realize 1t.
An electric button is punched, as 1t
were. which rings somewhere in his
being. Newspaper men have the sane
feeling when they run into good story.
1t is a familiar experience with them.
few words, something tingleS in their
brains. Others might not recognize it,
but they do. 1t is story!
Little truths and big truths have an
electric quality which does their an
nouncing for them better than any
blare of trumpets. The happy part Of
it is that this form Of electricity is
quite as common as any other form,
although equally inexplicable.
We mean that one does not have to
be a statesman to be able to benefit
from the recognition of truth. 1t rings
the bell in the everyday walks of bust
ness and social life; it announces itself
In small things as we'll as in great
things; it makes itself heard above the
busy hum of restaurant or theater.
X u Il X
A man or woman with the proper
appreciation for the recognition of
truth who honestly wants to know what
is what, whether 1t helps or binders,
will gladly put up with the incon-
venience of daily antagonisms.
They are necessary.
There is 10 other way for most
human beings to get the rest Of their
education
One would have to be stuffed and
wrapped in cotton batting to escape
Formal education ceases with tie
academic life, but the informal process
begins Immediately. And how! as the
young people say, or did say yesterday
One is not accustomed to look upon
crusty old Bill Jones, who never agrees
with anything, as professor, but that
is exactly what he is.
He processes to put you in your right
full place whenever you step out of it..
Because you resent this step on his
part and the invariable quality of it
is no reason why Bill should not take it.
Call him a nuisance all you want to,
he will do you a lot Of good in all
probability if you will let him ramble on
No man can say as much as he does
without hitting it once in a while. If
you can keep your temper and pour IN
tellectual cold waters over the raw
places he leaves, you will find in the
end that his influence is for good
But it is entirely up to you. The
same is true in every encounter-on the
street, in public vehicles, wherever one
person pits his mind against the mind
CT another, whether in regard to a
trivial or momentous matter.
Life is not something to come, but it
Is now; and not so much in prominent
places, for most human beings, as cast
IN humble or at the best ordinary roles.
1t Is in this everyday, this humdrum
life, if one likes, that truth is to be
found, If ever.
In this interesting process the quail
ity OF individual thought is what counts.
And antagonisms make one think. We
are all like cats fur, which sparks only
when rubbed the wrong Wav