The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1933-06-29
Howe About:
Age of Reason
Great Americans
r IL
By ED HOWE
Luck


every one was injured. The same
story comes from the California earth
quake: those who built strong houses
realized that they lived In an earth
quake section-suffered much less than
the occupants OF houses carelessiy
thrown together, and neglected after
they we're built. There seems no
doubt that carelessness Is one OF the
very worst of our human sins.
When the age of reason arrives II
II ever does we will admit that the
man who goes about turning Off I'M
necessary lights left burning by care
less people, is better man than the
mean persons who left them burning
because the expense Is not charged
TO them. We will also like better the
string saver. Few families keep sup
ply of new string on hand; when
string Is needed, 1t usually comes from
saving woman who has ball in the
drawer of the kitchen table.
A man asks me "Who In your onin-
Ion are the fifteen greatest living
Americans?' / have written him | be-
lieve they are comparatively unknown
men: some OF them possibly hidden
away In small towns or on farms
Most of the noted men of the present
have been called to Washington to ad.
wise President Hoover or President
Roosevelt In the present emergency.
Not one of them measured hp 70 real
greatness In the recommendations
have seen In print. My correspondent
| also wishes me to prepare list or
fifteen of the greatest Americans In
| all our history. / have only three
clearly In mind: Benjamin Franklin
would head the list, followed by Alex
ander Hamilton and John Adams. II
/ urged to add other names, possibly
should select John p. Rockefeller, Sr..
]. ?. Morgan the elder. and Thomas
A, Edison. I have never believed
George Washington was truly great,
and doubt Lincoln was. We have
never had a great soldier, except pos
sIbly some unknown man who never
had q chance. Measured by world
standards we have never had a great
literary man. Henry Wallace, grand
father OF the present secretary OF az
ricultnre, was a country parson and
/ farmer. and came very near greatness.
1 If an infaiilble list of the fifteen
greatest Americans, living or dead,
could be prepared, few would be wide
ly known. perhaps two-thirds OF them
not known at all | do not believe one
| professional politician would be on
the list: several business men might
make 1t. The manner In which we
marched cheering Into the present
American ruin, and the weakness we
| displayed In efforts to get out, have
greatly discouraged me as to Amerl
can greatness.
No little fairy attends any man K
bring him good luck; no little devil
attends any man to bring him bad luck
In the course OF year or life, wha
baseball players call the good and bat
4breaks" are about even. Good break
have come to all of us frequently, ant
we have not taken proper advantage
Of them; frequently we all fall to han
die bad breaks" as well as we might
This Ia the truth, and I know 1t vel
but what / believe Is l am the TN
luckiest man In the world
In the gentlest wife there Is touc
of the Old Harry she does not shoN
Ia mingllng with the neighbors, bu
which does show In mingling wilt
a husband. Ii wives were Away
as polite and gentle with husband
as telephone girls are with subscrll
ers, there would be fewer bad hui
bands.
During the presentation OF a pla
/ attended recently, an actor mel
toned Contented Farmer, whereupc
those In the audience burst ini
laughter.
came to Mama, Fla, this wlnte
disguised because Hannah, the colort
woman we employ at home, never e
tered my room without putting tt
windows down, II / had them up,
putting them up II | had them dow
have been disguised all winter
Miami because Nancy, at the apal
ment house where live does t
same thing.
was walking on the streets late
with a white woman from Indian
she learned bossy ways as "a schc
teacher when young. The tilt Of r
hat brim didn't suit her. so $
reached over and changed 1t. Oct
sionally mot often) rebel, and 50
to her:
"Put that hat brim back where y
found 1t"
she Is probably telling around NJ
that am no gentleman, but she did
have never suited women; alwa
there is something about me they WE
to fix.
~zJ n vtN