Evening star., 1935-09-20
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

| minor affair in the great doings of the
| day.
Yet he who thoughtlessly runs over
squirrel today may run over a child
or an old person tomorrow with much
the same indifference and shout that
the victim ran right out in front of me-"
| u
The advent of mechanical forces which
| humanity does not seem altogether able
| to control has thrown the kind-hearted
| person more and more back on his own
| spiritual resources.
Thousands of these persons have been
compelled to admit to themselves that
there is not much that they can do
about it,
They are so far outnumbered and out
shouted that they tend to withdraw into
themselves, finding such Solace as they
can in being kind to others, and especi-
| ally to the members of the great brute
creation.
This kindness to animals is not a sub
Stitution for kindness to children, al
though some think it is.
1 1t is something in itself; special feel
ing one either has or hasn't. The null
| titudeS of hunters and fishermen. trap
perS and others show the opposite side.
| With them the others have no quarrel
| The world is wide and life seems built
on death in the final analysis.
So the world wagS along.
| Even little kittens, beloved of many
| friends of animals, scarce could exist if
| it were not for the killing of cattle and
salmon. q.
Fresh raw beef and canned salmon are
| the staples of cat fare in civilization.
Neither of these would cat get in the
| wild, but they are good substitutes for
what they would eat if ION their own"
1t might be possible to bring up a cat
entirely on cows milk. raw eggs and
| cottage cheese, but we doubt it.
They need, even little kittens plenty
of raw meat, high protein foods; in other
words, with natural vitamins intact
We may reasonably expect a great
growth in the number of hermits in the
world within the next half century.
Many of these modern hermits will be
city dwellers, men and women who are
unable to cope with the steady increase
of traffic. which by that time will include
| vast fleets of airplaneS and ships.
All these things, combined with the in
ceSSant drone of motor cars and buses
/ anu LHe uIlenQlng symphony ana
cacophony of the radio. will drive these
thousands Of persons into the retirement
| of their own souls
| They will find it expedient to go back
to simple things. to the companionship of
few friends, both among humans and
books.
They will be regarded as "cranks" and
worse by the other thousands who will
not understand unem. who have never
understood them, indeed. For such per-
sons always have existed They make
no claims of superiority for themselves,
merely ask to be let alone and. not find
ing that modern life will let them alone.
tend more and more to withdraw into
the Sanctity of their own thoughts and
| ideals.
Such persons have found that it takes
certain sort of bravery to do this, and
increasing thousands in the future will
find the same state of affairs.
They will discover, however, that this
mode of life is the only way in which
they can be true to themselves in a
practical. idealistic way Idealism as
such must be practical to be really ideal
If any one does not understand this then
! he must think about it until he does for
! there is no other solution.