Evening star., 1935-07-03


ing with his nack to the wall. And
what's he fighting? II visible taxes?
That's what he's ishIlLg. Taxes that
go to fill the bdiging money Tags Of
the grafters to overhCwing. Invisible
taxes my friend! An unseen foe
that strikes in the dark"
The soap-box orator said lot
more, but Roy didn't wait to hear.
During the 40 minutes it. took Dim to
reach his suburban home, he reflected
on the words of the orator and won
dereo about them. Trey recalled to
mind q discussion he had overheard
not long ago between Q technical
school professor ard q dentist The
trouble" the dentist had said with
an unnatural display of spirit, with
our country today Is that we're be-
coming overcrowded! Look at our
cities Packed jam full to ove' flow-
ingl And most Of Them slums! Filled
with people who CON- have enough to
eat and keep warm!"
But the technical school professor
had shaken his head That isn't
the trouble with the country. Trouble
is that over here folks are so all-fired
concerned with making money they've
lost a sense Of appreciation Of the
finer things. They've become selfish
and grasping They never stop to
think of the next maii"
A. the time, this discussion had
mad its effect on Roy It had wor-
ried him, given hirl no end Of anxious
moments. He was one Of those un-
fortunate persons born with sLllible
and believing nature When men
talked loudly and with serious ex-
preston, the youth IVES inclined to
credit their words. And now, on the
lay before he was tc depart for the
West Coast on long planned auto
mobile trip, he found himself wholly
miserable because of his brooding over
the words of the soap-box orator the
technical school professor AMI the
dentist.
But when a young man for the first
time in his life departs from the limits
of his native State to drive $500
mile, across continent, he cannot
for long brood over the petty argu-
ments of soap-box orators. There are
too many other things to occupy his
thoughts. Hence. sfter his night of
misery. Roy did not again think of
the man with the bristiing m,lstache.
until five days late- when he was
rolling across tne p'sirs OF Iexas.
New Jersey. Pennsylvania, MARYLAND.
West Virginia, Tennessee and Ar
kansas were behind. For i've days
ne had rushed through cities and
towns, past neat, well-kept farm
houses, across g,eat stretches OF fiat,
cultivated prairie land. through and
arounn and over mountains, over end
less miles of dat suaight concrete
road. Five days Of constant travel
and still the West Coast was less than
reached.
The vastness, the immensity Of the
amazed the youth. The pros
perous little towns, the attitudes OF
the people with w.,cm he talked dur
ing his brief stops for gasoline and
lodging was to hinl like living cream
ne had hoped. but dared not believe
would one day materialize. He re-
the soap-box orator and
chuckled to himself The common
man doesn't have a look-in! Rats!
That soap-box orator should 5f with
MIN right now, SHOULD drive Trough
Texas and see for himself how the
people were getting along.
Not only getting a'ong but hapDv and
contented and very much satisfied
with Life.
Roy spent two and half days
IN Texas. And all that time ne was
irving in as straight q line Is the
roads allowed, and as fast as ehe law
permitted (Which WAS pretty fast).
There were stretches o. 50 miles and
more when he didn't pass through q
single community, greas vast sweep
ng reaches Of rsngtland, inhabited
,nly by wandering herds Of cattle:
IN occasional distant ranch, Low and
hen an oil neld Of some consequence.
Roy sew II oil aud reflected un the