The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1936-12-31
By JAMES ]. MONTAGUE

&e Cry ana Darteo
By JANIS ]. MONTAGUE
" VERY few years or so I hear
n a lecture, or read maya
zine article, or am assured
by some friend that ought
to be something besides a mere
creature of habit. Then I get to
thinking about what an aimless and
miserable thing am to drift along
without any rudder. to allow circum-
stances to shape my career for me,
and probably ruin it. don't know
just exactly what career is, but
it is something that sounds impor-
tant and I always wanted one.
My turning point" as you might
call it came few weeks ago when
talking to a young nephew who had
been studying in a college branch
of learning he called behaviourism.
He said that there is no need for a
person to continue to be what he is,
provided that what he is, is not as
valuable to him as what he isn't,
but could be if he changed his hab-
its. It was all little vagye to me
at first, but after he had talked to
me for three quarters Of an hour one
evening it dawned on me that posi-
bly, had not built up within my
self the character that ought to
possess, and that it might not hurt
any If uprooted some Of my old
habits and substituted new ones for
them.
So asked him which habit I
ought to begin with. 'The most te-
nacious one you have got" he said.
Get rid Of that first, and then you
will be so imbued with self conf
dence that the other habits will al
most get rid Of themselves. What
is your worst habit"
well, my worst habit is probably
golf"
mo, I don't mean that. That's
more of an affection than habit.
Why not break yourself Of drink
ing?"
II don't drink enough to hurt me.
I can't afford to. Maybe after
enough states have voted for repeal
I can drink enough for a while to
make reformation task worth TAX
ing up. But for the last IL years or
so drinking hasn't been one of my
addictions. What else could I do
to build or rebuild my character?"
How about cutting out tobacco"
Don't be foolish. How could I
do any work without tobacco? How
could aim my golf shots except by
sighting down over a cigar to keep
my eye on the ball? How would I
solace myself when looked at my
card after game if it were not for
the narcotic and soothing influence
of the weed?-No, I'll have to give
up something else"
Said the young character rebuild
er: AT last we have it. The thing
that will be the hardest for you to do
is the thing you must do. Remem-
Der that when the pioneers came to
this country they had to start with
the job of killing off the Indians,
which was very disagreeable and
dangerous. Not until they had the
noble Red men thoroughly cowed
and afraid of them did they possess
the normal stamina and self conf
dence to build up a new nation"
My nephew enlarged on this SUBJ
ject till he had me worn out, even
though I was not convinced. But
was eager to do all could to gain
that self control whose lack had
been fatal flaw in my system, so
l agreed to try to stop smoking for
a trial period of two weeks. My
mentor insisted that this was not
sufficient period to prove anything,
but it was the best bargain he could
make, so he let it go at that.
''And don't think I'm going to
trust you," he said warningly. II
shall personally see that there is
no tobacco in the house, and secure
from you a pledge not to buy any
when you are down town. It would
be foolish to try to help you if every
time my back was turned you lit a
pipe or cigar. Bear in mind that
I'll have my eye on you, or get in
formation from other people about
what you are doing"
And SO I began my training. Self
confidence and a desire to prove to
this young man that I was not a
mere creature of addictions carried
me through the first three days.
soon felt as if there was something
to me after all. Then I began to
sniff the air when anyone in the
vicinity was smoking, and in.