The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-07-23
Exchange Place
 Philosopher


 I stood in Q group made up of newsstand attendants, men going to work and men coming from work, some plain citiZens, and at least one philosopher who saw in what was going on Q topic for meditation and c subject for dis. cussion. Most of Us are given to vlSualizing philosophers aS elderly gentlemen in whom the fires ot action have died down to the ashes of contemplative thought; oidsters with grey heads and snow white boards who with that ssren. ity of mind which sets in after the fitful fever Of living has abated like to view the passing show and from 1t weigh conclu. sions in the scale of Time and Eternity. 1 suppose the visualiSa" ton b accurate. But my Ex. change Place philosopher was Q young man, c very youth In fact, and the last one 1 would have dreamt to be engaged in thoughts other than those which beguile the young ct this season of the year. Thoughts about swimming and motoring, about dancing and eating and having fun, about girls and games, and pleasure unllm- tied. Ills comments therefore came as c shock. And on addi- tional proof that anyone Is c fool who imagineS Longfellow was just being poetical when he wrote; "And the thoughts of youth are long. long thoughts"
 Efficiency
 The Exchange Place philosopher at my elbow was not looking, as l was. at . bit of construction with eyes that saw only . swarm of human ants busy about sofne- thing or other, tho exact nature of which was unimportant. His was not the common fascination which tearing-down, building.up work seises upon almost everyone who passes the place where it is going on, He saw the Machine Age ex. emplIfieA in what was happening out in the middle os tho street. he was watching Progress at iss maddest, noislest pacej he was studying the opportunity of Youth, the problem of Middle Age, and the tragedy Of existence for most people whJ have reached the years Of fifty. And from what he saw and watched and studied he drew inferences which dark ened for him the future of our imagined civilization. The gospel of Efficieney was being lived up 70 tirelessly by the steam shovel op. orator who had to exercise hiS mind and his body with every manipulation of his hungry. toothed scoop. The slogan ot Speed was being exempliied ny the laden trucks aS they rushed away and the empty ones as they rushed Up to be loaded. l thought the work was going on well, and especially to the satisfaction of the contractor. For all the up. roar there was c pleasant and noticeable absence Of bawlings and shoutings by foremen at workmen. UnconSclously l spoke my thought. And the youthful philosopher of Exchange Place lit right on my neck.
 
 The Conversation
 cannot reproduce his conver. sation. He spoke idiomatic Eng llsh which in itself was . shock. But his thought was clear. It was that the job was being pushed successfully: the steam shovel and the trucks were co-ordinating per- fectiy; the noise and dirt was only what had to be expected. But did I stop to think tha the steam shovel and the motorized trucks. for all they were doing what was asked O. .hem, were taking the place of the manual labor of men .ms.a s..laI.k hasa AnRaA lk mt 30