Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-07-12
This and That
By Charles E. TrdceDeH
FALLS CHURCH, Va,

Dear Sir:
THE criticisms of both C. w. T. and
A. G. seem to be aimed at me, D. G.. The
first is fair and frank enough to admit
that his love for all animals is tempered
with a few reservations Why upbraid
me because my reservations include
squirrels and dogs, which are not among
his?
Lack of knowledge is usually source
OF error. Our editor could have told both
him and A. G. that, so far from 'begrudg-
ing food to the birds and squirrels, I
provide both a bath and a feeding
station for the birds, in proper seasons,
while my back yard has two large wild
cherry trees and stable mulberry tree,
to all of the fruit of which they are more
than welcome
'As for A. G.s poor squirrels'-nuts!
Our editor could also have told him that
this neighborhood has an abundance of
black walnuts, hickory nuts and acorns;
enough for all the squirrels needs. 1
don't begrudge single one of them, but
do begrudge my Victory garden sweet
corn, which the squirrels so habitually
ruin that it is no longer worth while to
plant it.
IF A. G. wants to create tolerance and
sympathy for his rodent pets, it might be
better to stick to realities in his pane
gyrics. His vision of a drought parched,
treeleSS world, except for the tireless
efforts of squirrels burying acorns, is
fantastic, to say the least, for three
reasons: First, there are large and
fourishing hardwood forests which con-
tain fe woaks, or none at all; second,
dare say that much greater number of
acorns terminate under moist, decaying
leaves or rain washed soil than can be
ascribed to the work of squirrels; third,
even those that may be credited to the
squirrels survive and sprout because the
squirrels which bury them only for stor-
age are so dumb that they forget where
the acorns are buried and dig lot of
useless holes in the sward which they
always fail to refill.
"And now here is M H. S. with another
reservation the grackles. AS yet, they
seem not to have bothered the other
birds in this immediate locality. If and
when they do, I shall feel justified in
adding them to my own short list of
aversions.
I'm our views of natures balance and
appropriations of animal life, can't we all
act within the bounds of actualities and
be accorded freedom of speech to men,
ton our few reservations of dislikes? I
doubt that even A. G.'s love of animals
is so all-embracing that it includes rats
and rattlesnakes.
Sincerely, D. G."
y X X
Our correspondents desire for freedom
of speech to mention flew reservations
of dislikes" is we'll taken, we feel.
Certainly there is too often a desire
on the part of friends of animals to
resent any criticism of their particular
favorites.
While the aim is an embracing love
of all creatures which do not actively
harm men, it must be admitted that this
is an ideal only.
Few persons will ever be sanity enough
to reach it.
In the meantime, 1t must be supposed
that each one of us will have his likes
and dislikes, and as long as the latter are
mentioned with decency they are to be
tolerated with sympathy, not answered
with spleen.
We have tried to keep this column free
from controversy, and will continue to
do so, because we believe there is too
much controversy in the world already.
Controversy Is not what we want, but
meeting of the minds and an attempt
at agreement.
That 1t the way Of peace, both in
international, national and local affairs.
ALI of us must be on the lookout
against controversy, argument, likes and
dislikes i'll put, because these are the
beginning of quarreling and war, of
which the world has had too much Ia too