The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-06-23

GuSOu v VA A . &~> such salubrious spots as San Fran cisco, Olympia, Wash, maybe Mack inac Island and Berlin. Even Inde- pendence, Mo, where the thermo- meter sometimes hits dry 100 or better, holds no terrors for anyone who has spent a summer in Wash ington, where the humidity begins at 90 and then does tricks, lowering like a helicopter at around 100, which is tops and terrible, for days at time.
 DO NOTHING
 AND STAY COOL
 But for the luckless natives and carpet-baggers who have to stay here and like it, this Washington weathers offers opportunity and challenge to show that mind can triumph over matter.
 The best system for doing this sems to be doing nothing at all. While this may seem defeatist and too much in keeping with Mahatma Gandhi's passive resistance, it Is really the most constructive ap- proach. When the mere raising of an already soggy handkerchief to mop the brow - when the mere raising of a brow itself causes in- creased sweat, then glorious inac- tion becomes the course of wisdom.
 It is all right for Congressmen and other government officials who operate in offices and halls of air. conditioned splendor to get exer- cised, hot and bothered about issues and things, but when they leave these comfortable council chambers and join the common herd in crowded bus or apartment where every confined space becomes Finnish steam bath by a. m. and stays that way till the following 4 a. m, then dull and heavy questions of state must be let lie because it re- quires too much exertion to raise them.
 While doing nothing in this man. ner about the Washington heat, it is entirely possible to employ ones time profitably and pleasantly.
 For instance, the time can be spent in not working crossword puzzles. The joys of nos working crossword puzzles in hot weather are infinitely greater than the troubles of working them.
 Not listening to the blare and bray of the radio news analysts is equally soothing for heat-frayed nerves.
 SMITH H-IGNORING
 RECOMMENDED
 Paying no attention to Gerald K. L. K. Smith is another good way to keey cool. This Smith character went out to San Francisco intending to get everybody het up, but when one and all concentrated on pay ing no attention to him, the result was miraculous. Smith went to Los Angeles and that was that. In fact, so effective was this treatment that if Adolf Hitler is still alive and looking for perfect hideout and disguise, all he has to do is come to the United States and tell everyone he is Gerald L. K. Smith. Nobody would know he was here.
 Buying important books and not reading them is another good way to put in Washington summer without fear of prostration. There are a lot of these tonnes being pub lished now, every page filled with word of worry over the future of the world in large or small chunks. As a sedative to quiet the finger on the heat-throbbed public pulse, not reading such books before next fall and winter is better than two weks at the shore.
 By neat little tricks like these it is possible to beat the gentle rap of Washington summer. Gentle rap, your eye. When the heat bounces of the sidewalks along Pennsyl- vania avenue, it. like brass knockles and lead pipe. Gangway for another Stretcher case.