The Omaha guide., 1947-02-08
THE BELL TOLLS
(By Leonard H. Belly

Much is being said these hectic DAYS about human hebav.
Jour. Controversies have been raging between different
cities as towhich had the best behaved citizens. New York
City has come in for more than its share of verbal pummel
ing for having the worst behaved. Out-of-town criticism Of
its citizens has been very caustic, but these out-oftowners
need only look arOnd them in their own hometown to find
that the same rude actions, the same lack of general cour-
tesy, the total absence of hospitality toward strangers exists
there too. ss*t
What Causes This?
Such actions these days, even in New York City, often
causes a citizen who still feels charitable towards others and
yet wears his courtesy on his sleeve to remark at random.
'What causes this?' Especially after he has been rudely
jostled, or had his bad corn stood on, or been cussed out for
unavoldably humping into someone. 4
We, too, are just as much puzzled over the discourteous
actions of people these days as that citizen. Is it due to a re-
turn of many people to the selfish individualistic ideas and
tactics of the early twenties? Are or these actions motivated
by the sudden let-down feeling that we all seemed to get
when the nerve-wracking war which has just ended left us on
our own to rebuild our upset economy? r#
Whatever the reason, one thing is sure, discourtesy, into.
lerance and a total disregard for the feeling of our ~neighbors
and friends seems to have become quite fashionable. We find
all kinds of rabblerousers taking to the radio and the public
forum to insult their ~neighbors and fellow American racial
groups to their hearts content. The Blboes and Talmadges
and Eastmans are shining examples of this group. Even Tai
sequent support of his actions by theState Legislature and the
openly expressed wholehearted approval of his methods by
many Ceorgians further demonstrates the rapid spread of
discOurtesy and intolerance.
The growing antangOnism between industry and labor with
one, or the other refusing to sit down in gentlemenly con.
tualy shatter the pillars Of our democracy, because it is the
ference is the signpost of a notto-f far mence that ce-ld even.
epitome of discourtesy and total lack of feeling.
The constant nagging pickering that has beset the Segro
church and fraternal organizations is knawing at their hearts
like a worm at the core of an apple. And they too. are being
slowly led 10 the altar for sacrifice by the twin evils of dis
courtesy and rabid intolerance.
Can Something Be Done?
We find that the good citizens who have run into the various
forms of bad behavior mentioned reacting in various ways. j
Some are just plain Disguised. Some are blandly Indifferent
Some are fighting mad. Some are initiating the actions of
these bad-mannered persons. And some are just plain be-
wildered. And they are asking s'Can Something Be Done to
change this evil trend?"
And We must confess that we are of the latter group.
We too, wonder if something can't be done to save a perfectly
good country and a wonderful theory Of democracy from be-
ing irretrevably ruined by bad-mannered people. Once. we
remember. a campaign was started to make people smile. Co.
medians and Songwriters with gags and songs of cheer, reap
ed a harvest in this venture. Then, again, a campaign was
started to bring effeminatelife into who was termed the
stonelike faces of American women. This effort proved to
be a field day for everybody from cosmeticians to lecturers.
And we are certain that bad-mannered people can be
changed back into the decent people that they once were if
someone just gets the right idea in time TO put it into execu-
ton. What is your idea?