The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1951-10-05
Just Among Ourselves
PASSING commenl considered or Ineonsidersie

Old columns die they just change their
names A csustic person may say that certain old
columns never die because they have never been
alive, However aptly that remark may apply in
the present instance, the facts, loibles and flip
pancies Of "As We Were Saying" will appear under
that heading no longer.
It seems right that this column of comment
(and never Of controversy should have new
name for its appearance in our new diocesan paper
Thoufh the name be not improved it will be
changed to mark The important change in the paper
itself, now home product in its entirety,
And therefore, after year or so with the old
Catholic Columbian under the banner of by the
Way" and after nearly twelve years with the Colum.
bus Register "As We Were Saying" the column
comes now to the Catholic Times as Just Among
Ourselves" The garruous old coumnist here
crashes the gate OF his third party; it is fitting
that he appear in fresh suit of hand-me downs
to honor the occasion
IL is fitting, even if the new hand.me downs
are not too notably fit For the fitting of titles
is a most difficult thing the results are seldom
fecitous. Charles Dickens, who could give life TO
endless array of characters for endless va.
riety of tales, was put TO many an hour of indie
cision and fret when he came to the naming Of his
novels Even the prosac title David Copperfield"
was the fruit OF long and troublesome consldera
on, and the choice Of big field OF even more pro
sale possibilities
Nor may we forget the great trouble experienced
by Doctor Samuel Johnson man to whom it was no
trouble at all to turn out finished essay in a
half hours time, to find an apt name for the con-
inung series Of such essays. His thought uoon
the question got him nowhere Finally he decided
ri t..t~.
fruitless consideration that he would not 90 to bed
until he had fixed upon title. The name THE
Rambler occurred to him. and he adopted it at
once, despite its singular lack OF appropriateness.
An Italian version of the series translated this name
as II Vagabondo which really means The Tramp"
Perhaps the great o. Henry was as clever a
Iramer of titles as anyone Yet his titles are seldom
as clever as the stories they identify Titles are,
when all is said, arbitrary things; they are meant
to challenge attention rather than TO convey full
meaning; they constitute suggestions rather than
explanations.
We have lost no sleep we have spent no fret
ful hours, in reaching the awesomo decision which
affiXes a title to this column. The only point of
momentary indecison occurred when we hung
fire upon among or between" as the suitable
proposition for the heading But we quickly decided
upon "among ourselves" snce the phrase between
umn would have only one reader. We hope Of
course, for at least half dozen.
To the dear and faithful friends, the few who
yet remain we declare that there shall be no
change of policy in the conduct of this slight con.
iribuiion to contemporary journalism. As under IFS
former names, the column will find all grst that
comes 10 its mill. Anything, important or unimport-
ant that seems to call for remark shall have il.
There shall be no special effort either to instruct
or to entertain, The column as heretofore, will be
one side of conversation which we hold lust
among ourselves
And, as we have said there shall be no argu.
ments no controversy. If the comment OF this col.
umn should please the reader, we shall be gratiied,
II not we shall make no defense of our position
however deeply We shall regret being unpleasing or
perhaps misunderstood, Many times during the past
fourteen years we have been sharply called TO time
on one point another of our discussion, and urg
cd to meet argument with argument Not once have
We succumbed to the temptation to Joyous debate
For comment is comment and that is all. II folks
agree, fine; If not il is regretable; in either case
there is no more to be said
We hope that The new diocesan weekly viii
zoom to great heights OF power and popularity
now that IL is selfpropellcd And We hope too that
as the paper makes progress, this column of com
men will not suddenly find itself cascading into
the Department of Utter Rejection TO be filed with
the scraps IN the waste paper basket
Yet even in that dire contingency you mas
be sure that the long established habit of irrepress
ihe chatter will endure Settled among its crump
led companions in the scraphasket the column
will comfortably continue its conversation address
ing its fellow rejects with the phrase, Just among
ourselves