The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1953-06-26
just Among Ourselves

Now that full summer is upon us there is much
running about on land and sea and in the air This
peculiar human activity is called travel. All the
transportation companies with vehicuar space for
sale urge travel upon and do all the compan-
les that sell and tires and anti-sunburn lotions
But apart from this call of the advertisers there
appears TO be in modern man himself kind of
urgency, as of duty, to travel a bit.
The inner urge for travel is restless eager
ness to be from here to there Whence comes this
widespread superstition that going places" has
value in itself? How is ii that man will scrimp and
save to amass money for trip that proves,-as he
well knows ii will prove-an exacting and trouble
some experience more full of rritations and fatigue
than of any real enjoyment for body or mind?
Why will person afflict himself. and pay fancy
prices for the privilege of doing So and then call
the botherSome thing vacation recreation
and relaxation?
II is mysterious thing this travel business In
olden day, there adventure in it and dash
of danger. Such things attract imaginative man. One
can understand this. But there is adventure in
riding plush seats in Pullman car; there is no ad-
venture in arguing with hotel clerk, Yes, | did
make reservations: | wired this hotel last Thurs
day. and-what? No, OF course | haven't any con-
firming telegram from the hotel; I'm on vacation:
can't sit around waiting for some hotel clerk to
make up his mind But | sent the wire. What do
mittee?" This sort of thing at about S25
day. It's vacation. II s travel.
What after all is there in it? How shall we
explain the rush of millions TO throng the Pull
mans the roadways. and the arways. not TO mention
the more prominent sea lanes? Years ago people
used to talk grandly of travel as thing to broaden
the mind. There culture in it, and some
mysterious sort Of soul polish Many man with
out mind at all went abroad to widen its scope
Nnt lknNf II.,kIu
Book could so fit man for polite conversation as
having seen the pyramids or Smeed Venice
This mindbroadening business was mostly swank
Two wars took all the tuck out of it, Eight of ten
men you meet in the street have seen more of the
world than any of the culture-travel lads could
think of seeing, and those eight are not pol
1shed TO any noticeable extent. Their minds are
not recognizably broadened But the man who tries
to impress his taxidriVer with account of an ex
citing airplane trip TO Indianapolis is likely TO get
some "reminiscences in return that will make him
crawl under the taxmeer
One such taxi-man told his fare how he and
fellow soldier had been rowed all around the island
Of Capri tand he didn't call il Ca-PREE, either as
Ed Sullivan does who ought to know better) by a
swarthy oarsman and had visited the Blue Cave
and all for two cartons OF American cigarettes
What would oldtime traveller have given for
an anecdote bike that? How he would have charmed
lne champagne circles as ne told The tale. 0fna-
menting II as he went with artistic fringe of
fictons!
Is travel accounted for by the deep desire that
drew the bear the mountain? Do people 60
abroad to things? Perhaps. But more likely they
60 for the reputation OF having seen and to bring
back proofs of their seeing i'm snapshots transpar-
ences and color films with which TO create small
hell for their friends and neighbors for months
after they have come home again. II people merely
wanted to see faraway places--which, in essentials
are much like those close at hand near home
they might do far better TO cuddle up in Morris
chair with copy of the National Geographic.
laundering amount of travel is done by motor
car. Some people say they like to ride But il this
be so, why is there such feversh effort TO get
the trip finished? Why rush so quickly through
what is enjoyable? Most of the people who travel
long distances by automobile are free TO confess
that long days driving is hard days work And
work without pay mark you. This work is called
vacation. Why, nobody knows.
But man must get away. Why must he get
away? Our grandfathers would not have understood
that remark which is often the lips of modern
man. OF course, grandfather lived i'm more placid
time; his not kept taut as the strings
of violin that's Sweety played off key. He never
felt the need of getting away" Nor would he have
thought person mentally balanced who would
leave comfortable home and comfortable bed
and an available cool front porch to ride like mad
over hot concrete breathing in the aroma of new
burnt oil to hire bunk in motel and eat hasy
meals at counters at the smudgy tables of com.
merce.
A change will do YOU good. How? II will give
you things TO think about The people who rush
hill and dale in traffic fit TO unnerye an arch
angel are hardly storing up inyigorating thoughts
No; an honest man who considers this business OF
travel for vacation, will he forced to reject the old
theories, and the new too He will not agree
that travel is broadening" that il gives needed
change, that il is good for person.
Take walk: il will do YOU good. Maybe II yol
like that sort of thing, perhaps If you don't 1t viii
| Just be trouble. But walking, say the walkers
| builds up the physique Look at the mail.earriers
If the walking theory is correct the mailmen ough
TO be of Charles ALIASES. But the walker i
the sanest of travellers; he gets home again III
day
| The universal urge to go far and fast has I
have explanation somewhere. Maybe il is ind
Gated for us by St. Augustine IN his famous phras
which is not only pious statement but scientifi