Observations

Northern Advocate, 18 March 1939, Page 1 (Supplement)

Observations

JN my Observations printed some

months ago I spoke of the human frailty of Indulging in scandal, and the equally common frailty of listening to it. I mentioned in this connection the dictum of Tennyson, in his “Idylls of the King,’’ that one should “speak no slander, no, nor listen to it.” J MADE a tactical error in this connection, for, in my pride of authorship, I sent a clipping of my notes to a very dear correspondent. I wish I had not, for, ironically enough,, he had just posted me a rare tit-bit concerning a well-known individual, and he regarded my words as a criticism of him and his outlook on things in general. Nothing was further from my thoughts. But there it was.

rpHE worst feature of the incident—or, at any rate, many people will think so—was the drying up of a well from which many interesting

stories had come. The stories were not scandalous, by any means, but they were certainly interesting to those acquainted with the subjects of them. '

JgEING a good journalist, I naturally

like to get all the information I can about places and people, and I now find myself denied quite a lot of items which would make material for the delectation of my readers.

by “The Man on the Look-Out”

J MENTION this in. passing simply to emphasise that there are many angles from which the subject of scandal may be observed. is scandal? Obviously there are divergent opinions on the subject. One has only to note the avidity with which quite decent and desirable people enjoy the recital of stories about others who are not present. It is to be presumed that they enjoy these interchanges, otherwise there would not be the nodding of heads in animated groups so often to be' seen where people, not necessarily ladies congregate. (

J SAY advisedly, “not necessarily ladies,” for I am afraid that men are as less ready to speak slander than ladies are. At any rate, they are apt to wield the broadsword when the gentler sex would use the rapier. This proneness has been evidenced on many occasions during the past two or three years or so. controversies which have been conducted by prominent people in the different political camps have been notable not so much for the direct charges laid against controversialists as for. suggestions of terrible things done and planned to be done. Followers of the controversies have added fuel to the fire by nods and head-

shakings, which are ever so much more eloquent than, words. J DON’T want to repeat what may put me among the slanderers whom I do not admire, but I think I may justly protest against stories or suggestions which, whatever effect they may have upon the individuals concerned, cannot but injure the standing of this beautiful little country—that is, if the stories are taken at their face value.

JT is not long since I was told in great secrecy that Sir Harry Batterbee had come to this country in something of the nature of a receiver owing to “the dreadful state the country had got into.” The absurdity of such, a statement is too palpable to need denial, but the repetition of this story can only have a detrimental effect upon the individuals who make up the population of the Dominion.

J AM sure that Sir Harry Batterbee would be very amused at the picture of himself in the role of agent of an establishment whose symbol is three golden balls. But there you are—the scandalmonger does not stop to think of the .damage he may be doing when he repeats stories about the truth of which he can have no knowledge. rpHIS sort of thing is hot confined to criticism of the present Govern-

ment. for do we not hear continuously of the desperate things which past Governments did. Members of the Governments no doubt are astounded to learn what awful people they have been.

JpERHAPS I had better write no more, otherwise the editor, if he should be in a particularly moral frame of mind when he receives these Observations, may consign them to the ever-open maw of the w.p.b.