"Truth" Talks

NZ Truth, Issue 1030, 22 August 1925, Page 19

"Truth" Talks

iiiittiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiMiiiiuiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii" with the man at the Corner on Topics of the week

IS "BROADCASTED" PERMISSIBLE? "There's a catch m this wireless business," said the Man, "and what I want to know is this: When must we say 'broadcast,' ( and when, or ever, may we say 'broadcasted'," "It's a very fine point," -we said, "but usage seems to have brought us to the use of 'broadcasted' for the sake of distinguishing the past tense clearly, and somehow we don't think you'll be taken for a 'melon if you use it. Say, for example, that you are not m the habit of broadcasting, and you say I 'broadcast' something— well, your friends -would not know whether this Is habitual with you or merely an incident of the past. "Oh, exactly," said the Man. Or course, I'm not continually and permay we say 'broadcasted'?" j "No, no, of course," we said, 'but seeing that you've raised the question,) we can't see anything! wrong with 'broadcasted.' Look at the difficulties the use of 'broadcast' m the past tense j may land you m. Supposing you say, 'I broadcast the best that is known and thought,' your friends may not ] know whether you mean that this is your lifelong habit or that you happened to do it last night. This would clearly be unbearable; a man might i be taken for an incorrigible bore and proser when he was only admitting a momentary lapse of which any of us might be guilty." AMERICAN CAPRICE. "They're a curious people, these Americans," said the Man reflectively. "I'm anxious to have a good talk with them now the Fleet has arrived, and try, and study their outlook." "And so are we," We observed. "We suppose you 'have been reading of the Scopes trial." "Yes, I have," said the Man,, "and it beats me how they can combine amusement with what after all is, to those concerned, a serious matter. Surely they take it seriously, those concerned I mean?". "They seem to," we said. "After all, the theory of evolution and the Bible are no laughing matters, arc they?" "No. Exactly what I thought. But if there is to be a serious controversy, then why not have it treated seriously? Fancy his trial taking place m a baseball park wih 10,000 people present, and with jazz orchestras filling m the time between sessions." "Heresy-hunting seems to have evolved itself into an amusement these days." we observed. "Certainly no one could dispute the evolution of heresyhunting from persecution to amusement." J "It makes one wonder," said the Man, "how these 20,000 bluejackets who are here manage to entertain themselves at sea. Seems to me, that unless the country is full of contradictions life m the U.S.A. Navy ought to be fairly diversified. However, I like the geniali faces of these representatives of the Great Republic. Perhaps I'll have a little chat on evolution with one or two of them." "Well, be careful then," we warned the Man, "not to trace their descent from anything but good native-born I American monkeys." J WAYS THAT ARE WILY. "For ways that are wily the Chink's not a monopolist," said the Man. • "I was just as wily myself the other day." "Good." we said. "Tell us of your wiliness." "Right," said the Man well pleased. "I was home on my own the other day when the Chink called, and I had a list of vegetables and- a bit of fruit to deliver to .him, which I did orally. I suppose. he thought I was a bit of a muggins or something " "Surely not," we said.' "Looking at your intellectual features " "Well, anyway." continued our friend, "back came John with a bag load of stuff, and' l noticed he'd brought a good deal more than I had ordered. One excess, I noticed, was that he'd brought a dozen bananas instead of half a dozen." "But you hadn't paid him?" "Oh, good heavens, no. If I had done so there would have been no overweight.. He was piling it on thinking I would pay for the extras." "But you didn't, eh?" "Not a bit," said the Man fninning. "It happened that we had half a dozen other bananas m the house that were getting withered up a good deal, so I bundled these into his bag, accepted the dozen, and declared: , 'You ha»ve brought half a dozen bananas too many, John. Here they are back." "And he took them?" "Oh, certainly, but I fear mightily for my next order. However, I think if John noticed the deception it will do him good," said the Man very satisfied looking, whereupon he lit his pipe, shot gusts of tobacco ~all over the place, and marched off.

The last match! A picture exhibited at the London Art Gallery recently quite took the fancy of smolcers. It showed two men who have come to a halt on a lonely load, miles away from shops, or even houses. One of the twain, pipe m mouth, has just- struck '.'The last match." and is shielding the feeble flame' with his hands, whilo his mate is *eagerly watching. Like all good pictures, this one tells its story at a glance. Smokers never really appreciate the blessing of tobacco until, owing to some mischance, they are temporarily deprived of it. As to the harmfulness.. of smoking, it is mainly a question of nicotine. The less nicotine the better. . Some of the imported brands contain an excess of nicotine and thejr habitual use is bad. If you want a really 'pure article try our New Zealand -grown tobaccos toasted, because that is essential. The refined product contains very little nicotine and may be freely indulged m with safety. Ask for "Riverhead Gold." mild: "Navy Cut" (Bulldog), medium: or "Cut Plug No. 10" (Bullshead), full strength.*