SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Close on the heels of our Columbus Day and the similar celebrations in honor of the great discoverer as a national hero by Spain, Portugal and Italy respectively, comes a discussion in the Paris Temps as to whether Columbus really benefited humanity by discovering America, after all. The French reflection omits any arguments from the country most directly affected in the matter, as prejudiced, and proceeds to judge the question from an impartial European viewpoint.

The Temps admits that America has been useful as a field of activity for the modiste or the comedienne on tour. And as for the cocktail, has it not come from America and come to stay?

But alas! to go beneath these light trivialities to the more serious aspects of life. America's contributions are on the negative side of the ledger. America is responsible for the extensive use of cosmetics. America has taken Art and pasted her on billboards. America has taken away the joy of living and substituted instead the joy of spending and of getting in order to spend more.

It is lucky for us that the inspired French critics went no further in their indictment. Something intervened to restore their good temper and they conclude philosophically that, after all, America existed anyhow, and inevitably had to be discovered if only by accident. Perhaps only the redskins would have wished an indefinite postponement of Columbus's sailing.

With the cosmetics charge hanging over our heads and those others, "nous autres" Americans do well to feel abashed. A suggestion might be made that perhaps these things were imported from Europe, and the lamented joy of spending is being exercised by Americans in France more than anywhere else. But such a suggestion undoubtedly would be regarded as prejudiced. As to whether the Indians alone would have desired an indefinite postponement of that fantastic voyage, how about the "Henry Ford"?