Screenland (Nov 1945-Oct 1946)

is. If by it is meant a blind acceptance of "things not seen," then I think that perhaps I am a man without faith. On the other hand, there was a poet who sa id: 'There lives more faith in honest doubt, believe me Than in half the creeds." By that definition I am a man of great faith, for I have many honest doubts. I believe in prayer, because I think it does the person who prays some good within himself if he has faith. I believe that all good and all eyil exist in all peopje, and that the degree to which the good or evil is developed depends upon the degree of. intelligence and upon environment and heredity. Many people the world calls evil have great good in them. Tor instance, some of the biggest, kindest hearts are in social outcasts. By the same token, some people who are accepted as great ladies and gentlemen" are full of all kinds of mischief and chicanery. Morals. I believe that you should do anything you think right as long as you don't hurt any other person. Shakespeare certainly had something when he said, "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." The Churches. They accomplish a great deal of good. I believe that one of the greatest motivating factors in life is loneliness. In the church and in religion people have someone to turn to. I go to. church, not so much at the prescribed times, as at odd moments when it is empty and alone, so it isn't essentially loneliness that brings me to church, nor is it a prescribed creed. Perhaps it's strange that a man like myself, who professes to be a man of little faith, should find a church so well worth going •to. I think that going to church, particularly in those quiet hours, gives you a certain feeling of peace. Many times, you find that peace through meditation and being alone. Sometimes the atmosphere of the church helps you to work out your problems, or you are able to confide in a person or in a force which some men call God the problems you couldn't discuss with anyone else. Confiding your problems thus gives you a great sense of release. War and Peace. I have been asked whether I believe that World War II is the last war. Let me answer by a question: Do you think human beings are any better today than they have been? In each generation, people thought that the discovery of new and more horrible means of waging warfare would wake mankind up and lead to the end of all wars. I have no doubt that when the bow and arrow was first discovered, some people said, "Now that fighting has become so dangerous and destructive, wars will end." And when guns were discovered, surely they said the same thing. The invention of gunpowder brought up the same old argument. So did the invention of airplanes and submarines. There were people who said, after each of these inventions, that their discovery would abolish warfare forever. But if I remember my history correctly, none of them did. Now there are people who argue that the atomic bomb will have that effect. How I wish they were right! But I am afraid that you can invent all manner of new weapons, but war itself will never be abolished till someone invents a better human being. The actual firing of rifles, guns and the use of other weapons is only one manifestation of war, just as saying "I love you" is only one manifestation of love. There are all kinds of other social and economic manifestations. Though the shooting war is supposedly over, who can truthfully argue that the world is at peace today? Education. I believe that all young people should be educated in religious and racial tolerance, and that all of them should learn something about how our government works, so that they won't think it's all administered by some vague organization in Washington, D. C, which has nothing to do with them. I don't know much about progressive schools, but it seems to me that their sort of training ought to start after ynung people have learned the three R's and not before. Personally, I must confess that I got very little out of the oldfashioned type of school I attended. I can't remember a single date; I haven't the faintest idea how to square a circle. Maybe I got things out of school that I don't realize I learned. But I am more conscious of the things I didn't learn. If I had a son, the type of education I would choose for him would depend on what he wanted to do. If he wanted to be an actor, I would make him go out and act on a stage as soon as possible. You can read all the books on theory (hat were ever published — and though they're good, you can't act till you really act. On the other hand, if my imaginary son wanted to be an engineer or a lawyer or a doctor, I'd want him to go to college. In either event, I think boys of six should be thoroughly grounded in fundamentals before progressive methods are tried on them. I know when I was a boy I wanted to be an engineer, but thank heavens, they didn't put me on the Southern Pacific or the Santa Fe. I don't believe boys who haven't learned how to read or write yet are quite ready to run a school newspaper, and I feel sorry for the son of an acquaintance of mine who suddenly had to learn Spanish grammar, although he'd never learned anything about the grammar behind his own language in the progressive school he attended. Progressive schools would be fine. I think, for boys of high school or college age whose future occupations don't require a more conventional type of academic education. The Post-war World. I'll be very much interested in seeing it, if it comes in my lifetime. Right now we're living in a post-shooting war America, which is rather pleasant. However, with all the unrest, turmoil and revolution, who can truthfully call this a post-war world? I don't know when that happy day will come. Work and, Success. I think that people who give advice to others should be quietly disposed of. I just can't see myself sitting down and earnestly passing out bowls of advice. I don't believe that /j?s/'sm,S FAMOUS SINGING Created By Del) Weston of California Add new excitement Jo your charm collection .... favorite screen and radio personalities in exquisite miniature statuettes .... intricate moving parts. Moke attractive nik naks . . . . removable pedestols of polished black plastic. Sterling Silver . . $250 With pedestal . . $2.7 14k Gold with pedestal $16.50 Add 20% ftderof ta* end 10c for it D'Arcy Jon«« Products • So« 1582, Hollywood, Colif. Pleoie *wid me the Gene Autry charm checked below. I encloie $ (price lilted below include* 20% federal tax ond 10c for mailing) Sterling Silver, with pedeitol, $3-40 □ Without pedeitol, $3.10 □ 14k Gold, with pedeitol, $19,90 □ 8 X 10 INCHESDOUBLE WEIGHT PAPER What a bargain price to have your favorite photo i enlarged! Handsome, professional studio-quality enlargement you'll cherish forever. Just send snapshot or negative. Original returned with enlargement. Immediate delivery. SEND NO MONEY. Pay postman 55c or $1.25 plus postage — or save C.O.D. charge by sendJ ing cash or check, and enlargements will be| mailed postpaid. Handsome Ivory and Gold frames 25c ta.f HERE'S A TRULY AMAZING BARGAIN. ORDER TODAY. Hollywood Film Studios, Dept.l28> 7021 Santo Monica Blvd., Hollywood 38, Calif. MANY NEVER SUSPECT CAUSE OF BACKACHES This Old Treatment Often Brings Happy Relief Many sufferers relieve nagging backache quickly, once they discover that the real cause of their trouble may be tired kidneys. The kidneys are Nature's chief way of taking the excess acids and waste out of the blood. They help most people pass about 3 pints a day. When disorder of kidney function permits poisonous matter to remain in your blood, it may cause nagging backache, rheumatic pains, leg pains, loss of pep and energy, getting up nights, swelling, puffiness under the eyes, headaches and dizziness. Frequent or scanty passages with smarting and burning sometimes shows there is something wrong with your kidneys or bladder. Don't wait ! Ask your druggist for Doan's Pills, a stimulant diuretic, used successfully by millions for over 40 years. Doan's give happy relief and will help the 15 miles of kidney tubes flush out poisonous waste from your blood. Get Doan's Pills. ScREENLAND 93