CURING THE WAR RUMOUR MONGER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3137, 16 July 1917, Page 5

CURING THE WAR RUMOUR MONGER

Dr. Brightinan, tho wise chairman el tho Broaustairs Council, who has done more than any man since Charles Dickens for the amenity and prosperity of the sweet little watering-place, has conferred another boon on the inhabitants by His discovery of an instantaneous treatment for wild and idle war rumours (says the "Daily Mail"). In that part oi" tie Kentish coast which is peculiarly liable to Hun activities rumour has found' a prolific breeding ground. People havaheard on good authority aud repeated with aonviction ajl aorts of Btsraug* things, havo observed mysterious lights twinkling, and have detected perfectly innocent peoplo in acts of treachery, and espionage. To Dr. Brightman, by reason of his official capacity and person*! popularity, all these rumours havo beoa confidentially communicated, with thffl result that a great deal of his time and. attention has been occupied in investigating them aud on discovering; their falsity; endeavouring to check their disturbing-, dissemination. It became necessary to find some prophylactic treatment to pre~ vent the spread of infective rumour, and. the doctor took the matter in band. Remarkable success has attended hie cltortß, He applied to its treatment tho Baconian maxim, "Writing maketli an exact; man," and realised that writing converts an empty rumour into an exact statement that is its own refutation. So ia his offico and in Ins library at homo he: placed uipon a table a writing-pad and a> poncil. Then when any of his rnquaintances came to him mysteriously and said, "I think it my duty to tell yon, sir, for you own information, that I know upon the very best authority tknt " and so on and so on, tho doctor would interrupt tho recital, noint to the pencil and paper, and say, "I am very much obliged to you; would you. mind just writing that down briefly andeigirii," your name to it?" The effect was unvaryins The informant would hold tho pencil' irresolutely, gaze jneditatwely at the Wank paper, and then, aghast at tho realisation that ho had nothing exact to tell, would give up the endeav-; our and tho rumour germ v.ould die on tho'spot. "There is not one of them, \ says tho doctor, ">ho will put it m writing and sign Ins name to it unlres lie has some definite, actual information to convoy. They will *neak nr hint absurd things and continue to believe them, but the absurdity becomes apparent oven to themselves as soon as they, taso w pencil and,Eaw>r."_ .:.*&„■.,. •