Page:Handbook of simplified spelling.djvu/79

 "Piece-meal" Policy There remains to be considerd an objection, not indeed to spelling-reform, but to the policy adopted by the Board to bring it about. More and more frequently the complaint is heard that the Board does not go far enuf or fast enuf in its recommendations. This criticism comes, of course, from enthusiastic spelling-reformers who, with their eyes fixt firmly on the goal, fail to see, or affect to disregard, the ruf ness of the road that leads to it.

The more loudly and powerfully this form of criticism is voist, the more successful the Board wil regard its efforts. When it shal reflect the general consensus of public opinion, or even the view of an influential minority, the way wil be smoothd for a rapid advance.

In the meantime, it asks these critics not to under-estimate the difficulties to be encounterd, or to imagin that they can be brusht aside by individual or spasmodic effort.

Cutting Off the Dog's Tail by Inches

A favorit figure of speech employd by those who object to what they call the "piece-meal" policy of the Board is that it is like cutting off a dog's tail an inch at a time insted of all at once.

The simile is specious but inexact, and largely depends for its effect on the feeling of simpathy arousd for the imaginary victim. The tail of a dog is an integral part of his anatomy, useful to him as a means of expressing his emotions. Spelling is not an integral part of language, but something added to it by man to enable him to giv wider and more permanent expression to his thoughts and emotions an extraor -