H.L. Mencken did not say this.

The above "quotation" is a "conservative" confection, 

an attempt to invoke the presumed Authority of Falsehood rather than the actual authority of Truth.

The deliberate displacement-of-truth-by-fantasy illustrates the shoddy thought Mencken saw in the minds of those whose educational process limited them to the decaying orbits of dimwitted mediocrity.

Despite platitudinous adherence to the Gospel verse, "The truth will set you free," many Americans do not believe in the power of truth but instead resort to The Manifold Falsehood which is where their real allegiance lies. 

By way of counterpoint, contemplate Gandhi's espousal of Truth. 
By grounding himself in Satyagraha, this skinny, nearly-naked, spinning-wheel-wielding man, overthrew the largest territorial empire the world has seen. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satyagraha

***

"Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe."

H. G. Wells 

***

Dear Fred,

Thanks for your words of encouragement.

Yes, it is lubriciously seductive to repeat fraudulent quotations. 

It is also very difficult to "source" mis-attributions (and whole-cloth fabrications) since "there is no there there" and most people are interested in exploring what's real, not bogging themselves with perpetual fact-checking to keep the lying bastards in their place.

As you say, "Words mean something." And so we must be vigilant on behalf of Truth.

I did pick up on one Mencken fabrication... and elaborated on it. http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/04/hl-mencken-did-not-say-this.html

Pax on both houses,

Alan

On Wed, Apr 17, 2013 at 12:41 PM, Fred Owens <froghospital911@gmail.com> wrote:

Alan,

Thanks for your good work on the Pax blog -- it keeps getting better.

Mencken, Lincoln, and others -- we're seeing more contrived quotations on the Internet these days -- be on the look out for fraudulent words!

--

Fred Owens

cell: 360-739-0214

My blog is Fred Owens

send mail to:

Fred Owens

35 West Main St Suite B #391

Ventura CA 93001