The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-07-22
THE MEANING AND
PURPOSE OF WORK
BY Woods Hutchinson A. NJ, N.

BY Woods Hutchinson A. NJ, M. d
Work in strict moderation is heal
thy. It is necessary to life, but II
not life. Yet we make life subser
Went to work instead of work to life.
The most important, the most val
liable product of any industry is the
tyne of man and women that 1t turns
out. Work is far from being the big.
gest and most important thing in the
world Indeed it is only Vita, i'm.
portant, valuable in SO far rs 1t is
the means of growth, either for the
individual o. for the community. Yet
we are unconsciously coming to e.
gard work as more important than
life; and the moment that any Pre-.
posal is made to regulate or restrain
II in the interests of the worker the
cry is raised as of one aghasi at sac
rilege, that we are interfering with
Business
The real purpose of work is to
build up the state and develop men
and not to build up industries or rear
Monuments for kings and conquero 8.
1t is neither the amount nor the in.
tensity of the work that counts, but
the ends to which II Is devoted. We
can easily see at this distance OF h s.
torical perspective, how much better
it would have been for Egypt II the
colossal labor wasted in building the
pyramids, had been expended in buid-
ing a dam across the Nile. But hun
dreds of thousands OF us today a"e
building monuments of industry, py-
ramids of wealth to ourselves, or to
others. as useless as the pyramids, as
cumbrous as Cleopatra's Needle,
while neglecting the labors which
would give bread to this generation
and new life to generations yet to
come For the sake of living. we let
industry crush out and destroy the
things that make life really worth
living-health, happiness. honor.
Those people and races who profit
most by their industry are not those
who work hardest and most incassant-
iy, but those who aim and plan
their work most inteligently. The
man who works hardest and most in
"ossantly Is everywhere and always
has been the peasant and the day Ia
borer. A large part of our work,
from a broad and rational point of
view, Is little better than busy foot
ishness. All good work should be
educational, should make for growth
as well as profit, and be enjoyable.
yes, and should be enjoyable as well.
The best work that we do. is done in !
the spirit of play because We love it
and are bound to make II win.
We speak of education and play as
something confined to the school
room but our whole life's work
should be one continuous college
course and could be made so IL the
community would turn its brain to the
matter in a broad minded, conslderate
way for few months. II we would !
stop and consider our toll and toll. |
ers as Solomon babe us consider the
lilies of the field" we should see
some astonishing things-and make |
some surprising changes. Scarcely
century ago, we fought Nature with |
our bare hands, and wrestled our liv- |
ing from the soil, the sea and the bur. |
rowed rocks, with such feeble hand |
weapons as the hoe, the spade. the
pickaxe and the hammer Now we
Rave yoked the steam demon to our
rlow. our chariot and our looms: we
have chained the lightning and har. |
messed the SHOWS OF the mountain |
and the plunge OF the cataract in our
service; we have enlisted half the
forces OF Nature on our side, and vet
we strain the muscles and bow the
BACK and plod the weary round from
the first clear light OF morn ng unit! |
the dusk OF evening and even far in