The Detroit times., 1915-06-18
The Green City of Laughter
~ On. FRANK CRANE
(Copyright. 1915. By Frank Cranel

10 disagreeable, and the joys Of labor
are forms Of that optimistic self-hyp-
n0tism that buoys so many lift-yourself-
by-the-bo0tstraps cults.
l hate work; always have hated it.
When ! was boy loathed bringing in
the coal and wedding the strawberry
patch. liked to play ball and go SWIM
ming.
l still hate all forms of work. But
have discovered how to make play out
of it; and ! enjoy play.
My job is more fun than any form of
diversion l can indulge in after work.
ing hours. would rather do my daily
stunt than play golf or go to the ball
game or attend the theater ! am 100
per cent happier on my task than off.
And think this is the solution of the
labor problem" II is to solve how
work may be made play
1t is no particular pleasure to pound
red hot iron with hammer; but If you
are natural born blacksmith and enjoy
making things out of metal. then your
vocation becomes greater JOY to you
than any avocation.
The problem is to turn the workman
into craftsman.
Work is exertion for the sake Of
wages. 1t is doing what we don't like so
as to be able to do what We do like after
ward. Play is exertion for the imme-
date pleasure in the exertion itself.
When We take pride and interest in
what we do it is not work. The house,
keeper that delights in keeping her rooms
in order, the clerk that enjoys perform
ing his duties, the doctor that is enthu.
siastic over his profession. the carpenter,
plumber. painter. or teamster that puts
his soul into his business-such people
work does not gall or fret. Such have
solved the labor problem"
Machinery is slowly lifting the curse
of labor from men. A vast deal of the
dirty work that used to be done by hand
Is done by steam. The huge dredges at
Panama did the task of hundreds OF men
with shovels and buckets.
Every child should be given a training
in some kind Of useful activity that is
there is a chance for the man who is
"willing to do anything; it is the man
who is capable Of doing something"
and of doing it well that is employed.
More and more this world is becoming
a colder and harder place for the person
who simply wants the wage. Those who
love their trade SO well that it is play,
who are miserable when they cannot
work ut at, and who are trained to skill
fulness in it, are driving out the wage
wanters.
Every factory, mill. Office, farm. store,
and railroad in the country is crying out
for fit, capable, enthusiastic hands who
will attack work in the spirit Of play.
And only so is good work done.
Saws Coningsby Dawson in the Crafts
man:
"Play may be the best kind Of work
the difference between work and play Is
a difference in training and mental atti-
tude. Teach child to play sadly and
call his play work--you make him .
laborer who tolls even when he is playing.
"Ugliness and drudgery are no part
of Gods Plan for His world. II man
insists on inventing them God leaves
man to do the explaining. Boys and
girls playing in green city Of laughter
that was what God meant.
"Cray faces everywhere! Men and
women who know anything but how to
earn bread! In the crouching tread OF
cities the sound Of the fear OF life and
the terror of death! And yet always
between the stone cities lies the green
City of Laughter, where work Is play.
where birds sing as they build their
nests. and rivers flow silver through
meadows, certain Of the sea and unhur-
rying.
"The day is coming when, one by one,
our wise men, like the old eastern
dreamer, will steal out from the walls
Of work into the grassy Metropolis OF
Laughter. There the work will still go
on. but unknewin0ly. No one Will De
old: the streets Of that city will be fun
of boys and girls playing"