The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-06-21

Generations.
The European war mas demonstrated
that the giving up of many pleasures,
necessities and comforts that modern
civilization has created and established
is a much easier thing than any of US
thought one year ago, writes Professor
Guglielmo Ferrero In an article on the
wars effects on future modes of liv-
ing.
Many needs that seemed as imperi-
Gus and tyrannical as a second nature
we have discovered are hardly even
necessary TO our being, and a little
shakeup liberates us from them as
from dead skin that peels and falls off.
Mans nature is much less dependent
on those things that modern civiliza-
ton would have us believe.
When the danger of a great wal was
spoken of many said 1t was not posi-
BILE or would be of exceedingly short
duration, not more than a month or
two at most, because otherwise there
would be a revolution. Every one rea-
soned In that fashion, and facts have
shown that they were all wrong.
Europe is all in arms, but in each
country there has never been more
calm tranquility. Almost all Europe
is eating coarse bread that one year ago
country laborers complained of so bit
terly when forced to use 1t.
Everybody Now Resigned.
Up to one year ago the city streets
were never sufficiently lighted, nor
were trains ever numerous enough or
fast enough. Now the people are still
and resigned.
So II the European war has filled
Europe with horrors, ruin and hate 1t
has also made men more easily con-
tented. In each nation, far away from
the firing lines, men and women are
working with a tranquility that has
not been known for some time, and
they no longer complain of destiny, al
though that destiny Is harder.
That furious desire TO possess and
enjoy that made men impossible 70
satisfy has all OF a sudden disap-
peared. The French have learned the
virtue of patience, and the Germans
have learned the virtue of sobriety.
And who would ever have dared pre-
diet tt7 The world has changed.
How can this most singular of phe-
nomena be explained? Is 1t a sort of
miracle? Perhaps human nature is
changed. No: Ii has rather found It
self. Many people are today glad to
obligations hat were forced on. them
by an opulent ~peace-glad to be able to
live simply. as they like, earning less,
spending less, SO working less.
The people have taken all the more
readily to this more simple and re-
poseful life because the change has
been universal. Until a year ago few,
indeed, were the wise ones with enough
strength of will not to annoy and tor.
ment themselves with the thought that
perhaps they were not enjoying them
selves as much as their neighbors.
The war has forced everybody, or
almost everybody, to live simply, SO
l&0bO0e hVN WdDtS many lhlilkc lldl a
year ago seemed Indispensable to his
happiness.
Pace, a Mental Disease.
Until two. centuries ago all religions
and all PHILOSOPHERS taught that man
had TO know how to hold his desires
within the bounds of moderation; that
he should % presume too much on
his own power; he should limit his
aspirations; he should live simply, con
sumo less riches, treasure the gifts
that God and nature had placed at his
disposal. Since science, America, steam
mans confidence In his own power he
has overthrow all these principles.
SO was born the strangest, the most
singular mental disease with which
the world was ever visited. There nev-
er was a time In history richer, more
knowing or more powerful than that
In which we were born and which last
ed until Aug. /, 1914. All the most
glorious ages of the past were poor,
ignorant and little compared to the
twenty years that preceded the Euro
pean war. We had everything
wealth, knowledge, liberty, peace, safe
ty, order. We should have been happy.
The European war was needed to
cure man of this malady.
1t is not too much to suppose that the
effects OF this moral and mental revo-
luton will last In Europe after the
war, that one or two generations at
least will now be disposed to live more
simply and be contented more easily
with that which destiny allows. The
generations that have seen and gone
through the terrible trial In Europe
cannot help understanding that in the
modern idea of earning and spending,
of enjoying without limit, there Is
something forced that doesn't respond
to the deep needs of human nature.
Is Qdnn Aptae. E1r Alninfax