South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-04-10
Seeing America
First
BY Fred Kelly.
BY Fred c. Kelly.


From diary:
am richer Tor. having got ac-
quainted with one Frank a. Miller Of
Riverside Calf.
Miller is a hotel proprietor. And
he runs one of the most delightfully."-
unusual hotels in the country II is
hotel, for example, where nearly
every room has a large private sleep
ing porch in cOnnectiOn-and III that
isn't making progress in hotel ac-
cOmmodatiOns, then what is
Running a distinctive hotel is, how
ever, only one phase Of Miller. He is
philosopher. He has ideas about
things. one Of his theories is that if
man doesn't get his fun as a by
product OF his work, he will stand a
good chance Of not getting any fun
at ALL
Il have been dealing with rich folks
SO long at my boarding house" says
Miller-he always refers 20 his ele-
CANT big hotel as a boarding house,
that / have found out some things
worth knowing about riches and rich
people. / have found that the aver
age rich man is not happy, or If he
Is it is due TO some other reason. 1t
is not possible TO buy fun or pleas
ure or health by the thousand dol
lars worth The only real substantial
fun is that, which comes from work
ing, from accomplishing. For that
reason the man / feel sorriest for is
the fellow who doesn't like his job.
His one chance of enjoying life is
gone.
81 run my hotel in a way that gives
pleasure to me as well as TO my
guests, and if the time ever comes
that l 90 not get my main pleasure
out OF my business, III change my
line of business"
Another OF Miller's theories is that
commercialism in this country has
thrOttled sentiment. And right there.
he says, IS where we are getting off
wrong in our viewpoint
IF L had the making Of the laws
Tor this nation declares Miller, Il
would require every man to stay
home and celebrate his wedding an
niVersary each year, and 10 celebrate
the birthdays Of every one Of his chill
dren. If he didn't do it / would fine
him. We need more sentiment all
along the line. What events can equal
the importance in the family of ones
marriage and the coming Of Ont's
children? Yet we are likely TO let
those days pass almost unnoticed
while, on the other hand, we get our
selves all gigged us and parade the
streets TO commemorate some date Of
u
Il would insist. if ! had the au-
thority, on such a celebration of the
red letter days in ones own family
That each member would have a sort
or sentimental rounding up every SO
often. The coming Of the first child.
1t seems TO me, is just as important
a day TO remember as the date OF the
signing OF the declaration of indie
pendence"
Some ,-aoru -..
came into Miller's life. He was bit
ter and resentful toward his Creator.
thinking. l reflected that this life is
thinking. / reflected that thi slife is
drawn In a way that a great many
people must necessarily meet with
trouble. There is no way out Of it,
Why then, 1 asked myself, should I
be singled out TO miss that which
may come to anybody? | went over
10 the mirror. looked myself I'm the
eye and said to myself: Miller,
you're a squealer' Then I took a
brace and determined that a squealer
was the last thing l would want the
father Of my children TO be. 1 found
1t a big help just 10 regard life as a
game and myself as player who had
hollered when he was hurt"
Every now and then some friend Of
Miller backs him off to one side and
suggests to him that he ought to
make his hotel more like other hotels.
The great trouble with the average
man is that he thinks things should
be done just as they have always been
done before.
The guests might like the hotel
just as we'll if it We're like every other
hotel" says Miller. but wouldn't
and as I have only one little old life
TO lead I've got TO think about myself
as well as my customers. If I can
give man his moneys worth in food
and sleeping quarters. why should he
begrudge me the fun of selling it to
him in a way that gives me pleas
ure?"