The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-23
By JOHN ID. BARRY

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By JOHN d. BARRY.
Indifference to life is like YOUR widespread
| indifference to our surroundings. At times
we all become tired of our surroundings or bored.
We think of other places, other circumstances and
ourselves that if we could only be there
we should be better off. Sometimes we find help in
! such change of scene. We return to the old
scene with new vigor with freshness of mind that
brightens all the old associations. But if re-
main in the scene until it ceases to be new we
are likely to return to the old state of mind.
The explanation is of course that the trouble
lies not in surroundings, in our cireum-
stances, but in ourselves.
So, in the other world, can't you imagine that
those who violently take themselves off must en-
counter bitter disappointment? Perhaps for a
time there is the relief that comes with novelty
But, though the scene may be different, they re-
main themselves.
Often when we think we are tired of the things
and the people about US, really tired of
ourselves.
There is something pathetic in the efforts re-
Gently made by the law to restrain suicide by pun
shment.
There is a comic aspect
Best of all there is the evident desire to help
For we cannot think of any representative of the
law really wishing to punish suicide to add
another burden to life already intoleraby bur-
dened.
There must be on the part of those directly
concerned swift desire to save, to succor and to
console
The Salvation Army has lately been trying to
do what it could for such unfortunates. 1t seeks
to discover causes and if possible to secure rene
dies. Perhaps its work will be one of the many
ways by which the world shall be led to deal with
the far-reachng that drive people into
the self-destroying class, making them despair of
finding help.
1t is obvious that the point of view of such
people is wrong, for the instant their needs are
known they receive help. Indeed, the way they
are treated when they have failed in their pur-
pose shows what ocean of human sympathy
lies under our apparent indifference.
In declaring that it intends to punish suicides
the law really means that it intends to help them
1t strives to put a further obstacle in their path
But yet the effort toward prevention is largely
futile. 1t is only those who fail that can be helped
The law recognizes that these people will be
amenable to help. 1t that as soon as the in
terval of despair passes there will be the return of
reason. 1t is through this return of reason that
the law may do the real work. through the intelli-
gent guiding that is bound to come when the work
ing of the law allies itself more and more closely
Jas it is now doing with the forces of intelligence
In "The Inferno" Dante has given CHASTITY
picture of the souls of suicides
Most of US nowadays would consider it far too
horrible to be true
And yet, is it unlikely that in the other world
it is discreditable not to have accepted life with
all its burdens and to have endured the burdens
to the end? Is it conceivable that there is any
possible escape? If there are burdens here why
should there not be burdens there? And why
should there not be discredit as we'll as credit?
And why should there not be fulhllment there
both of the present duties and of the duties avoid
ed elsewhere, including the supreme duty of living
hnelyl
Here we are considering, of course, those cases
where suicides not the result of insanity There
are those who go far as to say that there are
no such cases, that all who destroy themselves
are diseased.
The Catholic Church seems to be inclining to-
ward such view. At any rate, where it once
refused to bury suicides in consecrated ground.
it gives them the benefit of the doubt by
never refusing them burial
On the other hand, the Romans made a fine
art of self-destructon. They carried life to so
high degree of art that they made elf-slaugh-
ter artistic
But life is much greater than an art. 1t is
greater even than duty. 1t is, perhaps combi-
nation of both, with something added
And no art can transcend making life conss-
tent and whole, seeing it through to the end, with
out surrender.