Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-02-25
The Secret
Of Happiness
(By John NJ. Work.

plicity OF possessions. Ut l thought
that Socialism would perpetuate the
mad scramble for many things, my
sustained enthusiasm would wane.
: 1t is my hope that Socialism will
result in a return to the simple life
the simple joys, the simple pleasures
It is my hope that Socialism will en-
volve people who can elicit more salts,
faction from quiet walk through the
woods than from rushing about in a
snowy whiz wagon. It. is my hope
that Socialism will produce people
who can find more pleasure in a men
tai or mechanical problem than in fine
clothes or jewelry.
The only formula there is for pro
ducing genuine happiness wasndiseov
cred long ago; he who saved his life
shall lose it, and he who loses his life
shall save it.
The only way to become genuinely
happy is by. making others happy.
1t may be done either concretely OF
collectively, according to tempera
ment. But it is the only way.
1t may be done by striving for bet
ter conditions, or by performing use
full work. But it is the only way.
AS long as ones own welfare is up
permost in his mind, genuine happi
ness is impossible. :: -:|
i appeal to peoples selfish interests
as much as any other agitator. BIZ
it only is a means of arriving.
have to take them as the are. l wan
Socialism and I adopt, the necess,t;.
methods Of securing it. =
The fact remains that selfs..no
and happiness are readily enemies
They cannot exist together. When
one begins to submerge self happi
ness begins to draw. "A placid coun
tenance in never seen on selfish per
son. You might. as we'll look fol
bright darkness. They are incompari
bic. A placid countenance. is only
seen on a person who forgets self and
works for the good if others-8.for the
good of his class, or his race, or what
not. By losing his life he saves it.
Among economic and sociological
students it is a commonplace that so
cial revolution is a spiral. =:
When 1 say that l hope Socialism
will mean a return to the simple life
! am headed frontwards, not back
wards. l hope the upward spiral will
again lead around to the simple life
I not only hope it will. but l believe
it will.
Pc some people the. simple life is
dull damnation.
To others more. highly developed
the rush of capitalism is dull damna
ton. Nothing would make them SC
sick and tired and SO soon ready fol-
suicide as to be compelled to enter
the rush and swirl They insist upon
living the simple life. If the world
does not like it, so much worse for
the. world. It is the loser, not they
They are not recluses, however, They
stay close to their fellow-men and help
win them to socialism. But they de.
cline to engage in the rush and scram.
BILE for wealth.
The human race has the choice OF
getting back to-nature or becoming ex-
tinct. Even Socialism could not save
it unless it seized the opportunity Civ
en- by Socialism to get it back to ma
ture. Not that want to undo any
thing wherein, we have improved upon
nature. Far from it. / want to pre-
serve all that But In numerous ways
we are killingourselves on, singly and
in groups. physically and otherwise,
by the adoption Of injurious sub
stitutes for nature. These must be
sloughed OF If the race would live.
They are encouraged ana enforced by
capitalism. Disease and insanity are
due to them. And disease and insan.
ity will end the race If . halt is not
called. Socialism win give Us ! vide
open opportunity to call such q halt.
Capitalism has robbed the world of
its beauty, It's grace and Its virtue. It
has changed US from generous to q
sordid people. It has made US greedy
and envious.4 It someone has . bauble
that we have not, we cannot rest un-
u we have one Ike it And It does
not make any Of Ms happy. Mere
:hings never made anyone happy