Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-01-08
Are You at
Peace
with Your
Family?
BY ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.


Copyright, 1875 Star Company.
II you are an American born citizen.
naturally your first and foremost reason
for being thankful at this time of year
will be that you are not living in a war
riddled country We all know what is the
condition of Europe today
Little lads and grandsires,
Women old with care;
But all the men are dying men
Or dead men over there.
No one stops to dig graves;
Who has time to spare?
The dead men, the dead men.
How the dead men stare!
Kings out a-hunting-
oh. the sport is rare;
With dying men and dead men
Failing everywhere.
Life for lads and grandsires;
Spells. for kings to share;
And dead men. dead men,
Dead men everywhere.
But while you deplore this condition
OF things existing abroad, and while you
congratulate yourself that you are an
American and out of the war zone, sup
pose you give yourself little self-analy-
sis, as a holiday exercise.
Are you really living in a world OF
peace7 Are you at peace with your asso-
ciates in the business or social world
where YOU dwell7
Are you at peace with yourself7
Unless you can answer all three OF
these questions in the affirmative you
have no right to talk about the horrors
of war and how sad 1t is that the world
has returned to barbarian.
You must know that war is an accumu-
ISk1ve thing, and IL no one individual
Endulged in quarrelsome thoughts or
words war could never come.
No doubt you can relate glibly to any
one who will listen Just how this war
originated and just how It could have
been avoided. But can you. even to
your own mind, explain just why you do
not get on better with your fellow men?
There died recently in Greater New
York under tragic circumstances. a still
young woman who was reared in a
Christian home. accustomed to attend
ing divine service twice every Sunday
and who said grace always at her own
table. She was an only daughter and
her parents possessed comfortable for
tune. and she was reared with every
luxury. Yet she early developed q quar-
relsome nature which was not controlled
by her parents, who, because she was an
only daughter and gifted with beauty
and intellect. allowed her to dominate
them. 4t -sAt a-'.-, Ty-r,
The mother was quick tempered and
the home became a scene of continual
discord. This Christian-born and reared
child Of good fortune rapidly developed
into a home tyrant. She married and
became the sort of wife that she had
been a daughter. Her parents died lit
orally and actually of broken hearts.
The young woman. after degenerating
mentally and morally. through her sell
fishness and lack of self-control. ended
her life by suicide. All this was done
in a land of peace. 1t Is sadder than
any OF the tragedies OF war.
In many Christian homes this season
there will be gatherings Of relatives, all
priding themselves upon being good
chrisSNens. yet there will be ill-will, I'M
Rnd criticism, jealousy and fault find
ing to mar the social pleasures OF the
hour.
Sons-in-law and daughters-i MI a W.
mothers-in-laws and fathers-ln-law will
be made unhappy and will make unhap-
piness for others.
Before you deplore the evils of war or
congratulate yourself on being a peace
full person dwelling in a peaceful land.
indulge iE self analysis, and find out II
YOU are doing all you can toward Great
ing peace and good will in your own spe-
cial environment,