The Washington herald., 1916-02-05
Some Compensation. Of Age.
By JOHN d. BARRY.

given it its due. In China, for example, this re-
spect reflected in religion. 1t led to ancestor
worship Happily, some of the Continental ma
tions with long established family traditions still
maintain the reverent attitude.
Sometimes, the other hand, we see age TAX
ing advantage, making itself tyranny. 1t is sad
to find those who ought to have boon enriched
by the experience of long life, limited in their
sympathies and resentful and arrogant. The old
tyrants of the world have been among the most
cruel. One sometimes sees them in families ruth
less and dreadful martinets. hidcous old age
carries with it kind of horror.
But age, sweetened with understanding, made
gentle and forbearng with WISDOM is of the
loveliest OF spectacles. To grow old finely is an
achievement that transcends any other kind Of
success Moreover, it may inspire any one OF us
with a noble ambition.
1t cannot be spoiled by failure, provided we
know how to deal with failure in itself achieve
ment. Failure may even be factor. For as We
must all have failure often has refining and
sotening effect on character. Among the failures
are included the NEST delightful people in the
world. Through being crushed with disappont-
ment and trial. they are enabled to release virtues
little cultivated among the successful, including
that appealing grace, humility.
Those people who are alive to worldly consider
ations who have scent for disadvantage and ad-
vantage, often heard speaking of age as If 1t
were mong the worst of disadvantages, almost a
disgrace In our phraseology we betray the cruelty
of our established attitude
Some of the terms applied to age almost
barbarous An elderly woman may be called that
old thing" or that old trump even that old
fright" And a deep contempt may go with the
mere statement, shes old" In Theory, men arc
But, of recent years, among them there has risen
an economic terror associated with age. The fail
bearing another handicap. perhaps disaster, that
will involve themselves and their endents. That
such should be the truth is hidcous reproach TO
our civilization. Greater mercy was shown by
savages.
In England they have lately made step for
ward. Through the activity Of Lloyd George and
his followers, they have introduced pensions to
rob old age, among the men in the lowest labor
ranks OF something Of its ndignity and shame. But
millions of men have been left unprotected, those
in the great lower middle class, who spend all
their working days close to the danger line, who
toll that they and theirs may gain a bare sub
sistence.
| Perhaps through for the economic well
fare of worn-out workers, bound to increase the
world will gradually advance toward the reverence
, for age that shall restore the aged to esteem.
| Under modern conditions to be both old and
poor is to be ptltully wretfhsd Che phi1nhTopy has
enough Why should age be left at the mercy of
patronizing abundance? Its claims on the world
ought not to be mere appeals to pity They are
founded on rights
The time is surely near when the world will
not let the workers continue to meet the mis-
chances Of age. Now after many years of serv-
ice, men can be CareleSsly thrown out, so
brutally say, the junk pile, and others, younger
and frcsher and more active, be found to take
their places. Jew generations ago in regard to
employers. Butt gradually it was lowered in the
herce sclhshneSS OF competition.
Meanwhile another force came into play, out
/ OF the consciousness of the workers themselves,
claiming, not privilege favors, but consideration
based the strict value OF their power If a
man gives the best years of his life to his task he
virtually gives his life. He gives all that can en-
able him to sustain himself as man He is surely
| entitled to a return that shall fill his last years
with self-respect and comfort.
AS go from the depths higher and higher
in the economic scale. still find among those
who are growing old sense of insecurity. 1t usu-
ally manifests itself in fear of dependence. As
a rule, only those well provided for can face age
with complete serenity, those so closely united
with their kin that they have no fear OF depend
ence, those in whom membership of successful
family group. supplies assurance 1t is absurd that
! in this world of teeming abundance there should
! be comparatively few who, after reaching the top
of the hill, able to look ahead the declin-
| irg slopes without some concern.
They betray it in various ways, fear OF losing
their grip their work their health, fear Of
decline in consideration, of the many vague
fears that fill the subconscious with foreboding and
do much to foster sickness One of the greatest
calamites resulting from present way OF living
is that as the years pass fear keeps lying in wait
and grows more portentous.
Only the religious the phosophic know how
! to keep it at bay. OF the two the religious will
be found to have by far the effective method.
Through their trust in an ineNhaustible power,
through their of reposng in the divine they
may secure immunity. Literally they know how
| to rest in the Lord.
The fear of age like every other kind of fear,
is infinitely than the thing stands for AL
ways fear IS exaggeraton, sometimes to the
point of ghastliness. How often when the thing
we fear actually happens, we feel relief 1t is not
SO bad, after all 1t is not nearly as bad we
thought it was going to be. Something's there is a
strange comfort in it, joy.
Big Business" View.
| If it were not for the war, big financial inter-