The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-10-14
Ledoux

only has great influence over the I'M
employed workers who are his special
interest, but that he also has the sup
port and friendship of such men as
Arthur Woods, of New York, Mayor
Peters, of Boston, Claude Bragdon, the
architect, and many others prominent
in official and professional life. To be
able to reach and impress such var
iety of persons certainly shows an
unusual individuality. President Hard
ing, after an interview with him, told
Ledoux that he considered his work
the greatest in the world" Many
laugh at this man who merely hear of
his exploits in getting publicity. but all
seem to feel his force and earnestness
when they meet him.
A Mystical Philosopher.
To this account of his qualities and
achievements, it must be added that
Urban Ledoux is a protesting mystic.
Indeed. without that knowledge you
cannot hope to understand this strange
man, angel of the unemployed who
has filled so much space in the news
papers recently, and has yet remained
personally almost unknown. Ledoux
believes in a thing which he calls cos
mic consciousness, and that is all that
| he believes in. He is not a Socialist
or radical of any kind. He has no
recognized creed-religious, political.
or economic-to offer. That is one
reason, of course, why he is acceptable
| to all classes of men, and is commend
ed by radical and conservative. capital
list and worker, at the same time.
I4edoux does not believe that institu-
lions and politics are worth worrying
about. He believes that man is cap
able of a higher grade of conscious
ness than most men have yet attained
and that his only progress will come
from education in the broadcast sense
which will help him to come into that
, consciousness.
Il recognize no sin except the waste
of energy he explained, when he was
interviewed in his little hall bedroom
at a local hotel
War-strife and violence of al
kinds, personal and national-he re
CARDS as waste of energy. All good
comes from acting upon the motive OF
l1ove-from friendly cooperation This
friendly cooperation will completely
replace strife of all kinds when the
human race has reached its real matur
ity of mind. There will be no unem
ployment for example, because unem
ployment is obvious and preventable
waste of energy. All life he sees as
one vast stream of immortal energy
in which every individual is capable
of functioning as an harmonious and
necessary part. The problem of life is
the proper direction of that stream OF
energy
In the philosophy which Ledoux ex
pounds-speaking often in a sort o.
blank verse, with his eyes closed
there are traces of primitive Chris
tianity. of the teachings of Moses
Mohammed, Buddha, of the sacred
books of the Hindoos, of Confuciu!
and of the great American poet, Wal
Whitman, whose works Ledoux say!
that he knows by heart He does no
deny that his inspiration comes from
all of these. He says that all of tn,
great religious teachers and the great
est poets we're men who had achieved
cosmic consciousness and who tried t
impart it to their fellow men. That h,
regards as his mission too, but h
hastens to assure you that he does no
regard himself as either a prophet O
poet. He seems eager to escape tn
repute of being one more amateu
messiah. He says that his words ar
nothing, what he does everything. H
proposes to preach a gospel by actin
it-by giving the example of a lif
, devoted to unselfsh service.
He has nothing, he says, and h
wants nothing. He gave up a success
full professional career for his presen
/. work. He wears cast-off clothin
| given him by friends and never know