Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-08

himself to believe that all civilized
peoples were ready to reform their
habits OF living and adopt the saner
course laid down In 1.-The Simple Life"
Those of us who recall the period
when the writings OF Charles Wagner
had such vogue We're fully impressed
with the conviction that the authors
views would prevail and eventually
become the universal rule OF our
guidance.
Today IL We were to ask what OF
Wagner and his Simple Life." pos
sibly not more than one person In
fifty could even recall the name. or
the book he made famous. and that
kept the world talking more than a
whole year-a mighty long time to
hold people to one serious
thought. No one today cares
hang for the theory or teach
ing OF Charles Wagner. All the
thousands OF followers OF the new
leader Of twenty-five years ago have
repudiated his theories, or at least
have cast them aside, and the world
today. instead Of looking for happiness
in sane. quiet reposeful living. is
seeking pleasure in wild eXtravagances
that almost fade into a drab back
ground the recklessness OF the old
Roman patricians.
Simple Life" indeed, appears to
have gone into the junk heap. There
seems to be no such thing. In every
walk OF life almost everybody is sur
rounded with a luxury--s comparative
statement to be sure-that hitherto
had been unheard OF In the world
People are spending money as though
it were grown in the open fields, and
household and family expenses have
come to aggregate moro in a month
than they did In years when THE
Simple Life" appraised US that We
We're going too fast, and missing OF
overlooking the real worthwhile
things OF sane existence.
The rich man Of today frequently
spends sums that would have mad,
his equally rich father wonder IL &C
tually there were so much money il
the world, and he spills It out as {
matter OF course, day after day, no
even considering he Is yielding to al
ex,ravagant impulse.
In this connection the question nat
urally arises: does the outlay o
money with such a prohigate ham
> bring increased happiness? does it as
sure us OF more real comfort? Doubt
: less those who are in position 10 spea'
! from experience on the matter woul
I declare that under the new era c
lavish spending they find life niue
more rosy and pleasurable. but pos
sibly they are mistaken, and ma
find upon closer scrutiny OF their re;
selves that they have looked in II
4 wrong direction for happiness: HAY
t missed the things that make life {
;, moment, FL Il with high purpose. AT
q develop a character that makes n
= man more OF the real man.
Il Mr.. Wagner's rule for The Simp
L Life" was indeed not an effort 10 VI
= set sanely preconceived notions I
> to the value Of money in whatev'
q form it might assume. but on the col
" trary, II was a blazing Of the way
It the understanding that money brini
le real lasting pleasure through
proper. unselfsh employment, and n
I'd by loading the possessor up with 4
ID task of spending it, or exchangii
lie il for unnecessary Injuries or e
N travagances which bring US nowhe
is except they go far towards dwarfii
ne manhood and womanhood and &
In stroying our usefulness.
or 1t is regrettable that Mr.. Wayne
d, excellent advice did not have a firm
n and more lasting hold on the peop
e. In the quarter of a century since
he saw in his teachings the germs
he revolution against extravagant l
e. ing, restless lack OF repose, he /
passed out OF memory, and his gr'
little book has been almost who