San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-18
WHEN LEISURE IS AN ASSET.

Someone said recently that the United
States has reached or is about TO reach,
HAT stage o. development at viii II 4
country needs leisure class. To accept
either phase Of the idea might be to in
cur the contempt of many citizens. But
contempt is not infrequently factor in
the price of progress; and sometimes 1t
IS the result of a misconception.
Some people would not admit that
any country could ever really need a
leisure class, unless its aims was deterio-
ration rather than improvement. One
who rejected the idea so categorically
would deem it superfluous to consider
whether the United States. particularly,
might be better off if it had leisure
olassesH~ ssssasa- .-.eseys~,.
If leisure class" .provokes contempt in
the average American, it is because OF
popular misconceptim of the better
meaning of the term. Many people think
that "lazy" would be more nearly accu-
rate Characterization of those designated
by the potter word. OF course there
have been many lazy people in every
leisure class that the world has ever
known. Moreover, it wouldn't be possible
to keep out the discreditable unless every
member of a given leisure class were
liand-picked, so to speak, before his adj
mittance
lin the better meaning, leisure class"
denotes those who do not, as a matter
at necessity, work for their daily bread /;
men and women of independent finan-
GAL means who, by virtue of their free
dom from the exactions of daily bread
Winning, are able to devote their talents
and time to projects for the betterment
Of mankind.
The United States has some citizens
Of that description, but they are not suf-
ficiently numerous to constitute class.
So far as wealth is concerned, the United
States has better opportunity than any
other country on earth for the develop
1ilent and maintenance of leisure class.
But what does the average wealthy
American do with his time and money
Even after he has retired from active
business his thoughts are still welded to
1ioney-making-for himself. Not that he
is constitutionally selfish, but simply be-
cause he doesn't know what else to do
with his time and money; his talents lie
wholly in the field of activities to which
he has become habituatcd.
4Of art, or science, or craftsmanship, he
knows little, if anything. and he has nc
desire to devote himself to those fields
Tie may, as so many do. resort to poll
tres to gain diversion or distinction. But
The does not know how to take advantage
of the greatest opportunities that leisure
affords.
From the economic standpoint. and
hence sociologically the Old World and
the New have exchanged places. Time
was when Americas proper cue, from
-he highest to the lowest, was to labor
hard and long for material development
for direct economic gain. There
were vital wants to be satisfied
and the process of filling them was o
paramount importance. Now this coun
try, in the matter of wealth of the kipt
that satisfies vital wants stands heac
and shoulders above the outside world.
But what of the wants that are no
cfassed as vital-the wants that eco
nomists call aesthetic? What of art
and music, and craftsmanship? How
MANY men of wealth in this country de