Evening star., 1923-07-29
Helping Workers Buy Homes
Better Than Free Pleasures

to say, This is the thing we have
long sought. The corporation laws or
our country should. be Immediately
amended 80 as to permit such aggre-
such things" Maybe so. but let US
give 1t time to be tried out and to as
certain certainly it's effect upon the
mental and moral fber of the people
that come within its influence. and
learn what measure Of contentment
for the individual, respect for the law
of the land. and good will toward the
employer 1t may furnish. Human
nature In queer. About the only man
who never forgives you Is the man
who has done you an injury. and the
man you are most likely to be en-
tributed to your comfort. Benefac-
tions handed down from above other
than by the hand of God may be re-
ceived with less gratitude than re-
sentiment 1t will be time enough to
legislate when this experiment has
been found to be thoroughly salts
factory.
Interested. as most of US are, in the
economic life of America as govern
ing its progress. prosperity and per-
petuity, we are watching another ex-
pertinent. Employees OF labor are
purchasing land. laying 1t out in
garden plots. erecting modern and
convenient homes Un some instances
furnishing common pasturage and
common ground for gardening), and
| selling these homes to their en-
ployes upon monthly pament plan,
whereby payments. slightly larger
| than regular rentals, are applied to
| the original cost, an employe In time
In al fn n q
home. 1 shall be interested to ascer-
tain the effect upon the health. hap
piness and citizenship of this new
idea In economic life. I hope we shall
whether under benefactions handed
down from above or in the individual
striving to obtain title to ones own
home. comes the better result to the
republic, whether the reflex action
upon the individual is better In one
or the other instance. whether the
conduct of the laborer is more or less
satisfactory. whether the relations
between employer and employe are
friendlier or otherwise, whether the
output is increased or decreased.
" II
In the course of long life / have
| met up with a few egotists who were
proud OF what they were. and with
as many timid souls whose regret
| was that they had not done much In
his name. but the vast majority OF
all the men I have known have prided
themselves on what they have made
for themselves and rejoiced in what
| they said was their own. I do not
| stop to consider whether their own
was justly or unjustly acquired; !
content myself with mere expression
OF the belief that it Is the almost
universal desire of man to have some
thing which he may call his own as
| the result of his own efforts. It may
be his honor. his reputation. his
! opinion, his home. his influence
Whatever 1t is. in lands or goods. In
| manners or In morals, man. an.gregarious
as he may be. desires to separate him.
self from the flock, and like Mrs
lSweeney's goose to go in a gang by
! himself Whether regrettable or ad-
mirabie, the one proud boast of the
| average American has been: This Is
mine. ] made 1t by weary days OF
j toll. made 1t by thrift and economy
! made it in face of opposition. j
fought for II in a fair field. was
| the victor. 1t Is mine"
| / am rather inclined to believe that
until the new heaven and the new
earth shall appear, the individual will.
continue to glory in his own posses.
sion and fail to be content with bene.
| factions.
J Copyright. 1923. 21st Century Pres..)