Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-02

,, The suggestion from Thomas A. Edi-
son that he Is mot acquainted with
any one who is happy" brings protest
from world which believes that Mr..
Edison himself at least approaches the
state of happiness. 1t is conceded that
those who seek this goal are likely to
fail, while others succeed as result
OF their achieving more unselfish
things
Defining the coveted prize Of happi-
ness as "a state of being, more or
less permanent, in which a large
measure. or the full complement, Of
satisfaction, especially of the higher
kind. is experienced" the Boston
Transcript suggests that very likely
Mr.. Edison has no definition of happi-
ness and his statement is without sig
nif1cance." The Transcript argues:
Mr. Edison would hardly assert that
such state of being was impossible of
attainment or that 1t was not attained.
In his own case he might agree with
Marcus Aurelius that a mans happi-
ness consists In doing the things proper
to man. The things that Mr.. Edison
has done have been clearly proper to
one OF his remarkable talents, and he
has given many evidences that he found
happiness In the doing. If, however,
he had In mind condition in which
life was perpetually full of happiness
and satisfaction, he might we'll agree
With George Bernard Shaws declara-
ton that lifetime Of happiness would
be hell on earth. And he doubtless
would disagree with Pope. who said that
happiness was our beings end and
AIM"
1T is too bad that Mr.. Edison, In his
role as oracle" suggests the Kansas
City Star. did not go farther and
explain what he conceived happiness to
be. Then We could understand his
statement. Happiness, an abstract
quality over which the psychologists
would wrangle happily for hours. has
or poets" The Star remarks further:
Happiness being state of emotional
felicity, one would fancy offhand that
Thomas A. Edison would qualify as a
happy man. He has good health-ex-
cept Tor deafneSs-an ample income to
follow the dictates of his own desires,
and the knowledge of having achieved
undying distinction. But he gives us a
categorical denial. If Edison, out of the
fullness of his life, is not happy, who
Is? Probably in way Mr.. Edison is
right. We all have moments Of con-
tentment and of enjoyment, but think
ing humans cannot, without closing
their eyes and ears. enjoy that COM
piete felicity which, in the final analysis,
would be pure happiness"
Happy men are truly rare" admits
the Canton Daily News, but that paper
contends: IF Mr.. Edison will look far
enough he can find here and there one
who possesses the substance of happi-
ness. That will be some lucky wight
VINO, having ceased to care or ask for
happiness. has thereby found it." The
Portsmouth Star takes a similar view,
stating that through some strange
quirk in the makeup of the universe,
If we make the pursuit of happiness the
sole aim In life we are bound to lose
it. 1t can't be taken by storm. 1t must
come unaSked."
II this had come from man who
was discouraged and defeated, 1t would
terloo Tribune. But from Edison
Edison the successful, the brilliant. the |
we'll beloved! Why should this man, |
at 50, say a thing like that?" The |
Tribune concludes, "Out of our discon- !
tent, and the restless activity that 1t |
causes, can be born those little achieve |
ments that, slowly, century after CEN
fury, are shaping the world little more |
closely to the model that man has |
dreamed of for ages"
IF there are happy people In the |
world. Thomas A. Edison has had ex- |
traordinary opportunity to know them."
says the Ogden Standard Examiner, |
for the successful have made beaten |
path to his door," Analysing his state |
ment, that paper suggests: who is |
going to dispute that statement? We |