The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-04-24
Q After Many
Years
Thoughtful Words
On Happiness
Not All Soft Cushions
And Scented Soap
May Be Experienced in
Times That Try The Soul
By T. 7. SHORT

Nv r. II. shohI
THOUGHTFUL words on mans
L inalienable right 10 the pur-
suit Of happiness arc included IN
. recent issue Of the ConEfes-
s,onsl Record under an extern
tension Of remarks" privilege by
Rep. Roy Woodruff. of Michigan.
A few paragraphs are worth
consideration:
The famous words. the pur-
suit of happiness were written
In times that tried mems souls.
We are going TO live through
other DAYS that will winnow out
the sunshine patriot. VIII this
testing time break our morale,
and. in so doing. destroy our
faith in free institutions as some
thing not worth the candle
That will depend. IN part. up
or our yardshck of happiness.
Victories NAV be won. for des-
potism by men driven by whips.
But freedom will he fought for
only by those who are either
happy in the fact, or in its pur-
suit.
I'VE have developed false
meaning Of happiness. )"
have some 10 think of II -
ease. not struggle. hot water
and scented soap. rather than
the .arduous greatness Of
things DONE
Have we grown fat IN free
dom? Has the iron gone out Of
our blood? Once We dedicated
upon this new continent a house
in which we thought free men
might forever dwell. We hoped
that for all time some peasant
living in a far-off land might
stand up straighter because of
US. And we were happy in that
hope.
In these days n material
istic philosophy has corroded
our souls. Some have pursued
happiness by making this the
most crime ridden nation m
the world. Hitler has his
.angsters and racketeers. 40.
have we. The courage and the
will 10 make marriage a snc-
cess has burned low. Divorce
Is a national scandal. We have
spent money like drunken
sailors. We are remiss in the
responsibilities of American
citizenship. Half OF those
qualified do not vote. We have
worshipped the > pots too
much and too ]
And are we happy as a re-
suit I am sure we are not.
I see women in Americas swank-
lest hotels, their fingers heavy
with diamonds. But there is no
happiness in their faces. They
are bored with existence.
There Is marvellous
statue Of The Pioneer W.
man striding into the future
with her young lad hand In
hand. An inner light shines
from her eyes like a hidden
lantern. She Is happy. | think
Daniel Boone was happier than
many men today. And Nancy
Hanks must have had SUI
premely happy moments A. she
saw her husbands AK widen
ing the pool of sunlight In the
forest, and her cabin taking
shape In the wilderness.
There is nothing wrong in the
pursuit of happiness. The wrong
comes in a false sense Of the
values of the things sought.
IF the automobile of 20 years
ago had exhausted mans invent
i've genius We would all be happy
today driving that kind of car.
We do put too much value on
material things - too little on
things of the spirit.
SO far as men can see. We are
at the threshold OF perhaps the
most difficult period We have
known since Washington's time.
We are at war. Death will
enter many homes. We will have
TO deal with unhesrd-of debt,
taxes, depression. unemployment
and probably a lower standard ot
living for years TO come.
Shall We, like petulant emil.
dren. weep because Of necessary
sacrifice. and throw our tovi
upon the ground? Or shall ".
like those who lived in time,
when men grew tall pursue
happiness by eonquering Oh,
Fafe