The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1949-04-07
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The "winter Of our discomfort"
draws to close, but have no
worry, the spring will be filled with
an equal discomfort. And so on,
into the summer, the fall and final
ly another winter. And 50 on, ad
infnitum.
1t will be an unhappy day when
there is a full absence of discon-
tent.
Discomfort is wonderful stuff
it makes the world move forward.
What we do want to be rid of is
fear.
Discomfort leads US to better
ment, or at least to efforts toward
betterment.
Fear leads us to cover in our
britches and generally to look
backward.
There is a difference between
concern for the future, or concern
over set of possibilities and fear
of the future, or fear of the things
that might happen out of a given
set Of possibilities.
It's a good idea to know that
difference and to have it in mind.
Il
There is a difference, for ex-
ample, between being scared stiff
over what Russia may spring on
us-between that and having a
concern about it that leads US to
our nearest approach to intelligent
evaluation and action.
Another example would be the
business of driving automobiles.
Each day there will be about the
same number of accidents. If we
fear having accidents we shall stop
driving cars. If we have an intel
ligent concern we shall then try to
drive carefully, obey rules and
ordinances-and so live longer.
Death is a certainty. If we spend
our days fearing it we shall have
unhappy, fear ridden lives, totally
unenjoyable. A proper concern
would lead us to so order our lives
as to get the most out of what life
remains, however much or little
it may be. And we shall get out,
incidentally, about what we put in.
An employer who fears strikes
is unhappy and generally has high
costs. An intelligent concern usual
ly makes strikes unnecessary, with
himself and everybody happy and
so, contributing more to general
social well-being.
:. !. u
Praises be to discomfort.
Samuel Gompers was a very dis
contented man. And strange para
dox though it may seem, he was
beautifully contented with his dis
content He wanted to be discon-
tented, because he could see so
many wrongs; and so much work
to right them.
John Mitchell was a very discon- |
tented man-and every year the
miners take a day off to honor the
man and his magnificent discon-
tent.
How many remember the ram
paging, raging discomfort that was
in old Bill Hahon in his young
days? Street car drivers live better
because of it.
Senator Robert Wagner strode
in glorious. discomfort in the legis-
lative halls of New York, in rage
against evils typifed by the Tri-
angle fire. And the late Robert La
Toilette was another man of mar
velous discomfort.
We erect monuments to discon- I
tented men and we teach our child
rem about them. +,
But one thing more: Those whose
memories shine are those who have
1ad the courage to back up their
1iscontents in great struggles for
removal of the causes.
Z. :. :.
Let there be generations of dis
,ontent-discontent and courage!
As men grow old the fires burn
ow and often burn out. So there
must always be new hosts for the
liscontents of the world - new
generations of springy and ardent
youth to carry on. And, so shall it
,e, for so it always has been.