Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1918 — WE SHOULD CALL A HALT [ARTICLE]

WE SHOULD CALL A HALT

We often hear it asserted with ■emphasis that this is a strenuous age—an age of action. This we are bound to admit, but not with the - >nie degree of satisfaction that some seem co take in the fact, Yes, this is decidedly an age of actipu—action of the body. But we very much fear it lacks somewha.t of being an age of action of the mind. In short, isn’t life fast becoming so strenuous as to preclude much thought—quiet, enjoyable thought. Never before in the history of our country was the demand fbr

amusement carried to such an extreme as at present. Take' for instance the moving picture show. Scarcely a town or hamlet in jthe land but has one or more of these popular places of amusement. Night after night they are thronged with young and old. No sooner is the day’s work over than the cry is: “Off to the movies.” Nothing but the exciting scenes there portrayed seems to satisfy us. We are nu longer content to spend a quiet evening at home in instructive conversation and discussions, reading and studying. We rilust be entertained. No, we are not knocking the movies. They are a good thing in their way, but, like many other good things, may’ be carried to excess. We are merely deprecating the seeming great national unrest that nothing but excitement will allay. We are forced to admit that if it were not the movies it would be something else. Life—real, true life—doesn't consist merely in work and amusement. It isn’t sufficient chat rwe work till we are tired, then seek amusement till we are rested again. The frenzied seeker after wealth or amusement misses the real life. Nature has not fashioned us for continuous frezled activity. Neither does the normal mini demand continual excitement. The great realities of life are the reverse of these. The fact is, the world needs less action and more thought, less excitement and more rest and repose. It needs to take time to study other things than wealth and pleasure—needs to meditate on matters that make for character and the larger things of life. Then will we really grow and develop as Mother Nature intends we shall.