The day book. [volume], January 18, 1913, 2, Image 6

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IS IN WANT!
We have heard rumors from
time to time of things in the life
of John D. Rockefeller which
would make the ordinary man un
happy. Attempts at kidnaping, patrols
of armed guards, every evidence
of great loneliness, and some of
a reign of terror, have been heard
among the echoes from the great
magnate's wonderful principal
ity in the Pocantico Hills.
Xow we have the word of
Frank Rockefeller, his brother,
that John D. lives in "a regular
hell."
He has few friends. Even his
old business associates have be
come the associates of others. He
: lonely, and he is always afraid.
Just hew does shis life differ
Jotn that of thestraditicmai miser
who lived only for his gold, gloat
ed over his strong boxes, and died
in want?
Is not John D. Rockefeller
really in want? In want of most
of the things which make the
average old man or old woman
happy?
Frank Rockefeller says he is.
It is worth while totry to get
at the reason for the excesses, the
vagaries, and the life wrecks
considered from the normal
man's standpoint of our ab
normally rich men and women.
Do these queer doings, these
Harry Thaw cases, these Corey
and other divorces and remar
riages, and the thousand similar
things which get to the world's'
ears in the form of more or less
credible gossip these monkey
dinners, these dog parties, these'
orgiastic dances and inflated ex
penses mean a rather pathetic
struggle for compensation for
the lost pleasures which the or-
dinary man takes as he goes
through an industrious and hum
ble life?
Is happiness to be found in
riches ?
Frank Rockefeller's testimony
seems to be that it is not.
There is a growing class of
rich people who do not believe
that the game is worth the can
dle. These are firmly convinced
that the millionaire is a bad thing,
and that millionairism is a bad
disease for him who has it.
The selfish man seeks happiT
ness and perhaps it is happiness
which even the unselfish mail