HAS NO LEISURE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20274, 7 April 1934, Page 24 (Supplement)

HAS NO LEISURE.

Too Busy Making It to Take It. YOUNG AMERICAN'S DREAM. ‘ I asked Mr Harry L. Hopkins, the young man who put .000,000 Americans back to work in 'ur months, “is your answer to the greasing problem of America’s new answer lasted thirty minutes. *Lt was rather an ironic question, for •pkins, brought up to the freedom of : m life, now sits in his office, “around ’e clock,” seven days a week, lie spends so much of his time plotting the many projects for the civil works he administers that he refuses to allow a clock to be placed in the office. Vet the greater part of his life is spent planning leisure for others. His dream seems as impossible of fulfilment as was the task President Roosevelt set him last autumn to provide work for millions of unemployed, but Hopkins has a wav of getting things done. The Civil. Works Administration was the child of his brain. No one thought that child would survive infancy, but the baby has grown to be an amazing prodigy. Looking like an athlete, young Hopkins wound a long leg round the arm of his chair as he answered my question (says the Washington correspondent of a London newspaper). “ The solution to this problem has to be found, and found quickly,” he said. “ Already there are thousands learning for the first time the meaning of spare time. “ Before long there will be many more, because you and I will soon be working thirty hours a week. Dead-end Nights. “ What are all these thousands—even .Jlions—to do in their evenings? .ey’ll go to a movie, perhaps, or a jpatre, if there are any in their disct. They’ll go dancing. But I feel ,2 must teach them to spend their sure better than that. “ For instance, we’ve four or five -gnificent orchestras in America, le of them makes money. Why not id these orchestras to towns and villages? If there is no concert hall, let them play in the open air. If 20,000 can enjoy their music, why can’t 20,000,000? ” “ How do you propose doing this? ” I asked. " The State would be the impresario,” he answered. “ Commercial enterprises have failed to provide satisfactory recreation for the people. I’d make oeople pay to hear these orchestras, * .aturally, because the public doesn’t Patronise free entertainment. “ There is not only music; the Government wants to diminish the acreage of farmland in order to decrease oroduction. Well, the Government can buy this farmland for the people. They can convert it into parks, camps, golf courses and playgrounds, making these projects self-supporting. “ I have no particular desire to improve the public’s taste. If they want musical comedies let them have them. I would even sponsor touring circuses.” When are you going to start these ventures? ” I said. Mr Hopkins untwined himself from his chair and shrugged his shoulders. “ Goodness knows,” he said, “ but the State has to find an answer for the problem as soon as possible. In a small way we could" be said to have started. We have an orchestra of unemployed musicians in New York who play regularly for 2500 people.” r This man who directs the lives of 4 O 0 persons spoke of the success cf * vtyra with the enthusiasm of ral ft discussing Paderewski. r rea * r theatrical company,” he for tb»- T yi one or two centres, and ire in' fiji operated by the Govrues! . W¥s people. - Settiall step, but it’s on ~±xe right roam. Isn’t it'better to give a violinist a job in a Government orchestra than to make him work with pick or shovel? ” ft was .* p.m. I knew that a number still awaited him out- •.? i* vou ever Set any leisure?” Asxea.'*** r Shucks! ” he replied, “I’m too busy trying to make leisure to take itl ”