GIVING MILLIONS AWAY

Hokitika Guardian, 12 October 1929, Page 3

GIVING MILLIONS AWAY

PHIL A NTHROPHJ C WORK. C’ARNEJIE AND ROCKEFELLER. SLUM CHILDREN’S SAVIOUR. , The richest man in. the world, Mr .John D. Rockefeller, lias just passed his 90th birthday. He spends his days playing a little golf and in thin.Lng of new ways to give away his money.

One of the ways is through the Rockefeller Foundation, which lie endowed 16 years ago to light unceasing war against disease. Is a new hospital with a medical school for research or for training doctors wanted anywhere from London to Peking r AppMcation is made to the Rockefeller Foundation, and never in vain. Some believe that charity begins at home, and that China, is such a. Ion" way off : that it can wait its turn. Not so the Rockefeller Foundation, Which since 1913 has spent more than £6,000,(XX) in medical colleges, in aid to hospitals, and one for the training of doctors in China.

Other countries are' not forgotten. Nearly another £6,000,000 'was spetd in them, in every country—from Eng land, Belgium, and France, through Canada and the United States', to. Hongkong, Melbourne, and Singapore —in setting up . schools for medical education. When some of these countries were at their worst during the war over £4,000,000 was offered dip by the Rockefeller Foundation for the aid of the wounded, the sick, and the starving. 111 16 years the Foundation has spent £30,000,000 in trying to banish disease and sickness and suffering from, the whole world, without regard to nationality.

HEALTH OF THE NATIONS. It has its igemerous and benevolent eye 011 everything that can help, from child-welfare to campaigns against the Mosquito that spreads malaria. The wise doctors who- control and administer its gifts know the immeasurable importance of good nursing in sickness or ill-health, 'iliey spend money, therefore, on setting up or aiding schools for training nurses. Fifteen schools in 10 countries were helped last year. The same men recognise to the full the importance of improving the health of nations as a whole. Tlie Rockefeller League of Nations enjoying the fund’s help numbered 23 last year without counting the United (States. The open hand of its generosity is stretched out to the whole world. Toronto, London, Prague. Warsaw, Budapest, Belgrade, Zagreb,. Sao Paulo, Brazil,' all have Rockefeller supported institutes of public health. ,

If any scientific man or body of men wants to undertake expensive, researches into the cause of disease their thoughts lead first to.the Rockefeller Foundation, and never 'in vain. The principal investigations have been in malaria, tuberculosis, hookworm disease, and yellow, fever—which has been driven, from Mexico. Central America, and Northern South America. Its last refuges are in Brazil and West Africa. It was in West Africa that Dr Noguchi, sent out under the auspices of the Foundation to study yellow fever, met his death.

* PREVENTION BETTER. THAN CURE. The motto inscribed on the banners of the Foundation is “Prevention is Better than Cure.” Last year it provided fellowships for 800 men and women from 46 different countries who are inquiring into the causes of disease so as to better to prevent it. At the same time 60 doctors and professors and 127. nurses were sent to various countries to study the conditions and the way the work is being done.. Long and far were the journeys of some of them, for there are medical schools coming under the survey in Beirut, in Haiti, in Syria, in Siam, in- Suva, Fiji. The benefits that mem of charity and goodwill bring live long after them, notwithstanding what Mark Anthony said in his famous funeral oration over Julius Caesar.

The United Kingdom still has reason to remember and praise the name of Andrew Carnegie, who left a great part of his fortune to the establishment, the maintenance, and the expansion of public libraries for the people of Great Britain and Ireland. In his will Mr Carnegie laid down tlie wise, far-sighted instruction that the trusteces appointed to spend the fund he left should apply it to tho well-being of the masses of the people of Britain and Ireland, but that they should remember that new ways would arise for securing this from time to time, because new needs would arise constantly as the masses advance.

CARNEGTE LIBRARY FUND

Consequently, in addition to the libraries .and to the aid of existing libraries of every kind by furnishing money for buying books, other aims are kept before the Carnegie Trust. There is, for example, the life of the country village. The trust helps the rural community councils which encourasre village halls, young farmers’ clubs, and village baths. Thirteen counties were helped last year by rrarts amounting to over '£sooo. The work includes young people’s clubs and organisations. It encourages nursing and health -planning.