The Daily News. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1926. COMMUNITY SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1926, Page 12

The Daily News. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1926. COMMUNITY SERVICE.

It is not every delegate- to a world-wide convention who is able to convey to those he represented such an interesting report of experiences and impressions as that which was presented to New Plymouth Rotarians, on Wednesday, by Rotarian J. Jackson, of Wanganui. While the whole of his. re view must have fallen upon appreciative ears, there are several features which should strongly .commend themselves to the general body of the community, because tjiey affect the happiness and material welfare of the people of all nations. By this time it is well known throughout the world that Rotary stands for community service, its members being ever on the watch for extended avenues of service under each and everyone of the main objects which are fundamental objects of the organisation. It was a happy conception on Mr. Jackson’s part to allude to Rotary as a movement that was u weaving a web round the world.” It is a web that takes in all classes and serves all purposes essential to the well-being of humanity at large. Rotary clubs are not dohiinated by members of any one class or any selected vocation. The principles of Rotary can only be made active and living forces by service to the community through members’representing all the vocations—hence the excellent of the method of serving by vocation, and applying Rotary ideals to practical life, thereby combining theory and practice in advancing the best interests of humanity. If any inquirer desires to know how the end in view is to be attained, let him mark well the dictum of an American delegate: ‘‘Give unto the world the best that is in you, and the best will surely come back.”

There is nb field of operations for Rotarians which presents such a fruitful prospect of achievement of world-wide results as that of bridging the gaps and breaking down the barriers between capital and labour. It is one of Rotary’s postulates that there is absolutely no difference between capital and labour, and one of the most important pronouncements made at the conference was that of the president of the American Federation of Labour (Mr. William Green), who .emphasised 'that postulate and claimed that Capital and Labour could come together in amity. The possibility is, of course, generally admitted, but the method of accomplishment is by no means easy to define. It has been repeatedly urged that there is no trouble or difference between Capital and Labour that cannot be settled at a conference between the two sections. Rotarian Green, who spoke for millions of Americans; reiterated that truth, and claimed that the organisation of Labour had done more than anything else for the uplift of the world. While it may be generally felt that Labour, when organised and led on right lines, is capable of being an elevating force that would make the world a better place in which to live, yet it has to be remembered that Labour has proved itself a destructive force responsible for paralysing industry, and callously wasting untold millions of money urgently needed, for promoting industry and the well-being of the masses. -Can Rotary infuse its spirit of service into both capital and labour’? Only by getting both sections interested in Rotary principles. On this matter an Italian delegate to the conference sagely remarked, when speaking on the subject of serving by vocation, that it was no use making a great deal of money by means just escaping .between the limits of legal and moral censure, a course of action that could not be atoned for by giving money to charitable objects. He might well have added that it was no use for Labour.to be continuously warring against Capita), refusing to listen to reason or be so completely dominated by paid officials of their unions as to have no will of their own. Rotarian Jackson was very near the truth when he said that the fault in England to-day lay not only with the working men, but with the people to whom the power had been handed without the competence to carry on. The task of bringing Capital and Labour into such amicable relations as would lead to the adoption of round table conferences for the settlement of all differences may be very formidable, yet to Rotary it should offer a tempting field for effort; in fact, it is just one of those endeavours which should appeal to those who serve the community.