Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-07
OFFICIALS PRAISE Y. N. C. A.
SECRETARY TAFT AND JUDGE
whitley AT BANQUET.
Association Work in Philippines
and Panama Commended by
Cabinet Officer.

Prominent Y. M. C. A. workers from
many cities in the United States, Canada
and the orient and several high govern
ment officials in Washington were pres
ent at the annual banquet Of the Twenty
Four-Hour-a-Day Club of the Y. M. c. A,
held last night at Rauscher's. By several
of these men the opportunities for as
ISOLATION work in many parts OF the world
and the consequent responsibilities rest
ing on the American associations were
presented, and the Characterization OF the
world was predicted in emphatic and
confidential terms.
Secretary Of War Taft was the par
ticular guest of the evening. and he
spoke on ''The Association and the Young
Man of the Orient Mr.. John Barrett,
director of the international bureau of
American republics, and hailed as the
'.press agent Of America" told Of South
America-A Land of Young Men," Mr..
l.. r. Whitley, judge of the United States
court in China, gave an address on 1.-The
Associations Force for Righteousness
in the Far East Mr.. John r. Mott,
secretary of the international committee
of the Y. NJ. c. A, discussed "A World
View" Commissioner H. B. F. Macfar-
land presided.
At the conclusion Of the dinner. which
was enjoyed by about 200 men, Commits
sioner Macfarland began the presentation
Of the speakers of the evening. At the
outstart he declared that the American
people, as a whole, feel that they are the
trustees Of all the wonderful resources and
power they haXe and want to do all they
can with it for alien people. That the
resources and power are given by God he
also pointed out, and concluded that
therefore the people have no right to
embezzle that power for their own use.
s. w. Woodward. president of the Wash
ington Association. who was first intro
duced, declared that the organization s
members are more proud OF the Twenty
Four Hour-a-Day Club than of any other
club in the association, because 1t is not
selfish in it's interest, but considers the
other fellow. John B. Seman, jr., pres-
dent of the club, added: LAS long as we
have an interest in the young men we
cannot see, we feel sure we will have an
interest in the young man before u.s.
.South America is a land of young
men" declared Mr.. Barrett. There is no
other place where young men are so
prominent, both in private and public at
fairs and where they realize that the
future of their countries depend on them"
Declaring that the conditions there work
for the highest development of civilization,
Mr.. Barrett said that a new race is
springing up in South America In Ar
gentine, he said is a class of people des-
republics in the world. One is impressed
with the energy of the people and the ra-
pidity with which they are developing
their resources.
These South American republics, he
said, are looking to the United States for
moral leadership, for help in solving their
moral problems. Consequently. he con-
cluded there is no place offering more OPP
portunities fora club like the Y. M. c. A.
Commissioner mcfarland next declared
that the fact that the leading candidates
for President in both political parties are
members of the Y. M. c. A. showed its
standing and the change which has come
since the days when the Y. M. c. "A. man
was shifted at as if he were not a full
man.
In presenting Secretary Taft. he said
1T am sure Washington will next year in
augurate. with the greatest of pleasure.
the guest of honor, If the rest of the coun-
try will only let us. We know he Is the
kind of man the Y. M. c. A. can sup
port with the greatest confidence"
The appearance of Secretary Taft few
minutes before was the occasion for
much applause. and that greeting was re-
peated when he rose to speak. He began
by declaring that he had TO go lO0o0