Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-17

ORGANIZED optimism dealing with prob
lens of practical philanthropy is repre-
sented In the thirteenth annual conven-
ton of the International Sunshine So
ciety, which begins its sessions in New
York today This society now has more
than a million members in the United
States and other countries. and, in num-
Der, is the largest pnilanthropic organi-
cation In the world outside of the
churches.
The president general, Mrs. Cynthia
Westover Alden, expressed the aims and
purposes of the society when she said:
IF you have good thing yourself which
you do not need pass it on The society
does a vast deal Of general charity work
along the usual lines, but its chief BUSH
ness is the conservation Of waste sun
shine. SO to speak
Perhaps you have something about your
house that is no longer Of use to you
that Is only in the way, that you are
preserving merely because you don't care
to destroy 1t, but that you never will
need. That neglected thing, that nui-
sance. perhaps, may mean increased
comfort. even happiness. to some per-
son whose need is greater. To take that
tHlIB out VI your way " pioSC -
where 1t will add to the cheer and COM
fort OF some other persons life, that Is
the business Of the International Sunshine
Society.
The convention in New York will be
, attended by several hundred delegates
from all parts of the United States and
Canada. It's business meetings will be
interpreted with numerous receptions
and entertainments. including a musical
production of Joan Of Arc by a spe-
cial company supported by chorus of
200 voices The proceeds Of this enter
tainment will be applied to uses OF the
international society
do all the good you can. to as many
people as you can. wherever you can,
however you can,
Shows How Help whenever you cam
May Be Given. wor rh1 su msmn y, 'n os
the society. That means that the char
liable work Of the organization is not Of
the cold and calculating kind too often
met WITH but that 1t is the very milk Of
human kindness. The Sunshiners en-
deavor to help particular persons, rather
than to alleviate the sufferings of
vaguely defined class. Believing that
every human being desires to help his fell
lows. this society tries to point out how
that help may be given in a practical
fashion.
For instance. an invalid chair that has
been used for awhile in q well-to-do fam
ily when some one has been i'll Is res
cued from the attic and given to a Grip
pied child. to whom that chair means all
the difference between a mattress prison
and the freedom OF Gods out OF doors.
The Sunshine Society has found thou
sands of cripples who were compelled to
stay all the time in one spot because they
could not afford rolling chair. Through
appeals published in the papers and by
chairs from fortunate people who no
longer have use for them. and who are
only too glad to relieve the suffering Of
their more sorely afflicted neighbors
When electric lights were Installed in
your home. for instance, what became Of
the kerosene lamps? II you live In q
community where there is an active
branch OF the Sunshine Society you may
be sure that those discarded lamps went
to brighten some humble home where
there was no money to buy good lamps.