Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-22
President Taft's Commenda-
ton of the Y. N. C. A.
TALKS COLORED BRANCH
Attractive Christian Club With In
fuences for Good.
REPUTATION OF CRITICISMS
Prospect of the Organization Rails
ing $4,000 and Securing Do
nation of $4,000.

TT has reduced the science of taking
an attractive Christian club in which all
the influences are good. i'm which there
is nothing of the mollycoddle. nothing of
the softening. enervating influence, but
everything tending to vigorous manhood
and everything tending TO restrain them
from demoralizing vices and practices"
In these words President Taft. speaking
in the Howard Theater ve. arday after
noon at mass meeting held under the
auspices of the Colored Y. NJ c. A.. re
futed the criticisms of the association by
persons who have declared that there are
too many mollycoddles and kid glove"
young men on the rolls Of the associa-
ton. The President was vigorously ap-
plauded from time to time and beamed
with satisfaction when 1t was announced
that about $500 had been raised of the
necessary S15.0Oo to secure the offer of
julius Rosenwald of Chicago to give 49,
600 to the association for Its new build
ing.
Result of Observation.
ut has fallen to my lot" he said, BE
cause Of experience in many parts of
the world. to observe the wonderful use
fulness of the Young Mems Christian IS
ISOLATION in taking hold of the charac-
tiers or young men at a time when they
are in formative periOd-at a time when
they are likely to yield TO temptation
that Will lead them down to destruction
and offering to them an inducement and
an opportunity to make themselves men
worthy of and useful in the community.
Il was not particularly familiar with
rI.t-
when ] was on the bench In this coun-
try, but in the orient, In the Philippines.
IN China. In Japan in Hongkong and on
the isthmus and elsewhere around the
world / was able to see how 1t adapted
itself to the uses Of young men even in
those far-of countries.
1T was peculiarly useful In such places
as Manila and Hongkong, where young
men from home-that is. from America.
or from England. without families-were
exposed to the temptations of those far
off lands-temptations that are a good
deal stronger, my dear friends. than
when you are surrounded by the re-
straints of home and neighborhood.
Hence. with that knowledge. with that
fullness of realization of what the Young
Mems Christian Association can do in a
practical way. | have never, when op-
portunity offered, failed to speak as
strongly as possible in its behalf. and to
invoke, as far as / could, the aid of all
good men in building it up and giving 1t
an opportunity to expand its usefulness.
Upbuilding Influence Needed.
Now 1t does not need any logic for us
to say that you young colored men-and
all the young colored men over this coun-
try-need that influence and that kind of
influence just as much as the white young
men need 1t.
There is white Young Mems Chris
tlan Association and a colored Young
Mems Christian Association You are
more comfortable to have your own club
limited to your own race. as perhaps the
white young men are more comfortable
in having 1t limited to their race But
they are both nevertheless all under the
broad roof of charitable and uplifting
Christianity, and you ought to take pride,
as you do. In having contributed and la
bored and worked for this association
and for this branch that YOU have here.
because nowhere that / know of I'm all
this country do the colored people live
together in such a way as to make such
an organization more useful than right
here among the 100000 colored people of
Washington.
II heard through one of the secretaries
OF the Y. NJ. c. A. of the very generous
offer of Mr.. Julius Rosenwald of Chi
cago to contribut $2o. to any organiza-
ton which would raise $4,000 for the
construction and maintenance of a colored
any city in this country. ] was told that
you had raised $50 900, and had put II into
a building. but that you needed a good
deal more-perhaps $4OOOO-to make it
complete. and So at the suggestion of my
friend of the Y. NJ. G. A.. and without
knowing Mr.. Julius Rosenwald, but hop
ing that he might know who / was / sat
down and wrote him letter and stated
the circumstances, and urged him to en-
large his plan so as to include Washing
ton In the cities which he had made the
object of his bounty and munificence
Makes Washington an Exception.
He was in Europe when wrote, but
some months after he came to Washing
ton and fell In with a friend OF mine
Judge Mack: and Judge Mack, | think
had persuasive influence. Judge Mack
has been a close friend and fellow-citizen
OF his at Chicago. ! invited Mr. Rosen-
valid TO come and see me- and Judge
Mack came with him.
After a while Mr.. Rosenwald said
that he would make Washington an ex-
ception and would add the $4,000 to the
$4,000 yet to be raised by you. / like to
dwell on Mr.. Rosenwald's attitude Mr.
Rosenwald is a Jew.
'In the management of the Young Men $
Christian Association. the directors are
limited to certain denominations. l make
no criticism Of that. / believe l could not
be one of the directors, because my de-
nomination does not come within the list
But what l wish to bring home to you is
that In his broad philanthropy. in the
wide spirit OF his love of mankind, Mr.
Rosenwald has not been deferred from
giving money to that which he believes
most useful to mankind, even though
there may be restriction in the manage
ment which smaller or a more narrow
minded man might resent.
Cause of Rejoicing.
This makes one rejoice that a man Of
his heart and soul and generosity has had
the genius-for he has wonderful business
genius-and the executive force to build
up fortune that enables him TO do what
he would with his money for the better
ment of mankind.
Il am here this afternoon to say to you