The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-16
THE ROTARY CLUB; WHAT IT
A

of them. Assuredly 1t is not the only
material one amongst them. But we be-
iieye that to those to whom the ministra-
tons of rotary are vouchsafed its spirit
may prove an exceptionally potential ex-
preston Of our regard for these, onr
brothers.
The movement to guard the citizen
of tomorrow In the child of today, the
movement to make our children strong
in body while we make the mstrong in
mind, the movement to protect the poor
In their right to sunlight, the movement
to make government more full of care
for the weak while not unresponsiVe to
the right of the strong, the movements
which have gained momentum and have
expressed themselves in a richer com
munity life, there has that spirit as
sertel itself which has produced the Ro-
tary club There also is the field ripe
for the sowing of the seed of the rota-
rian ideal; and il the organizers of the
new Rotary clubs in such communities
show forth the true spirit of ritary, the
wheel of which you and I are co-ordl-
nate coks will engage these communities
and turn them all in the direction of an
efficient and kindlier judgment and a
broader good for all mankind
This is the meaning of Rotary. To
make it workable, to make 1t articuiate.
the experience of eight short years has
developed few principles. a very few.
which are manifestly helpful to its
growth and apparently fundamental to Its
life.
Secure Against Competition
1.-The first of these principles is that
for the present at least the organiza ton
shall be secure against the spirit of com
petition. To that,end its organizers have
limited the right of membership to men
actively engaged in business and to one
firm only as the representative of each
kind of business. Rotary has no room
for drones And among the men of our
cities active in their work, business RI
valry is still too keen not to make the
coming together of BUSINESS competitors
IN such an organization-for several
years to come at least danger rather
than a help.
such a limitation quite naturally
arouses question. IT has been the sub
ject of much misunderstanding. But the
experience of our young life has Justified
1t and the present usefulness of Rotary
clubs, their influence in expanding the
lives of their members. does not now
warrant any playing with the fire of
competition.
Worked Distinct Advantages
Our limitation of membership to a.
single representative of each kind of busi-
ness has, moreover, worked several dis
tinetive advantages. 1t has made our
membership representative of all phases
OF modern business life probabl beyond
any other organization among business
men. Rotary is a cross section of the
productive agencies in each of SO impor-
tant urban centers. The frequent contact
thus afforded to each member with prac-
tlcally every other reputab BILE kind of busi-
ness in his community has proven educa-
tonal and broadening ia the highest de-
gree. No one calling can ever be strong
enough numerically to dominate Rotary
This limitation, furthermore, makes each
member representative of a trade and
puts upon him the responsibility of repre-
senting that trade with dignity and
thoroughness. Finally it requires of men