Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-04-24

bard as to what the latter said is the
second rule of Rotary organization. 1t
was Don't Take Yourself Too Seri-
ously."
The deeper ] go into Rotary" Mr.
Mulholland said. in part. 1.-The less
know of what it is or it's capabilities.
l am reminded of the astronomer who,
when he was a little boy. quoted the
old jingle. Twinkle. twinkle, little
star. how 1 wonder what you are,
and who. at the end of lifetime of
study, when he was an aged man. again
apostrophzed the stars he had been
studying by wondering to the last what
they are. l asked a man in western
club. What is your definition of Ro-
tary"' and this great. robust fellow SAID
to me. 4 think it is just like being IN
love. You know you have it. but can't
describe it
so it is. The world is not interested
in what you have, but it is nightly in
terested in how did YOU get it and what
YOU are doing with it? ] do not allude
to the survival value of property. but of
life. Unless while here we have done
something that survives when we are
gone there is little excuse for our having
been here.
What Rotary Stands For.
Rotary stands for character. 1t re-
quires you to stand for something, some
where. some time-or put into operation
some enterprise that will survive when
you are gone. You cannot be L real Ro-
tartan unless you have learned to smile
1t is the gospel of optimism that I preach
as what Rotary stands for. The most
potent factor for good in the life of any
nation is a great number of citizens who
will smile. From whom do you like to
buy your boots and groceries" From the
man who smiles. 4 fellowship of Rotary
has no place i'll it for that fellow who
thinks he stands head and shoulders
above others Once in 6 while .'ou come
across man who thinks he S made of
there is no place in Rotary for the man
who thinks he speaks the final word.
Take a dflident. backward. bashful bust
ness man and charge him with the idea
of service and You will have a great po-
tential factor for good to the nation All
the great constructive forces in the his
tory of the world have been optimists The
progress of the world must always depend
upon the advancement made by the aver
age, the ordinary man. So il is that we
who are ordinary men are optimsts and
are constructive forces, trying to be of
service in the world
GU and ] can get together and tell
each other what great organization
this is. but Rotary in Washington. as
elsewhere. is going to be measured not
" Ia We tHlIlk OF IL. but by what
non Rotarians think of it. Bear that in
mind. Give something of yourself to
your community to aid in perpetuating
1t. to make it more beautiful Ro-
tary club is but an opportunity to give
something. We are going to get out
OF this world only about as much as
we put in it,
Other Speakers and Themes.
Mr.. Meade, the past president of the
international organization. urged his
hearers to attend the convention to be
held in San Francisco in July, and de-
scr1bed the first attempts to interest
other Rotary clubs abroad in an inter
national organization. credit for the
success Of which he gave to Mr.. Null
holland. He spoke of the waste in in
dustries, which has been overcome to
large extent in recent years, and
compared it with the waste in human
endeavor so far AS social intercourse
has been concerned.
Rotary" Mr.. Meade said. has found
way of helping men to quickly under
stand business problems other than
their own. which no other agency that
/ know of has found
Mr.. McAdams said the best idea that
had been developed in his club is that
the club shall halt taking in so many
members. and that its present members
shall know each other better. The Sec
ond best, he said, Is to know the city Of
Richmond and its plants better. Visits
are now being made for that purpose.
Mr.. Essick of Harrisburg said thatAs
club lis doing Its level best to make men -
He quoted a Japanese who was asked