Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-12
DR.. J. H. ODELL
ADDRESSES GRANGE
First Public Appearance Since
Being Chosen Director OF
Service Citizens.
Special correspondence of Every Evening

Special correspondence of Every Evening
Dover. Dec. i2-At last nights
session of the State Grange, Dover
DIR. Joseph II. Odell, the newly elected
director of the Service Citizens ut Del
aware. made an address. He was intro
duced hv Charles Warner, a member
of the executive committee OF the Serv-
ice Citizens, spoke beIetlv OF the history
of the civic movement now represented
by the Citizens Service, as 1t had de
veloped from the initial activities OF
the General Service Hoard, which had
started in smaller way what the larger
organization had now been created to
carry forward with the assistance Of the
citizens of the state, Interested IN It's
real welfare. He said he regarded 1t as
most fitting that the first public address
made by DR. Odell since he had accepted
the directnrShip of the new citizen body
should he made before the prominent
agriculturists of the state.
DIR. Odell arenet. his address by saying
that the great determining policies of
this country are shaped hv the rural
districts; that the city's influence IN
shaping the development OF our dem
ocracv Is ovcreStimated, particularly
bv the cities themselves: that the rural
vote has been the great factor; that the
TODAY is really the United States and
that the rural districts are the back
bone Of this conservatism. European
countries are seethIng with Bolshevlk
theories and activities. 70 one can tell
what may happen even in cautious and
staid England, but the world has learned
to think OF america as the only stable
democracy in the world
DR. Odell WAS not prepared TO say
verv much about Delaware, but said
that he must leave that until ne bad
lived here and had become a citizen.
He had heard much that was fiattering
about the state from outside and some
things that were not especially fatter-
ing. but that as new person he was
keeping strictly 70 the middle OF the
road
He felt sure that he could depend
on Delaware people, first cf all, to bc
human and 10 have the good points
which belong to the very human side
Of the citizens Of any state, and that
thev probably had tho energy. the pa
tience. the interest and the influence
v hich can 10 depended upon whe:
thev snt ont to really work for tho state
In regard 10 the Service Citizens and
his prospective work DIR Odcll was not
prepared 10 speak until ne had been in
the State and knew the people. Until
that time the people would have to carry
their own work and he was sure that
unless the Service Citizens was to he an
organization in which thepsople represent
cd II The meeting last night were to he
4 part there Guild be no Service Citizens
He had heard il said that the Service
Citizens had been organized To make
Delaware 2 perfect State He did not
know VINO was responsible for putting
forth this idea but he knew that ii was
not true No such thing rs perfection
can be attained and the Service Citizens
can have no idea Of making perfect
STATE There are milI n miles to 70
in the search after perfection and the
great thing about our efforts toward it
is that we are willing, knowing that We
can never attain it, 10 60 ahead and do
the best We can 10 make the world
better place for our efforts. TO be content
if We have done our utmost 10 give little
children health and happiness. to give
youth lis opportunity to develop and
reach out toward It's own aspirations, to
stand guard over the public welfare OF
the community at large and hose of our
friends and our fellow citizcnSfwho need
our thought and our help DIR Odell
said 1t Is because ! have thought
hat by working with YOU Delawareans
that we might togeth her do some things
which otherwise might not be done
that I have been willing to give up
very happy situation Of mv own Tor the
work here, but the inspiration must
come from the hearts of the people Of
the state And when we have given the
very beSt III orr thought, our hearts and
our strength We shall not have done
ANYTHING which We ought not 10 do
We shall not have done anything for
which we can seek credit We have only
done what l. 70 be expected OF every
citizen in a country where every citizen
i king