New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-07-13
Community Councils Hold
Conference i'm Scarbor-
s ough; Talk of Methods
to Promote Civic Good
Battle Explains System
Members by Means of Sub
committees to Take Up
Problems of Town 8

SCARBOROUGH, N. Y, July Ii
The Community Councils of National
Defence held peace time conference
at the home Of Mr.. and Mrs. Frank A.
Vanderbilt here to-day. The meeting
was called to discuss problems now
confronting the movement and to
bring the councils throughout the ma
ton closer together in an endeavor to
effect practical democracy and a new
constructive citizenship.
The main conference was held in the
Scarborough School in the afternoon.
Before this, however, a round table
conference was held at the Vanderlip
home, in which recreation, health and
community industrial welfare were
discussed. Thos who spoke included
Thomas L. Chadbourne, George Foster
Peabody, R. J. Caldwell, George F.
Kunz, Raymond B. Ingersoll, James II.
Post, Fred NJ. Stein, Thomas c. Des-
mond and Alan T. Burns.
George Gordon Battle presided at
the afternoon conference, and in the
opening address enlarged upon the
functions and possibilities Of the COM
munity councils.
How to Achieve Results
"Most of the subjects that COM
>munity councils discuss" he said,
cannot be disposed Of by passing q
resolution on by casting a ballot The
neighborhood wants to get something
or to do something, and there is just
one way to proceed-to get busy in
teams. Furthermore, the help of ex-
perienced people is required-peo ple
whose experienced has been gained in
the departments of government, in
the welfare agencies, progressive
movements and industrial corporations.
Perhaps the community councils
will deliberate on a dozen ventures and
will carry only one Of them into action.
This is a salutary experience. Citizens
learn by these means that things are
easier said than done, and that
officials in positions of responsibility
are not always able to rub Aladdin
lamp.
Community councils are made up of
the rank and file OF citizens who Join
in certain dominant interests, but who
divide them selves into subcommittee
according to the special training or en-
thusiasm of each individual
"One- Time" Method
"There are subcommittee on
health, sub committees on the use of
libraries, subcommittee on play op-
portunity, subcommittee on member
ship, on finance, on employment on
housing and living conditions, on the
adjustment of industrial disagree
resents the whole body, while yet it
gives to its members that one thing at
time which is most natural to the
human nature of most people"
Thomas 6. Desmond spoke of the
welfare work that was being conducted
III Newburgh shipyards to bring about
spirit OF cooperation between work
ers and employers
The councils can do a great work, /"
ne lid, by helping to stimulate service
along these lines"
Professor c. H. Robertson, formerly
OF Purdue University, who has spent
much time in health work in Russia
and China, described conditions there.
u hope" he remarked, that the
community council movement will
spree all over the world"
Mrs. Nanderlip Is Speaker
Mr.. Nanderlip spoke briefly, saying
tha- the council had faced an $4,000
edehci' this morning, but that this had
beer made up by one of the members.
Tbs telegram from Franklin K.
Laie Secretary Of the Interior, was
read:
AS you know, have been much
interested in the possibilities of the
community councils as means for
bringing the people more fully into
the life and the problems Of their
CONN unisies and in building up a
broader and more tolerant community
spirit.
- sincerely hope that your confer
. enc may result in some definite and
PRACTICAL methods Of continuing the
good work which has already been
set IN motion under the auspices Of the
community councils"