The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-26
ROTARY IN LEAD
Governor TimmOns Tells To-
pekans of Club Activities.
Industrial Court Law First
Born in Rotary Ideals.
BIRTHDAY PARTY HERE TODAY
Executive of Seventeenth Dis
trict Guest Noon Luncheon.
Charles Wood of Massachusetts,
Real Feature of Program.

Declaring that Rotary was a guild
ing light in matters of civic. state and
national Improvement; that rather
than attempt to make laws themselves
they influence and moulded public
opinion to insure backing for the
right kind of legislation, R. H Tim
mons, Of Wichita, governor of the
seventeenth Rotary district, spoke be-
fore the club luncheon at the Cham
Der of Commerce today.
Announcement was made of plans
to get out club roster, showing pic
ture, name. classification and business
address of every member. A ladies
night to be held March 5, at the First
Methodist church was also announced.
A history of Rotary, beginning fif-
teen years ago when four Chicago men
conceived the idea of starting a club
N W. Benning sketched in a few brief
words. 1t has now progressed to
where it has $4,000 members and 500
clubs. 1t was predicted that continual
| ton OF present growth would by 1885
| see Rotary with an organization of
| more than 1000 clubs.
Big Membership Out.
! Secretary Cecil Howes reported that
only two members of the us of the
Topeka Rotary club were missing from
attendance today. This is the greatest
showing ever made by a club of this
size. Several Topeka Rotarians at
tended meetings in other cities and
their attendance was telegraphed for
! the records.
Wood Big Feature.
The feature talk was made
| by Charles Wood. of New Bedford,
Mass. a member of the board of con-
Citation of that state. Wood is in To-
peka studying the industrial court bill
and its application to business rela-
tions in Kansas. He once lived in Con-
cord, and has mentioned the passage
of the industrial court bill as the sec
ond shot heard around the world"
| He paid a great compliment to the
Kansas industrial law and said it
would be on the statute books long
after other laws were dead and gone.
! Wood made wonderful talk.
TImmons On Rotary"
| Robt. II. Timmons, district governor for
| the Seventeenth Rotary district, comprising
Kansas Missouri and Oklahoma, presented
to the club new definition Of Rotary. 1t
Rotary is sincere and earnest but
| joyful effort on the part OF the busy
| business man to put real red human blood
into altruism and to reduce ideaiism TO
| practical, adaptable workable machinery"
Rotary Inspired Court.
kansas is the first state in the Union
| to establish an industrial court for the
settlement of industrial disputes" he said.
| THE first presentation of this idea was at
| the international convention of the Rotary
| clubs at Salt Lake City last June when a
/ ROtar11n declared IldL some IeSlSluIiou
which would equally controi labor and
capital, and drafted in the spirit of Amer
| lean fair play, was necessary.
| Rotary had an important hand in con-
| structing this legislation and will have an
| important part in helping to maintain pub
lie sentiment behind the law. Rotary
| does not claim any particular credit ex-
cept that 1t helped to build public senti-
| ment to a point where there was uni
would end the continual pickering between
labor and capital, especially when the dis
putes threatened the lives of the people.
| You remember that Kansas had a pro-
hibition amendment to her constitution for
many years. Most of you also remember
that prohibition was not enforced, even in
| Kansas, until public sentiment became
aroused over the liquor traffic and com
PEELED dts enforcement. The same will be
true of the new industrial court law. Pub
lie sentiment is going to make the law
| workable and will enforce it, even tho
it has to be amended and changed to re-
move the rough spots.
| Between City and Farm
"For many years there has been more OF
less of 4 feeling of opposition between the
city man and the farmer. Rotary has
undertaken to help remove some of this
prejudice and Rotary clubs thruout tht
| country are now taking an active inter
est in the affairs of the farmers and in
the affairs of their market centers so that
| the community will be welded into ar
active, fighting community force for th'
| general betterment of all.
zone of the cardinal principles OF Rotary
is better citizenship and Rotary has un
dertaken to help this IN two SPECIFIC ways
One is the improvement of the teaching
in our schools and direct help to the boy'
| Of each community.
when the special session of the Kan
sas legislature was called Rotary was tn,
first organization to begin campaign fo
law that would enable the schools to pa.
such salaries to teachers as would seeur
for our schools the best ability and tn
hest training available. Rotary helped t.
build up public sentiment for higher sal
aries for teachers. The special session
broke a record in Kansas for 1t voted
without a dissenting voice, increased take
for school purposes"