Carthage courier. (Carthage, Tenn.) 1913-current, 1921-04-07
Address of Fred T.
Wilson to ROtarians

The following news item appeared
in a recent issue of the Lake Charles
American concerning a speech deliv-
cred by Fred T. Wilson, a former
Smith County boy who is now residing
at Houston, Texas:
The sixteenth birthday of Rotary
was celebrated by the Lake Charles
Rotary club with sumptuous banquet
and exceptional program at the Ma
jestic hotel last night, at which 100
members and guests were present.
The program was well balanced be-
tween oratory and musical entertain
ment. E. A Bell, president of the
friends goodby as president of the
club, isasmuch as he will be absent
from the city for several months, dur
ing which time a new president will
have been elected.
Mr.. Wilson the Speaker
The principal speaker of the evening
was Fred t. Wilson of Houston, a
sllver-tongued orator, who, although
very young, is establishing reputa-
ton as an orator of unusual merit. He
spoke for about forty minutes with
Rotary and World Service" as the
subject, but in his discourse touched
on PHILOSOPHERS of life as suggested
by historical occurances of the i'm
mediate present age. His lecture was
thoroughly appreciated and he receiv-
ed the warm expressions of thanks
and admiration at its conclusion.
He began by giving brief history
of Rotary from the day of it's incep-
ton In Chicago sixteen years ago I'M
til now, when it has spread from ma
| ton to nation until it encircles the
globe, there being more than 800 Ro-
tary clubs in existence, with more than
$4,000 members.
He gave a picture of present world
conditions, with EngIand's grave prob
lens of unemployment and the Irish
+ question, France with her broken
hearted population, Germany, Aus
tria and Russia with their starving
millions +, and China, where men, wo-
men and children were perishing each
day from want. And even in this
i great nation there are the business
difficulties where many prosperous
/ persons of last year, who felt snug
/ in their earthly possessions, were ruin
ed and now had Joined the hosts of
unemployed. He called particular at
tention to the loss of faith and the
prevalence of crime.
Principles of the Rotary
/ In discussing the application of Ro-
tary principles to prevent a decaying
of civilization, he emphasized the Ro-
tary ideals of friendship and of hon
esty in business and service. He re-
ferred to the crying need of mankind
today for application of these ideals
of Rotary
The speaker drew parellels to Illus
trate the new aristocracy of this age
/ Aristocracy was not being built on
great accumulated possessions, but
upon service. Benedict Arnold repre-
scented a family of aristocrats of a
hundred years existence, but who was
the autocrat when the example of the
+ life of Nathan Hale, the farmer boy,
who, when called upon to die, said, 81
regret / hav ebut one life to give to
my country" And in the present day
/ he drew picture of Bergdoll, son
of a wealthy family, who fled to es-
cape service and is now fugitive in
foreign land, while Sergeant York,
a mountain boy of Tennessee, answer
ed the call. returned home hero, and
was paid homage by thousands.
He concluded with a forecast of
final redemption of mankind when
the ideals of unselfish service as pro-
mulgated by Rotary shall have become
the moving spirit in the hearts and
lives of men everywhere.