Evening star., 1922-01-22

the United States, Canada. Nova Scotia,
Ontario. Quebec. Alberta, Manitoba,
Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Ha-
waii, Cuba, Prince Edwards Island.
New Brunswick. England. Ireland, Scot
land and Wales, while clubs at large.
under the direct supervision of the in
ternational board of directors and the
in Argentina, China, France, British
India, Japan. Mexico, Australia. New
Zealand. Panama. Philippine Islands.
Porto Rico. South Africa and Uruguay.
Arming more than score Of ma
tons for greater service to them
selves and to the Individual commit
tees among them as we'll as to the
world at large is what the members
Of the constitutional convention COM
mittee Of Rotary International call
the work they concluded at the Chi
cago Beach Hotel. Chicago. Ill. mid
night, Sunday, November 20. last.
when they urged on a draft for new
constitution and set of bylaws for
their organization.
For one solid week. working night
and day. representatives of every Ro-
tary district in the United States.
England. Ireland, Scotland. Canada
and Cuba toiled over the various as
poets Of the ''whercases" and cit is
ordaineds that go into every well
clusion Of the work, in shirt sleeves.
and with the beaded brows and ruff
fled looks OF the honest worker, they
declared they had fought good
fight and had turned out what they
and real set of bylaws that will
serve the International movement Of
service for many years to come.
COnstftution to BE Submitted.
The constitution and bylaws they
evolved after the week Of toll will
be submitted to the individual Rotary
clubs of the world for comment and
annual International convention of
the organization, which is to be held
this year in Los Angeles, Calf.
The meeting of the committee was
an international gathering in every
sense of the word. The Rotary clubs
Of Great Britain sent three represen-
tatives to this country to attend the
gathering, and the clubs of Cuba
sent one. From all sections of Cam
ada and the United States the other
time were the international board Of
directors Of Rotary and the interna-
tional committees on redistricting the
United States and Canada. and extern
sion to foreign countries The advisory
board of the Canadian Rotary clubs
also met at the same time.
Local Organization Formed.
With John Dolph as it's first presi-
dent. the Rotary Club OF Washington,
D. c., came into being In July. 1912,
with not more than twenty-five or
thirty members, and, while governed
by the platform and ethics of the ma
tional organization. and later the in
ternational association. little was
heard Of the clubs activities at the
time. The founders at first met in a
small room in the Shoreham Hotel.
later at the old Commercial Club,
where they would lunch and discuss
matters pertinent to their club. but
the public heard little or nothing Of
their activities.
Keeping pace. however, with other
Rotary Clubs of the country. the To-
cal organization gradually grew, not
SO much in numbers as to the caliber
of men admitted to membership, until
the outbreak of the great war, and
then, the constructive. work of its
members began to be chronicled
broadcast. and hardly a day passed
that the daily papers did not refer to
some specific war movement that was
being fostered by Rotary.
In compliance with Rotary's estab-
lished plan of limited or restricted
membership. a plan adopted by the
original club in Chicago, which per
mits of only one representative from
each classified business or profession,
the Washington Rotary Club gradual
ly increased its membership. until to-
day it numbers 145 men, all repre-
sentative, OF the calling with which
they are identified.
In holding to this Original plan, dur
ing the years of the expansion OF Ro-
tary. it has been pointed out by those
prominent in the organization that
the distinctive value Of this first
Fundamental idea has been thoroughly
proved. "Other organizations may
have thousands of members on their
rosters" said an official of the local
club the other day, while the Rotary
Club has only few score, but even in
it's apparent weakness in numbers
lies much of the real strength of Ro-
.tary. For it not only makes for a
more representative and efficient