The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1922-07-12
THE FORUM LUNCH

j Il the stranger is safe fror'
molestation. From olden times mer
who have broken bread togethe,
have held Il base treachery and dis
honor to turn against each other.
These are the basic ideas OF the
forum luncheon. Antagonism disap
pears when men get their feet unde,
the same dining table.
Today Is the hundredth anniver.
sary of the Klamath county forum
luncheon. u Is hard to estimate
the good that these hundred simple
meals have done in bringing abou,
a better understanding between the
citizens OF the community.
The editor OF the Bend Press re-.
Gently asked himself why is a
Forum Luncheon, and proceeded &c
answer his query as follows:
A luncheon forum is because
man Is as he Is.
Let us elucidate--don't you re-
member from your Anthropology.
Enthnologv and Sociology these
truthsy MAN Is q group animal
man is social animal" You
learned also that when n man Is
not In n group not sociable. he
In oftimes a mighty lonesome ami
man. The staid old business man
is after all but a boy on stills
and many are the times when
things seem TO go all wrong when
pride Is wounded and the heart
burns--when everything is rs blue
as indigo. II is then that the bat.
terry Of moral resistance is about
ten twenty and ihe light shines but
dimly. IL Is then that the boy
grown big, is most approachaoie
In a hundred different ways.
Man is a group animal. Even be-
fore the time OF man, We find that
many OF the lower order OF ami
mails had learned TO know the
strength Of the group--they found
that by binding themselves togeth-
or they could survive.. that all
was well with the individual only
I'm proportion as all was well with
the group. fH'if TFasou' hV~V''''
for grouping was purely selfish.
When Adam and Eve moved into
the Garden OF Eden they establish
cd the social human group. the
greatest OF all social societies
which has endured and which shan
ever remain.
To make the shade leaves turn
their broad sides TO the sun. In
one great cluster: the combination
OF the little brooks makes the
mighty river which helps TO form
the ocean, y snowflake which alone
would quickly melt. but with oth-
ers forms the huge drift that will
siall steel trsins-and so. In all
things. as with man, we hnd that
strength e~ists only In unity.
The luncheon forum Is no now
idea. English literature discusses
the various groups as gathered
earh weet NJ the home OF Charles
and Mary Lamb. Our own grand
fathers had their eroups that gath
cred each day around the VILLAGE
stove. or IN the evening at the
little red school or the old tavern.
The luncheon forum Is not n new
idea. II is merely the pendulum,
swinging hack II In the wcpFer-
fully conceived idea which makes
possible the com'no together OF
men for the establishment % ]
better understandinp-an under
standing which hegets confidence
which makes for q haDDier and
better commercial and social life.
Count Tolstoy---one OF the great
est diplomats aud democrats OF all
times, as he sat In his library dis
covered q stranger In his garden
and turning TO his English secre-
iary said: II hate that man..
When asked why he hated the
stranger he remarked: II hate him
simply because ] do not know him"
! wonder how many OF us have
formed q hatred for the fellow
that we do not know--a hatred
which has melted and thawed
away entirely under the warm sun
OF mountaineering and under
standing? II Is a true old adage
that the thing we do not under
stand we oppose. The luncheon
forum is the one big emans for
better individual and better COM
munity understanding. and conse.
quently the great modern means
for community progress.
The luncheon forum idea Ii des- \
tined TO play n great part in the
progress. the advancement OF
American life, because II teaches.
men 20 think deeply and act In
unison. President Harding in 4 I;
message transmitted to the presi-
dent OF Hawaii. stated that nov.
as never before, men must think.
Our commercial club forum Is
the nest of warmth propa gatinG
real constructive accomplishment
for our city and community. II N 4
the heart of the community where /
In one hundred per cent loyalty [
and integrity ara inculcated In
stronger measure In the minds OF
busv business men. Let US give
IL added support; for. We get out OF
anything returns in measure to
that which we Dut into H. H