The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1923-08-31

talents, satisfy inner longings for in
tellectual, physical, social and art ex-
preston, all of which means recrea-
tion in the broadest sense, and this
implies the need of adequate COM
munity provision of opportunities
along all these lines.
Workers Must Get Into Game"
But, somebody points out that we
have amusements galore in our cities
and towns. Yes, commercial amuse-
ments in the United States today
form probably the largest line of
business agoing. Twenty million trek
to the movies every day. Twenty
five thousand to seventy-fve thousand
attend single big league ball game.
But, listen, men, not muscle of these
baseball fans wiggles or stretches as
they watch the other play-except
possibly in the seventh inning!
Oh, we would not decry attendance
at these professional games, not at
all. What we are urging is the get
ting into the game" participation,
activity, expression, expression-phy-
sical to stir up the blood, squeeze the
! liver, fill the air pipes, beat the other
! fellow; expression-soci in fun-games
| to mellow our nerves, enrich person
ality, make friends; eXpression-intel-
! lectual to broaden our minds, clean
erstanding, get the relation and
meaning of our word and all that
therein is; expression -esthetic to SIM
ulate our imagination, make some
| thing beautiful in form and color,
satisfy our creative art desires.
submit, doesn't all this mean more
man, the life more abundant?
Isn't that, after all, what we are
struggling for on this earth? Money,
yes, but to make possible this kind
of life. Shorter hours, yes, but to
give US necessary time in which to
live this richer life.
Now, what's the best word to or
ganized labor on this whole subject 2
Just this: Get into the game your
self Keep and develop the play
spirit. Keep it in your homes. Play
with the children
Organize athletic teams in your
union, stimulate the other unions to
do likewise, develop competitions be-
tween them. Start bands, vocal
quartets, put on shows, bring out the
talent among the members.
Start Something" in Your Town
Look around the town and see
what it has and what it needs in the
way of public Fairgrounds, athletic
fields, school and other community
centers Start something which will
fire the people up to make demand for
the best and most adequate commun-
ity program of recreation, Great
oaks from little acorns grow. The
ideas here presented may be your
acorns. Take 'em, you're welcome.
Think of the great public service
you can render to the boys and girls
of America by undertaking com.
munity effort of the kind Indicated
And finally, remember that this
whole scheme of things and the phil
osophy underlying it is part of ;
plan presented by the community
service department of the Playground
and Recreation Association of Amer,
lea to the American Federation o.
Labor executive council in February
1923, and approved by it. This ar.
ticle, therefore, is written to further
the common cause. Our association
is prepared to help with literature
counsel by correspondence and field
service in the larger cities and under
certain conditions. The address o.
the headquarters is 315 Fourth avenue
New York, and the secretary is How
ard S. Braucher.
Let's pull together, workers, fol
we are striving toward the same ul
innate human end-a better, richer
kind of existence here in our be
loved America.