Evening star., 1932-06-12

Note NotsnFollowing is an address .n. delivered delivered
dents from. every type Of school in Ems,
with education The speech is Of special
signifcance at the. present time.
7 FIND my task in addressing this
great gathering anything but an
easy one, but we start on common
i ground, for we are all, young and
old. seriously perplexed by the
many problems that confront us and
are all equally anxious to do what we
can to help our country In a time Of
need. I do not pretend for one mo-
ment to be able to offer any concrete
solution of our difficulties. I propose
merely to speak in general terms with
the hope Of suggesting to you some lines
Of thought which you can carry away
tonight.
I believe there exists in many minds
feeling that while our troubles are
largely due to outside causes they are
not due to these alone-that while po-
litical and economic changes may be
effective to avert financial disaster, they
cannot in themselves insure true and
sound growth Of our national life.
There Is, too, think, certain doubt
WIlclllcI tllC oOCldl pIOSlcSo VI IcCcul
years has not perhaps been rather su-
perficial-a feeling that, just as many
a flne-looking house may conceal
load of mortgage or hire-purchase debt
so the better material conditions that
have been won may not represent any
verv solid gain
Now, if financial sacrifice is required
people will face il, as they are doing,
without murmur today; If reorgani-
Zation OF industry is demanded people
will seek to carry 1t through But they
will have no real confidence that these
measures alone will secure what Is best
in life, They are looking for a positive
aim, and that aim is, think, to be
found N the realization that each man
must and can work out his own saliva
ton in common service. Whatever the
coming years may hold of hardship and
difficulty we can win through triumph
antly If only We will recognize that the
future lies in our own hands. By all
means let the state do all for us that
1t can. but 1t cannot do much more
than give us conditions in which our
individual task is made easier, and
neither the state nor any one else can
relieve us of that task.
Unselfish Devotion.
For this reason you should not think
Of social service purely as state action
such as education. public health. in
surance, old age pensions and so on
nor only as the wonderful voluntary
work which is being done in connection
with countless good causes throughout
the country. Let us think Of 1t rather
as kindliness between man and man. as
mutual understanding, as all those acts
1f g.. l1
and indeed are being done every day. by
thousands Of people without one
thought Of material gain or personal
advancement.
No country in the world has de-
veloped its social services to the ex-
tent that We have. or devotes so much
money to their provision and efficient
performance. But We cannot ignore
the fact that the present financial
stringency may have to result in some
curtailment-that the high level will
fall unless We can make good by an
increased individual effort. Then, too,
the wide provision Of state social serv-
ices has perhaps lessened in some Of
us the sense OF the need. the duty. OF
personal services and has encouraged
a tendency to take all these things
for granted-encouraged a readiness
to receive without at the same time
inculcating that readiness to give
which is the only justification for the
privileges of citizenship. We must
realize that the amenities of life, its
essentials, are best secured by the per-
sonal effort and individual contribu-
tions of every member Of the COM
munity and are not a sort of heaven
sent mamma to be garnered and enjoyed
without effort, service or obligation.
There is an enormous call at the
present time for personal service-a
call that is increasing Almost every
good cause needs the time and per-
sonal effort which each one of you
can give, and there is some place,
however small, where your services can
be of real use and worth. So do not
the opportunities are at your thresh-
hold, in every town and village, wher-
ever you may happen to live. The
tasks are there and every one, Of us
can play a part, for the race IS not
necessarily to the swift nor the battle
to the strong.
Fair Chance for Youth.
I know, of course, that many Of the
elder section in this great gathering
are already devoting much of their
spare time to voluntary service, but /
have tonight a wider audience-the
vast audience listening in beyond this
hall There are many who, in these
times. have to work harder for liv-
ing, whose days toll is more exacting
end who have less leisure to give. But
every member of the elder generation
can be i partner in joint enterprise
in the promotion of youths opportu-
nity-to see that every boy and girl In
this country should have fair chance.