Evening star., 1934-02-15
High Lights on the Wide World
Excerpts From Newspapers Of Other Lands
. ANGKOK DAILY MAIL.-Oc-
y casionally into this altogether

~ ANGKOK DAILY MAH.-Oc-
- caSionally into this altogether
too selfish and materialistic
- world there appears a man
imbued with the unceaSing
desire to see mankind benefit from all
that he touches; who places every
human, no matter how stricken or
debased, before himself seeing always
that the spark called the soul in man
Is worth developing and saving in
ali persons; who Is so fired from his
own heart that no task for others
is too small, too hard to be accom-
plished; who places kindness to all
creatures and work for all mankind
above any selfish gain or material
benefit to himself. The world has
entirely too few such men. The priv
ilege of knowing such a man falls to
not every average person during his
life.
Bangkok for 81 years, until last
Wednesday morning, has had such a
man. He was Father Emile Genest
Auguste Colombet. Few there were,
foreigners or Siamese, in Bangkok
who had not in one way or another
come under or felt the influence of
this great man of God.
Not only in Bangkok. but through
out the kingdom. Father Colombet in
fiuenced this nation. He is the father
Of modern education in Siam. His
entire life was devoted to this cause
The urge to help humanity, the call
of his soul to fulfill its destiny, landed
Father Colombet on the banks of the
Menam Chao Phya on April S, 1872.
A very different Siam than it is today
met the eyes Of this young priest
Strange, indeed, it must have looked
to this 23-year -old French lad from
Gap, Parish of Assumption, France
Yet it was but five years later that
this same inspired young man opened
his first school in Bangkok.
But Father Colombet never let his
educational work for one moment dis
place the fact that he was carrier
of religion, man who was chosen
to look after the souls of his people
as well as to develop their brains.
Under him his parish spread and de-
veloped. The small mission grew to
big mission. He was vitality in
sumption Convent and in his mind
he had another dream for many
years-that Of a cathedral for his
parish. But not until 1919 was the
building finished and Father Colombet
was able to look at his two great
pieces of work, either of which would
have been considered life work by
most men, and say: ''r nave labored
faithfully, Lord. These I offer"
And so, after a lifetime of service
to his God and man, Father Colom-
bet passed on to his greater reward
last Wednesday at the age Of a..
Never had he relaxed in his efforts
for the Siamese, his adopted people.
He loved them and they loved him.
League of Nations
Labor Body Praised.
Egyptian Gazette, Cairo.-Amid
much that is dark and threatening in
the world outlook today, 1t Is cheer
ing to note the steady advance in in
huence that is being exercised by the
International Labor Organization OF
the League of Nations. While the
League proper aims at the establish
ment of political peace by the pre-
vention of war, the primary object Of
the I. L. o. is social peace. This is
endangered as long as masses Of
workers in any part of the world have
to work under tnhuman conditions;
and SO a worldwide endeavor is made
to improve labor conditions and to
raise standards.
One of the numerous ways in
which its object is achieved is by
giving of the expert advice which 1t
commands to any government, anx-
ious to embark upon social legisla-
ton. A striking instance Of develop