Boosters

Since Sinclair Lewis mentions. Rotary and Kiwanis by name in Babbitt, the "Boosters' Club," to which George F. Babbitt belonged, was apparently meant to be a local chapter of Lions International. The "Boosters" might also be taken for Civitans, another, though much smaller, businessmen's organization devoted to songs, luncheons, community service and mutual backscratching. General belief is that the Civitans take in those who cannot make the Lions; the Lions those who do not make Kiwanis; and Kiwanis those who fail to make Rotary, which is the spiritual father of them all. Last week Rotary assembled in Atlantic City for its 27th annual convention, 10,000 strong.

Amid thunderous cheers Rotarians elected as their international president for the coming year a Nashville lawyer named William R. Manier Jr., who has been an active Rotarian for 20 years. They listened to Amos O. Squire, consulting physician at New York State's Sing Sing Prison, declare: "Only rarely have I known of [Boy] Scouts landing in penal institutions." The Rotarians liked that because they are earnest supporters of boys' organizations. Then the Rotarians debated and tabled a resolution favoring prompt completion of the Inter-American Highway (see p. 44), debated and adopted a resolution "expressing interest" in an international language.

Real battle of the Atlantic City convention was over Peace. Many a delegate, including China's Chengting T. Wang, spoke eloquently upon the ill will rampant in the world today. But when the Rotary Club of Barking, England proposed to put the united shoulder of Rotary International behind the wheel of Peace, the convention split. Cried Rotarian Cyril Franklin, a Briton from Hereford: "If Rotary wants to leave its past policy of inspiring individual Rotarians to active support of outside peace movements, we will be playing with fire. If Rotary splits into parties with national points of view, what will be left? The resolution is full of dynamite--apt to blow up the whole spirit of Rotary fellowship."

Warned Rotarian Archie Palmer of London: "If you reject that [resolution] it will be reported in every paper in the world that Rotary does not care a snap of the fingers about Peace." Rotarian Palmer was right. Next day's headlines:

ROTARY REJECTS INTERNATIONAL PEACE PROPOSAL.

While Rotary debated in Atlantic City last week, Kiwanis met for its 20th annual convention in Washington. No disturbing questions like Peace bothered the Kiwanians. They went to see President Roosevelt, heard about crime from J. Edgar Hoover, listened intently to Author Will Durant (The Story of Philosophy), meditated upon a pronouncement from Editor Merle Thorpe of Nation's Business that 75% of Government expenditures "fall within the larger definition of boon-doggling." They endorsed better housing, prevention of traffic accidents and opposition to "vicious" Communistic propaganda. For next year's president Kiwanis International named Alfred Copeland Callen, head of the mining and metallurgical engineering department at the University of Illinois.

Only Rotary International is really international, having no less than 170,000 members in 4,000 clubs in 82 lands. Kiwanis International with 90,000 members in 1,900 clubs is mostly confined to the U. S. and Canada. Lions International has two clubs in China but is largely a North American affair with 85,000 members, 2,700 clubs. Only Civitan International club outside the U. S. is in Toronto. The Civitans have less than 5,000 members, only 125 clubs. Chief Civitan is Charles Francis Cowdrey Jr., a Fitchburg, Mass. machinery maker.

In purpose all four organizations are similar. Rotary's original motto was "Service before Self." To this was later added: "He profits most who serves best." Kiwanians say: "We build." Lions hold to "Liberty: Intelligence: The Nation's Safety." Civitans are "builders of good citizenship." Individual clubs admit one member of each profession or business classification in the community, except Kiwanis, which admits two. Civitans restrict membership to "white Caucasians," will take as many ministers as apply.

All clubs tend to make the most of reciprocity. Early Rotarian chapters kept records of the business their members threw to each other. All clubs are up to their ears in worthwhile social service. All regard the sophisticated ridicule heaped upon them as the cross they have to bear.

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